DU Pioneers hope pair of transfer portal additions will bolster NCAA title defense

David Carle won something besides a gold medal at the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championships a future recruiting battle that could help shape the National Collegiate Hockey Conference this season.

Erik Pohlkamp had a strong freshman season at Bemidji State with 11 goals and 23 points in 32 games.

Hes an NHL draft pick.

He tied for the NCAA lead in goals by a freshman defenseman and was seventh in points.

Pohlkamp is now likely to be a key member of the defense corps at the University of Denver this season as the Pioneers seek to defend their national championship.

When he entered the transfer portal, his experience playing for Carle with the United States at the WJC was top of mind.

To be honest, if I didnt have D.C.

as a coach at world juniors, I dont think I would have ever ended up here.

Absolutely not, Pohlkamp said Tuesday, one day after the defending champs opened training camp for the 2024-25 season.

I think it would have been North Dakota, or definitely closer to home.

The Pioneers bring back several key players from a title-winning team, including Hobey Baker candidate Zeev Buium on defense, Frozen Four MVP Matt Davis in goal and leading scorer Jack Devine up front.

But several key figures will be in camp with professional teams this weekend and need to be replaced.

Carles crew had a large freshman class last season and no new additions from the transfer portal.

This year, the Pios have added Pohlkamp and Finnish big forward Samu Salminen from Connecticut to help fill in some gaps.

I would say were probably on the lower end of teams around the country that have taken transfers in, and so were probably a bit more selective and more apt to bring in freshmen, Carle said.

Whether its freshmen or transfers, you try and make sure youre bringing in the right people.

And so these two guys that are joining us this year, theres a little bit of a history with them.

Theyre not unknown to us.

Carles connection to Pohlkamp came at the 2024 WJC, while Salimens ties to the program go back a few years.

He was committed to play for DU after being a third-round pick by the New Jersey Devils in 2021 but then didnt get into the school.

Salminen ended up at UConn for two seasons.

He had seven goals and 17 points in 35 games last year, before entering the portal shortly after the season ended.

Those per-game totals were down a bit after his promising freshman year with the Huskies.

It was just the most natural decision to make, Salminen said of choosing the Pios again.

Awesome program, great coaches, I heard only good things about this place.

And of course I have the opportunity to develop as a player and win a national championship.

Carle noted that he wasnt the only player on that roster whose numbers dipped.

Salminen has also had other logistical issues to work through the past few years.

It was a struggle in some European countries to find places to play during the COVID-19 pandemic, and that affected both his draft year and plus-one season.

Beyond not gaining admission to DU at a late stage in the process, visa issues delayed the start of his first year with UConn.

Hes been through a lot, Carle said.

Were hoping with our prior relationship, that trust that was built back then, we can try and help get the most out of him, and work to to get him to the player that we all know he can be.

Both players are taking a step up in expectations this season.

Every NCAA program begins every year with a title as the goal, but only one has a display case with 10 championship trophies in it.

The Pios didnt take anyone in the portal a year ago, but one guy who joined the program through it two seasons ago, forward Tristan Broz, scored a pair of overtime goals during DUs NCAA run before signing with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

I came in the summer for a couple weeks for workouts, Pohlkamp said.

(Strength and conditioning coach Matt Shaw) put me through a couple and I felt so unathletic.

They were workouts that Id never done before.

In the summer, too, it proved why these guys just won a championship.

To see how hard they were working in June.

They were just getting out of school and finishing up their celebrations.

It was super cool to see.

I was like, Holy (crap), these guys are legit.' Buium and Devine were both named Tuesday to the preseason All-NCHC team.

Colorado College also had two players make it forward Noah Laba and goalie Kaidan Mbereko.

Buium and Laba were the only unanimous selections.

The other two spots on the team went to North Dakota players, forward Cameron Berg and defenseman Jake Livanavage..

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