SOUTH BURLINGTON – Those end-of-practice 3-on-3s. Motivation disguised as chirps from a teammate's dad. Striking the right balance between winning and enjoying the game.
Two months into his stay at Mount St. Charles Academy in Rhode Island, Lucas Van Mullen realized he longed for what he left behind at South Burlington High School.
"There's a reason I love hockey so much," Van Mullen said, "and it was because of people like (coach Sean Jones) and my teammates.
"Those are the memories and moments that I missed. I just made the decision that I didn’t necessarily want to go through the whole juniors process and try my luck at being a (college) freshman at 20 or 21."
Returning to South Burlington in time for his senior season, Van Mullen found bliss, and then made some history: After switching from blue line to forward this winter to supply 26 goals and 31 assists and lead the Wolves to a Division I championship-game appearance, Van Mullen retains the title of the Free Press' Mr. Hockey, which has been handed out annually since 1992 to the state's top player.
"He’s the type of player you need to be aware of at all times. Whether he’s playing offense or defense, he’s the complete package," Rutland coach Mike Anderson said. "He is a pretty special player and a guy who can take over the game himself."
Van Mullen is also the paper's first two-time Mr. Hockey recipient.
"I wish I could share that with my team. I truly think if I had a different coach or a different team, I would not be as successful as I was," Van Mullen said. "(Jones) knew exactly how to make the game fun and put me in position to use my talent."
Van Mullen's humbled response to earning the award again didn't surprise his coach.
"What (Van Mullen) does off the ice is as important if not twice as important as what he gives us on the ice," Jones said. "There are many layers to him being Mr. Hockey, but he should be selfishly proud of winning it two years in a row."
