Minnesota State's Ashton shows what the hype is all about with impressive debut

Its been quite a year for Minnesota State mens hockey player Luke Ashton.

After having a big season with Langley in the British Columbia Hockey League, Ashton took a step in realizing his ultimate goal this summer when he was picked 165th overall in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft by the Columbus Blue Jackets.

He was in Las Vegas to hear his name called at the draft, joined by family and MSU coach Luke Strand.

Its kind of an accomplishment that feels like, Im close, Ashton said.

In another sense, it just shows how much more needs to go into it.

It didnt take Ashton long to provide a glimpse of what Strand and his staff saw in the recruiting process, as well as what Columbus is hoping to eventually add to its organization.

Ashtons collegiate debut was a huge success, as he finished with a goal and an assist in MSUs weekend split with Michigan.

He earned CCHA Rookie of the Week honors.

Theres a complete package, Strand said.

Hes already improving daily around here.

At 6-foot-6, its not surprising that Ashton can shoot the puck.

He scored 18 goals for Langley last season and his offensive skills are well-documented.

That didnt make the goal he scored against the Wolverines in the season opener any less impressive.

He showed great hockey sense to make himself available for a cross-ice feed from Luc Wilson, stepping in front of a Michigan defender at the point to give himself a shooting lane.

Then, seemingly in one motion, he stickhandled to the top of the circle under control, picked up his head and fired a wicked wrist shot that beat the goaltender high on the blocker side.

Its one of my better attributes, Ashton said with a smile.

I love to shoot the puck.

There arent radar guns on shots in college hockey, but after seeing his goal, it seems safe to say that Ashton has the hardest shot on the team.

We love his shot.

It scares me to death in practice, well be missing bodies (if he shoots too much), Strand said with a laugh.

In a game ...

if you want to block it, great.

You wont want to block it again.

For him to be active at the blue line and shooting, it just keeps a lot of pucks alive.

If he doesnt score, its so heavy you dont know where its going to go next.

The play that led to the goal sums up why Ashton felt MSU was the best place to prepare for the next level.

Strand has encouraged him to experiment with his game, and he has the green light to jump up into the play.

The MSU defensive corps is deep and filled with complementing skill sets.

Ashton knows hes covered if he sees a chance to create offense.

You can be the player that you want to be in our system, Ashton said.

We play really high pace, really quick transition, quick offense.

Everything that makes hockey fun.

Its nice to be able to have those abilities.

Its been awhile since a player has come into the MSU program with as much hype as Ashton.

Hes the only player on the current roster with an NHL affiliation and was the CCHA preseason Rookie of the Year.

Ashton, who is only 19, would rather ignore the hype than embrace it, but acknowledged winning a postseason award would be a whole lot better than a preseason accolade.

When asked about Ashtons ceiling as a player, Strand simply pointed at the wall in the Don Brose Training Center that is adorned with plaques of all the MSU players who went on to play in the NHL.

I dont think we get to see it here, Strand said of his ceiling.

It wont be long, once he does his job around here, that his picture will be on that wall.

The Mavericks (1-1) play Merrimack in a nonconference series Friday (7:07 p.m.) and Saturday (6:07 p.m.) at the Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center.

Both games can be heard on KTOE AM-1420.

Follow Kevin Dudley on X @Dudley7Kevin..

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