MANKATO — Physical, big-body defenseman simply don’t grow on trees in the world of hockey.
Will Skahan is a perfect example of one of those players that don’t grow on trees. He’s 6-foot-5 and a few ticks north of 220 pounds. A physical presence that can skate stride for stride with the best college hockey has to offer. It’s exactly why the Utah Mammoth selected him 65th overall in the 2024 NHL Draft.
And for the first time in four years his family will have a short drive to watch him play on the ice.
After two seasons with the United State National Development Team in Plymouth, Michigan and two seasons at Boston College, Skahan entered the transfer portal. His selection for a new home was none other than Minnesota State.
“The group here is awesome,” Skahan said. “I had a good group in Boston, but just so far here everybody’s so tight together, and that’s really important for me. Knowing these guys have my back, and the coaches are awesome as well. I think it was a great switch.”
For as long as he can remember, Skahan has been around the game of hockey in some fashion. His father Sean was the strength and conditioning coach for the Anaheim Ducks from 2002-15 and had the same role with the Minnesota Wild from 2016-2022.
That journey now has a stop in Mankato. And in more ways than one, it’s a reminder of how small our world really is.
Skahan’s draft day was one he’ll never forget. He and his family were in attendance at The Sphere in Las Vegas. A day Will says is the greatest in his life so far.
And for the past three summers, that’s meant spending three days in Utah’s development camp. While Lee Stempniak, who had a 14-year NHL career with 10 NHL clubs, is the Director of Player Development, Will primarily worked with Kurtis Foster, who’s tasked with coaching Utah’s young defensemen.
Foster and Will Skahan aren’t strangers either. Sean Skahan served as Foster’s strength coach during his time with the Ducks development camp.
Small world, right? Well, it gets smaller.
During his time with the Minnesota Wild Foster was sent to their AHL affiliate in Houston for a rehab assignment coming off an injury. On the bench of the Houston Aeros as an assistant coach was none other than Luke Strand, now entering his fourth season as head coach at MSU.
When Will Skahan informed the Mammoth of his decision to transfer to MSU Foster was left with a smile. He knows what kind of work ethic Strand and staff possess. Their teams are detailed and possess a top-notch work ethic.
“I think it’s a spot where I think they’re going to be able to get the most out of them, which will help them and also help us at the same time,” Foster said. “I think it’s exactly what he needs at this point in his trajectory into pro hockey in the next couple of years.”
As for his ability on the ice, Foster says Will Skahan is a big man who skates well. A player who enjoys playing a physical brand of hockey, yet still possesses the ability to move the puck. It’s exactly what Utah wants out of its defensemen.
He’s also someone who’s constantly looking to get better.
“He’s willing to talk about and be open about how he feels and what we think he needs to do,” Foster said. “In development you need kids that are willing to open up and be honest, and I think that’s something he does really well. That’s something that will help him over the next couple years in hopefully becoming a guy we can grow with.”
But to get Utah’s approval for Skahan to come to MSU in the first place is something Strand doesn’t take lightly.
“He’ll learn a lot,” Strand said. “He’s going to grow a lot. We’re gonna make him as ready as Utah can get him.”
Then there’s the burning question. Why does a member of the USNTDP, someone who spent two seasons at a college which has produced a long list of NHL talent like Brian Leetch, Matt Boldy and the late Johnny Gaudreau choose Minnesota State?
“I want to win,” Will Skahan said. “We want to win a national championship for sure. I want to win, and everybody else in that room does too. They have full belief in me here, that I can play in the NHL someday. I think that was a big deal of why I chose to transfer here.
“I think it was the perfect choice so far.”