University of St. Thomas Athletics
6/24/2021 10:00:00 AM | Men's Hockey
St. Thomas Men's Hockey coach Rico Blasi has announced the addition of full-time assistant coaches Leon Hayward and Stu Bickel to his staff in preparation for the Tommies' first season of Division I play.
The pair brings a variety of coaching and instructional experiences from youth and preps to Junior as well as Division I assistant roles. They each enjoyed on-ice playing success over several seasons in Junior, D-I and professional hockey.
Hayward is starting his 15th season in coaching. He also built a deep playing resume, in Division I at Northeastern University, plus six years in professional leagues. The Seattle, Wash., native served as assistant coach the last four seasons at Colorado College, working with defensemen and penalty kills on the ice while also coordinating the Tigers' recruiting operations.
Hayward helped Colorado College's Division I recruiting class rankings move from 39th to 13th to fourth nationally, and he helped bring three players aboard who were NHL draft selections. In March 2019, Colorado College became the first program to win a NCHC road playoff series.
Hayward also coached high school hockey in Connecticut and Massachusetts at the Old Avon Farms, Governor's and Taft prep schools. He received a master's degree in Leadership from Northeastern in 2014.
He played in 132 college game as a forward at Northeastern (1998-2002), scoring 30 points (15 goals) and as a senior received the team's Unsung Hero Award. He scored 85 goals and had 88 assists in six pro seasons, included four in the American Hockey League. He led Trenton to an ECHL championship in 2005 and was named Finals MVP as he finished with 11 points over 20 playoff games.
Hayward and his wife, Jessica, have two sons, Ellison and Harlan.
Bickel played in all 45 games and scored seven points in his lone season with the Minnesota Gophers in 2007-08. The defenseman later had a 10-year pro playing career, including 85 total games over two seasons with the New York Rangers, and nine games logged in 2014-15 with the Minnesota Wild. He also played for AHL teams in Hartford, Des Moines, San Antonio, Syracuse, Bakersfield and San Diego during his pro career.
The Chanhassen, Minn., native was a graduate assistant coach with the Minnesota Gophers from 2018-20, and last season worked in Junior hockey as the head coach and associate general manager with the NAHL's Minnesota Magicians. In his first season as a head coach, the Magicians won the Midwest Division finals and advanced to the Robertson Cup semifinals for the first time in the franchise's eight-year history.
Blasi Excited
"We're excited to have both Leon and Stu as part of the staff and joining the Tommie Hockey Family," Blasi said. "Both coaches bring a wealth of experience and a passion for the game. They also share a commitment to our culture and the process we're putting together as we transition into Division I hockey."
Blasi likes that Hayward and Bickel have competed in the sport in all corners of the country, and notes that both have strong Minnesota hockey connections
"I really like Leon's overall Division I recruiting experience, especially his familiarity to recruiting the Minnesota player," Blasi said. "With Stu, I'm excited to have a Minnesota native on staff and have someone who played Division I and pro hockey for Minnesota teams."
St. Thomas concluded its Division III athletics era earlier this month and will compete in 21 sports in Division I starting in fall 2021. Men's Hockey will compete in the eight-team Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) and will open its inaugural D-I campaign Oct. 2 at St. Cloud State.
The pair brings a variety of coaching and instructional experiences from youth and preps to Junior as well as Division I assistant roles. They each enjoyed on-ice playing success over several seasons in Junior, D-I and professional hockey.
Hayward is starting his 15th season in coaching. He also built a deep playing resume, in Division I at Northeastern University, plus six years in professional leagues. The Seattle, Wash., native served as assistant coach the last four seasons at Colorado College, working with defensemen and penalty kills on the ice while also coordinating the Tigers' recruiting operations.
Hayward helped Colorado College's Division I recruiting class rankings move from 39th to 13th to fourth nationally, and he helped bring three players aboard who were NHL draft selections. In March 2019, Colorado College became the first program to win a NCHC road playoff series.
Hayward also coached high school hockey in Connecticut and Massachusetts at the Old Avon Farms, Governor's and Taft prep schools. He received a master's degree in Leadership from Northeastern in 2014.
He played in 132 college game as a forward at Northeastern (1998-2002), scoring 30 points (15 goals) and as a senior received the team's Unsung Hero Award. He scored 85 goals and had 88 assists in six pro seasons, included four in the American Hockey League. He led Trenton to an ECHL championship in 2005 and was named Finals MVP as he finished with 11 points over 20 playoff games.
Hayward and his wife, Jessica, have two sons, Ellison and Harlan.
Bickel played in all 45 games and scored seven points in his lone season with the Minnesota Gophers in 2007-08. The defenseman later had a 10-year pro playing career, including 85 total games over two seasons with the New York Rangers, and nine games logged in 2014-15 with the Minnesota Wild. He also played for AHL teams in Hartford, Des Moines, San Antonio, Syracuse, Bakersfield and San Diego during his pro career.
The Chanhassen, Minn., native was a graduate assistant coach with the Minnesota Gophers from 2018-20, and last season worked in Junior hockey as the head coach and associate general manager with the NAHL's Minnesota Magicians. In his first season as a head coach, the Magicians won the Midwest Division finals and advanced to the Robertson Cup semifinals for the first time in the franchise's eight-year history.
Blasi Excited
"We're excited to have both Leon and Stu as part of the staff and joining the Tommie Hockey Family," Blasi said. "Both coaches bring a wealth of experience and a passion for the game. They also share a commitment to our culture and the process we're putting together as we transition into Division I hockey."
Blasi likes that Hayward and Bickel have competed in the sport in all corners of the country, and notes that both have strong Minnesota hockey connections
"I really like Leon's overall Division I recruiting experience, especially his familiarity to recruiting the Minnesota player," Blasi said. "With Stu, I'm excited to have a Minnesota native on staff and have someone who played Division I and pro hockey for Minnesota teams."
St. Thomas concluded its Division III athletics era earlier this month and will compete in 21 sports in Division I starting in fall 2021. Men's Hockey will compete in the eight-team Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) and will open its inaugural D-I campaign Oct. 2 at St. Cloud State.
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