2026-27 Men's Ice Hockey Roster
Jersey Number 3
Cale Ashcroft
- Position:
- Defenseman
- Ht./Wt.:
- 5-11 / 195
- Class:
- Senior
- Hometown:
- St. Albert, Alberta
- Last Team:
- Tri-City Storm (USHL)
Honors and Awards: 2x NCAA National Champion (2024, 2026) … 2026 NCAA West Regional All-Tournament Team … 3x NCHC Academic Honor Roll (2023-24, 2024-25, 2025-26) … 3x NCHC Distinguished Scholar-Athlete (2023-24, 2024-25, 2025-26) … DU’s Murray Amstrong Most Improved Player Award (2024-25)
2025-26: Played in all 43 games to help Denver capture the 2026 NCAA Championship, his second career national title … Scored three goals during the campaign and had a career-high nine assists for 12 points, matching his personal best in overall scoring … Blocked 30 shots, had 12 penalty minutes and finished with a +19 plus/minus rating … Recorded his first point of the season with an assist in the home opener vs. Bentley on Oct. 11 … Played in his 100th career game on Dec. 13 at St. Cloud State … Blocked a career-high four shots on Jan. 9 vs. Western Michigan … Tallied his first goal of the season on Jan. 23 vs. St. Cloud State … Went on a career-long, three-game point streak from Jan. 23-30 (2g/1a), as he also registered an assist on Jan. 24 vs. SCSU and a goal on Jan. 30 vs. Minnesota Duluth … Recorded assists in Game 1 of the NCHC Quarterfinals vs. Miami on March 6 and in the NCHC Frozen Faceoff Championship Game vs. Minnesota Duluth on March 21 … Recorded helpers in back-to-back games for the first time in his career as he then had two assists in the NCAA West Regional Semifinals vs. Cornell on March 27, helping him earn recognition on the All-Tournament Team for the Regional in Loveland, Colo. … Scored in the NCAA Frozen Four Semifinals vs. Michigan on April 9 in Las Vegas … Matched a career high with four blocked shots and had two penalty minutes in the NCAA National Championship Game vs. Wisconsin on April 11 in Las Vegas.
2024-25: Recorded personal bests with four goals and eight assists for 12 points while skating in all 44 games … Had 45 shots on goal while adding 29 blocked shots, eight penalty minutes and finishing with a +8 plus/minus rating … Three of goals were game-winners, the first such tallies of his collegiate career … Scored his first game-winning goal in the third period on Oct. 25 against Wisconsin for his first marker of the year … Played in his 50th career game on Nov. 22 vs. Arizona State … Tallied and recorded points in back-to back games for the first time his career by netting the game-winner on Dec. 14 vs. Colorado College and on Jan. 4 at Maine with 20 seconds remaining in regulation … Registered his first of two career multi-point games on Feb. 1 vs. Omaha with a goal and an assist … Tied a career high with three blocked shots on two occasions: Feb. 8 at Arizona State and March 15 vs. Colorado College in Game 2 of the NCHC Quarterfinals … Registered a career high three assists/points on March 16 in Game 3 of the NCHC Quarterfinals vs. Colorado College … Had an assist against Western Michigan on April 10 in the NCAA Frozen Four Semifinals—his first point in a national tournament game.
2023-24: Appeared in 37-of-44 games as a freshman … Registered seven points (1g/6a), four penalty minutes and 14 blocks … Made his collegiate debut in the season opener on Oct. 7 at Alaska Fairbanks … Blocked a season-best three shots on Oct. 8 at UAF … Recorded his first career point with an assist on Oct. 21 at Boston College … Scored his first career goal on Oct. 28 vs. Air Force … Had a season-high six shots on Nov. 3 vs. Colorado College … Appeared in three of the four NCHC Tournament games, including the Frozen Faceoff Championship vs. Omaha on March 23 … Played his first NCAA Tournament game in the Northeast Regional Final vs. Cornell on March 30.
Before Denver: Spent 2022-23 in the USHL with the Tri-City Storm after playing the previous two seasons in the AJHL with the Sherwood Park Crusaders … Had 37 points (8g/29a) in 62 regular season games with the Storm before registering five assists in four playoff games in 2022-23 … Served as an alternate captain for Sherwood Park in 2021-22 and recorded 21 points (9g/12a) in 50 games, earning AJHL North All-Rookie Team honors … Also named the Crusaders top rookie and defenseman that season … Played 19 games and had 11 points (3g/8a) in 2020-21 with Sherwood Park … A product of the Northern Alberta organization.
Personal: Has two sisters … Graduated from Bellerose High School in 2021 … Earned honors in junior high and high school … Intends to major in business at DU … Would like to play professional hockey and do something in real estate after college … Hobbies include wake surfing, golf, working out and watching movies.
Why DU: "The University of Denver is my dream school. I believe that coming to this school will give me the best chance to succeed in my sport but also in academics and life.”
2025-26: Played in all 43 games to help Denver capture the 2026 NCAA Championship, his second career national title … Scored three goals during the campaign and had a career-high nine assists for 12 points, matching his personal best in overall scoring … Blocked 30 shots, had 12 penalty minutes and finished with a +19 plus/minus rating … Recorded his first point of the season with an assist in the home opener vs. Bentley on Oct. 11 … Played in his 100th career game on Dec. 13 at St. Cloud State … Blocked a career-high four shots on Jan. 9 vs. Western Michigan … Tallied his first goal of the season on Jan. 23 vs. St. Cloud State … Went on a career-long, three-game point streak from Jan. 23-30 (2g/1a), as he also registered an assist on Jan. 24 vs. SCSU and a goal on Jan. 30 vs. Minnesota Duluth … Recorded assists in Game 1 of the NCHC Quarterfinals vs. Miami on March 6 and in the NCHC Frozen Faceoff Championship Game vs. Minnesota Duluth on March 21 … Recorded helpers in back-to-back games for the first time in his career as he then had two assists in the NCAA West Regional Semifinals vs. Cornell on March 27, helping him earn recognition on the All-Tournament Team for the Regional in Loveland, Colo. … Scored in the NCAA Frozen Four Semifinals vs. Michigan on April 9 in Las Vegas … Matched a career high with four blocked shots and had two penalty minutes in the NCAA National Championship Game vs. Wisconsin on April 11 in Las Vegas.
2024-25: Recorded personal bests with four goals and eight assists for 12 points while skating in all 44 games … Had 45 shots on goal while adding 29 blocked shots, eight penalty minutes and finishing with a +8 plus/minus rating … Three of goals were game-winners, the first such tallies of his collegiate career … Scored his first game-winning goal in the third period on Oct. 25 against Wisconsin for his first marker of the year … Played in his 50th career game on Nov. 22 vs. Arizona State … Tallied and recorded points in back-to back games for the first time his career by netting the game-winner on Dec. 14 vs. Colorado College and on Jan. 4 at Maine with 20 seconds remaining in regulation … Registered his first of two career multi-point games on Feb. 1 vs. Omaha with a goal and an assist … Tied a career high with three blocked shots on two occasions: Feb. 8 at Arizona State and March 15 vs. Colorado College in Game 2 of the NCHC Quarterfinals … Registered a career high three assists/points on March 16 in Game 3 of the NCHC Quarterfinals vs. Colorado College … Had an assist against Western Michigan on April 10 in the NCAA Frozen Four Semifinals—his first point in a national tournament game.
2023-24: Appeared in 37-of-44 games as a freshman … Registered seven points (1g/6a), four penalty minutes and 14 blocks … Made his collegiate debut in the season opener on Oct. 7 at Alaska Fairbanks … Blocked a season-best three shots on Oct. 8 at UAF … Recorded his first career point with an assist on Oct. 21 at Boston College … Scored his first career goal on Oct. 28 vs. Air Force … Had a season-high six shots on Nov. 3 vs. Colorado College … Appeared in three of the four NCHC Tournament games, including the Frozen Faceoff Championship vs. Omaha on March 23 … Played his first NCAA Tournament game in the Northeast Regional Final vs. Cornell on March 30.
Before Denver: Spent 2022-23 in the USHL with the Tri-City Storm after playing the previous two seasons in the AJHL with the Sherwood Park Crusaders … Had 37 points (8g/29a) in 62 regular season games with the Storm before registering five assists in four playoff games in 2022-23 … Served as an alternate captain for Sherwood Park in 2021-22 and recorded 21 points (9g/12a) in 50 games, earning AJHL North All-Rookie Team honors … Also named the Crusaders top rookie and defenseman that season … Played 19 games and had 11 points (3g/8a) in 2020-21 with Sherwood Park … A product of the Northern Alberta organization.
Personal: Has two sisters … Graduated from Bellerose High School in 2021 … Earned honors in junior high and high school … Intends to major in business at DU … Would like to play professional hockey and do something in real estate after college … Hobbies include wake surfing, golf, working out and watching movies.
Why DU: "The University of Denver is my dream school. I believe that coming to this school will give me the best chance to succeed in my sport but also in academics and life.”
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