We should all have a year like the one Chase Cheslock experienced in 2023. It was a year that featured a series of stops and starts, but while all the while Cheslock kept moving forward.

Each accomplishment is impressive and revealing in its own right. Together, they are a symphony of success.

St. Thomas junior Chase Cheslock (St. Thomas Athletics)

The rangy defenseman already had committed to play college hockey at St. Thomas when his senior year at Rogers High School got underway.

Following the conclusion of his final season on the ice, Cheslock was presented the Reed Larson Award, given annually to the best senior high school defenseman in Minnesota.

When Cheslock accepted his high school diploma, he did so boasting a perfect 4.0 grade-point average. And to cap things off, he celebrated the start of summer by being selected by the New Jersey Devils in the fifth round of the NHL draft.

And it’s said that youth is wasted on the young.

Not that things have gone sideways as Cheslock transitions into adulthood.

The 6-foot-3, 205-pound junior, a gifted skater, has emerged as the Tommies’ top defenseman, a force on both ends of the ice for a team sitting atop the CCHA standings and eyeing a trip to the NCAA Tournament in its first year of eligibility.

While displaying a nasty disposition toward opponents setting up shots in front of the Tommies’ net, Cheslock’s offensive prowess is most evident in his team-leading 21 assists. And, after having spent the past three summers participating in the Devils’ prospect camp, he has positioned himself as a legitimate NHL prospect.

To the Tommies’ benefit, he isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. While many draft picks elect to turn pro following their junior seasons, Cheslock already has decided to return for his senior season.

Just as he found in high school, the life of a student-athlete has continues to have its challenges and its rewards. Success in the classroom has remained a constant.

“I’ve only had one A-minus since I’ve been here,” Cheslock said. “So, I’m at 3.99.”

Aiming high

As a youth, one of the players Cheslock modeled his game after was Dylan Samberg, who played high school hockey for Hermantown. Samberg, who went on to play at Minnesota Duluth and currently is a member of the Winnipeg Jets, won the Reed Larson Award in 2017.

Cheslock made it a goal to do the same.

In his mind, following in Samberg’s footsteps by being drafted into the NHL was another matter entirely. So, when his senior season at Rogers ended, he went to Omaha to play out the remainder of the USHL season with the Lancers in hopes of improving his stock.

“I don’t think I thought about it until after I went to Omaha my senior year,” Cheslock said of the possibility of being drafted. “It’s hard to scout kids out of Minnesota high schools. Obviously, there’s a lot of talent, but they want to see them play a more structured game, a more physical game in juniors.

“I was able to keep my performance up at Omaha, and I was fortunate enough to have a lot of eyes on me. Coach (David) Wilkie gave me a lot of opportunities, and I just went down there and made the most of it.”

St. Thomas defenseman Chase Cheslock sizes up his options during a 5-2 loss to North Dakota at Grand Casino Arena on Oct. 12, 20226. Heading into next weekend’s series against Augustana, the junior leads the Tommies with 21 assists. (Kylie Macziewski / St. Thomas Athletics)

The plan agreed upon with the St. Thomas coaching staff was for Cheslock to play the entire 2024 season in Omaha. But when the Tommies were hit with a series of injuries along the blue line early in the season, Cheslock joined the team in January.

His role — and his impact — has grown ever since, those 21 assists this season being a glaring example.

“My senior year of high school, I started to get that mindset of getting the puck to guys who know what to do with it,” Cheslock said. “Get the puck to the goal scorers, get it to the guys who make plays.

“That’s carried on, and this year we have a lot of guys who can put the puck in the net. You put the puck on their tape in a good spot, chances are they are going to do something fun with it.”

Cheslock plays one of the points on the Tommies’ power play and has made the most of the opportunity. While he has yet to score a goal this season, his ability to get shots on net has allowed teammates to cash in on rebounds.

Tommies assistant coach Karl Goehring, whose duties include working with the power play, credits Cheslock’s commitment to trying to get better.

“It’s something he’s worked on a lot this year, moving and manipulating the (penalty killers),” Goehring said. “It’s finding everybody’s strengths and trying to put guys in positions that are going to help the unit and help the team.”

Goehring speaks for the entire staff when he says helping the team is what Cheslock is all about, “Starting with his care and compete (level) on the ice. He’s a kid that’s invested in this team and bringing it every day.”

That approach has led to Cheslock wearing an “A” on his jersey this season as an alternate captain.

“It means everything to me,” Cheslock said. “Being a leader is such a privilege. It’s a role where every day you have to lead by example. I’m not one to stand up and give a lot of talks but show up every day and (give others) someone to look at and think, ‘OK, that’s what I need to be doing today.’ ”

Family ties

When he decided to play for the Tommies, Cheslock said the coaches’ message of being part of brotherhood hit home. He shares a strong bond with his younger brother, Brock, with family being a major focus in his life.

A standout in his own right at Rogers, Brock has committed to play for Augustana beginning with the 2027-28 season. There was a time Cheslock was drawn to the idea of his brother joining him in St. Paul, but he is happy with the way things played out.

“I think it will be good for him to go out there and see what else the hockey world has to offer,” Cheslock said.

Following his final season with the Tommies, Cheslock will find himself in position to do the same. The experience gained in the Devils’ prospects camps has proved invaluable.

“My first year was really fun,” Cheslock said. “My second year I probably took a step back, and last year I had (the attitude) that I had seen a lot of it and just go and enjoy it. You get a lot of feedback because the ratio between players at camp and coaches and staff is basically 1:1.

“You just get to pick everyone’s brain. It’s a super-beneficial time.”

Along with absorbing the intricacies behind the Xs and Os comes the value gained by establishing a healthy mental approach.

“Just taking it one step at a time,” Cheslock said, “and realizing that it doesn’t happen overnight has been a game-changer.”

In the meantime, the last four games of the regular season are on the horizon for the Tommies before the CCHA Tournament, with a potential outcome that would lead to program history.

Should the Tommies make the NCAA field of 16, Cheslock will add 2026 to his list of unforgettable years — with more likely to come.

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