Denver’s super seven was down to just two by this past summer.

In the space of a couple months, Jarid Lukosevicius and Colin Staub watched five of their fellow classmates leave the program thanks to an entity known as the NHL, which claimed Dylan Gambrell, Blake Hillman, Logan O’Connor and Troy Terry, and graduation, the route Sean Mostrom chose a year early.

They received a boost mid-summer when Les Lancaster graduated from Mercyhurst with a year of eligibility remaining and transferred to DU.

Those three have helped shepherd a team that started the season with 20 underclassmen on its 27-man roster to one win away from its 18th consecutive 20-win season, the longest active on in Division I hockey.

And they did it with a first-time head coach (David Carle).

To say the trio has left a strong impression would be an understatement, according to assistant coach Dallas Ferguson, himself new in town.

“When you come in and don’t know anybody you have the freedom to form your own opinions and feelings toward everything,” Ferguson said. “Colin and Luko have been through their careers at Denver, and you can tell by the way they carry themselves, the passion they play with, and the understanding of what the program’s expectations are.

“Both of those guys as formal leaders, captains on the team, have really taken on that responsibility. (DU) lost a lot of (its) top players and some leaders after last season, and that creates opportunities for other people, and they’ve done a heck of a job.

“They’ve been good examples for me to watch of what the expectation is for the program.”

Here is a closer look at the trio of Pioneers seniors, who will play their final home regular-season game on Friday night vs. Colorado College:

Forward Colin Staub

The C stands for captain, but it might as well be for Consistency, too.

The needle never moves too far off center for the affable Colorado Springs native, who quite possibly would have been a captain at Air Force had not a pre-basic training physical turned up a rare eye condition. Former coach Jim Montgomery just so happened to have an opening when Falcons coach Frank Serratore called him about Staub, and the rest, as they say, is history.

After not playing in about a quarter of the games his freshman season, Staub has been a lineup fixture ever since. He’s at 149 career games and counting. He can score (he’s had seasons of 20 and 22 points), he can defend (he’s a PK and shutdown line fixture) and he plays at a high level wherever you insert him in the lineup.

He’s a two-time NCHC Distinguished Scholar-Athlete and a three-time NCHC Academic All-Conference Team pick. He’s twice won the team’s most sportsmanlike award.

“Colin is a very aware, a very intelligent person on and off the ice,” Ferguson said. “He has had a good pulse on the team and he has a calm demeanor to get his point across to the group, but not in a way that’s reckless. His leadership style has been really good for a young team that has ebbs and flows like every team does.

“He’s been tremendous. From my perspective watching what he does on a daily basis, it’s really impressive. That’s what you look for, that consistency and people who perform day and day out in practices and games. You know you’re onto something special. That’s one of his best qualities – he never typically has a bad day either emotionally or on the ice.”

I would add he is the same considerate, level-headed person every time I’ve spoken to him over the past four years – win or lose, after practice or after games. Consistent.

MORE: Go one on on with Staub

Forward Jarid Lukosevicius

If Lukosevicius wore a “C” it would have to stand for clutch. This, after all, is a young man who has made a habit of winning games. His 19 game-winning goals are a program record and the active leading mark in Division I. His six winners this season are tied for the NCAA lead. He had eight two years ago, including one in the last game of the season – the 3-2 victory over Minnesota Duluth in the NCAA title game. He also had the first two in that game.

As memorable as that was, his quote afterward might match it. When asked what he thought about becoming the first player to register a hat trick in an NCAA title game since his coach at the time, Montgomery, had done it, Luko responded by saying, “I guess it’s my turn to lose my hair next.”

Welcome to Luko’s World – a joyous, at times eccentric, dwelling place. It was Luko who popularized calling Terry “American Hero Troy Terry” at every possible opportunity after his roommate’s World Junior Championship shootout heroics in 2017. He then pitched the idea of teammate  Ian Mitchell‘s becoming “Canadian Hero Ian Mitchell” during Team Canada’s selection process for the recent WJC.

Lukosevicius is a player who a couple of seasons back asked me why I would want to interview him, and he was serious. But he will shoot you straight. For example, he has said he realized he needed to work on his skating, and if you’ve watched him closely this season, he clearly did. He wanted to lead, and he has.

The other thing you can be certain of is that Luko can play. He’s in the DU 100-point club (101) and he’s a goal away from 60 for his Pioneers career. He’s scored 16 or more in each of the past three seasons, and this season he’s a career-high plus-17 on a team that is not nearly as high scoring as previous ones he’s been on. And like Staub, he shows up for work every day. He also has played 149 career games and plays in every situation in those games.

“Luko brings an element of emotion to the table, whether it’s practice or game, he’s a guy that wears it on his sleeve,” Ferguson said. “When he’s not happy he’s going to let people know. He, like Colin, has high expectations and a high standard of performance for practices and games.

“And he’s a guy who’s been a clutch player. You look at your leadership and you want them to lead by example, be good people and be good teammates, and you also want someone who when the chips are down can come up with something big for your team. And he’s done that on several occasions for our group.”

A two-time NCHC Academic Team pick, he’s as honest – and as enjoyable to talk to – as they come.

MORE: Go one on one with Lukosevicius

Defenseman Les Lancaster

Speaking of enjoyable to talk to, Lancaster is nothing if not engaging, and that attribute no doubt has helped him mesh with a new set of teammates in short order.

He transferred to Denver to pursue a master’s degree while finishing his NCAA hockey career, and it has been a move that has benefitted both parties. He also plays in every situation and usually is in the Pioneers’ top four on D.

How he’s handled his transition has been a big key to his success, said Ferguson, who coaches the defensemen.

“Les brings something different in that he was excited to come to Denver and be part of a great program and finish his college career here and move his academics along in the direction he wanted,” the coach said. “He’s a first-half, second-half situation. There’s always a learning curve when you change, whether it’s a different program or different role. I think there was a lot of that going on for him early on. He was a key member of our D core, but he was trying to navigate the day-to-day challenges of being on a competitive Division I hockey program.

“In the second half he’s really stabilized his game. … He’s wanted to come in and be a part of it and pick and choose where he can add value to the leadership. In the second half he’s been a real solid player for us, and plays in all situations for us. At the end of the day he’s playing at a real good level for us.”

MORE: Go one on on with Lancaster

Colin, Luko and Les – Magness Mayhem taps its 95 flex Sherwood on the ice in your honor.

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