Any way one looks at it the University of Denver hockey team will face a tall task in restocking the shelves.

One year after watching nine players graduate, the Pioneers lost four players early to pro contracts (Henrik Borgström, Dylan Gambrell, Blake Hillman and Troy Terry) on top of four more stalwarts who are graduating. Factor in three in-season and post-season departures last year, and you’re going to see a much different DU team next season.

Put another way, there likely will be just seven players left from the 2017 National Championship team: defensemen Michael Davies and Erich Fear and forwards Liam Finlay, Jarid Lukosevicius, Tyson McLellan, Logan O’Connor and Colin Staub. Defenseman Sean Mostrom plans to graduate a year early.

With that as a backdrop, here is an update on DU prospects who have signed National Letters of Intent for the 2018-19 season and some others that are reportedly in the mix. The latter group has been culled from the players’ own tweets and College Hockey Inc.

Six have signed NLIs

A logical place would be to start with the six players who have signed NLIs. It’s a group that includes two defensemen – Slava Demin and William MacKinnon and a quartet of forwards – Brendan Budy, Adam Goodsir, Cole Guttman and Brett Stapley. Collectively, it’s a group that brings a lot of potential. Guttman was a 2017 draft choice by the Tampa Bay Lightning, and Demin (40th), Budy (125th) and Stapley (177th) are ranked on NHL Central Scouting’s final ratings.

Goodsir signed his NLI in April 2017 while the other five signed in November.

Brendan Budy

F Brendan Budy – The 2000 birth year is captaining the Langley Rivermen of the BC Hockey League and scored at better than a point-per-game clip (56 points in 49 games) in the regular season. His point total and 22 goals were career highs during his two seasons of junior. He had five points through six playoff games. Originally scheduled to come to DU in 2019, the 5-foot-10, 170-pounder was moved up a year. He originally committed to the program on Feb. 2, 2016.

Comment: High skill and compete levels, well-regarded leader and plays in every situation. I would be shocked if he’s not playing quite a bit next season.

D Slava Demin – Another 2000 who committed on Dec. 20, 2016. Like Budy, he was originally slated to arrive in 2019 but his development and the Pioneers’ needing to replace three of their top four defensemen fast tracked that. He has thrived in his second season of juniors, going from 27 points to 45 in virtually the same number of games. He also has been a part of long BCHL playoff runs both seasons in Wenatchee. More on Demin

Comment: What team wouldn’t want a 6-2, 190-pound defenseman with good wheels and hockey sense? And that includes NHL teams, one of whom could take him as high as the second round in June.

LW Adam Goodsir – The 1998 birth year is captaining Tri-City of the USHL this season. He’s in his second USHL season after a dynamic 18-year-old season in the NAHL (45 points in 59 games). He has not scored nearly as much in the USHL (26 and 20 points) but he also adds an element of size (6-2, 181) and leadership. Goodsire committed on Jan. 25, 2016 and was originally scheduled to be a freshman this past season.

Comment: Another captain with some size, grit and skill. He should be a solid, solid college player.

Cole Guttman

C Cole Guttman – Guttman’s decision to sign with the Pioneers shortly after committing on Nov. 14, 2017 caused a bit of an uproar in St. Cloud, Minn., where he had initially given a verbal commitment. Hurt feelings aside, this was a coup for the Pioneers. The 1999 was a sixth-round pick of Tampa Bay last spring and boasts elite hockey IQ, skill and leadership. He had 54 points (27 goals) last season and was off to a good start before spending nearly all of the season on the sidelines due to an injury sustained at the World Junior A Challenge in December. Guttman captained Dubuque (USHL) and wore an A for Jim Montgomery‘s former team as a 17-year-old. More on Guttman

Comment: There is no question he can step in and play for the Pioneers as long as he’s healthy.

D William MacKinnon – The solid (5-11, 201) defenseman spent last season with the US National Team Development program and represented the U.S. at the U17 level. A 2000, he moved on to Des Moines (USHL) this season has scored a little more than he had in the past. He committed on March 24, 2016.

Comment: The potential is there for a strong, shutdown defenseman, not so coincidentally something DU is losing a lot of.

C/RW Brett Stapley – The 1999 is in his third full season of junior with Vernon of the BCHL and has increased his regular-season output to 59 points and 27 goals in 52 games. He’s experienced the playoffs every season of juniors. He committed on Feb. 15, 2017. Very similar in size (5-10, 170) and production to Budy.

Comment: He brings a lot of versatility, speed and skill

Five, possibly more, are in the mix

These five players are often connected to the Pioneers.

D Eero Teräväinen – In his second season playing the USHL for Lincoln, the 1999 has really flourished for the Stars, putting up 33 points in 60 games (most among Stars defensemen. The 5-10, 174-pounder is a native of Helsinki, Finland, and played junior hockey there for several seasons before coming over. He committed on Nov. 9, 2016 and was thought to be on his way to Denver last season.

Comment: The decision to have him play another season in the USHL clearly was the right one, and now DU will get a ready-made offensive defenseman.

UPDATE: He did not sign an NHL and likely is part of the 2019 group now. However, the Pioneers did sign defenseman Sean Comrie of the Spruce Grove Saints.

G Filip Larsson – When the 1998 birth year announced on Dec. 12, 2017 that he intended to play college hockey for DU there should have been a parade organized, Larsson is that good. One USHL coach told me earlier this season that the 6-2, 181-pounder would have been a dominant NCAA goalie this season. DU already had one of those, but Tanner Jaillet is graduating. Larsson had a 1.65 goals-against average and a .941 save percentage for Tri-City in his first USHL season and he played well in his appearance for Sweden in the World Junior Championships. The Detroit Red Wings picked him in the sixth round in the 2016.

Comment: Of all of the Pioneers’ recruits, this one has the most potential to be a game changer right off the bat. He and rising sophomore Dayton Rasmussen (himself and NHL Entry Draft prospect) should wage a spirited battle for the starting job.

D Kyle Mayhew – A late 1997, Mayhew burst onto the radar this season, when he put up 39 points in 58 games for Fairbanks of the NAHL in his second season of juniors. He committed on March 23 of this year.

Comment: At 5-8, 150, he’s on the small side, but he’s an elite skater with a good hockey brain, a template that works very well under this regime.

Emilio Pettersen

C Mathias Emilio Pettersen – The native of Norway has thrived in his second season in the USHL, putting up 46 points in 60 games for Muskegon after 27 points in 57 games for Omaha a season ago. A 2000 birth year, the 5-10, 179-pounder boasts eye-popping skill. DU was on him early, getting a commitment on April 9, 2014 right after he joined the U.S. Prospects Hockey League at age 14. He has worn a letter for Norway in international competitions.

Comment: Unreal skill level. Look up some of his videos on YouTube if you don’t believe me. He’s also a strong bet to get picked by an NHL team.

LW Tyler Ward – Ward played in Tri-City with Goodsir and Larsson this season, putting up 20 points, after two campaigns with Merritt of the BCHL. A late 1999, he committed to DU on Dec. 19, 2016. He had 46 points in 45 regular-season and playoff games last season.

Comment: A steady player who can score.

Then there are these guys

At least three other players have been connected to DU’s 2018-19 recruiting class. One, goaltender Devin Cooley, joined the team last summer after Packy Munson moved on.

Left wing Ben Brar committed to the Pioneers on Feb. 27, 2015, but no longer lists any college commitment on his social media profiles. Brar surged from 28 points last season to 54 this year with Prince George of the BCHL. He is a 6-2, 170-pound 1998 birth year.

And finally there is left wing Erik Middendorf, a 2000, who committed to DU on sept. 19, 2016. The 6-1, 190-pounder has played the past two seasons with the USNTDP. He hasn’t broken out of the teens in points, but that’s not necessarily his game. Thought to be heading to DU during this past season, he decided to go a bit closer to his Arizona home, albeit not by much. On Tuesday, Colorado College announced he’d signed with the Tigers.

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