Cole Guttman might not be a major name among hockey fans just yet, but one of the top programs in college hockey has at least taken notice. Guttman, who was drafted in the sixth round by the Tampa Bay Lightning this past June, has committed to the University of Denver, the reigning NCAA Champions.
Guttman is currently in his second season with the USHL’s Dubuque Fighting Saints and has four goals and four assists through eleven games. In 2016-17, Guttman was one of only 13 forwards in the league with a scoring rate of more than a point per game. Among that group were 2017 first rounders Casey Mittelstadt, Josh Norris, and Eeli Tolvanen and potential 2018 first overall pick Andrei Svechnikov. The league’s 7th-best goal scorer, Guttman was a major piece to Dubuque’s run to the USHL semifinals along with fellow NCAA commits Zach Solow (Northeastern) and Colin Theisen (Notre Dame).
With Denver, Guttman will re-unite with former Fighting Saints coach Jim Montgomery and a program loaded with talent. While any or all of the Pioneers’ big names – Henrik Borgstrom, Troy Terry, and Dylan Gambrell could be gone by next season, some may remain to join Guttman, 2017 second-round defender Ian Mitchell, Eero Teravainen, brother of Carolina Hurricanes forward Teuvo Teravainen, and a flurry of other incoming, 2018 draft eligible talents like Mathias Pettersen, Will MacKinnon, Erik Middendorf. It looks as if the good times for Denver won’t be ending any time soon.