Denver announced the signings of the first five players in its 2019 recruiting class on Monday.

Four of the five had made verbal commitments, headlined by Detroit Red Wings draft choice Ryan O’Reilly, but the fifth was a bit of a surprise and represents somewhat of a recent shift in strategy.

The Pioneers signed O’Reilly’s Fargo Force teammate Hank Crone, who returned to junior this season after spending the 2017-18 campaign with Boston University. This is the second time in less than six months DU has added a player with Division I hockey experience.

This past summer, the Pioneers added graduate transfer Les Lancaster, who had played three seasons at Mercyhurst before graduating early and enrolling in a masters program at Denver. Lancaster has been a top-six fixture on DU’s blue line this season.

The 5-foot-9, 165-pound Crone is an elite playmaker, as evidenced by his 18 assists (among 21 points) in 19 games this season for the USHL team. A 1998 birth year, he had 62 points two seasons ago in Fargo before going to BU and putting up 12 points in 35 games last season for an NCAA Tournament team.

“Hank is a dynamic, skilled offensive player who can play center or wing,” assistant coach Tavis MacMilan told DU’s official website.  “He is a proven producer at the USHL and NCAA levels with elite hockey sense and playmaking abilities as well as the ability to make those around him better. Goal scorers want to play with Hank.”

Like O’Reilly, Crone is a Dallas area product.

O’Reilly, a 2000 whom the Red Wings selected at 98th overall in this past June’s draft – one pick before Vegas took current DU defenseman Slava Demin, is the other prize of this class. A 6-2, 212-pound power forward, he has scored at every level he’s played at.

He committed to DU on June 8, 2017, and there had been some speculation he might join the Pioneers this fall. He has 13 points in 19 games with Fargo after 48 in 71 games last season.

“Ryan has the physical attributes to be a power forward at the next level,” MacMillan said. “He is a big, strong kid with a NHL shot and release that can overpower goaltenders. His ability to shoot pucks off glass or attack the net will fit in well with the skilled, playmaking forwards we have in our lineup.”

The Pioneers also signed two other forwards, both of whom are 2000 birth years – Josh Luedtke and McKade Webster. Both of them have committed to DU in the past two months.

The 5-10, 161-pound Luedtke has 13 points in 20 games with Team Southwest of the Upper Midwest High School Elite League after playing high school hockey for Minnetonka, Minn., and juniors briefly for Des Moines of the USHL. He committed to DU on Oct. 4.

“Josh will be a great fit for our style of play,” assistant coach Dallas Ferguson said. “His instincts and decisions allow him to play fast on both sides of the puck. In Josh, we’re adding a person with high-level of commitment to his academics, athletics and family.”

Webster, who can play center or left wing, has been injured much of this season with Green Bay of the USHL. The 5-10, 165-pounder had 30 points in 58 games last season.

“McKade is a cerebral, playmaking winger,” MacMillan said. “His deft touch and stickhandling abilities enable him to put pucks into space or make crisp passes depending upon the situation. McKade is a proven offensive producer at every level with the ability to control the pace of the game when the puck is on his stick. He is another gifted offensive player who will fit in very well with the tempo and style of game we play at DU.”

The lone defenseman is Justin Lee, a 5-11, 182-pound 2000 who has nine points in 19 games with Lincoln of the USHL. He had 35 points in 57 games for Virden of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League last season. He committed to DU midway through last season, on Feb. 6.

“We are excited to add a defenseman and person like Justin,”  Ferguson said. “Justin will help our back-end with his ability to move pucks efficiently in transition and his competitiveness in all three zones. Off the ice, his character and values are a perfect fit for our program.”

Denver brought in three freshmen defensemen this season – Demin, Sean Comrie, who is on the 2019 NHL Entry Draft watch list, and Kyle Mayhew.

Two other players who had been associated with DU’s 2019 recruiting class are forward Brendan Budy, who came a year early, signing with the Pioneers after captain Logan O’Connor signed a pro contract with the Colorado Avalanche in July, and goaltender Boston Bilous, who spurned the college hockey ranks to sign with Edmonton of the Canadian major junior Western Hockey League.

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