The 60th anniversary celebration of University of Denver hockey Oct. 9-10 will draw more than 200 former Pioneers, plus 28 young men currently donning the crimson-and-gold sweaters for the seven-time NCAA champions.
It figures to be a pressure-packed weekend for the current guys, given that they will begin the weekend — and the season — ranked No. 1 or No. 2 nationally.
Based on what could be the finest group assembled in coach George Gwozdecky’s 16 years at DU, the Pioneers are No. 1 in the preseason polls by Sporting News and College Hockey .
On Monday they came in No. 2 behind Miami (Ohio) in the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine poll, but DU received the most first-place votes (13) and just two fewer overall voting points (457-455). The RedHawks, who in March upset DU in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, garnered four first-place votes, while defending national champion Boston University collected 12 and is ranked No. 3. Michigan and Notre Dame rounded out the top five.
“Our biggest challenge is to form this group into a close-knit team,” Gwozdecky said.
The Pioneers, who have a program-record 13 NHL draft picks, return 21 players from a team that finished 23-12-5 after earning last season’s No. 3 overall NCAA Tournament seed.
“We know we have a lot of skill, a lot of potential and, most important, a lot of character, but what’s said before the season doesn’t mean much,” said DU captain Rhett Rakhshani, a senior forward.
Rakhshani and center Tyler Ruegsegger lead a stellar senior class and are among 16 upperclassmen overall.
DU welcomes a star-studded freshman class that includes 2009 second-round NHL draft picks Drew Shore, a skilled center from Denver, and defenseman William Wrenn.
Fellow newcomer Matt Donovan, an NHL fourth-rounder in 2007, is considered one of the country’s top incoming puck-moving defensemen.
Gwozdecky said his team is focused on fulfilling its long-term potential.
“These guys, I don’t think they have any real concerns with the polls,” he said. “What’s still very fresh in their minds are some of the outcomes of last season. We were in a heck of race in the WCHA (regular-season championship), came in second, and got to the final game of the WCHA (playoff championship), and then lost in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
“Close but not good enough. There is motivation in that for everybody.”
The Pioneers on Sunday night host the University of Calgary in an exhibition game at Magness Arena.
Mike Chambers: 303-954-1357 or mchambers@denverpost.com
