ASU Men’s Hockey: Sun Devils evaluating blue line depth after key departures

(Photo: Kylee Meter/WCSN)

Ever since it joined the NCAA ranks, one of Arizona State’s biggest strengths has been its strong defense.

Last season, the Sun Devils’ ability to recruit and develop talent on the blue line was apparent as their top defensive pairing, senior Brinson Pasichnuk and sophomore Josh Maniscalco, combined for 69 points.

Thanks in large part to their efforts, ASU recorded its second-straight 20-win season and would have participated in the NCAA tournament for the second consecutive season if not for the coronavirus.

Now, after an offseason full of surprises, ASU faces the unenviable task of replacing two of the top defensemen in program history.

Pasichnuk, whose 37 points led the team last season, had no remaining college eligibility and began his professional career by signing an entry-level contract with the NHL’s San Jose Sharks in March, making him the first player in program history to sign an NHL free agent contract.

Maniscalco’s departure was far more unexpected, opting to forgo two years of remaining NCAA eligibility and signing an entry-level deal with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

“When you have not one but two kids eating as much ice as they did, up to 30 minutes a night in some cases, to have to replace both in one year is tough,” ASU head coach Greg Powers said.

Powers was supportive of Maniscalco’s decision and wished him the best moving forward, a sentiment which Maniscalco’s former teammates echoed.

“I think it’s more of a life decision than a hockey decision,” junior defenseman Jarrod Gourley said. “As much as he wanted to be there with us it was just such a great opportunity and we’re nothing but proud and excited for him.”

With Pasichnuk and Maniscalco now out of the picture, Powers is expected to have a range of options to choose from with regard to who will play on the top pairing in 2020-21.

The two players perceived to be the most likely to step up to the top line are senior Jacob Wilson and junior Jarrod Gourley, who have played alongside one another for large parts of the last two seasons. They each played 33 games last year, combining for 5 goals and 19 points in a second-pairing role.

While they may not generate as much offense as the Pasichnuk-Maniscalco pairing did a year ago, Wilson and Gourley are both known for their defensive reliability and willingness to block shots, which could make them an ideal shutdown pairing against opposing teams’ top players.

“I have a really good, strong history with Jacob,” Gourley said. “Our strengths and weaknesses work really well off each other and the chemistry we have makes us a stronger pair.”

In addition to their on-ice responsibilities, Wilson and Gourley will need to provide veteran leadership for a group of blue liners that features an abundance of underclassmen.

“I want to contribute as much as I can to the success of the team and that’s going to include helping the rest of this d-corps out and helping lead them,” Wilson said.

While a first pairing of Wilson and Gourley could make the most sense given their experience and history of playing together, it is a distinct possibility that sophomore Tanner Hickey could find himself in the mix for a top-2 role as well.

Hickey, a native of Alberta, Canada, who transferred from the University of Alabama-Huntsville during the offseason, was the top scoring defenseman on his team last season and played two years with Gourley as a member of the AJHL’s Spruce Grove Saints.

“People are going to find out really fast how talented and offensively gifted Tanner Hickey is,” Powers said. “You can see it out on the ice in practice.”

Whether or not he ends up on the top defensive pairing, Hickey could have an opportunity to showcase his scoring ability on the Sun Devils’ top power play unit, which also has two unfilled spots.

With puck drop at least a couple of months out, Powers will have plenty of time to evaluate his roster and put together a team that will compete for a postseason berth once again.