Two Denver Pioneers incoming freshman selected by Los Angeles Kings in NHL draft
Stephanie Lyn/Waterloo Black Hawks via DU Hockey
The University of Denver hockey program’s pipeline to the NHL remains strong.
Ask the Los Angeles Kings.
Kristian Epperson and Brendan McMorrow, a pair of incoming freshmen on the Pioneers hockey team, were selected by the Kings in the NHL draft Saturday. Epperson went in the third round, 88th overall, while McMorrow went in the seventh round, 196th overall.
It marked the 24th straight season Denver’s had a player selected in the NHL Draft, and the Pios have had multiple draft picks in the last decade of drafts. Denver’s had 138 total draft picks.
Epperson is a 19-year-old forward from Wisconsin who spent last season with the Saginaw Spirit of the Ontario Hockey League. He attended Shattuck-St. Mary’s prep school in Minnesota, where he totaled 187 points from 2020-22.
McMorrow is a 19-year-old forward from Minnesota who spent last season with the Waterloo (Iowa) Black Hawks of the United States Hockey League. He skated two seasons with the U.S. National Team Development program and had 74 points in 121 games.
Denver also had two players drafted by the same team in 2024. Jake Fisher (No. 121 overall) and Tory Pitner (No. 185) were chosen by the Avalanche.
(Contact Gazette sports columnist Paul Klee at paul.klee@gazette.com or on Twitter at @bypaulklee.)
Reminiscing about the 1996 Avalanche Stanley Cup team as members return for reunion | NHL Insider
Evan Rawal
evan-rawal@denvergazette.com
Updated 1 day ago
It’s not a race, but Avalanche fans will always have one thing to brag about. Joe Sakic, Patrick Roy and Peter Forsberg beat John Elway to the punch. The 1995-96 Colorado Avalanche brought the state its first major professional sports...
Evan Rawal
Reporter
Avalanche fall to Predators 4-3 in bizarre shootout that ends in controversy | 5 takeaways
Evan Rawal
evan-rawal@denvergazette.com
Updated 2 days ago
The Avalanche and shootouts do not go together. A late Cale Makar goal in regulation forced overtime on Tuesday night in Nashville, but the Predators came out on top and beat the Avalanche in a bizarre shootout by the score...
Evan Rawal
Reporter
Why a tight Central Division race with the Dallas Stars isn’t a bad thing for the Avalanche | Evan’s take
Evan Rawal
evan-rawal@denvergazette.com
Updated 3 days ago
The Colorado Avalanche are off to an historic start. Their reward? A whopping three-point lead on the second-place Dallas Stars. Such is life in the NHL’s Central Division. The Avalanche recently became the second team in NHL history to go...
Evan Rawal
Reporter
Blackwood, Avalanche survive to beat Flyers 3-2 and cap successful weekend | 5 takeaways
Evan Rawal
evan-rawal@denvergazette.com
Updated 4 days ago
The Avalanche took their foot off the gas in Philadelphia. They still accomplished their mission, though. It was an ugly third period, but the Avalanche were good enough through the first 40 minutes that it ultimately didn’t matter, as the...
Evan Rawal
Reporter
Nathan MacKinnon dazzles as Avalanche defeat Rangers 3-2 in OT at Madison Square Garden | 5 takeaways
Evan Rawal
evan-rawal@denvergazette.com
Updated 5 days ago
The Avalanche didn’t let a controversial game-tying goal by the New York Rangers slow them down. A highlight-reel goal by Nathan MacKinnon in overtime gave the Avalanche the 3-2 victory over the Rangers at Madison Square Garden. It was only...
Evan Rawal
Reporter
Avalanche fall 6-3 to Islanders, lose first game in regulation in over a month | 5 takeaways
Evan Rawal
evan-rawal@denvergazette.com
Updated 7 days ago
You can’t win ’em all, although the Colorado Avalanche have tried their hardest to do that this season. The Avalanche played sloppy against the New York Islanders on Thursday night on their way to a 6-3 loss at UBS Arena...
Evan Rawal
Reporter
After ‘frustrating’ end to last season, Ross Colton playing his best hockey in Avalanche uniform | NHL Insider
Evan Rawal
evan-rawal@denvergazette.com
Updated 1 week ago
In the blink of an eye last October, Ross Colton went from the highest of highs to the lowest of lows. “It sucked, honestly,” Colton told The Denver Gazette. What “sucked” was Colton breaking his foot after blocking a shot...
Evan Rawal
Reporter
Avalanche didn’t just survive without Valeri Nichushkin, they thrived
Evan Rawal
evan-rawal@denvergazette.com
Updated 1 week ago
Whenever Valeri Nichushkin exits the Avalanche lineup, Jared Bednar is reminded of Colorado’s record discrepancy with and without the big man. No one has said a word to him about it over the last three weeks. That’s because this time...
Evan Rawal
Reporter
Avalanche star Cale Makar searching for ways to break through on power play as NHL adjusts
Evan Rawal
evan-rawal@denvergazette.com
Updated 1 week ago
Cale Makar leads all NHL defensemen in assists and points, and he’s just one goal off the lead in goal scoring. Imagine what his numbers would look like if the Avalanche could figure out their power play. It’s December, and...
Evan Rawal
Reporter
CHSAA football season ends with riveting title games in Fort Collins | The Starting Lineup
Chris Schmaedeke
chris.schmaedeke@denvergazette.com
Updated 2 weeks ago
Turn on the game! Three must-see events this week: Numbers game 11 – players have received contract extensions from the Broncos since 2024, the latest being linemen Malcolm Roach and Luke Wattenberg Box office $66 – for a ticket on...
Chris Schmaedeke
Reporter
PREV
PREVIOUS
Avalanche clear cap space, trade Charlie Coyle and Miles Wood to Columbus
General manager Chris MacFarland has created some wiggle room for the Colorado Avalanche. We’ll see how he takes advantage of it. Hours before the NHL draft kicked off Friday, the Avalanche said they had traded center Charlie Coyle and forward Miles Wood to the Columbus Blue Jackets. In return, they received 20-year-old prospect Gavin Brindley, […]
The winners and losers of the NHL draft | Evan's take
After 224 picks and what felt like 224 hours later, the NHL draft has come to an end. Picking winners from teams drafting mostly 17 and 18-year-olds is a fruitless endeavor, so it’s better to take a look at the weekend as a whole. While most of the focus is on the players getting drafted, […]