HELTON REGION
(1) DU Lacrosse wins National Championship vs. (4) CU returns to the NCAA Tourney as a No. 8 seed
Bill Tierny once again elevated lacrosse in the western half of the United States by leading the Pioneers to a National Championship. In previous years Denver had made nice runs. However, a 10-5 win over Maryland in the title game solidified an already great coaching career and a championship team where the country has never seen one before.
Tad Boyle took Colorado back to the NCAA tournament where they eventually fell to Connecticut. The maturation of Josh Scott was fun to see. Colorado was one of the best rebounding teams in college basketball, and fans will remember the upset of Arizona in Boulder as the highlight of the Buffs’ season.
WINNER: DU
(2) Brock, Malik and Danny highlight Broncos’ free agent losses vs. (3) Ryan O’Reilly traded to the Buffalo Sabres
The question of whether or not to overpay in free agency was answered by John Elway, and as a result, some key players were lost this free agency season. This will definitely be the big news going forward; however, until I don’t have a reason to trust in Elway, I will.
Ryan O’Reilly has always been a fan favorite for the Avalanche, but management felt it would be best to trade O’Reilly for younger talent. This move may cost the Avalanche a playoff appearance this season, and it is uncertain how this team will look in future years.
Ryan O’Reilly moves on; it is much more difficult for the Avalanche to fill voids than the Broncos.
WINNER: Ryan O’Reilly
