DENVER – For the 19^th straight year, the Denver Pioneers men's hockey team was represented in the NHL Draft with freshman defenseman Mike Benning and freshman forward Carter Savoie hearing their names called in the fourth round of the 58^th Annual NHL Draft on Wednesday.
 
Separated by only five picks, Benning went 95^th overall to the Florida Panthers and Savoie went 100^th overall to the Edmonton Oilers. The longtime friends and teammates hail from the same hometown of St. Albert, Alberta, and have played the last four seasons together, including the last two where they were both alternate captains and AJHL all-stars for the Sherwood Park Crusaders (AJHL).

Draft Notes
 
-Benning is the sixth Pioneer selected by the Florida Panthers
 
-Savoie is the seventh Pioneer selected by the Edmonton Oilers

-Denver currently has nine NHL prospects on its roster: Bobby Brink (PHI), Benning (FLA), Slava Demin (CHI), Brett Stapley (MTL), Magnus Chrona (TBL), Cole Guttman (TBL), McKade Webster (TBL), Savoie (EDM), Antti Tuomisto (DET).
 
-Since 1966, the Pioneers have had 117 picks in the NHL Draft, including four first-round selections: Henrik Borgstrom (2016), Beau Bennett (2010), Joe Colborne (2008) and Craig Redmond (1984).
 
-Denver has had 28 picks in the NHL Draft since 2010, eight of which have come in the first two rounds.
 
-25/31 NHL teams have drafted a Pioneer. The list of exceptions includes the Carolina Hurricanes, Columbus Blue Jackets, Dallas Stars, Nashville Predators, New Jersey Devils and the New York Rangers.
 
-The Pioneers had 13 alumni play in the NHL and 14 alumni play in AHL during the 2019-20 season. Denver has had seven alumni make NHL debuts since 2016.
 
-Three members of the Pioneers' 2019-20 roster have signed NHL contracts: Ian Mitchell (Chicago Blackhawks), Emilio Pettersen (Calgary Flames) and Devin Cooley (Nashville Predators).
 
Draft Profile: Carter Savoie
 
Savoie is a 5'10" 181-pound forward ranking 50^th among North American skaters on NHL Central Scouting's final rankings for the 2020 NHL Draft. Last season, he led the AJHL with 53 goals, finished second in league scoring with 99 points (53-46-99) and tallied 62 penalty minutes in 54 games to be named among five finalists for CJHL Forward of the Year. He also drew within two goals of a team record set in 1983. Savoie had 73 points (31-42-73) the season prior when he was named AJHL Rookie of the Year. In two years with the Crusaders, Savoie tallied 84 goals, 88 assists and 129 penalty minutes in 112 games. He is a two-time AJHL All-Star and represented his country at the 2019 World Junior A Challenge.

Draft Profile: Mike Benning 
 
Benning is a 5'10, 175-pound defenseman. He led AJHL defensemen in scoring for the second straight year last season and tied for 10^th in all-time league history with 12 goals, 63 assists, 75 points and 54 penalty minutes in 54 games. The historic season earned him the distinction of CJHL Defenseman of the Year, AJHL Most Outstanding Defenseman and a spot on the All-Star team. Benning boasts AJHL career totals of 22 goals, 114 assists and 153 penalty minutes in 114 career games. His father, Brian, played 568 NHL games from 1984-1995, his brother, Matt, plays for the Edmonton Oilers, and his uncle, Jim, played 610 NHL games from 1981-1990 and is the current general manager of the Vancouver Canucks. 
 
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-OUR JOURNEY, OUR TIME- 
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