List of Denver Pioneers men's ice hockey seasons

This is a season-by-season list of records compiled by Denver in men's ice hockey.

Denver has won ten NCAA Men's Division I Ice Hockey Championships in its history, the most ever. Their most recent national championship was in 2024. Denver won the first three NCAA tournaments they participated in (an NCAA record) as well as winning their first seven NCAA tournament games (also a record).

Season-by-season results

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[1]
Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties

NCAA D-I Champions NCAA Frozen Four Conference regular season champions Conference Playoff Champions
Season Conference Regular Season[a] Conference Tournament Results National Tournament Results
Conference Overall
GP W L T OTW OTL 3/SW Pts* Finish GP W L T %
Vern Turner (1949 — 1951)
1949–50 Independent 17 4 13 0 .235
1950–51 Independent 23 11 11 1 .500
Neil Celley (1951 — 1956)
1951–52 MCHA 19 3 0 0 18 T–2nd 25 18 6 1 .740
1952–53 MCHA 16 10 6 0 15 4th 24 17 6 1 .729
1953–54 WIHL 14 7 7 0 11 T–4th 25 16 9 0 .640
1954–55 WIHL 18 8 9 1 10½ T–4th 30 18 11 1 .617
1955–56 WIHL 16 6 8 2 10 T–5th 26 12 11 3 .519
Murray Armstrong (1956 — 1977)
1956–57 WIHL 18 6 11 1 9 5th 28 12 14 2 .464
1957–58 WIHL 22 12 10 0 16 T–1st 36 24 10 2 .694 Won Semifinal 6–2 (Clarkson)
Won Championship 6–2 (North Dakota)
1958–59 Independent 28 22 5 1 .804
1959–60 WCHA 22 17 4 1 .795 1st 34 27 4 3 .838 Won Final series 12–3 (Colorado College) Won Semifinal 6–4 (Boston University)
Won Championship 5–3 (Michigan Tech)
1960–61 WCHA 18 17 1 0 .944 1st 32 30 1 1 .953 Won Final series 17–3 (Michigan Tech) Won Semifinal 6–1 (Minnesota)
Won Championship 12–2 (St. Lawrence)
1961–62 WCHA 18 11 7 0 .611 3rd 30 17 11 2 .600 Lost First round 4–8 (Michigan)
1962–63 WCHA 18 12 6 0 .667 T–1st 33 23 9 1 .712 Won First round series 9–2 (Minnesota)
Won Championship 5–4 (North Dakota)
Won Semifinal 6–2 (Clarkson)
Lost Championship 5–6 (North Dakota)
1963–64 WCHA 10 7 2 1 .750 2nd 31 20 7 4 .710 Won First round series 9–6 (Minnesota)
Won Championship 6–2 (Michigan)
Won Semifinal 4–1 (Rensselaer)
Lost Championship 3–6 (Michigan)
University Division
1964–65 WCHA 12 4 7 1 .375 6th 28 18 8 2 .679
1965–66 WCHA 20 10 7 3 .575 4th 32 18 11 3 .609 Won First round 8–2 (Colorado College)
Won Second round 5–4 (North Dakota)
Lost Semifinal 3–4 (Clarkson)
Won Third-place game 4–3 (Boston University)
1966–67 WCHA 16 11 5 0 .688 2nd 30 22 8 0 .733 Won First round 6–3 (Colorado College)
Lost Second round 2–3 (North Dakota)
1967–68 WCHA 18 15 3 0 .833 1st 34 28 5 1 .838 Won First round 11–4 (Minnesota–Duluth)
Won Second round series 16–3 (Minnesota)
Won Semifinal 4–1 (Boston College)
Won Championship 4–0 (North Dakota)
1968–69 WCHA 20 14 6 0 .700 2nd 32 26 6 0 .813 Won regional semifinal 4–1 (Minnesota–Duluth)
Won Regional Final 3–1 (Colorado College)
Won Semifinal 9–2 (Harvard)
Won Championship 4–3 (Cornell)
1969–70 WCHA 22 13 8 0 .614 T–2nd 32 21 10 1 .672 Won regional semifinal 6–2 (Michigan State)
Lost Regional Final 2–3 (Wisconsin)
1970–71 WCHA 22 15 7 0 .682 2nd 36 25 10 1 .708 Won regional semifinal 6–3 (Colorado College)
Won Regional Final 9–3 (Minnesota–Duluth)
Lost Semifinal 2–4 (Boston University)
Won Third-place game 1–0 (Harvard)
1971–72 WCHA 28 19 9 0 54 1st 38 27 11 0 .711 Won First round Series 11–4 (Notre Dame)
Won Second round Series 11–4 (Michigan State)
Lost Semifinal 2–7 (Cornell)
Lost Third-place game 2–5 (Wisconsin)
1972–73 WCHA 28 20 8 0 52 1st 39 29 9 1 .756 Won First round Series 9–6 (Minnesota–Duluth)
Won Second round Series 7–3 (Michigan Tech)
Won Semifinal 10–4 (Boston College)†
Lost Championship 2–4 (Wisconsin)†
Division I
1973–74 WCHA 28 15 11 2 32 3rd 38 22 13 3 .618 Won First round Series 8–4 (Minnesota–Duluth)
Lost Second round Series 4–5 (Minnesota)
1974–75 WCHA 32 9 22 1 19 9th 36 12 23 1 .347
1975–76 WCHA 32 12 20 0 24 T–7th 39 16 23 0 .410 Lost First round series 10–13 (Michigan Tech)
1976–77 WCHA 32 16 14 2 34 4th 40 21 17 2 .550 Won First round Series 15–5 (North Dakota)
Lost Semifinal Series 8–17 (Michigan)
Marshall Johnston (1977 — 1981)
1977–78 WCHA 32 27 5 0 54 1st 40 33 6 1 .838 Won First round Series 13–8 (Notre Dame)
Lost Second round Series 7–9 (Colorado College)
1978–79 WCHA 32 14 16 2 30 6th 43 20 20 3 .500 Lost First round series 6–7 (Minnesota–Duluth)
1979–80 WCHA 26 8 17 1 .327 10th 36 13 22 1 .375
1980–81 WCHA 28 15 11 2 32 4th 40 23 15 2 .600 Lost First round series 6–10 (Michigan)
Ralph Backstrom (1981 — 1990)
1981–82 WCHA 26 9 15 2 20 4th 43 21 19 3 .523 Won First round series 10–7 (Minnesota–Duluth)
Lost Semifinal series 9–5 (North Dakota)
1982–83 WCHA 26 11 15 0 22 5th 37 15 22 0 .405 Lost First round series 4–13 (Minnesota–Duluth)
1983–84 WCHA 26 8 18 0 16 5th 39 14 25 0 .359 Lost First round series 8–13 (Wisconsin)
1984–85 WCHA 34 16 15 3 35 5th 39 19 17 3 .526 Lost First round series 5–15 (North Dakota)
1985–86 WCHA 34 25 9 0 50 1st 48 34 13 1 .719 Won First round series 9–6 (Michigan Tech)
Won semifinal series 13–7 (Minnesota–Duluth)
Won Championship series 6–2 (Minnesota)
Won Quarterfinal series 7–6 (Cornell)
Lost Semifinal 2–5 (Harvard)
Lost Third-place game 4–6 (Minnesota)
1986–87 WCHA 35 16 16 3 35 T–3rd 40 19 18 3 .513 Lost First round series 4–7 (Colorado College)
1987–88 WCHA 35 19 14 2 40 3rd 39 20 17 2 .538 Lost First round series 0–2 (Minnesota–Duluth)
1988–89 WCHA 35 16 17 2 34 5th 43 22 19 2 .535 Won First round series 2–1 (North Dakota)
Won Semifinal 2–1 (Minnesota)
Lost Championship 4–9 (Northern Michigan)
1989–90 WCHA 28 13 15 0 26 T–5th 42 18 24 0 .429 Lost First round series 0–2 (Northern Michigan)
Frank Serratore (1990 — 1994)
1990–91 WCHA 32 5 25 2 12 9th 38 6 30 2 .184
1991–92 WCHA 32 8 22 2 18 9th 36 9 25 2 .278
1992–93 WCHA 32 15 15 2 32 6th 38 19 17 2 .526 Lost First round series 0–2 (Northern Michigan)
1993–94 WCHA 32 11 18 3 25 9th 38 15 20 3 .434 Lost First round series 0–2 (Minnesota)
George Gwozdecky (1994 — 2013)
1994–95 WCHA 32 18 12 2 38 T–2nd 42 25 15 2 .619 Won First round series 2–0 (Michigan Tech)
Lost Semifinal 4–5 (Wisconsin)
Lost Third-place game 4–5 (Minnesota)
1995–96 WCHA 32 17 12 3 37 3rd 39 22 14 3 .603 Lost First round series 1–2 (St. Cloud State)
1996–97 WCHA 32 17 11 4 38 T–4th 41 24 13 4 .634 Won First round series 2–0 (Minnesota–Duluth)
Lost Quarterfinal 2–5 (Colorado College)
Won regional quarterfinal 6–3 (Vermont)
Lost regional semifinal 3–4 (Boston University)
1997–98 WCHA 28 8 18 2 18 8th 38 11 25 2 .316 Lost First round series 0–2 (Colorado College)
1998–99 WCHA 28 15 11 2 32 3rd 41 26 13 2 .659 Won First round series 2–0 (Michigan Tech)
Won semifinal 3–2 (Colorado College)
Won Championship 4–3 (North Dakota)
Lost regional quarterfinal 3–5 (Michigan)
1999–00 WCHA 28 9 18 1 19 9th 41 16 23 2 .415 Lost First round series 1–2 (North Dakota)
2000–01 WCHA 28 14 11 3 31 6th 38 19 15 4 .553 Lost First round series 0–2 (Wisconsin)
2001–02 WCHA 28 21 6 1 43 1st 41 32 8 1 .793 Won First round series 2–0 (Michigan Tech)
Won semifinal 3–0 (Colorado College)
Won Championship 5–2 (Minnesota)
Lost regional semifinal 3–5 (Michigan)
2002–03 WCHA 28 11 11 6 28 7th 41 21 14 6 .585 Lost First round series 1–2 (North Dakota)
2003–04 WCHA 28 13 10 5 31 T–4th 44 27 12 5 .670 Lost First round series 0–2 (Colorado College) Won regional semifinal 3–2 (Miami)
Won Regional Final 1–0 (North Dakota)
Won Semifinal 5–3 (Minnesota–Duluth)
Won Championship 1–0 (Maine)
2004–05 WCHA 28 19 7 2 40 T–1st 43 32 9 2 .767 Won First round series 2–0 (Michigan Tech)
Won Semifinal 2–1 (North Dakota)
Won Championship 1–0 (Colorado College)
Won regional semifinal 4–3 (Bemidji State)
Won Regional Final 4–2 (New Hampshire)
Won Semifinal 6–2 (Colorado College)
Won Championship 4–1 (North Dakota)
2005–06 WCHA 28 17 8 3 37 T–2nd 39 21 15 3 .577 Lost First round series 1–2 (Minnesota–Duluth)
2006–07 WCHA 28 13 11 4 30 4th 40 21 15 4 .575 Lost First round series 0–2 (Wisconsin)
2007–08 WCHA 28 16 11 1 33 3rd 41 26 14 1 .646 Won First round series 2–0 (Minnesota–Duluth)
Won Semifinal 3–1 (North Dakota)
Won Championship 2–1 (Minnesota)
Lost regional semifinal 2–6 (Wisconsin)
2008–09 WCHA 28 16 8 4 36 2nd 40 23 12 5 .638 Won First round series 2–0 (Alaska–Anchorage)
Won Semifinal 3–0 (Wisconsin)
Lost Championship 0–4 (Minnesota–Duluth)
Lost regional semifinal 2–4 (Miami)
2009–10 WCHA 28 19 5 4 42 1st 41 27 10 4 .707 Won First round series 2–0 (Michigan Tech)
Lost Semifinal 3–4 (North Dakota)
Lost Third-place game 3–6 (Wisconsin)
Lost regional semifinal 1–2 (RIT)
2010–11 WCHA 28 17 8 3 37 2nd 42 25 12 5 .655 Won First round series 2–0 (Alaska–Anchorage)
Won Semifinal 6–2 (Bemidji State)
Lost Championship 2–3 (North Dakota)
Won regional semifinal 3–2 (Western Michigan)
Lost Regional Final 1–6 (North Dakota)
2011–12 WCHA 28 16 8 4 36 4th 43 25 14 4 .628 Won First round series 2–1 (Wisconsin)
Won Semifinal 4–3 (Minnesota–Duluth)
Lost Championship 0–4 (North Dakota)
Lost regional semifinal 1–2 (Ferris State)
2012–13 WCHA 28 14 9 5 33 T–4th 39 20 14 5 .577 Lost First round series 1–2 (Colorado College) Lost regional semifinal 2–5 (New Hampshire)
Jim Montgomery (2013 — 2018)
2013–14 NCHC 24 10 13 3 2 35 6th 42 20 16 6 .548 Won First round series 2–1 (Omaha)
Won Semifinal 4–3 (Western Michigan)
Won Championship 4–3 (Miami)
Lost regional semifinal 2–6 (Boston College)
2014–15 NCHC 24 13 10 1 1 41 4th 40 24 14 2 .625 Won First round series 2–0 (Minnesota–Duluth)
Lost Semifinal 3–6 (Miami)
Won Third-place game 5–1 (North Dakota)
Won regional semifinal 5–2 (Boston College)
Lost Regional Final 1–4 (Providence)
2015–16 NCHC 24 17 5 2 0 53 T–2nd 41 25 10 6 .683 Won First round series 2–0 (Omaha)
Lost Semifinal 2–4 (St. Cloud State)
Won Third-place game 4–1 (North Dakota)
Won regional semifinal 7–2 (Boston University)
Won Regional Final 6–3 (Ferris State)
Lost Semifinal 2–4 (North Dakota)
2016–17 NCHC 24 18 3 3 2 59 1st 44 33 7 4 .795 Won First round series 2–0 (Colorado College)
Lost Semifinal 0–1 (North Dakota)
Won Third-place game 5–1 (Western Michigan)
Won regional semifinal 5–2 (Michigan Tech)
Won Regional Final 6–3 (Penn State)
Won Semifinal 6–1 (Notre Dame)
Won Championship 3–2 (Minnesota–Duluth)
2017–18 NCHC 24 12 6 6 4 46 2nd 41 23 10 8 .659 Won First round series 2–1 (Colorado College)
Won Semifinal 3–1 (Minnesota–Duluth)
Won Championship 4–1 (St. Cloud State)
Won regional semifinal 5–1 (Penn State)
Lost Regional Final 1–5 (Ohio State)
David Carle (2018 — Present)
2018–19 NCHC 24 11 10 3 3 39 4th 41 24 12 5 .646 Won First round series, 2–0 (North Dakota)
Lost Semifinal, 3–1 (Minnesota–Duluth)
Won Third-place game, 6–1 (Colorado College)
Won Regional Semifinal, 2–0 (Ohio State)
Won Regional Final, 3–0 (American International)
Lost National semifinal, 3–4 (OT) (Massachusetts)
2019–20 NCHC 24 11 8 5 4 42 3rd 36 21 9 6 .667 Tournament Cancelled
2020–21 NCHC 22 9 12 1 0 2 1 .470 5th 34 10 13 1 .438 Won Quarterfinal, 5–4 (Omaha)
Lost Semifinal, 1–2 (OT) (North Dakota)
2021–22 NCHC 24 18 6 0 1 0 0 53 T–1st 41 31 9 1 .768 Won Quarterfinal series, 2–0 (Miami)
Lost Semifinal, 0–2 (Minnesota Duluth)
Won Regional Semifinal, 3–2 (Massachusetts Lowell)
Won Regional Final, 2–1 (Minnesota Duluth)
Won Semifinal, 3–2 (OT) (Michigan)
Won Championship, 5–1 (Minnesota State)
2022–23 NCHC 24 19 5 0 2 1 0 56 1st 40 30 10 0 .750 Won Quarterfinal series, 2–0 (Miami)
Lost Semifinal, 0–1 (Colorado College)
Lost Regional Semifinal, 0–2 (Cornell)
2023–24 NCHC 24 15 7 2 3 0 1 45 2nd 44 32 9 3 .761 Won Quarterfinal series, 2–0 (Minnesota Duluth)
Won Semifinal, 5–4 (OT) (St. Cloud State)
Won Final, 4–1 (Omaha)
Won Regional Semifinal, 2–1 (OT) (UMass)
Won Regional Final, 2–1 ( Cornell)
Won National Semifinal, 2–1 (OT) (Boston University)
Won National Championship, 2–0 (Boston College)
Totals GP W L T % Championships
Regular Season 2529 1440 921 168 .603 12 MCHA / WIHL / WCHA Championships, 3 NCHC Championships
Conference Post-season 184 108 70 6 .603 14 WCHA Tournament Championships, 3 NCHC Tournament Championships
NCAA Post-season 69 44 25 0 .638 30 NCAA Tournament Appearances (1 vacated)
Regular Season and Post-season Record 2782 1592 1016 174 .604 10 NCAA Division I National Championships

* Winning percentage is used when conference schedules are unbalanced.
† Denver's participation in the 1973 NCAA tournament was later vacated due to recruiting violations.[2]
bold and italic are program records

Footnotes

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  1. ^ Code explanation; GP—Games Played, W—Wins, L—Losses, T—Tied games, OTW—Overtime Wins, OTL—Overtime Loses, 3/SW—Win in 3 on 3 overtime or shootout, Pts—Points*

References

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  1. ^ "Denver Hockey Media Guide 2020-21" (PDF). Denver Pioneers. Retrieved March 13, 2021.
  2. ^ "Division I Men's Ice Hockey Championship History". NCAA. Retrieved March 28, 2015.