Three incoming freshmen and a fourth recruit of Denver’s hockey program were selected during the second day of the 2018 NHL Entry Draft over the weekend.

Defenseman Slava Demin and forwards Emilio Pettersen and Brett Stapley, all of whom will be freshmen for the Pioneers this fall, were taken in rounds four, six and seven respectively.

The 6-foot-2, 190-pound Demin was the sixth pick of the fourth round, 99th overall, but the Vegas Golden Knights. He became the first Pioneer to be selected by the NHL’s newest franchise. Demin, who represented Team USA at the World Under-18 tournament last summer, had a total of 52 points in the regular and postseason for BCHL champion Wenatchee.

Pettersen, a 5-10, 180-pound Norwegian, was the 12th pick of Round 6 (167th overall) by the Calgary Flames. He had 46 points for Omaha of the USHL this past season.

Stapley, who goes 5-10 and 170, had a combined 63 points (27 goals) for Vernon of the BCHL and was taken by the Montreal Canadiens with the fourth pick in the seventh round (190th overall).

MORE: DU’s 2018 draft prospects

Recruit Ryan O’Reilly, a 6-2, 201-pound forward who had 34 points (21 goals) for Madison of the USHL, was taken one pick before Demin, 98th overall, but the Detroit Red Wings. He has verbally committed to DU but has not signed a National Letter of Intent.

Two more incoming DU freshmen – goaltender Filip Larsson and center Cole Guttman – had been previously drafted. Larsson was a 2016 sixth-round pick of the Red Wings, while Guttman was taken by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the sixth round last year.

Combined with rising sophomore defenseman Ian Mitchell, a second-round pick of the Chicago Blackhawks in 2017, the Pioneers will have six players on their roster this season who have been drafted. That is one more than they had last season. Four of the five last season – Henrik Borgström, Dylan Gambrell, Blake Hillman and Troy Terry – signed with the NHL teams that drafted them after DU was knocked out of the NCAA Tournament in March. All but Borgström played three years for the Pioneers.

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