The NHL Is Calling David Carle's Name

Brad Rempel. Getty Images.

Denver is your 2024 National Champion. But does that come at the cost of losing their coach? David Carle is one of the best young coaches in all of hockey. Its tough to have a better year than Carle did. First it was winning a World Juniors Gold Medal with Team USA then the National Championship with Denver. So it begs the ultimate question - what else does he have left to accomplish in college hockey?

Denver is a national powerhouse. They have more national championships than any one else and are set for continued success in the future. So if Carle were to leave, it’s not like he’d be leaving them in a difficult spot. I can imagine the thought of incorporating NIL into recruiting isn't the most appetizing thing in the world either.

And here’s the big kicker, NHL pay and college pay are a huge, huge difference. You get an NHL coaching job nowadays, good chance you’re getting life changing money. 1-3mill MINIMUM per season. And if you get fired, you’ll continue to be paid and you can eventually go back to college or find another squad. It just seems like a no brainer to me. Look at guys like former DU coach Jim Montgomery in Boston, he’s the perfect example.

Some teams I think he’d be an awesome fit (not all positions are open):

• Buffalo

• Columbus

• Ottawa

• Pittsburgh

Carle has a pretty wild story too. The path was far from easy for the Anchorage, Alaska native. Carle was recruited to play for Denver, was a stud defenseman for Shattuck St. Marys in Minnesota and was on track to an NHL career just like his brother, Matt. Until everything changed when he was invited to the NHL combine in 2008.

“In late May 2008, Carle was invited to the NHL Combine, where he interviewed with franchises and underwent tests and physical screenings. He was expected to be a second or third round pick. But medical professionals performed an electrocardiogram and noticed an issue with his heart. The next month, the day before the draft, Carle traveled to the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota and was diagnosed with hypertophic cardiomyopathy, which the Mayo Clinic defines as “a disease in which the heart muscle becomes thickened…the thickened heart muscle can make it harder for the heart to pump blood.”

The Tampa Bay Lightning ended up selecting Carle with the final pick of the draft, but it was a symbolic gesture. By then, Carle had decided his playing career was over.” - Forbes

After his freshmen season, his heart condition was improving and Carle tried to return to the Pios for his Sophomore year, where he eventually collapsed on the ice, which lead to him officially retiring from playing. Carle turned to coaching and immediately joined the DU coaching staff as a student assistant, where the school honored his scholarship. Carle has remained at the University for the past 14 years (minus a 1.5 year hiatus with the Green Bay Gamblers). At the young ripe age of 28, Carle was named the Head Coach of the Pios in May of 2018, but how much longer will he hold that title in Denver??

Pro Hockey was always the goal for David Carle, and while it may not be the route he anticipated, the NHL is now calling his name and it may be time to make the jump.