One of the most successful captains in University of Denver hockey history will fill one of two coaching vacancies under Pioneers coach George Gwozdecky.
Former defenseman Matt Laatsch, who helped lead DU to its second consecutive NCAA championship in 2005, will become a graduate assistant. Laatsch, 25, chose not to apply for the paid assistant job, vacated last month when Seth Appert became the head coach at Rensselaer.
“The biggest thing for me, and what I talked with Coach about, is that I want to soak everything up from the best staff in college hockey,” Laatsch said. “I know how the program works and I’m familiar with all the guys, but I want to learn first without all the pressure.”
Meanwhile, four alumni who played for Gwozdecky are in the mix to succeed Appert: former defensemen Mike Corbett, an assistant at Air Force; Shawn Kurulak, an assistant at Army; Bryan Vines, Avalanche video coach; and former forward Angelo Ricci, director of the Arapahoe Youth Hockey in Centennial.
“Personally, I just hope it’s an alumni guy,” Ricci said.
Gwozdecky said, “We’re going to have a lot of great candidates, so there’s no question we’re going to have a very good coach. That pool is going to be large, and my biggest challenge is to pick one guy, the right guy.”
October reunions
DU’s 2006-07 schedule has not been released, but this much is known: Gwozdecky will face his two most successful protégés in October.
Denver will begin the season Oct. 6 in the Icebreaker Invitational against host Miami University, coached by former DU assistant Rico Blasi. The DU-Miami winner will play Colgate or Vermont on Oct. 7.
Later that month the Pioneers will host Appert and Rensselaer in a two-game series at Magness Arena.
Footnotes
Hobey Baker Award winner Matt Carle of the San Jose Sharks is expected to become the second DU player in three years to be named USA Hockey college player of the year. Carle, who left school March 19 to sign with San Jose, was a freshman when former Pioneers goalie Adam Berkhoel won it in 2004. … Because of the Sharks’ playoff run, it is unlikely Carle will be able to attend next Thursday’s Hobey Baker Award banquet in St. Paul, Minn. … Jon James, a fourth-line forward for DU last season, has left the team. … Incoming DU forward Rhett Rakhshani finished tied for fourth in U.S. under-18 team scoring, with 49 points (24 goals) in 59 games.
Mike Chambers can be reached at 303-820-5453 or mchambers@denverpost.com.
* This story has been corrected. Because of an editor’s error, this story said that former University of Denver hockey defenseman Matt Laatsch was speaking from Lakeville, Minn. He was speaking from Denver and is from Lakeville.
