Senior captain Lucas Wahlin has grown alongside the Tommies from their early Division I growing pains to national relevance, embodying the program’s steady rise in the CCHA.

by Robert Brent, Let’s Play Hockey

When the University of St. Thomas jumped to Division I Hockey for the 2021-22 season, the program started with a lot of promise. What had once been an underground program had hired experienced D1 coach Rico Blasi and announced plans for a new arena that just opened this season.

While early seasons were challenging, it felt like the Tommies truly arrived last season, reaching the CCHA championship. While they didn’t capture the title, they did show they were ready to compete on the national level. The team is converting on that potential in full force this season.

St. Thomas currently leads the CCHA with a 14-4-2 conference record and was ranked 15th in the nation in the most recent NCAA poll. The Tommies are one of the hottest teams in the country, with 11 wins in their last 12 games.

As St. Thomas has grown into a national contender, that evolution has been reflected by the players who have grown with them. None is more emblematic than senior team captain Lucas Wahlin.

Wahlin showed promise from an early age, playing for perennial Minnesota High School juggernaut Hill-Murray for two seasons. While Wahlin’s talent was clear, he took an unconventional development path from there.

The Woodbury native played his first junior season with the North Iowa Bulls of the NA3HL. The NA3HL is a tier-III junior league that excels at developing players for D3 or ACHA hockey. Wahlin excelled in North Iowa with 59 points in 38 games in 2019-20.

Wahlin joined the Kenai River Brown Bears of the NAHL the next season, and again put up solid numbers with 27 points in 44 games. 

Then things really took off for Wahlin as a member of the USHL’s Lincoln Stars. Wahlin scored 61 points in 59 games. The offensive explosion earned him a scholarship to the University of St. Thomas, where he joined the team in 2022-23, their second D1 season.

Wahlin recently joined the CCHA podcast, where he spoke about his rise to D1 hockey.

“I definitely had an interesting path and not one that everyone takes. I started in the NA3HL and worked all the way up to the USHL, which was a pretty cool experience for me,” Wahlin said. “I want to say, don’t take things for granted. That’s how every opportunity has come to me, you have to make the best out of it.”

Wahlin has made the best out of it during his time at St. Thomas as well. As the Tommies’ win totals have swelled, so too have the skilled forwards’ scoring numbers. Wahlin scored 21 points in 26 games his first year, upped the numbers to 30 points in 37 games in his second season, and reached another level last year with 41 points in 38 games.

Wahlin has reached another torrid scoring pace this season, currently sitting at 31 points in 26 games. That scoring acumen has been most apparent during his current 12-game scoring streak, where he’s scored 18 points.

While Wahlin is a dangerous scorer, he’s also a noted team leader. He’s been a captain for the Tommies each of the last three seasons. As members of the team who have been there since near the beginning, Wahlin and his class have been a significant factor in defining the culture at St. Thomas. 

The team captain believes that it’s been an invaluable resource for the current young players on the team who will carry the St. Thomas flag into the future.

“I think my senior class, which has been around for so long, has been leaders. Not all of them wear letters, but they’ve all been leaders and I think it’s shown how important that is this season,” Wahlin said. “Those guys have really taught the younger guys, and they’ve been able to follow.”

One thing about Wahlin and his class is clear. They’re leaving the program in a better place than they found it. 

In St. Thomas’ inaugural season, the team went 3-22-1. Now they’re leading their division and have a genuine shot at an NCAA tournament berth. Wahlin has been a significant part of that evolution.

Wahlin’s stellar play in his senior season has left many to wonder what will come next for the forward. Pro hockey of some sort is surely in his future, but Wahlin says he’s not focused on his next steps. He’s more focused on getting the most out of his college hockey experience.

“I don’t look too far ahead and don’t think about that stuff at all. I show up to practice and get together with the guys. I don’t want to wish college hockey away,” Wahlin said. “I want to continue to keep playing, and I think my passion for hockey will be there for a very long time.”

Wherever Wahlin’s hockey journey goes next, his impact is already secure. He arrived in St. Paul after an unconventional path to a program that was still finding its footing. Now, the Tommies are a nationally relevant contender, and Wahlin is a vital part of that. Wahlin and the team share the same DNA. The willingness to run with whatever opportunities present themselves.