If you ask around the Denver hockey community, there was only a select few who could replace former DU bench boss Jim Montgomery. But one name stood out above the rest: David Carle.
On Friday, the university officially named Carle as the Richard and Kitzia Goodman Head Coach of the University of Denver Pioneers.
At 28 years of age, Carle becomes one of the youngest coaches in program history. He is currently the youngest active head coach in NCAA Division 1 college hockey.
The Anchorage, Alaska, native had spent the last four and a half seasons as an assistant coach to Montgomery, who left for a head coaching position with the NHL’s Dallas Stars in early May.
According to a DU press release, Carle said, “I am honored to be named the head coach of this historic program. Having gone to school here, I am very proud to represent our great institution as its next head hockey coach. We will continue, as we always have, to strive for excellence both on and off the ice. This is a very special day for my family, of which I would not be in this position without.”
As a coach, Carle has helped the Pioneers string together a 115-51-23 record, including two Frozen Four appearances and a national championship in 2017. He also spent a year coaching the Green Bay Gamblers of the USHL. Prior to coaching the Gamblers, Carle served as a student assistant coach for four seasons. He graduated from DU in 2012.
As a player, Carle was a defenseman at Shattuck-St. Mary’s (Minn.), where he was a part of back-to-back national titles in 2007 and 2008. He was later recruited to play at DU but never got the chance to suit up for the Pioneers after being diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a heart condition.
Carle was selected by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 7th Round of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft.
