Phil Kessel is the American equivalent of Canada’s Sidney Crosby.
Both 18-year-old forwards are expected to have distinguished NHL careers and serve as marquee Olympic players for their countries in 2010 and beyond. The primary difference is Crosby’s big-league career already has started with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Kessel hasn’t yet been drafted.
Kessel, two months younger than Crosby, is a high-profile freshman for No. 10-ranked Minnesota (5-3-2, 5-2-1 WCHA). He is scheduled to make his Magness Arena debut tonight to begin a two-game series against the No. 11 Denver Pioneers (5-4-1, 3-2-1 WCHA).
Kessel is tied for the Gophers’ scoring lead with 15 points (10 assists).
“He’s an awesome player, an extremely talented player,” DU coach George Gwozdecky said of college hockey’s biggest- name freshman since Dany Heatley joined Wisconsin in 1999. “All the hype that he has received is very legitimate.”
Kessel, from Madison, Wis., had a goal and six assists in 9-0 and 4-3 victories over visiting Alaska-Anchorage last week. Kessel had four goals and eight points in his first eight games.
“It’s something to worry about; he’s had so much hype coming into the season, and you figured he was going to get off to a slow start, because of all that hype,” DU co-captain Matt Carle said of Kessel. “Now that he’s hit his stride, it’s something to worry about.”
Both 2005 Frozen Four participants have been inconsistent. DU has played seven of its 10 games on the road.
“I think we’re both looking to get on the right track this weekend,” Carle said. “They’re coming off a better weekend than we are, but it’ll be interesting how we match up.”
DU hopes to have three regulars return to the lineup. All- American center Gabe Gauthier, winger J.D. Corbin and defenseman Julian Marcuzzi suffered lower-body injuries in last Friday’s 3-3 tie at Minnesota State. None played in Saturday’s 4-0 loss to the Mavericks.
“I know that our medical staff has told us that it’s doubtful that we’ll have them back, but I know in talking to them that they have a very different opinion,” Gwozdecky said. “They are bound and determined to play in this series.”
Footnotes
No. 3 Colorado College hosts Michigan Tech for a two-game series beginning tonight. … DU announced it has signed seven players, including four who will begin their freshman seasons in the fall of 2007. Next year’s incoming scholarship class will include forward Matt Glasser and defenseman Cody Brookwell, both from Calgary, Alberta, and Rhett Rakhshani of Huntington Beach, Calif. Lakewood native and Minnesota star high school forward Tyler Ruegsegger headlines the 2007 class, which includes forwards Jesse Martin of Edmonton, Alberta, and Kyle Ostrow of Calgary and goaltender Marc Cheverie of Cole Harbor, Nova Scotia.
Mike Chambers can be reached at 303-820-5453 or mchambers@denverpost.com.
