March 19, 2006
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Carle Leaves Denver for NHL
CHN Staff Report
SAN JOSE, Calif. — It seemed all but certain after Denver lost in the WCHA first round last week that the Pioneers' season was over. But star defenseman Matt Carle had to wait a week to be sure.
With Sunday's announcement of the NCAA Tournament selections, Carle knew for sure, and immediately signed a contract with the NHL's San Jose Sharks, foregoing his senior year.
"I watched the (NCAA) selection show (Sunday) morning and was on the phone kind of right after that, and everything kind of went down from there," Carle told the Denver Post. "It was pretty much the first time (an offer) was thrown out. Leading up to this week, it was always in the back of my mind ... throwing out different pros and cons about what to do, what kind of opportunity I'd be stepping into, and obviously the great program I'd be leaving here. Nothing really got finalized until (Sunday) morning."
Carle will leave Denver immediately and will be available to the Sharks right away, wearing No. 25. He did not dress for Sunday afternoon's game against the Colorado Avalanche.
"I like to see players, if they're going to go to college, stay at least through their junior year," San Jose general manager Doug Wilson told the San Jose Mercury News. "The odds of their going back to get their degree if they get through their third year are a lot higher."
Carle was named WCHA Player of the Year, WCHA Defensive Player of the Year and First-Team All WCHA for this season's efforts. Carle became the first player in WCHA history to garner both the Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year Awards in the same season and is a finalist for the Hobey Baker Trophy.
Carle is tied for fifth among all NCAA scorers with 53 points (11 goals, 41 assists) in 39 games and first in assists. Overall, he leads all NCAA defensemen in goals (11), assists (42), points (53) and is second in points per game (1.36). Carle ranks first in the NCAA in assists per game (1.08) and is tied for 10th in points per game (1.36).
"We are excited about Matt joining the San Jose Sharks," said Sharks coach Ron Wilson. "His accomplishments over the past several years speak for themselves. He has made tremendous progress in the last few seasons and that is a testament to the program at DU and guidance and leadership provided by Head Coach George Gwozdecky and his staff. We are looking forward to taking his development to the next level."
Carle set DU's single-season assist record for defensemen at 42 and his 53 points rank second on DU's single-season points list for defensemen.
In addition, he was named to the All-WCHA All-Academic Team.
In 2004, Carle became the first U.S.-born player to capture the World Junior and NCAA titles in the same season. The following season, he helped lead Denver to a repeat NCAA title.
Also in 2004-05, he led all WCHA defensemen in scoring with 39 points (12 goals, 27 assists) in 39 games and was eighth among all WCHA scorers. Carle was named NCAA Defenseman of the Year, NCAA All-American Team (West) and First All-WCHA Team.
The 6-foot, 190-pound native of Anchorage, Alaska, was selected by the Sharks in the second round (47th overall) in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft.
