Many NHL teams are holding their summer prospect camps this week and more are doing so during the next couple of weeks. What does that have to do with Denver’s hockey program? Plenty.

It’s not just the quantity of Pioneers who are essentially showcasing their abilities to coaches, support staff and management of hockey’s highest level, but recent history has shown that it’s possible some players will receive offers too enticing to pass up.

Cases in point:

In 2016, wing Trevor Moore was part of a prolific line with then freshman Dylan Gambrell and sophomore Danton Heinen, who was the NCHC’s reigning forward of the year after earning rookie-of-the-year honors . Heinen, a fourth-round draft pick in 2014 by Boston, signed with the Bruins immediately after DU’s run to the Frozen Four.

Moore, meanwhile, had put up 44 points for the second season in a row after debuting with 32. He went to Toronto’s prospect camp and showed so well that the Maple Leafs made him an offer he couldn’t refuse. Suddenly DU had to figure out how to replace one of its best players after its roster was thought to be set.

Last summer, wing Logan O’Connor was selected captain just days after David Carle was introduced as the Pioneers’ new coach. O’Connor, a versatile and valuable member of the lineup, was expected to lead a youthful DU lineup along with fellow seniors Colin Staub and Jarid Lukosevicius.

O’Connor attended Colorado’s prospect camp, and showed so well the Avalanche made him an offer he couldn’t refuse.

As tough as that pill is to swallow at the time, the Pioneers also espouse the philosophy that if a player is ready to play pro hockey and the situation offers a viable opportunity, go for it.

The right decisions?

Looking back at the Moore and O’Connor cases, the players made sound decisions.

Moore won a Calder Cup with Toronto’s American Hockey League team last season, has been an AHL All-Star and played in 25 regular-season games and all seven playoff games for the Leafs this season. Given his ascent and Toronto’s salary cap crunch, he seems like a lock to be on their roster full time next season.

O’Connor, meanwhile, proved to be an even better pro player than he was at DU. His 42 points were one fewer than he had three seasons with the Pioneers, and his 19 goals were three more than he scored for DU in that span. He also played five games for the Avalanche and looks like a strong bet to earn a spot in their lineup next season.

This year’s group

That brings us to the current Pioneers who are off to various prospect camps:

• Goaltender Devin Cooley is at Toronto’s camp and may also be headed to Chicago’s camp in mid-July. Our take: NHL scouts took notice of Cooley last season, with several commenting that his size, athleticism and improvement give him a fairly high ceiling. He could be a flight risk, but after next season seems more likely if he follows up with another stellar season.
• Goaltender Magnus Chrona is at Tampa Bay’s camp. Our take: Chrona was a 2018 pick by the Lightning, who I’m certain would like to see how he handles the college game for a few seasons. Of course I thought that about Filip Larsson last season.
• Defenseman Michael Davies is at Colorado’s camp. Our take: After attending the camps of his hometown Blues the past two offseasons, the senior assistant captain kept it local. I think he signs after the season. The Avs have a slew of young defensemen in their system, but O’Connor’s success probably opened up more opportunities going forward for DU players.
• Defenseman Slava Demin is at Vegas’ camp. He was a fourth-round pick of the Golden Knights last summer but did not skate at their prospects camp. Our take: Demin made his transition to college hockey appear fairly seamless at times. He has good puck skills, vision and hockey IQ. Plus he’s 6-foot-2 and moves well. As he rounds out his game, he will be in the conversation of leaving early.

• Defenseman Griffin Mendel is at St. Louis’ camp. Our take: When I compiled a list of DU players at prospect camps, this was the guy that made me think, “Uh oh.” After all, the Blues love big, mobile defenseman, and Mendel is an excellent skater for a man his size (6-4, 220 pounds). His game grew by leaps and bounds, and he flew onto scouts’ radar as last season wore on. An undrafted free agent, he will attract a bevy of scouts this season.
• Defenseman Ian Mitchell will attend Chicago’s camp in a few weeks. Mitchell, a 2017 Blackhawks pick, will be the Pioneers’ captain for the upcoming season after announcing he was set on returning for his junior season. Our take: I would eat a car tire if Mitchell changed his mind. He’s very resolute, and Chicago has traded for two defensemen this offseason while already having a glut of them on their NHL and AHL rosters.
• Forward Bobby Brink is at Philadelphia’s camp. The Flyers traded up to take him near the top of the second round of last weekend’s NHL Entry Draft. Our take: Not quite yet 18, it’s tough to see Brink bypassing college all together and going straight to the NHL. It’s also unlikely he signs and plays major junior. He figures prominently in Denver’s plans for the upcoming season and given his age he could be a two-year player here.
• Forward Liam Finlay is at Vancouver’s camp. Our take: Nice to see the British Columbia native get a look at his first prospect camp. Finlay also attracted more attention from scouts during his junior season, and if he follows that up with a strong senior season he should have no shortage of pro hockey options.
• Forward Cole Guttman is at Tampa Bay’s camp. Our take: A 2017 draft choice, this is the first offseason in three the sophomore has been healthy. The Lightning has a fairly deep prospect pool, but I expect Guttman, who had a good freshman season, to be a force this season. This conversation probably has a different tone a year from now.
• Forward Tyson McLellan is at St. Louis’ camp. Our take: The assistant captain brings three commodities pro teams love – elite skating, elite hockey sense and very good defensive acumen. He hasn’t lit up the scoresheet at DU, but he also hasn’t been put in those positions. He might end up being a slightly shorter version of O’Connor and will be an attractive free-agent target after his senior season.
• Forward Kohen Olischefski is at San Jose’s camp for the second consecutive summer. Our take: He did not have the sophomore season he’d hoped for as his point totals decreased from 11 to 8. It’s important to note he’s just 21, or the same age as a couple of DU’s incoming freshmen. There’s time, and he’s a very skilled player.
• Forward Emilio Pettersen is expected to be at Calgary’s camp, though no official announcement has been made. Our take: The Flames pick had a strong freshman season, and even postseason surgery on an arm won’t dim Calgary’s view of his potential. As he matures more physically, he should shoot up the Flames’ prospect chart.
• Forward Brett Stapley is at Montreal’s camp. He was a Canadiens draft choice last summer. Our take: Stapley also is coming off offseason surgery and it’s not known to what extent he is participating. Much like Pettersen, as he matures physically he could emerge as a very viable top prospect for a franchise in need of them. His puck skills are elite.
• It’s not known at this point if forward Ryan Barrow is going to a camp or not, but he  may well head to his hometown Flames camp. Barrow attended Washington’s camp last summer. Our take: An excellent skater and tough player with some offensive upside, Barrow is a slightly taller version of O’Connor. This upcoming season is a pivotal one for the junior, and you can bet a lot of teams will watch him closely after seeing O’Connor’s success.

How it can play out

In the cases of Moore and O’Connor, the sky was supposed to fall on DU because of caliber of player and person departing and the inconvenient summer timing of their departures.

Then a funny thing happened. The Pioneers bounced back quite nicely.

In 2017, they won their eighth national championship. Moore’s departure created more opportunities for players such as Troy Terry and Jarid Lukosevicius to take on larger roles, and they capitalized on them.

In 2019, they reached the Frozen Four for the third time in four seasons and very nearly played for the title after many pundits expected a rebuilding year.

“We have good players at Denver, so whether it’s this offseason or next or the one after that, it’s bound to happen if a player makes the right person in an (NHL) organization excited,” DU assistant Dallas Ferguson said.

“You have to be prepared for it. It’s an item that’s in the back of your mind. You have to be ready for those surprises.”

©First Line Editorial 2019