2023-24 UConn men's hockey position preview: Defensemen

UConn men’s hockey didn’t have to spend much time worrying about its defensive corps this summer. The Huskies brought back five of their six top defensemen from last season — a group that features four seniors.

“We have a very experienced defensive corps coming back,” head coach Mike Cavanaugh said.

In fact, UConn’s had its blue line set in stone since midway last season, when both Jake Flynn and Harrison Rees decided to use their bonus Covid year of eligibility. As a result, the Huskies only have to replace Roman Kinal in the defensive pairings.

The return of Flynn is particularly important. While his numbers were good — he led the Huskies with a +18 +/- and had the second-most points among defensemen with 14 (four goals, 10 assists) — Flynn’s play reached a new level during the second half. He transformed into not only UConn’s best blue liner, but one of the top d-men in Hockey East over the final two months.

Rees’ impact shouldn’t be discounted either. While he’s a defensive-minded player (two goals, seven assists last season), he’s as steady as they come on that end of the ice. There’s still hope the offensive part of his game can emerge this season, too.

“Harrison Rees has been a kid that's just gotten better and better over his time here,” Cavanaugh said.

While both Flynn and Rees will both have significant roles on the blue line, Andrew Lucas is UConn’s most important defenseman. In his first season after transferring in front Vermont, Lucas racked up 24 points — fifth-most on the team and the most by a defenseman in the Huskies’ Hockey East Era.

Not only did he provide UConn with much-needed offense from the blue line, he also transformed the team’s power play. While the Huskies have generally struggled to produce on the man-advantage, their 19.7 percent mark in 2022-23 was the second best power play percentage in the program’s Hockey East Era. Much of that can be attributed to Lucas, who was on the ice for 18 of UConn’s 24 power play goals, per InStat. He’ll once again be counted on to carry the unit.

Speaking of offensive-minded defensemen, John Spetz has quietly climbed up the Huskies’ career points list with 41 through three seasons. If he collects nine more points, he’ll pass Joseph Masonius as the program’s top-scoring blue liner in the Hockey East Era.

Last year, Tom Messineo played in all 35 games as a freshman, most of which came next to Flynn. Though he only racked up seven points — all assists — he proved himself to be a smooth skater and a steady force along the blue line.

Those five — Flynn, Rees, Lucas, Spetz and Messineo — are locks for the lineup as long as they’re healthy. The last spot will come down to two players: Sophomore Jack Pascucci and freshman Owen Simpson.

Pascucci appeared in eight games last season and while he didn’t record a point, he did well as a stay-at-home defenseman and laid a few big hits, too. Simpson, meanwhile, is the tallest player on the roster at 6-foot-5 and is regarded as a good skater for his size.

While Pascucci is more experienced, Simpson could have an edge if UConn wants more balance in its defensive pairings since Messineo is the only other left-handed d-man on the roster besides the freshman.

While the Huskies’ defensive corps has mostly been set ever since Flynn and Rees decided to return, the coaching staff did have some work to do this summer. After the last season ended, sophomore Aidan Metcalfe, who appeared in one game through two years, decided to leave the team to focus on academics.

The staff had to scramble to find a replacement and eventually found Bauer Swift, a West Hartford native who was previously committed to Division III Hobart. Like Metcalfe, Swift is unlikely to see game action unless injuries decimate the position.

UConn’s defensive corps is a solid, if unspectacular group. It’s unlikely any will land on an all-league team but nobody will stand out as a liability, either. As with most Cavanaugh squads, the Huskies will count of their forwards to put the puck in the net and the defensemen to keep it out.