Remember the name Joe Colborne. He could be the next great playmaker to go through the Western Collegiate Hockey Association en route to the NHL.
Colborne on Wednesday is expected to sign a letter of intent to play for the University of Denver, joining Matt Carle and Paul Stastny among the Pioneers’ most heralded recruits in the past five years.
DU coaches cannot comment on Colborne until he signs, but recruiting coordinator Steve Miller isn’t ready to compare any young player to Carle and Stastny, two of the NHL’s top rookies last season.
However, the 6-foot-4, 195-pound Colborne could become DU’s first NHL first-round draft pick since defenseman Craig Redmond in 1984. Carle and Stastny were second-rounders.
Colborne plays for the Camrose Kodiaks of the Alberta Junior Hockey League. He has 36 points, including 15 goals, in 18 games. Last weekend Colborne led Canada West to the championship of the World Junior A Challenge in Trail, British Columbia.
Boris Rybalko was Canada West’s coach and also is the bench boss at Camrose, and compares Colborne to Wisconsin freshman Kyle Turris. Turris, who played for Rybalko a year ago with Canada West, was selected No. 3 overall, by Phoenix, in the 2007 NHL draft and is tied for third in NCAA scoring with 14 points.
“Like Kyle here last year, it is Joe’s draft year this year,” Rybalko told Hockey Canada. “The biggest thing that I see about Joe Colborne, in having had the honor and privilege of coaching Kyle here last year, is that they’re nice young men, they’re level-headed.”
Forwards Nate Dewhurst (Johnston, Iowa/Des Moines, U.S. Hockey League) and Stepan Novotny (Prague, Czech Republic/Shattuck-St. Mary’s High School) also are expected to sign with DU on Wednesday. Defenseman John Lee (Moorhead, Minn./ Waterloo, USHL) previously signed.
The Pioneers also are recruiting defenseman David Carle, who is playing with Novotny at Shattuck-St. Mary’s in Faribault, Minn. Carle is from Alaska and is the younger brother of Matt Carle.
Footnotes. DU, idle last weekend, leapfrogged North Dakota for the No. 4 ranking in the two national polls. Colorado College is the unanimous No. 7. A post on the WCHA’s blog has videos of Saturday’s North Dakota- Wisconsin melee and postgame argument between Fighting Sioux coach Dave Hakstol and Badgers coach Mike Eaves. The brawl began after Sioux captain Rylan Kaip checked freshman defenseman Brendan Smith, who had his head down while battling for a loose puck against the boards. Kaip was whistled for charging, the first of 122 minutes of penalties handed out with 3:08 remaining in the game.
College hockey
Front Range NCAA hockey rankings:
1. DENVER (6-2, 3-1 WCHA)
Last week: Idle (swept at Minnesota Nov. 2-4 (5-1, 4-1). Next: Minnesota State, Friday-Saturday at Magness Arena.
Of note: Pioneers hungry to pounce on their first unranked opponent.
2. COLORADO COLLEGE (5-3, 5-1 WCHA)
Last week: Swept Minn.- Duluth (5-3, 3-0). Next: Wisconsin, Friday-Saturday at the World Arena.
Of note: Tigers looking dangerous behind freshman goalie Richard Bachman.
3. AIR FORCE (5-3, 3-3 AHA)
Last week: Split at RIT (2-1 OT win, 4-3 loss). Next: Connecticut, Friday-Saturday at Cadet Ice Arena.
Of note: Falcons still playing without three of their best forwards.
Mike Chambers: 303-954-1357 or mchambers@denverpost.com
