#3 – Lucas Wahlin
Forward (R)
5’11” 160lbs
Woodbury, MN

The first of eight incoming Tommies is Lucas Wahlin, a right-shot forward from Woodbury. At 21 years old, Wahlin took a unique pathway to reach the Division I level, playing one full season at each of the three tiers of junior hockey.

Starting with the 2019-20 season, Wahlin joined the North Iowa Bulls of the NA3HL after graduating high school, recording 59 points (32G, 27A) for a point-per-game average of 1.55, the highest on the team. During that season, Wahlin was called up to the NAHL at two different points, skating for both the Jamestown Rebels and the Kenai River Brown Bears in a handful of games as an affiliate, before returning to the Bulls to close out the NA3HL season.

The following season, Wahlin signed a tender with the Kenai River Brown Bears, playing the entire season in the NAHL and tallying 36 total points (21G, 15A), with nine points recorded in the Robertson Cup Playoffs, the highest on the team. Promoting up to the Tier I Junior level, Wahlin joined the Lincoln Stars of the USHL for his final year of junior eligibility this past season. Not fazed by the higher level of play, Wahlin finished second on the team and tied for 17th amongst all USHL skaters in regular-season points with 61 (31G, 30A).

Prior to junior hockey, Wahlin attended Hill-Murray High School and played two seasons of varsity hockey for the Pioneers, reaching the state tournament his junior season (2017-18) and finishing his prep career with 41 points scored (16G, 25A) over 57 games played.

#6 – Josh Eernisse
Forward (R)
6’2” 205lbs
Apple Valley, MN

Next, we will highlight forward Josh Eernisse, who hails from the southern suburb of Apple Valley and who played high school hockey at Eastview High School, a non-traditional hockey power. 

Eernisse played three seasons of varsity hockey with the Lightning between 2017-2020, helping them to a 50-29-2 record in that span. After recording nine points in 28 games played as a sophomore, Eernisse went on to tally a point-per-game his junior season before culminating with a 1.42 PPG average as a senior, scoring 21 goals and 34 total points, both of which were the most on the team.

After Minnesota high school hockey, Eernisse dressed in three games with the Austin Bruins of the NAHL before joining the Tri-City Storm of the USHL for the 2020-21 season. The Storm held his rights after selecting him in Phase II of the 2020 Entry Draft with pick No. 25. Eernisse went on to play two full seasons with the Storm, dressing in 85 regular-season and six playoff games, recording a total of 25 points (11G, 14A) and a plus/minus of 17 over that time.

Consistently lining up on the right wing on the team's fourth line this past season, Eernisse will look to maintain his power-forward role at the next level by utilizing his size and strength.

#7 – Luke Kron
Forward (L)
6’0” 175lbs
Andover, MN

Our subsequent "Incomer" is left-shot forward Luke Kron, who joins the Tommies after playing two seasons of junior hockey.

In his first junior season, Kron was a member of the Minnesota Magicians of the NAHL. This team was based in Richfield before being sold and moving to Eagle River, Wisconsin. With the Magicians, Kron finished eighth on the team in regular season points with 19 (6G, 13A) in 39 games.

This past season, Kron played for the Sioux Falls Stampede of the USHL, where he primarily lined up on the team's fourth line and finished the season with six points (1G, 5A).

Hailing from Andover, Kron played three seasons of varsity hockey with his hometown Huskies from 2017-2020, finishing his prep career with a trip to the state tournament, which marked the first appearance in the school's history.

Over his three seasons at Andover, Kron improved his points total each successive year, tallying 28 points (10G, 18A) as a sophomore, 40 points (18G, 22A) as a junior, and finally 45 points (17G, 28A) as a senior. This continued growth, combined with his leadership qualities, Kron was selected to be the team's captain his senior season, a group that featured six current or future Division I players.

#11 – Ryan O’Neill
Forward (R)
5’10” 175lbs
Roseville, MN

Our first St. Thomas Academy Cadet featured in this series is forward Ryan O'Neill, who will suit up for the University of St. Thomas after having a dominant season in the NAHL.

A native of Roseville, O'Neill played three seasons of varsity prep hockey with the Cadets and was fortunate to reach the Class AA State Tournament each year. Starting earnestly, O'Neill recorded eight points as a sophomore before going on to average 1.39 points-per-game over his junior and senior seasons, finishing his final season of high school hockey with 52 points scored (21G, 31A), which was the most on the team.

O'Neill's next stop was in St. Cloud, MN, where he joined the St. Cloud Blizzard (now the Norsemen) of the NAHL starting with the 2019-20 season. Drafted with pick No. 29 of the 2019 NAHL Entry Draft, St. Cloud's selection proved savvy, as O'Neill ended up sticking with the Norsemen for three full seasons, scoring 157 total points in that span.

In his second NAHL season, O'Neill recorded 40 points (18G, 22A) before going on to double that mark this past season, scoring 80 regular season points (30G, 50A) before tacking on an additional 11 points in the playoffs. That league-leading points total led to several awards for O'Neill, including the NAHL Most Valuable Player, NAHL Forward of the Year, and placement on the All-NAHL First Team.

#17 – Jake Braccini
Forward (L)
5’11” 192lbs
Hanover, MN

A 2020 graduate of Buffalo High School, Jake Braccini was a standout for the Bison for three seasons in Section 8AA.

As a sophomore in the 2017-18 season, Braccini led the team in scoring 34 (20G, 14A), which was 14 more points than the next highest-scorer. Braccini followed up that strong season with an even better one, finishing with 64 total points (35G, 29A) while serving as an alternate captain. As a senior and the team's captain, Braccini tallied an additional 40 points (20G, 20A), finishing his prep career with a whopping 1.75 point-per-game average over 79 career games.

Selected sixth overall in the 2017 USHL Futures Draft, Braccini joined the Fargo Force for his first season of junior hockey in 2020-21, tallying 27 regular season points (12G, 15A) before adding five playoff points during the team's run to the Clark Cup Championship finals.

Back with the Force the following season, Braccini played two games before having his rights traded to the Muskegon Lumberjacks of the USHL's Eastern Conference. Braccini took this change in scenery in stride, doubling his goals from the year prior and recording 55 total points (27G, 28A), the seventh highest on the team.

Initially committed to the University of Minnesota under the previous coaching regime during his sophomore year of high school, Braccini will look to utilize his experience with unforeseen change and become an offensive threat for the Tommies. 

#19 – Luc Laylin
Forward (R)
5’8” 170lbs
St. Michael, MN

Hailing from Hanover's neighboring city of St. Michael is Luc Laylin, a right-shot forward who played four seasons of varsity hockey for the St. Michael-Albertville Knights.

Laylin tallied 23 points (5G, 18A) in 27 games as a freshman before going on to almost double that amount as a sophomore, recording 38 regular season points (9G, 29A) plus an additional six playoff points (3G, 3A). One of those three playoff goals represented the game-winning goal in the Section 8AA championship, sending St. Michael-Albertville to the school's first-ever state tournament appearance in the 2017-18 season. Wearing the "C" his junior and senior seasons, Laylin was unable to make a second state tournament appearance but added 110 points over his final two seasons, ending his high school career with a 1.59 point-per-game average over 111 career games.

Moving on to junior hockey, Laylin joined the Minnesota Magicians of the NAHL immediately after his high school career ended. He then returned to the Magicians for an entire season in 2020-21. As a rookie, Laylin finished the season at the top of the team's leaderboard with 44 points scored (23G, 21A).

The following season saw a move to the Lincoln Stars of the USHL, with Laylin skating in 14 games for the Stars before being acquired by the Prince George Spruce Kings of the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL). Laylin registered 32 points (13G, 19A) in 37 regular season games before scoring a team-high 12 points (7G, 5A) in the BCHL playoffs.

Laylin should feel at home at the University of St. Thomas with his father, Cory, an assistant on the Tommies coaching staff, and younger brother, Casy, lined up to join the team next season.

#20 – Cooper Gay
Forward (L)
6’4” 210lbs
Edina, MN

Rounding out the group of incoming forwards is Cooper Gay, a 6-foot-4 power-forward who calls Edina home. Instead of playing for the local public school, Gay went the private high school route, enrolling at Benilde-St. Margaret's and graduating in 2020.

As a sophomore, Gay played junior varsity before making the varsity team as a junior, recording 17 points (10G, 7A) in 27 games. In his final season with the Red Knights, Gay doubled his junior season output, tallying 34 points (18G, 16A) which were the most on the team. Playing in the consistently challenging Section 6AA, the Red Knights lost in the section championship game in both of Gay's varsity hockey seasons. His senior year ended in a 4-3 OT loss heartbreaker against Blake.

Next came junior hockey, with Gay joining the St. Cloud Norsemen of the NAHL starting with the 2020-21 season. In his lone season with the Norsemen, Gay recorded 13 points (8G, 5A) and 24 penalty minutes in 38 games. Last season, Gay played for the Fargo Force of the USHL, scoring 14 points (7G, 7A) with 50 penalty minutes.

With a knack for scoring goals close to the net, Gay will look to continue that trend by utilizing his large frame and strength to get on the scoresheet at the Division I level.

#21 – Carson Peters
Defense (L)
6’3” 200lbs
Medina, MN

Our last incoming freshman and the only defenseman of the eight Minnesotans is Carson Peters, who joins the Tommies after only one full season of junior hockey, which he spent with the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders of the USHL.

Predominantly lining up on the RoughRiders' third defensive pairing, Peters skated in 58 of the 60 regular season games for the RoughRiders, tallying 11 assists and 30 penalty minutes. Coming up in the Wayzata Youth Hockey Association, Peters went on to play three seasons of varsity hockey for the Wayzata Trojans.

In his first two seasons, Peters totaled 19 points (4G, 15A) in 53 games before recording a point-per-game (4G-17A—21) his senior season. In that final season of prep hockey, Peters was selected as team captain and, through his strong play on the blue line, helped the Trojans obtain the Section 6AA trophy and return to the Class AA State Tournament. At State, the Trojans received a bye in the quarterfinal round due to Covid-19 protocols before falling short against Lakeville South in the semifinals, with Peters recording an assist in the Trojans' 5-3 loss.

With the addition of Peters, the Tommies' defensive group will now feature seven Minnesotans, including Trevor Zins (St. Michael), Nolan Sawchuk (Burnsville), Garrett Daly (Lakeville), Ethan Gauer (Farmington), Grant Docter (Golden Valley) and Luke Perunovich (Edina).