St. Thomas leaning on its Greater Grand Forks blue liners

ST. PAUL, Minn. — The defensive corps jumps out as a strength for St. Thomas. Tommies head coach Rico Blasi knows why. "The D-corps stands out because they've played a lot of games in Division I," Blasi said. "Obviously, we're going to have to rely on them as we continue to grow and mature." That unit features four seniors, three of which have played more than 100 NCAA games (Mason Poolman, Cole Miller and Chase Cheslock, a New Jersey Devils pick). The fourth, Nick Williams, will reach that mark next weekend. St. Thomas has two sophomores who are both NHL Draft picks — Edmonton Oilers pick Bauer Berry and Minnesota Wild pick Justin Kipkie. The only freshman defenseman on the Tommies' roster could be their most talented blue liner of all — Seattle Kraken pick and 2026 United States Hockey League Defenseman of the Year finalist Luken Huff. "They're steady," Blasi said. "They all complement each other.

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