Denver, Colorado College players prepare for NHL draft

DU defenseman Joey LaLeggia. (John Leyba, The Denver Post)

University of Denver defenseman Joey LaLeggia was passed over in the 2010 and 2011 NHL drafts and might not hear his named called in this week's selection process in Pittsburgh, in his final year of eligibility.

Despite leading all NCAA defensemen in scoring, finishing with a plus-13 rating during his freshman season and being named first-team Western Collegiate Hockey Association, LaLeggia is not ranked among Central Scouting's top 210 draft-eligible North American skaters.

"That's a joke," DU associate head coach Steve Miller said. "That's Central Scouting not doing their job."

Nevertheless, the 5-foot-8 LaLeggia is one of four current or future Pioneers Miller expects to be selected in Saturday's second and final day of the draft.The first round is today.

"I'm not getting my hopes up, but we'll see," said LaLeggia, who is training this summer in North Vancouver, British Columbia, with Avalanche defenseman Stefan Elliott and other pros. "I've never paid much attention to Central Scouting. From what I'm told, they're not very big on older guys with that list."

Incoming DU freshmen Quentin Shore and Dakota Mermis are ranked 80th and 84th, respectively, among North American skaters. Shore, a center, is the brother of former DU standout Drew Shore and junior-to-be center Nick Shore, and Mermis, a defenseman, is the younger brother of junior-to-be wing Jarrod Mermis.

LaLeggia and classmate Ty Loney, the son of former two-time Stanley Cup-winning forward Troy Loney, are sleepers.

"I think Dakota and 'Q' have put themselves in position to get drafted, and I think Joey and Ty are kind of wild cards," Miller said. "Teams have asked about them. You have to think they are in good shape after the WCHA rookie seasons they had. Joey was an elite player as a freshman, and Ty really came on after a slow start."

Loney required some time to adjust to the speed of college hockey but eventually excelled in front of the offensive net, producing 10 goals in 36 games. Dakota Mermis led the Green Bay Gamblers to the United States Hockey League Clark Cup championship, and Quentin Shore led the U.S. Under-18 team with eight game-winning goals on the way to the World Under-18 Championship title.

Colorado College incoming freshman Samuel Hunter Fejes is ranked 91st and the Tigers' 2013 recruit Jaccob Slavin, who grew up in Erie and played midget hockey with the Colorado Thunderbirds, might get drafted. Slavin and 2013 DU recruit Landon Smith were teammates on the Thunderbirds. Smith is also in the first year of his draft eligibility.

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