It came as little surprise that Denver would select senior Justin Lee to be its next captain this week.

The tough-as-nails defenseman has seen the highs (national championship) and lows (missing the NCAAs altogether due to a sub .500 record and a pandemic outbreak) and learned from former captains Cole Guttman, Kohen Olischefski and Ian Mitchell in the process.

Through it all, Lee has remained even keeled, approachable, and firm in his convictions.

“He’s just a salt of the earth person first and foremost,” DU coach David Carle said. “He’s been around the block here. He’s a real competitor and warrior-type person and leader. He’s shown an ability to grow his personality and build relationships with his teammates.

“I’m really proud of him and excited for him. We think he’ll do a great job wearing the ‘C’ and carrying on the tradition here.”

Lee, who was an assistant captain last season, has been a lead-by-example player at every stop in his hockey career from juniors in his native Manitoba to the United States Hockey League to DU. That’s not by accident. He grew up on a farm, and he plans to return to it once his playing days are finished.

That will wait, however, because he has what he called an “ultimate honor” in front of him.

“I was very honored (when I found out),” Lee said. “There’s a lot of tradition behind this program, and for them to think of me as a leader and as a captain for the team I’m very excited. I’m looking forward to the challenge, but I feel honored, and it feels special to have that letter on my jersey.”

Part of the challenge that Lee and assistant captains McKade Webster, Kyle Mayhew and Carter Mazur will face is incorporating seven freshmen and two transfers, all but two of whom are forwards, into a lineup that lost six of its top nine forwards and a top-six defenseman from April’s championship team.

“We have a good class of freshmen coming in this year, which is very exciting,” Lee said. “(The big thing) is just bringing the team together. We’ve done a great job of that so far, and we have to keep working on that throughout the season.

“Hanging out with each other on and off the ice, bonding away from the rink is always good. Getting familiar with each other really helped us last year, and we’ve got to try to do that again.”

The four players wearing letters for the Pioneers represent four different classes – Lee is a senior, Mayhew is a fifth-year senior, Webster (a captain in the USHL) is a junior, and Mazur is a sophomore. The breadth of experiences likely isn’t by accident.

“(Leadership) is big every year, but the quicker we can get everyone on the same page the better our lives are going to be, and the more successful we will be,” Carle said. “Our leadership group will play a huge role so everyone feels welcome and comfortable.”

Those intangibles were oh so important last year when DU welcomed in a big freshman class that helped it to its record-tying ninth NCAA title.

©First Line Editorial 2022