September 5, 2006

BROCK TROTTER
Denver
Fr. | F | Brandon, Manitoba


Trotter's abreviated first season resulted in a medical redshirt.


 

Key Statistics: Trotter had arguably the most impressive five-game campaign in college hockey last year, netting three goals, two assists and one WCHA Rookie of the Week honor for the Pioneers before a severed Achilles tendon in his right leg ended his season on October 29.

What He Does: In what his coaches now call a kind of “dress rehearsal” for college hockey, Trotter skated on a line, and on the power play, with Gabe Gauthier and J.D. Corbin early last season. The rookie’s natural playmaking ability, combined with talented linemates, meant instant success. His second freshman season begins with and increased role in the Denver offense and the promise of more good things to come after the NCAA granted Trotter a medical redshirt.

The Bigger Picture: From the corner of his eye, Trotter saw North Dakota’s Matt Smaby coming at him fast, he absorbed the crunching hit into the end boards and fell to the ice. When he tried to get up and instead fell into the back of the net, that’s when Trotter knew there was trouble. Then he saw the blood, and Sioux goalie Jordan Parise waving frantically for a trainer. Just like that, Trotter’s season was over. Now the two months in a wheelchair and the six different casts are in the past, and Trotter is back on the ice, convinced that the physical and mental hurdles have been cleared. With the Pioneers looking for new sources of offense (for lack of guys named Carle, Stastny and Gauthier) this season, fans in Denver are hopeful Trotter’s point-per-game pace (he had 63 points in 64 games during his one season in the USHL) wasn’t a fluke.

Denver head coach George Gwozdecky on Trotter: "We saw him so briefly, but even in that short time we saw him go from young, nervous and not very confident to a guy that we could see would do some really special things. I think it’s good for him to see the challenges he went though. Those are good things to learn from.”

— Jess Myers