St. Thomas hockey looks to make its mark as captain Chase Cheslock leads the Tommies into the elite NCHC

The Anderson Arena at the University of St. Thomas campus still feels new. It's a good reminder of how far this hockey program has come, and so is Chase Cheslock. 

"Midway through that year over at Mendota at the Academy to here and now, it's shocking," Cheslock said. "It's kind of unbelievable. Really grateful for this opportunity and definitely not gonna take it for granted."

This season, Cheslock and the Tommies battle another barricade: entering a new conference, the elite NCHC.

"Feel like we've been forced into challenges a lot the last five years," Rico Blasi, St. Thomas men's hockey head coach, said. "So this is nothing new for us. We just got to put our head down and go to work and get better every day."

"Obviously, the NCHC is probably the top conference in the country," Cheslock said. "So it's an opportunity not just for our group, but for us each individual to show everyone that doubted us or didn't think we were good enough to play in the conference that we can come here and compete."

Cheslock is a draft pick of the New Jersey Devils out of Rogers High School, where he also was part of a rising hockey program. Now, rounding out a four-year college career.

"I don't think we'll ever see a freshman go through what they do and then live through a senior year. I hope we do," Blasi said. "Having a guy like Chase is pretty unique."