Denver was dealt a huge blow this past weekend when it was determined that sophomore-to-be goalie Sam Brittain will undergo knee surgery, which will cause him to miss six to eight months, likely forcing him to miss a big chunk of next season.
Brittain injured himself towards the end of last season, but Brittain and Denver's staff decided to treat the injury with rest, rather than surgery. But Brittain was participating in Hockey Canada's Goaltending Camp this past weekend, and while there, tests on his knee showed that he needed the surgery. This is the second time in recent history that a Denver player has traveled to a Hockey Canada event, only to be sent home after being more injured that initially thought. Defenseman Patrick Wiercioch was sent home from Canada's World Juniors tryout camp two years ago, after their doctors determined his injuries were worse than Denver had reported.
Denver will likely have to rely on junior goalie Adam Murray at the start of next season. Murray has a career .877 save percentage and 3.60 goals against average. The Pioneers are also likely to sign another goalie to help back up Murray.