Say this about Connor Caponi, he always makes a strong first impression, whether off or on the ice.

The junior center is engaging to speak with, ready to discuss any number of topics.

On the ice, his actions speak louder than words, and Caponi takes great pride in setting a physical tone for Denver’s hockey team, one of our many conversation points in the latest Magness Mayhem Q&A.

Your path through hockey included a detour that not a lot of DU hockey players have taken. Please tell us about it.

I grew up in Wisconsin and played AAA hockey in Milwaukee. Then when I was 15 I moved to Culver, Ind., and went to Culver Military Academy and played there for three years. Our U18 year we were No. 1 in the country and had a lot of D-I commits on that team. Then I went to Waterloo in the USHL for two years and had a lot of success there as well.

What have been some of the highlights of your hockey career?

I played in the World Jr. A Challenge twice and won a gold medal once, a bronze the second time. My coaches definitely helped me a lot along the way. My coach in Waterloo, P.K. O’Handley, had a big impact on me just from the mental side of the game. He taught me how to be mentally tough and staying focused. Since I’ve been here I’ve been able to find my groove and my role on the team. I think DC (Denver coach David Carle) has put a lot of trust in me to do what I need to do. It’s given me confidence as I’ve gotten older. Being a junior now I think I know the system really well and DC trusts me a lot. It’s been good, I love being here. Obviously we won a national title last year. That’s why I came here, I’m looking to do it again.

What are some of the things about Denver, either the area or the school, that you’ve really liked?

Obviously Denver is a really unbelievable city. The mountains are unbelievable. I’m able to get a really good education as well. I’m majoring in finance, so it’s awesome to be able to do that while playing at, in my opinion, the best program in college hockey.

What are some of the DU road trips you’ve particularly enjoyed?

I’ll never forget this past weekend (DU’s first sweep at North Dakota since 2010). We were in the airport for 10 hours, had a cancelled flight, then drove on the bus four hours the day of the game (on Nov. 11), got there, and all the boys were fired up and ready to play. That just goes to show what kind of team we have and that we’re special. I love playing at North Dakota and Western Michigan as well. They always have a great crowd, too. And I think our facility is one of the best. We have a really good student section this year, and the fans have been coming out. I love playing in this league because every game is like a playoff game.

Away from hockey, what sorts of things do you like to do?

I like to hang out with my buddies. Me and Eddie (senior Brett Edwards, one of Caponi’s linemates) like to watch a lot of movies. I also like to go hiking. I like fishing, too, but I don’t get to do that much around here because I’m so focused on hockey. But in the summer time I go up to Maine to visit my grandparents and do a lot of hiking and fishing up there. And obviously watch the Packers every Sunday.

Growing up did you have a favorite hockey team or player?

There wasn’t an NHL team in Wisconsin, so the Chicago Blackhawks were the nearest team to me. When I was growing up was when they were in their dynasty era winning their Cups. Andrew Shaw was there, and I kind of like to play like Andrew Shaw. He is feisty, smaller sized but plays big and plays hard. And he is not really afraid of anyone else on the ice. I looked up to him when I was younger to try to find a role or a player to model myself after.

That makes senes given your physical style of play. What is your mindset like going into a game? How do you determine when to hit, when not to hit?

Early on in my career here I just tried to hit everything I saw. I hurt the team in a way with the major penalties I took. I think I’ve learned throughout the last two years when to hit and just playing hard when I have to. Coaches have pushed me to pick the right spots, and I think I’ve done that really well. They’ve been happy with how I’ve been doing this year with not taking any crazy penalties.

But there is a time and place for hitting, isn’t there?

In the first period of a weekend it’s important to be physical with the other team’s best players just because it will put them on edge. There is still an intimidation factor in college even though there’s not fighting. If I lay three of four big hits on their top players, the other guys definitely notice that. It pays big dividends down the stretch over the weekend. I definitely look to hit more in the first period of the opening game of a weekend and then pick my spots from there. It’s also about energy. If guys are not really ready to play and I go out there and throw a big hit, then they’re like OK, game’s on. It plays a big role, and I’ve done a better job this year controlling myself. I haven’t taken any egregious penalties this year. It’s been good so far.

We recently completed an election season. If someone on the Pioneers was running for office who would get your vote?

I’ve got to say Brett Edwards. He’s quite opinionated on what he thinks, and I tend to agree with him. He makes some good arguments. He’s probably my best friend on the team, and he’s a funny guy, so I’d definitely vote for him.

I’m always curious who the team’s comedians are, so are there others besides him?

He’s definitely one of them. I’d say McKade Webster is up there. He’s hilarious, he’s always making jokes. Mike Benning is another, so is Kyle Mayhew. That’s the thing about our team. Every guy has such a good personality and is so fun to be around. When we’re on the road there are a lot of laughs and everyone just enjoys being around one another.

How much did that ability to laugh or not take things to seriously help down the stretch last season when DU went on its national championship run?

When you’re going into a playoff run and its do or die, you rely on the memories you’ve built throughout the year and the chemistry you have off the ice. Last year was one of the closest teams I’ve ever been on, and it just goes to show we won it all. We all just went back to we’re all brothers at the end of this. We spent all day, every day together throughout the year, and it pays huge dividends down the stretch.

©First Line Editorial 2022