By Nate Ewell

In Developing Story, a regular feature on collegehockeyinc.com, we highlight current college hockey players who have developed their skills during their careers – either on the ice or off – and in turn made a bigger impact on their team’s success.

A year ago, coming off a successful junior season, Denver’s Joey LaLeggia had the resume of a player ready to take the next step and sign with the Edmonton Oilers, who had drafted him in 2011.

He had been national rookie of the year as a freshman. His game had progressed to the point where he was the NCHC’s Defenseman of the Year and Offensive Defenseman of the Year as a junior.

But, head coach Jim Montgomery told him, he had room to improve that would help ease his transition to pro hockey. And LaLeggia had two more key goals in mind: the NCAA title and his Denver degree.

“I had an honest talk with Coach Montgomery at the end of last season and he told me straight up that there were areas of my game that I could improve,” LaLeggia said. “I trusted that feedback, and knew I could improve.

“I couldn’t be happier with the decision to stay,” he added this week, as Denver preps for the start of the NCHC Tournament. “Not only am I part of a great team and have put myself in a better position to make that next step, but in one week I will have my degree.”

So in a few short weeks LaLeggia, a Burnaby, B.C., native and product of the BCHL’s Penticton Vees, could have a degree and an NHL contract in hand, plus the potential for a national title with the No. 8 Pioneers.

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LaLeggia’s development has been a team effort that starts with his head coaches, George Gwozdecky and now Montgomery. While a coaching change midway through a college career might not be ideal, LaLeggia says the opportunity to learn from two elite hockey minds “was actually awesome the way it worked out.”

Beyond that, LaLeggia is quick to credit Drew Shore, now with the Calgary Flames, for his on- and off-ice leadership during LaLeggia’s freshman season. Pioneer assistant coach David Carle has clearly been crucial as well.

“David Carle is unbelievable,” LaLeggia said. “You’d never know he’s only 25, he has so much knowledge. What’s great is that you can talk to DC about anything. He’s always willing to help, always willing to take time out of his day to get out on the ice and work on something or break down video.”

While the key players in LaLeggia’s development are easy to identify, some of the specific improvements to his game aren’t quite as obvious to the casual observer.

Much of it, he and Montgomery say, amounts to subtle differences. LaLeggia is stronger, but at 5-foot-10, 185 pounds, strength will never be the key to his game. He’s smarter, thanks in part to hours of video work with Carle, and has shown more attention to little details – stick position, gap control, angles.

As a result, LaLeggia is as dynamic offensively as ever, while playing what Montgomery calls a “200-foot game.”

“I feel like I’m more of a complete player,” LaLeggia said. “When I came in I was a completely one-dimensional offensive defenseman. Being here for four years, I’ve really learned the defensive side of the game.”

That gives Montgomery the faith to put LaLeggia out on the ice in every situation.

“I think our relationship has evolved to where we have more trust in each other,” Montgomery said of his assistant captain. “It’s been me giving him more rope to let his talents shine, and him rewarding that confidence by managing his ice time and playing well defensively. He’s learned how you can gain more offense through defensive play.”

That relationship between star player and second-year head coach has been built upon a common goal – one that Denver will pursue in the next few weeks.

“The common denominator is that we are both extremely competitive,” Montgomery said. “We connect that way. We both want to bring Denver to that national championship level and we have common ground there.”

If Montgomery and LaLeggia climb that mountain together, the talented defenseman will move on to the pro level having reached all of his NCAA goals, thanks in large part to his development into an all-around defenseman.