Denver Pioneers center Troy Terry is many things. An American (sports) hero, a shootout savant, a national champion and the pride of Highlands Ranch, for starters. Professional hockey player? Not so fast.
Last season, Terry became the third American to win gold at the World Junior Championship and an NCAA title in the same season, joining Matt Carle (DU, 2005) and Chris Kreider (Boston College, 2010). He likely could parlay his big season into an NHL contract, and admits there might be some conversations with the Anaheim Ducks, who selected him in the fifth round (148th overall). That doesn’t mean the 19-year-old sophomore is in any rush to turn pro.
“Right now, I’m all set on coming back,” Terry told Mike Chambers of the Denver Post. “There’s obviously some talks that will happen, but I’m all for coming back and want to continue to be a Pioneer.”
At DU’s team banquet on Friday, Terry received the Dallas Gaum Award, as the team’s top offensive player. In 35 games last season, he scored 22 goals and 45 points.
According to Chambers, Terry, as well as three other Pioneers with NCAA eligibility remaining are expected to receive contract offers from NHL teams: sophomore center Dylan Gambrell (San Jose Sharks), freshman center Henrik Borgström (Florida Panthers) and junior defenseman Tariq Hammond (unrestricted free agent). The potential losses of these players, coupled with the nine graduating seniors, six of whom played in the NCAA championship game (including captain and Hobey Baker Award winner Will Butcher), could make winning back-to-back national championships difficult.
