As one of 10 freshmen on the University of Denver hockey team, you would think that Boston Buckberger would not be seeing much success in his game. Buckberger is not only seeing success, he is dominating in the conference. He earned two assists and a block in two games, earning him the title of Defenseman of the Week for the NCHC.
“Pretty cool honor, obviously,” Buckberger said. “And we had a couple other guys we’ve got made it easy and played well this weekend.”
The Canadian started his junior hockey career in the last place that you think of hockey. He played for the Lincoln Stars, as in Lincoln, Nebraska, a team that is part of the United States Hockey League. Some alumni include David Backes, Erik Condra, Ryan Dzingel and Stanley Cup champion Brandon Bollig.
Buckberger saw some success in his one year in the Cornhusker State with 45 points in 62 games.
“I’d say just teammates, coaches and the relationships we built early in the year (helped with my success),” Buckberger said of his time with the Stars. “They ended up being great, and we got so close to each other. And I think just having trust in my teammates, and my coaches trusting me to put you in certain situations and stuff allowed me to have tons of success there.”
He even attended a Nebraska Huskers game and became an immediate fan.
“I think I immediately became a fan,” Buckberger said. “It was 90,000 people, the game was 48–45 and right down to the wire. They lost, I was for sure a Husker fan and hopefully I can go back one day and I’ll do another game.”
Boston initially committed to the University of Wisconsin. The coaching staff experienced a turnover, resulting in the release of Tony Granato, former head coach of the Colorado Avalanche, in early March. Buckberger switched his commitment to Denver right away.
“I just knew that Denver would be a great spot for me as I was recruited by them a couple of years back when I was recruited by Wisconsin as well,” Buckberger said. “And just having the relationships with DC (David Carle) and the assistants, it just made everything like a smooth transition and like it was a no-brainer for me.”
Buckberger spoke highly of his brief time in Colorado.
“The city is awesome,” Buckberger said. “The proximity to the mountains, it’s pretty cool. I’ve been able to go and do some sightseeing and stuff and I’ve been to a Broncos game, downtown a bit and Rockies games and I think the culture around Denver is pretty cool. It is a sports town. As far as on campus goes, the classes are good. And with a lot of teammates, that makes it a lot easier. And I think just the busy schedule suits me.”
As far as telling young defensemen coming behind him, Buckberger encouraged sticking to what a player does well.
“Just play your game,” Buckberger said. “Be honest all over the ice. Play a 200-foot game because we emphasize so much defense here and our defensive skills, our transition and offense. So just take ownership everywhere on the ice and never be a real stranger.”
Buckberger credits the early-season success to the team clicking right away. With new members, this team can grow together for a couple of seasons. The team will be even more dangerous once they further develop chemistry, relying less on talking on the ice.