DU’s Salazar poised for promising senior season H


By Matt Mackinder


e may only stand 5-foot-7 and weigh 155 pounds, but Luke Salazar’s mental make-


up is far greater than his physical stature. Salazar, a senior forward at the University of


Denver, never imagined he’d be playing for the team he rooted for as a youngster. Even when he left the state to play juniors for the Wichita Falls (Texas) Wildcats of the North American Hockey League (NAHL) in 2006, high-level college hockey seemed like a pipe dream for the Thorn- ton native. All that changed, though, when Salazar


received a call from Denver associate head coach Steve Miller. “He told he was going to come watch me


play at the NAHL Top Prospects Tournament (a three-day showcase comprised primarily of uncommitted college players),” said Salazar. “That’s pretty much how it all started. I talked to him after (Top Prospects) and, a few weeks later, they offered me a spot on the team. “I never expected to play at such a prestigious


school,” he added. “It was definitely a dream come true.” Growing up, Salazar played in the Hyland


Hills Hockey Association and said early influ- ences included coaches Jaime O’Leary and Tyson Davis. In fact, Salazar said while hockey wasn’t as big in Colorado back then as it is now, he knew from an early age it was the sport he wanted to pursue. “I remember seeing the game somewhere


- and I don’t recall exactly where - but the mo- ment I saw it, I knew I wanted to play,” Salazar recalled. “I told my mom, and from there I start- ed in a recreational inline league and then a house ice league about a year later.” When he turned 17,


the opportunity to leave Colorado to play in the NAHL presented itself and Salazar never looked back. It was an adjustment his first year in Wichita Falls, he said, but he settled in and put home 41 goals his second season and finished second in the NAHL scor- ing race with 87 points. “I’d never left home for


anything before,” explained Salazar. “I went to high school there (in Wichita Falls) my first year and that was definitely way different than school in Colorado. The league is definitely filled with older and stronger players and I think that helped me the most with the transition to college.” With the Pioneers, Salazar said he’s “learned


a ton” and has no regrets. “Now that this is my last year, I want to be


the best player I can be,” said Salazar, who put up 28 points on 17 goals in 42 games as a junior last season. “I want to be relied on by my team to do the right things; I ex- pect to put it all out there everyday and I don’t want to miss a moment.” Not drafted by an NHL


team, Salazar could decide to give pro hockey a shot once he graduates in the spring. He might also look into delving into the “real world” using his anticipat- ed finance degree. Whatever pans out,


Salazar is taking his senior season one day at a time. “I don’t know what


the future looks like right now,” said Salazar. “If there’s a chance for pro hockey, then I’m not op- posed to exploring the op- tions I might have. I think my degree will help me a ton if I decide to pursue the business world and try to


Now in his final year, Luke Salazar calls his opportu- nity to skate for the University of Denver “a dream come true.” Photo/Rich Clarkson & Associates/NCAA Photos


get a job. “It’s a little scary think- ing that there are only a


few months left in my college career, but I’m just focused on playing the best I can and finishing up my degree.”


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