60 Days. 60 Teams. 600 Words (or Less): Denver

University of Denver

2018-19 Record: 24-12-5 (11-10-3, 4th in NCHC)
Head Coach: David Carle, 2nd Year
Top returning scorers: Liam Finlay (16G-20A) and Emilio Pettersen (6G-24A)
Top returning goaltender: Devin Cooley (Jr.)

Something tells me Denver, despite coached by a millennial, won't take solace in the participation trophy of an unexpected Frozen Four appearance.

Well, unexpected to those outside the team. The Pioneers went from the hunted to hunting, losing five players early (including the original 2018-19 captain, Logan O'Connor, in late July) and head coach to the NHL, putting up a sign and mantra that read "prove them wrong." Second captain Colin Staub expected to contend in September. They did in April.

With 29-year-old David Carle at the helm, Denver both made and advanced to the Frozen Four. It's not easy taking a team with 19 underclassmen, creating chemistry as a group after losing 42% of your goals early. Presumed DU starter, freshman goalie Filip Larsson, was injured until Thanksgiving. Presumed backup Devin Cooley filled in marvelously as both goalies in the platoon finished with a save percentage above .930%. Larsson shut out both Ohio State and AIC in the West Regional.

Look at those millennials, killing the common thought and expectations industry.

What's New: That Twitter feud with UMass over adding "Amherst" going up a new level. Besides the off-ice brouhaha, the two teams play a Frozen Four rematch of their on-ice feud January 3-4 in Denver. The Pioneers also travel up to Alaska, which will now definitely happen.

Cooley will be the presumed starter, as Larsson signed with Detroit. He'll be joined by another Swede, Magnus Chroma, a 2018 Tampa draft pick and one of six 2019-20 freshmen. Among the group is forward Bobby Brink, whose offensive arsenal contains the creative skillset to be the next big-time Pioneer.

Closing Thoughts: A common theme has teams wanting to be the UMass. There's also a group of teams, however, happy to be the next Denver. (Several others, such as Minnesota's 2014 run to the national championship after losing five players early, share several similar characteristics, but DU is the latest.) Yesterday's profile, Providence, is certainly one.

A team that lost nearly half a goal per game in scoring from 2017-18 to 2018-19 made up for it by keeping its top-ten defense and getting its best goaltending at the right time. While Jarid Lukosevicius' 19 goals graduates, last season's underclassmen are another year older. Emilio Petterson and Cole Guttman step up as sophomores. Liam Finlay's 16 goals return.

So, where does Denver go from "proved them wrong?" Even before Ian Mitchell decided to return for his junior season - a major coup for DU's blue line - it's tougher to sell yourself when not having a chip on your shoulder. No one's doubting Denver or leaving them out of their preseason top 16 (Note: DU was 9th/11th in the two preseason polls). As much as the team may want otherwise, the Pioneers are back to being the hunted, not the hunters.

As Carle put it to me, it may be a new office and chair. This year, however, everything else is not quite the same. There's a difference between being the team wanting to prove them wrong being the one who did. Luckily for Carle and company, the team being hunted once more remains a tough one to catch. Sorry, lazy millennial trope.

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