One way to interpret Denver’s recruiting class for the fall of 2019 might be, “We’re mad as hell, and we’re not going to take it any more.”

While fun to think about, the reality is the Pioneers wanted to add a layer of difficulty to play against. That is in keeping with a philosophy former coach Jim Montgomery espoused and David Carle and his staff want to continue.

Five of the seven incoming freshmen wore a letter last season, and that is no coincidence, said Tavis MacMillan, an assistant on both staffs.

“All those captains, that’s by design,” he said. “We wanted some older kids that would fit in our culture and continue to drive our culture. … Our national championship team had a lot of players with these attributes. … This is a tough group.”

Through extended conversations with MacMillan and fellow assistant Dallas Ferguson, I began to get a better handle on where the seven (earlier profiled here) might fit in for the coming season. Many factors can influence the opportunities that arise for players transitioning to the college game, and the fits are purely my speculation.

Goaltender Magnus Chrona

Drafted as a 17-year-old by the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2018, Chrona is an enormous (6-foot-4 and 210-plus pounds) and promising prospect. He has not played in North America yet (unlike Filip Larsson, who dominated the USHL in his first season on the continent), but the Pioneers are no less excited about his potential.

“He played really well when I saw him,” MacMillan said. “Stats can be a little deceptive. He is really good. … Other schools were interested. He’s big, quiet, efficient. … I’d put our 1-3 goalies up against anyone’s.”

Chrona recently attended his second development camp with the Lightning.

The fit: Junior Devin Cooley has to be considered the No. 1 at this point, and both he and Larsson, as well as MacMillan, lauded Michael Courson for his work ethic and progress as a freshman. I would expect a spirited competition between Cooley and Chrona. It’s possible the freshman emerges as the starter at some point, but Cooley is on track to be one of the best returning goalies in Division I.

Defenseman Lane Krenzen

A captain in high school in Duluth, Minn., and a two-time captain in junior, Krenzen is a hard-nosed, honest defenseman who can provide some offense.

Said Ferguson: “Lane is extremely hard to play against. He will earn his opportunity like he always has, showing up to work hard every day. He has high character and leadership and can grow with the program. We want to change a bit to be harder to play against, and he fits into that.”

The fit: Krenzen have to leap over a couple of veterans as well as a fellow freshman to play regularly, but don’t be surprised to see him work has way into the lineup at times. Speaking of the fellow freshman D …

Defenseman Justin Lee

Whether playing Junior A in Canada or (last season) in the USHL, Lee has been an productive player at both ends of the ice. He committed to DU two seasons ago, so obviously the Pioneers’ staff has had its sights set on him him a while. Like Krenzen, he’s a shade under 6 feet and around 190 pounds.

Said Ferguson: “Justin is a hybrid. He’s going to establish the simpler, fundamental part of his game and grow from there, a lot like Slava (Demin) did (last season). … He’s a hard-nosed kid who is super honest. He passes the puck and shoots the puck like a pro. He brings an old-school mentality.”

There is a good reason for that, MacMillan added. “He’s ultra-competitive. He hates to lose a drill in practice. He’s a very driven, team-first guy. There’s nothing but wanting to win in his mind. He’s from a farming family – he knows nothing but hard work. Up early and go to work, day after day, that’s how he approaches hockey. … He’s a throwback, he’s fun to watch. Like Lane, he’s hard to play against. He can have a genuine mean streak. You need guys like him to be successful.”

The fit: His combination of skill and toughness makes him a prime candidate to work into a regular spot on the blue line, which has one top-six opening.

Forward Bobby Brink

The USHL’s forward of the year, Brink excelled when he teamed up with Team USA’s heralded 2001 U.S. National Team Development Program group as well. The Philadelphia Flyers chose him at the top of the second round of the Entry Draft last month. The 5-8 Brink, who is an elite scorer, finishing high school early to come to DU.

“In the last two years look at what he’s done – he won a high school state title in Minnesota as a 10^th grader, was the USHL’s top forward and accelerated his schooling,” MacMillan said. “He produced through injuries. He played with a broken ankle at the World Jr. Challenge. … He can make others around him better, more productive. He raises his game to meet the bar. When he gets put in a tournament, like the World Jr. Challenge, he makes a quick adjustment and raises his game.”

The fit: Given Brink’s track record of production, it’s not hard to see him landing on DU’s top line with Cole Guttman and Emilio Pettersen and amping up a power play that needed it last season.

Forward Hank Crone

An elite playmaker, Crone is the second player in two seasons (Les Lancaster was the other) who comes to DU from another D-I program (Boston University). In between, Crone collected the fifth-most assists in the USHL last season (46). Like Lee, he also was an assistant captain.

“Hank is a well-seasoned hockey player from the USHL, a great league, plus he has a year of college hockey under his belt,” MacMillan said. “He’s going to come in as a plug-and-play player. He knows what it takes, and he’s highly skilled. He’s terrific on the power play and he’s responsible enough to kill penalties.”

The fit: An every-situation, top-six forward (or at least top nine) from Day 1. His versatility will allow him to play anywhere in the lineup, but his distribution skills scream play me with a finisher or two … like say Liam Finlay and Brett Stapley?

Forward Brett Edwards

He played four seasons of junior hockey and was roughly a point-per-game player the past two. Yet another assistant captain, he’s more of a goal scorer. He’s willing and able to take and deliver a pounding near the net.

“Thick, strong kid. He has an NHL shot, can fire the puck,” MacMillan said. “As he adjusts, he could take huge strides. Once he figures out college hockey and believes he belongs, he could really blossom. We wanted to add a strong, competitive kid. When things got tough he could push back”

The fit: Offense was a problem at times for the Pioneers last season, especially from lines 3 and 4, so it’s not impossible a player like Edwards sees some action to add some scoring juice.

Forward Jay Feiwell

Imagine a bigger version of Jake Durflinger and that’s a good place to start with Feiwell, who – stop us if you’ve read this already – was a captain of his junior team. He is another sturdy forward who relishes getting his hands dirty.

“We looked at our championship team of 2017 – we had the Evan Janssens, Emil Romigs, Matt Marcinews – we wanted someone like that. We called them glue guys. This is that type of guy,” MacMillan said. “Someone wrote an article about him that had the headline ‘Captain Psycho’. This is a guy you want in the trenches with you. That’s why he was an important piece.”

The fit: There have been times when it seems as though the Pioneers got pushed around a bit, especially in NCHC play. Feiwell and Edwards, as well as both D recruits, would seem to provide some antidotes for that. Feiwell might not score a lot, but he brings a lot of intangibles that will make him a potential lineup addition.

The big picture

Where does this group fit overall? The Pioneers lost four regulars in Larsson, Lancaster and forwards Colin Staub and Jarid Lukosevicius, plus defenseman Sean Comrie left for the WHL and forward Brendan Budy went back to junior after the first quarter. The first four played huge roles in DU’s Frozen Four run.

Injuries also affected a number of forwards last season, so it’s not impossible that at least five of these players will draw meaningful minutes.