June 25, 2016 Sophomore University of Denver student-athletes Dylan Gambrell (Bonney Lake, Wash.) and Blake Hillman (Elk River, Minn.) both heard their names called on Day 2 of the National Hockey League Entry Draft on Saturday at the First Niagara Center, with San Jose selecting Gambrell in Round 2 (60th Overall) and Chicago taking Hillman in Round 6 (173rd Overall). In addition to Gambrell and Hillman, freshman DU forward Henrik Borgström (Helsinki, Finland) also heard his name called in Buffalo this weekend as the 18-year-old Finn was drafted in Round 1 by Florida on Friday night. A Pioneer has now been selected in 15 consecutive NHL Entry Drafts, a run which has seen no fewer than 41 DU student-athletes drafted into the world's top professional hockey league.
READ: DENVER FRESHMAN BORGSTRÃ-M SELECTED IN ROUND 1 OF NHL ENTRY DRAFT
Gambrell, 19, tallied 47 points (17G-30A) in 41 games played in 2015-16, the 12th-highest scoring total by a freshman in DU history. The 6'0", 179 lb. center won the Barry Sharp Award as Denver's Rookie of the Year and was named to the NCHC's All-Rookie Team. At the 2016 NCAA West Regional, Gambrell earned All-Tournament honors after recording 2G-3A-5P (2GP) in helping the Pioneers earn their first Frozen Four berth since 2005 by defeating BU and FSU at Minnesota's Xcel Energy Center. He becomes the 13th student-athlete in DU history to be selected in Round 2 of the NHL Entry Draft. Other Pioneers to have been chosen in the draft's second round include Bruce Affleck (1974), Matt Carle (2003), Paul Stastny (2005), Patrick Wiercioch (2008), Jason Zucker (2010) and Scott Mayfield (2011).
Hillman, 20, was named the Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA West Regional after recording 2G-2A-4P over the course of Denver's two wins and netting the GWG in the Pioneers' victory over Ferris State on March 27. The 6'1", 185 lb. blueliner skated in 39 games as a freshman last season, registering 3G-8A-11P in addition to a +9 plus/minus rating. Several notable DU student-athletes have skated for the Blackhawks over the years, including Keith Magnuson, Cliff Koroll and Jim Wiste.
Also of note on Saturday, former Pioneer Beau Bennett involved in a trade, being dealt from Pittsburgh to New Jersey. Click HERE for more information on this transaction.
Denver captured its NCAA-best 15th straight 20-win season in 2015-16, finishing the year with a record of 25-10-6. Season tickets to the Pioneers' 2016-17 campaign are currently available for purchase by visiting http://www.denverpioneers.com/tickets/.
