David Carle has a momentous week and five months ahead.

Colorado College is the first opponent, followed by the rest of the world, then a chance at his third NCAA championship in four years.

Carle, the heralded young University of Denver hockey coach, is prepping for his Pioneers to beat their state rivals in a home-and-home series at Robson Arena in Colorado Springs (Friday) and Magness Arena in Denver (Saturday).

When Sunday comes, Carle will travel to Plymouth, Mich., to oversee a two-day training camp as head coach of the U.S. World Junior team, which will begin defense of its gold medal on Dec. 26 in Ottawa, Ontario.

Carle, 35, in 2024 became the first head coach to win WJC and NCAA Division I championships in the same season. He aims to repeat the glory in the prestigious single-elimination game tournaments.

“Really excited about the opportunity because both teams have as good of a chance as anybody,” Carle told The Denver Gazette of the 19-under Team USA and No. 4-ranked Pioneers (13-3). “You’re playing in single-game shots so you need some things to go your way here and there. But both teams have a lot of depth and hunger. It would be really special to win them both. Even one would be amazing but we’re working hard to make the (sweep) happen.”

Carle, who has a career record of 162-65-16 as head coach of the Pioneers, is living a storybook coaching career that began immediately after he was forced to retire as a player because of a potentially fatal heart condition. Being a likely first- or second-round NHL draft pick in 2008 probably saved his life because he was diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy at the NHL combine, where only the top prospects are invited.

Carle likely wouldn’t have otherwise been tested for the disease.

He had signed to play at DU, but coach George Gwozdecky honored his scholarship and Carle became a student-assistant coach.

From ages 18 to 28, Carle worked under three head coaches: George Gwozecky at DU (2008-2012), Derek “Newsy” Lalonde at junior-A’s Green Bay Gamblers (2012-14) and Jim Montgomery at DU (2014-18).

Gwozdecky is the first coach to win NCAA championships as a player, assistant coach and head coach. Lalonde, a former DU assistant under Gwozdecky, is the head coach of the Detroit Red Wings. And Montgomery is the head coach of the St. Louis Blues.

“It’s hard to find a better group of three – not only coaches but men – to be around and learn from and have as mentors,” Carle said. “Just great people. Honest humans who treat people right. So I feel really fortunate to be around all three of them.”

A handful of former DU players recognize just that. And they all suspect it will be difficult to keep Carle from the big money of the NHL.

Centennial native and two-time DU captain Grant Arnold played under Gwozdecky and Montgomery and three seasons with Carle as an assistant.

“I’d love to see him here as long as humanly possible, but when you have a talent like that at his age, the time will come at some point,” Arnold said. “’DC’ has the luxury of going into a good position if he ever makes an (NHL) decision. But this (DU position) is tough to beat.”

Carle, already in his seventh season at the DU helm, has successfully continued what Gwozdecky and Montgomery established. The Pioneers have had 22 consecutive 20-win non-COVID-restrictions seasons and made 16 straight non-COVID-restrictions NCAA Tournament appearances.

Gwozdecky (two), Carle (two) and Montgomery (one) have captured half of DU’s record 10 NCAA titles.

“What they have going on now — I think it’s always been such a top-down thing, with Gwozdecky, Montgomery and now DC,” said former Pios defenseman Nick Larson, who played on the 2004 and 2005 championship teams under Gwozdecky. “‘DC’ is like a superhero. He got to work with George, who’s like an old-school, chip-it-off-the-glass (coach), mean. And Jim Montgomery, who is a complete opposite, like night and day, in running (and) gunning.

“So to have ‘DC’ on both sides of that is key. Where DU is at with DC at the helm … I’ll be completely shocked if we don’t win it a couple times in the next few years.”

But will he stay? Carle had a telephone interview with the St. Louis Blues last summer and says he will always listen to NHL head-coaching opportunities — for networking purposes.

“We had good talks but it got to a point where I wasn’t going to waste anyone’s time, so I withdrew fairly early in the process,” Carle said of his talks with the Blues. “I said all along it would need to be a great opportunity with a team to win, great management. But I’m not naive to the landscape of NHL coaches right now and how quickly the hourglass turns on them.

“That’s reality. That’s a real thing. We have a great situation here in Denver and not one I’m rushing to leave in any capacity. We feel like, even beyond this year, with the recruiting we’ve done we can chase championships for a number of years.”

So what makes Carle such a special coach? DU senior center and team captain Carter King was asked just that.

“There’s a lot of things and it’s tough to just weigh in on one,” King said. “He’s got one of the best minds for the game and he’s really good at coaching young guys, adapting them to their system and just the way of playing hockey here at Denver.”

And, King said, “He’s understandable. He understands what guys are going through, so he makes it very easy to approach him with issues or stuff you’re struggling with.”

Gwozdecky, 71, is proud to have planted the seed for Carle’s success behind the bench.

“Really impressed with David,” the Valor Christian coach said. “Some of the things he has done as a head coach — really impressive stuff that most people don’t see. So I’m really proud of that, and being part of it.”

USA Hockey executive Matt Tabrum was a Pioneers forward from 2011 to 2015. His head coaches were Gwozdecky and Montgomery. Carle was an assistant for three of his seasons. When Carle took over for Montgomery, Tabrum knew where the program was headed.

“Everyone knew what Dave was going to do. He’s one of the smartest hockey minds I’ve been around,” Tabrum said.

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For the Gold Pan

Friday

No. 4 Denver at No. 10 Colorado College, 7 p.m. (CW2/KWGN and NCHC.tv)

Saturday

No. 10 Colorado College at No. 4 Denver, 7 p.m. (Altitude 2 and NCHC.tv)