St. Thomas (Minnesota) Tommies men's ice hockey
| St. Thomas (Minnesota) Tommies men's ice hockey | |
|---|---|
 Current season | |
 | |
| University | University of St. Thomas (Minnesota) |
| Conference | CCHA |
| First season | 1920–21 |
| Head coach | Enrico Blasi 4th season, 29–75–5 (.289) |
| Assistant coaches |
|
| Arena | St. Thomas Ice Arena Saint Paul, Minnesota |
| Colors | Purple and gray[1] |
| NCAA Tournament Frozen Four | |
| DIII: 2000, 2005 | |
| NCAA Tournament appearances | |
| DIII: 1984, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1992, 1994, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2020 | |
| Conference Tournament championships | |
| MIAC: 1986, 1988, 1992, 1994, 1999, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2010, 2014, 2020 | |
| Conference regular season championships | |
| MIAC: 1923, 1934, 1938, 1940, 1941, 1942, 1947, 1949, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1974, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2006, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018 | |
The St. Thomas (Minnesota) Tommies men's ice hockey team represents the University of St. Thomas (Minnesota) in NCAA Division I ice hockey.
History
[edit]St. Thomas is one of the oldest ice hockey programs in the nation, predating even Minnesota, having played their first varsity game in the 1920–21 season. That year St. Thomas, along with six other small Minnesota colleges, formed the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and began playing one another in many sports. Over the course of the first sixty five years, St. Thomas was one of the better teams in the conference but it became the leading program once Terry Skrypek arrived in 1987. In his 23 years with the program, Skrypek won 13 conference championships, 9 conference tournament titles and reached the NCAA Division III championship game twice.[2]
In 2019 the MIAC took the unprecedented step of removing St. Thomas from its membership because of concerns about “athletic competitive parity.”[3] Because the removal affected all sports and was effective at the end of the 2020–21 season, St. Thomas had time to decide what it would do next. The men's ice hockey program was given the green light to jump directly to the Division I level in July 2020.[4] Before the end of the month, the seven teams who had previously announced their intention to restart the CCHA with the 2021–22 season voted unanimously to accept the Tommies as the eighth member of the conference.[5]
In 2023, St. Thomas announced plans for the new Lee and Penny Anderson Arena, with the team planned to begin playing its home games there in the fall of 2025.[6]
On May 15, 2024, St. Thomas announced plans to depart the CCHA for the NCHC beginning in 2026-27.[7]
Season-by-season results
[edit]Source:[2]
Head coaches
[edit]As of completion of the 2023–24 season
| Tenure | Coach | Years | Record | Pct. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1920–1921 | Harold Dudley | 1 | 6–1–0 | .857 |
| 1921–1923, 1925–1926 | Joe Brandy | 3 | 19–9–0 | .679 |
| 1923–1924 | Dave Hayes | 1 | 8–2–0 | .800 |
| 1924–1925 | Bill Houle | 1 | 1–0–1 | .750 |
| 1926–1927 | Willard Faulk | 1 | 5–9–0 | .357 |
| 1927–1928 | John O'Halloran | 1 | 4–5–3 | .458 |
| 1928–1930 | Matt Coogan | 2 | 15–13–0 | .536 |
| 1930–1932 | Frank Penas | 2 | 7–7–4 | .500 |
| 1932–1933 | Joe Boland | 1 | 7–3–0 | .700 |
| 1933–1935 | Frank Halder | 2 | 6–6–1 | .500 |
| 1935–1937 | Frank Klingberg | 2 | 12–10–3 | .540 |
| 1937–1939 | Leo McGuire | 2 | 13–7–2 | .636 |
| 1939–1942 | Wee Walsh | 3 | 18–3–3 | .813 |
| 1946–1948 | Tom Cunningham | 2 | 20–9–0 | .690 |
| 1948–1951, 1952–1955 | Bill Funk | 6 | 66–19–11 | .745 |
| 1951–1952 | Norm Robertson | 1 | 7–3–0 | .700 |
| 1955–1959 | Ken Staples | 4 | 38–19–0 | .667 |
| 1959–1962 | Don Saatzer | 3 | 19–14–0 | .576 |
| 1962–1963 | Tom Martinson | 1 | 11–4–1 | .719 |
| 1963–1970 | Joe Flood | 7 | 57–53–4 | .518 |
| 1970–1982 | Gus Schwartz | 12 | 150–150–5 | .500 |
| 1982–1987 | Terry Abram | 5 | 105–45–2 | .697 |
| 1987–2010 | Terry Skrypek | 23 | 415–194–45 | .669 |
| 2010–2021 | Jeff Boeser | 11 | 160–81–33 | .644 |
| 2021–Present | Enrico Blasi | 3 | 29–75–5 | .289 |
| Totals | 26 coaches | 100 Seasons | 1198–741–123 | .611 |
Current roster
[edit]As of August 31, 2024.[8]
| No. | S/P/C | Player | Class | Pos | Height | Weight | DoB | Hometown | Previous team | NHL rights |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 
|
Lucas Wahlin | Junior | F | 5' 11" (1.8 m) | 160 lb (73 kg) | 2001-05-03 | Woodbury, Minnesota | Lincoln (NAHL) | — |
| 4 | 
|
Cole Miller | Sophomore | D | 5' 11" (1.8 m) | 185 lb (84 kg) | 2002-08-27 | Littleton, Colorado | Sioux Falls (USHL) | — |
| 5 |
|
Matthew Gleason | Senior | F | 5' 8" (1.73 m) | 175 lb (79 kg) | 2001-09-20 | Saint Paul, Minnesota | Colorado College (NCHC) | — |
| 6 |
|
Jake Ratzlaff | Junior | D | 6' 2" (1.88 m) | 215 lb (98 kg) | 2002-06-23 | Rosemount, Minnesota | Madison (USHL) | — |
| 7 |
|
Chase Foley | Senior | D | 5' 10" (1.78 m) | 167 lb (76 kg) | 2000-02-17 | Mendota Heights, Minnesota | Colorado College (NCHC) | — |
| 8 | 
|
Caige Sterzer | Junior | F | 6' 5" (1.96 m) | 225 lb (102 kg) | 2000-08-20 | Kimberley, British Columbia | Lindenwood (NCAA) | — |
| 9 |
|
Casy Laylin | Freshman | F | 5' 9" (1.75 m) | 170 lb (77 kg) | 2004-01-09 | St. Michael, Minnesota | Salmon Arm (BCHL) | — |
| 10 |
|
Mason Poolman | Sophomore | D | 6' 1" (1.85 m) | 189 lb (86 kg) | 2002-01-31 | East Grand Forks, Minnesota | Penticton (BCHL) | — |
| 11 |
|
Ryan O'Neill | Junior | F | 5' 10" (1.78 m) | 175 lb (79 kg) | 2001-02-25 | Roseville, Minnesota | St. Cloud (NAHL) | — |
| 12 | 
|
Alexander Tell | Freshman | F | 6' 0" (1.83 m) | 180 lb (82 kg) | 2004-03-18 | Linköping, Sweden | Linköping J20 (J20 Nationell) | — |
| 13 |
|
Ray Christy | Graduate | F | 5' 10" (1.78 m) | 175 lb (79 kg) | 1999-09-15 | St. Paul, Minnesota | Colorado College (NCHC) | — |
| 14 | 
|
Jase Sofo | Sophomore | D | 6' 4" (1.93 m) | 190 lb (86 kg) | 2002-06-25 | Sylvania, Ohio | Amarillo (NAHL) | — |
| 15 | 
|
Quinton Pepper | Junior | F | 6' 3" (1.91 m) | 187 lb (85 kg) | 2002-01-31 | London, Ontario | Steinbach (MJHL) | — |
| 16 |
|
Ethan Elias | Freshman | D | 5' 8" (1.73 m) | 187 lb (85 kg) | 2003-04-03 | Maple Grove, Minnesota | Madison (USHL) | — |
| 17 |
|
Jake Braccini | Junior | F | 5' 11" (1.8 m) | 192 lb (87 kg) | 2001-07-02 | Hanover, Minnesota | Muskegon (USHL) | — |
| 18 |
|
Ethan Gauer | Graduate | D | 6' 0" (1.83 m) | 185 lb (84 kg) | 1999-12-23 | Farmington, Minnesota | Bemidji State (WCHA) | — |
| 19 |
|
Luc Laylin | Junior | F | 5' 8" (1.73 m) | 170 lb (77 kg) | 2001-12-30 | St. Michael, Minnesota | Prince George (BCHL) | — |
| 20 |
|
Cooper Gay | Junior | F | 6' 4" (1.93 m) | 210 lb (95 kg) | 2002-03-15 | Edina, Minnesota | Fargo (USHL) | — |
| 21 |
|
Carson Peters | Junior | D | 6' 3" (1.91 m) | 200 lb (91 kg) | 2002-10-28 | Medina, Minnesota | Cedar Rapids (USHL) | — |
| 24 |
|
Grant Docter | Senior | D | 5' 10" (1.78 m) | 174 lb (79 kg) | 2000-12-06 | Golden Valley, Minnesota | Michigan Tech (CCHA) | — |
| 25 |
|
Liam Malmquist | Senior | F | 5' 10" (1.78 m) | 165 lb (75 kg) | 2000-10-08 | Edina, Minnesota | Wisconsin (Big Ten) | — |
| 26 |
|
Chase Cheslock | Sophomore | D | 6' 3" (1.91 m) | 205 lb (93 kg) | 2004-10-25 | Rogers, Minnesota | Omaha (USHL) | NJD, 154th overall 2023 |
| 27 |
|
Ryder Donovan | Graduate | F | 6' 3" (1.91 m) | 203 lb (92 kg) | 2000-10-04 | Duluth, Minnesota | Wisconsin (Big Ten) | VGK, 110th overall 2019 |
| 28 |
|
Nick Mikan | Freshman | F | 6' 4" (1.93 m) | 229 lb (104 kg) | 2004-03-31 | Edina, Minnesota | Vernon (NAHL) | — |
| 29 |
|
J. D. Metz | Sophomore | F/D | 6' 2" (1.88 m) | 195 lb (88 kg) | 2002-10-24 | Mahtomedi, Minnesota | New Mexico (NAHL) | — |
| 30 |
|
Jake Sibell | Senior | G | 6' 2" (1.88 m) | 205 lb (93 kg) | 2000-01-03 | Isanti, Minnesota | Niagara (AHA) | — |
| 31 |
|
Aaron Trotter | Junior | G | 6' 2" (1.88 m) | 170 lb (77 kg) | 2001-04-07 | Victoria, British Columbia | Prince George (BCHL) | — |
| 39 | 
|
Maximilian Prazma | Sophomore | G | 6' 4" (1.93 m) | 200 lb (91 kg) | 2002-01-12 | Calgary, Alberta | Calgary (AJHL) | — |
| 42 |
|
Tobias Abrahamsson | Sophomore | D | 6' 4" (1.93 m) | 214 lb (97 kg) | 2003-08-30 | Jönköping, Sweden | HV71 J20 (J20 Nationell) | — |
Awards and honors
[edit]CCHA
[edit]Individual awards
[edit]All-conference teams
[edit]- 2023–24: Lucas Wahlin, F
St. Thomas has yet to have an alumnus reach the NHL.[9]
References
[edit]- ^ "Athletic Brand Standards – The University of St. Thomas". March 3, 2022. Retrieved September 6, 2022.
- ^ a b "St. Thomas Men's Hockey Team History". USCHO.com. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
- ^ "D-III Powerhouse St. Thomas Is Getting Kicked Out of Its Conference Because It's Too Good at Sports". Sports Illustrated. May 22, 2019. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
- ^ "At the rink, it's 'Tommie Time,' as St. Thomas moves hockey programs to Division I". Duluth News Tribune. July 15, 2020. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
- ^ "St. Thomas men's team moves to Division I, will join new CCHA for 2021-22 season". USCHO.com. July 29, 2020. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
- ^ Wald, Jeff (17 January 2023). "St. Thomas announces plans for hockey, basketball arena starting in 2025". FOX 9. Retrieved 17 January 2023.
- ^ "St. Thomas men's hockey to join the NCHC". The University of St. Thomas. 2024-05-15. Retrieved 2024-05-15.
- ^ "2024-25 Men's Hockey Roster". St. Thomas Tommies. Retrieved August 31, 2024.
- ^ "Alumni report for U. of St. Thomas". Hockey DB. Retrieved August 31, 2024.