The Western Collegiate Hockey Association award’s banquet Thursday was like a consolation prize for the 2004 and 2005 national champion University of Denver.
The Pioneers, who will not make the 2006 NCAA Tournament when the 16-team field is announced Sunday, saw junior defenseman Matt Carle garner unprecedented praise at the WCHA Final Five kickoff event in St. Paul, Minn.
Carle was named WCHA player of the year and defensive player of the year, becoming the first skater to sweep the league’s biggest awards since the defensive honor was established in 1992.
“I’m thankful to a great coaching staff at Denver and a program and community that supported me,” said Carle, who is DU’s first WCHA player of the year winner since Dallas Gaume in 1986.
“I’m just really honored to have won both those awards and proud to be a part of the league and represent my team,” Carle said.
Carle also was an all-WCHA first-team selection, along with DU sophomore center Paul Stastny and Colorado College senior left wing Brett Sterling. The first team also included Minnesota forward Ryan Potulny, Wisconsin defenseman Tom Gilbert and St. Cloud State goalie Bobby Goepfert.
Also, Carle, Sterling, Potulny and CC senior center Marty Sertich were among the 10 finalists for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award. Carle is favored to win that honor, which goes to the nation’s top player.
Carle, from Anchorage, Alaska, is DU’s first finalist since goalie Wade Dubielewicz in 2002. Sterling and Sertich were “Hobey Hat Trick” finalists last year along with Cornell goalie David McKee. Sertich won it.
This year’s winner will be announced April 7 at the Frozen Four in Milwaukee.
Carle, who leads the country with 42 assists, the single-season record for a DU defenseman, tied Stastny with a team-leading 53 points. Stastny won the WCHA scoring title with 44 points in league games and also was honored in St. Paul.
Sophomore wing Ryan Dingle of Steamboat Springs, who led DU with 27 goals, was named all-WCHA third team, and Pioneers freshman defenseman Chris Butler made the all-rookie team.
Senior wing Ted O’Leary of Arvada, who carries a 3.86 grade-point average, was named WCHA student-athlete of the year.
Sertich and Tigers defenseman Brian Salcido made the all-WCHA second team.
Carle, meanwhile, might forgo his senior season to play with the San Jose Sharks, who selected him in the second round (47th overall) of the 2003 NHL draft.
“I’ll meet with my parents, and we’ll see what the Sharks have to say,” Carle said. “They’ve been so supportive by leaving me alone this past year. I’m so fortunate to be a part of an organization that really respects me and my education.”
Mike Chambers can be reached at 303-820-5453 or mchambers@denverpost.com.
Hobey who?
The 10 finalists for the 2006 Hobey Baker Award, college hockey’s equivalent of the Heisman Trophy:
D Matt Carle, Denver
F Chris Collins, Boston College
G Brian Elliott, Wisconsin
D Andy Greene, Miami (Ohio)
F Greg Moore, Maine
F Scott Parse, Nebraska-Omaha
F Ryan Potulny, Minnesota
F Marty Sertich, CC
F Brett Sterling, CC
F T.J. Trevelyan, St. Lawrence
Past winners
’05 F Marty Sertich, CC, 2005
’04 F Junior Lessard, Minn. Duluth
’03 F Peter Sejna, CC
’02 D Jordan Leopold, Minnesota
’01 G Ryan Miller, Michigan State
’00 D Mike Mottau, Boston College
’99 C Jason Krog, New Hampshire
’98 C Chris Drury, Boston U.
’97 C Brendan Morrison, Michigan
’96 C Brian Bonin, Minnesota
’95 C Brian Holzinger, Bowling G.
’94 C Chris Marinucci, Minn. Duluth
’93 F Paul Kariya, Maine
’92 F Scott Pellerin, Maine
’91 C David Emma, Boston College
’90 C Kip Miller, Michigan State
’89 F Lane MacDonald, Harvard
’88 G Robb Stauber, Minnesota
’87 C Tony Hrkac, North Dakota
’86 F Scott Fusco, Harvard
’85 F Bill Watson, Minn. Duluth
’84 D Tom Kurvers, Minn. Duluth
’83 D Mark Fusco, Harvard
’82 F George McPhee, Bowling G.
’81 C Neal Broten, Minnesota
