By any measure David Carle‘s first four seasons as head coach of Denver’s hockey program have been a success.

One national championship, a second Frozen Four berth in three possible chances and an average of 22 wins per season during a time that included a disjointed, pandemic-shortened 2020-21 campaign. Take away that 2020-21 season, and his teams have averaged a fraction more than 25 wins per season.

And Pioneers are advancing and succeeding in pro hockey – 19 players, soon to be 21 when recent graduates Cole Guttman and Brett Stapley sign deals, already have moved into pro hockey in North America and beyond. (Note: Guttman signed with the Chicago Blackhawks on Aug. 18).

So it shouldn’t have come as a surprise when DU extended his contract through the 2026-27 season this week. The athletic administration knows a good thing when it sees one.

Not only does the deal provide Carle, who turns 33 in November, with added security, but it’s a wise preemptive strike by the athletic department. Here’s why:

There’s no reason to believe DU won’t remain in the national championship picture annually. Every program has a down season here and there, but they seem rarer at altitude than other locales.

Even when the roster loses more than half of its goal-scoring, as the next edition will, the Pioneers still find ways to win. (See 2019 Frozen Four team, which given all that transpired in 2018 might have required an even better coaching job than this past season’s superlative one).

That is the type of accomplishment that holds broader appeal in the sport, and don’t think NHL teams haven’t already taken note of this.

Also keep in mind Carle’s coaching heritage. He learned under the widely respected George Gwozdecky, whose assistants included among many others Detroit Red Wings coach Derek Lalonde and Minnesota assistant Steve Miller. Carle then apprenticed under Boston Bruins coach Jim Montgomery and alongside longtime college coach and NHL scout Tavis MacMillan.

Suppose Denver wins another national title under Carle; don’t think for a moment he won’t generate as much interest as Minnesota Duluth coach Scott Sandelin has from the NHL, or as much as Montgomery or former Boston U. coach David Quinn (now the San Jose Sharks coach) has. And what’s more, Carle would still be in his 30s.

Suppose the pros don’t hold Carle’s interest and he wants to remain at DU. He could build a Division I resume that would stack up against anyone’s when it’s all said and done.

Fortunately, no one has to expend too much energy thinking about either option because DU and Carle made a sensible move and kept the band together.

Pro signings

Neither Guttman nor Stapley signed with the teams that drafted them (Tampa Bay and Montreal, respectively) by the expiration date of their draft rights (Aug. 15). However, both centers should be in demand this season. That’s what happens when you set career highs for a national champion.

Guttman, who also was one of NCAA hockey’s top face-off men, had 45 points and 19 goals in 41 games. Stapley was right on his heels with 43 points and 18 goals. Both were every-situation players in a deep forward group.

In addition to forwards Bobby Brink (Philadelphia) and Carter Savoie (Edmonton), who signed contracts after their junior and sophomore seasons, respectively, two more Pioneers inked pro deals.

Ryan Barrow, who capped his five-year career with a personal-best 21 points, will play for Manchester in the U.K. next season, and fellow winger Cameron Wright, who scored a team-high 23 goals among his 34 points, signed an AHL deal with the Colorado Eagles. Wright earned the deal after a strong showing at the Avalanche’s prospect camp last month.

Making the grade

Three Pioneers earned All-American Scholar honors from the American Hockey Coaches Association. This is particularly notable because the trio – goaltender Matt Davis, defenseman Reid Irwin and forward Carter King – maintained a minimum 3.75 grade-point average for each quarter last season.

Davis, a rising sophomore, went 3-1-0 with a .923 save percentage and a 1.96 goals-against average backing up Magnus Chrona.

Irwin, who transferred to Colgate, had two points in 21 games. King, a rising sophomore, notched 11 in 37 games.

In all, 24 Pioneers made the NCHC Academic All-Conference Team, GPA of 3.0 or better, and 10 were NCHC Distinguished Scholar-Athletes. The aforementioned trio was joined by Barrow, Brink, Chrona, Guttman, Lane Krenzen, Kyle Mayhew and freshman Jack Devine.

©First Line Editorial 2022