St. Thomas (Minnesota) Tommies men's ice hockey

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St. Thomas (Minnesota) Tommies men's ice hockey
Hockey current event.svg Current season
St. Thomas Tommies wordmark.png
University University of St. Thomas (Minnesota)
Conference CCHA
First season 1920–21
Head coach Enrico Blasi
5th season, 48–89–9 (.360)
Assistant coaches
Arena Lee and Penny Anderson Arena
Saint Paul, Minnesota
ColorsPurple 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 champions
WIHA: 1984
MIAC: 1986, 1988, 1992, 1994, 1999, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2010, 2014, 2020
Conference regular season champions
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.

Contents

History

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]

Before the 2021–22 season, St. Thomas hired Rico Blasi to be their new head coach and bring them into their Division I era. The Tommies' first few seasons in Division I were rough, with the team only managing three wins in their first year. The Tommies would take their first step forward in the 2023–24 season, finishing 2nd in the CCHA, though they would be upset in the first round by 7th-seeded Lake Superior State. In the 2024–25 season, the Tommies finished with their first winning record in Division I, making it all the way to the CCHA Tournament Championship, before losing 2–4 to Minnesota State. In the 2025–26 season, St. Thomas will open the new Lee and Penny Anderson Arena, replacing their current venue, St. Thomas Ice Arena, one of the smallest rinks in Division I hockey at the time. The arena will officially host its first hockey game on October 24, 2025, against Providence. [6] Additionally, the 2025–26 season marks the Tommies' first season of full Division I eligibility, and the Tommies last season in the CCHA, before departing for the NCHC in the 2026–27 season. [6] [7]

Season-by-season results

Source: [2]

Head coaches

As of completion of the 2024–25 season

TenureCoachYearsRecordPct.
1920–1921Harold Dudley16–1–0.857
1921–1923, 1925–1926 Joe Brandy 319–9–0.679
1923–1924 Dave Hayes 18–2–0.800
1924–1925Bill Houle11–0–1.750
1926–1927Willard Faulk15–9–0.357
1927–1928John O'Halloran14–5–3.458
1928–1930Matt Coogan215–13–0.536
1930–1932Frank Penas27–7–4.500
1932–1933 Joe Boland 17–3–0.700
1933–1935Frank Halder26–6–1.500
1935–1937Frank Klingberg212–10–3.540
1937–1939Leo McGuire213–7–2.636
1939–1942Wee Walsh318–3–3.813
1946–1948Tom Cunningham220–9–0.690
1948–1951, 1952–1955Bill Funk666–19–11.745
1951–1952Norm Robertson17–3–0.700
1955–1959 Ken Staples 438–19–0.667
1959–1962Don Saatzer319–14–0.576
1962–1963Tom Martinson111–4–1.719
1963–1970Joe Flood757–53–4.518
1970–1982Gus Schwartz12150–150–5.500
1982–1987 Terry Abram 5105–45–2.697
1987–2010 Terry Skrypek 23415–194–45.669
2010–2021Jeff Boeser11160–81–33.644
2021–Present Enrico Blasi 448–89–9.360
Totals26 coaches101 Seasons1,217–755–128.610

Current roster

As of August 31, 2024. [8]

No. Nat.PlayerClassPosHeightWeightDoBHometownPrevious teamNHL rights
3 Flag of the United States.svg Lucas Wahlin ( C )Junior F 5' 11" (1.8 m)160 lb (73 kg)2001-05-03 Woodbury, Minnesota Lincoln Stars  ( NAHL )—
4 Flag of the United States.svg Cole MillerSophomore D 5' 11" (1.8 m)185 lb (84 kg)2002-08-27 Littleton, Colorado Sioux Falls Stampede  ( USHL )—
5 Flag of the United States.svg Matthew Gleason ( A )Senior F 5' 8" (1.73 m)175 lb (79 kg)2001-09-20 Saint Paul, Minnesota Colorado College  ( NCHC )—
6 Flag of the United States.svg Jake RatzlaffJunior D 6' 2" (1.88 m)215 lb (98 kg)2002-06-23 Rosemount, Minnesota Madison Capitols  ( USHL )—
7 Flag of the United States.svg Chase FoleySenior D 5' 10" (1.78 m)167 lb (76 kg)2000-02-17 Mendota Heights, Minnesota Colorado College  ( NCHC )—
8 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Caige SterzerJunior F 6' 5" (1.96 m)225 lb (102 kg)2000-08-20 Kimberley, British Columbia Lindenwood  ( NCAA )—
9 Flag of the United States.svg Casy LaylinFreshman F 5' 9" (1.75 m)170 lb (77 kg)2004-01-09 St. Michael, Minnesota Salmon Arm Silverbacks  ( BCHL )—
10 Flag of the United States.svg Mason PoolmanSophomore D 6' 1" (1.85 m)189 lb (86 kg)2002-01-31 East Grand Forks, Minnesota Penticton Vees  ( BCHL )—
11 Flag of the United States.svg Ryan O'NeillJunior F 5' 10" (1.78 m)175 lb (79 kg)2001-02-25 Roseville, Minnesota St. Cloud Norsemen  ( NAHL )—
12 Flag of Sweden.svg Alexander TellFreshman F 6' 0" (1.83 m)180 lb (82 kg)2004-03-18 Linköping, Sweden Linköping J20  ( J20 Nationell )—
13 Flag of the United States.svg Ray ChristyGraduate F 5' 10" (1.78 m)175 lb (79 kg)1999-09-15 St. Paul, Minnesota Colorado College  ( NCHC )—
14 Flag of the United States.svg Jase SofoSophomore D 6' 4" (1.93 m)190 lb (86 kg)2002-06-25 Sylvania, Ohio Amarillo Wranglers  ( NAHL )—
15 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Quinton PepperJunior F 6' 3" (1.91 m)187 lb (85 kg)2002-01-31 London, Ontario Steinbach Pistons  ( MJHL )—
16 Flag of the United States.svg Ethan EliasFreshman D 5' 8" (1.73 m)187 lb (85 kg)2003-04-03 Maple Grove, Minnesota Madison Capitols  ( USHL )—
17 Flag of the United States.svg Jake BracciniJunior F 5' 11" (1.8 m)192 lb (87 kg)2001-07-02 Hanover, Minnesota Muskegon Lumberjacks  ( USHL )—
18 Flag of the United States.svg Ethan Gauer ( A )Graduate D 6' 0" (1.83 m)185 lb (84 kg)1999-12-23 Farmington, Minnesota Bemidji State  ( WCHA )—
19 Flag of the United States.svg Luc LaylinJunior F 5' 8" (1.73 m)170 lb (77 kg)2001-12-30 St. Michael, Minnesota Prince George Spruce Kings  ( BCHL )—
20 Flag of the United States.svg Cooper Gay ( A )Junior F 6' 4" (1.93 m)210 lb (95 kg)2002-03-15 Edina, Minnesota Fargo Force  ( USHL )—
21 Flag of the United States.svg Carson PetersJunior D 6' 3" (1.91 m)200 lb (91 kg)2002-10-28 Medina, Minnesota Cedar Rapids RoughRiders  ( USHL )—
24 Flag of the United States.svg Grant DocterSenior D 5' 10" (1.78 m)174 lb (79 kg)2000-12-06 Golden Valley, Minnesota Michigan Tech  ( CCHA )—
25 Flag of the United States.svg Liam MalmquistSenior F 5' 10" (1.78 m)165 lb (75 kg)2000-10-08 Edina, Minnesota Wisconsin  ( Big Ten )—
26 Flag of the United States.svg Chase CheslockSophomore D 6' 3" (1.91 m)205 lb (93 kg)2004-10-25 Rogers, Minnesota Omaha Lancers  ( USHL ) NJD , 154th overall  2023
27 Flag of the United States.svg Ryder DonovanGraduate F 6' 3" (1.91 m)203 lb (92 kg)2000-10-04 Duluth, Minnesota Wisconsin  ( Big Ten ) VGK , 110th overall  2019
28 Flag of the United States.svg Nick MikanFreshman F 6' 4" (1.93 m)229 lb (104 kg)2004-03-31 Edina, Minnesota Vernon Vipers  ( BCHL )—
29 Flag of the United States.svg J. D. MetzSophomore F/D 6' 2" (1.88 m)195 lb (88 kg)2002-10-24 Mahtomedi, Minnesota New Mexico Ice Wolves  ( NAHL )—
30 Flag of the United States.svg Jake SibellSenior G 6' 2" (1.88 m)205 lb (93 kg)2000-01-03 Isanti, Minnesota Niagara  ( AHA )—
31 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Aaron TrotterJunior G 6' 2" (1.88 m)170 lb (77 kg)2001-04-07 Victoria, British Columbia Prince George Spruce Kings  ( BCHL )—
39 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Maximilian PrazmaSophomore G 6' 4" (1.93 m)200 lb (91 kg)2002-01-12 Calgary, Alberta Calgary Canucks  ( AJHL )—
46 Flag of Sweden.svg Tobias AbrahamssonSophomore D 6' 4" (1.93 m)214 lb (97 kg)2003-08-30 Jönköping, Sweden HV71 J20  ( J20 Nationell )—

Awards and honors

CCHA

Individual awards

All-conference teams

First Team All-CCHA

Second Team All-CCHA

Tommies in the NHL

St. Thomas has yet to have an alumnus reach the NHL. [9]

References

  1. ↑ "Athletic Brand Standards – The University of St. Thomas". March 3, 2022. Retrieved September 6, 2022.
  2. 1 2 "St. Thomas Men's Hockey Team History". USCHO.com. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
  3. ↑ "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.
  4. ↑ "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.
  5. ↑ "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.
  6. 1 2 Rippel, Joel (June 25, 2025). "First games at St. Thomas' Lee & Penny Anderson Arena are touted". www.startribune.com. Retrieved July 1, 2025.
  7. ↑ "St. Thomas men's hockey to join the NCHC". The University of St. Thomas. May 15, 2024. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
  8. ↑ "2024-25 Men's Hockey Roster". St. Thomas Tommies. Retrieved August 31, 2024.
  9. ↑ "Alumni report for U. of St. Thomas". Hockey DB. Retrieved August 31, 2024.
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