Former Warrior a Johnnie

WASILLA — As former Wasilla High standout and North Iowa Bulls defenseman Chancie Hanson sat in the locker room in Sauk Rapids, Minn., after a North American 3 Hockey League road game against the Granite City Lumberjacks during the 2013-14 season, a North Iowa coach pulled three or four players out of the room. A St. John’s University coach was there to see them. Hanson, who had been in contact with the Johnnies coaching staff, wasn’t one of the players. Hanson was frustrated with his play that night, and wondered if St. John’s was no longer an option.

A few minutes later, the coach came back into the locker room. He wanted to talk to Hanson.

Thanks in part to a conversation that nearly didn’t happen, Hanson is now a Johnnie.

Fresh off a memorable two-year career with the Junior A Tier III Bulls, Hanson, a 2012 graduate of Wasilla High School has committed to St. John’s and will play hockey for the NCAA Division III program in the fall.

“I was surprised, honestly,” Hanson said of getting the call to talk to the St. John’s coach that day. “I was sitting in the locker room after the game. I finally had someone come look at me, and I thought I totally screwed it up. I am sure I didn’t play as bad as I (thought), but I’m my own worst critic. They know hockey and know what they’re looking for. The small things mean a big deal to them. I guess they saw what I had to offer.”

Hanson, who had a handful of options at the DIII level, was invited to tour the St. John’s campus in Collegeville, Minn. There, he took a piece of advice that made the decision easy for him.

“The coach gave me the best advice about this whole ordeal. If you get injured, are scratched, if hockey’s not going well, you don’t want to be at a place you’re not happy at for school,” Hanson said.

Hanson said he was drawn to the campus during the tour.

“I loved the campus. There were hills, some tress. It made me feel like home,” Hanson said.

Hanson, a 6-foot stay-at-home defenseman, is also a fit on the ice for the Johnnies.

“They said they’re losing two defensemen this year and four next year. There will be plenty of spots,” Hanson said. “They need some guys to play simple defense, solid guys to play D, solid guys that aren’t going to re-invent the wheel.”

Hanson established himself as that solid defenseman during his two-year stay in Mason City, Iowa, with the Bulls. Hanson, 20, recently helped North Iowa win its second straight NA3HL Silver Cup league championship, and earn a second straight trip to the USA Hockey Junior A Tier III national championship game. Hanson and the Bulls won the national title in 2013 and finished as the runner-up in 2014.

During his second season, Hanson bagged three goals and 30 assists and logged a plus-57 rating as he helped his team finish 45-3-0 during the regular season. He added four assists and a plus-2 rating during eight NA3HL playoff games, and collected a pair of assists during four games in the national tournament.

Hanson started his second season of junior hockey with the Junior A Tier II Kenai River Brown Bears of the North American Hockey League. Hanson, part of a logjam of defensemen on the Kenai River roster, was released early in the season, but quickly landed back with the Bulls. Even though Hanson didn’t have the opportunity to play junior hockey at the Tier II level, he’s thrilled with the way everything worked out.

“Maybe, if I was still in Kenai, St. John’s would have never come around?” Hanson said. “Maybe I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to take that tour which was so paramount to making my decision. I’m feeling good about how everything turned out.”

Now Hanson, who will study business and exercise science, is excited about the next step in his athletic and academic careers.

“The way I am kind of looking at this, with the college commitment, that chapter (of junior hockey) is officially closed. Now, I have a new chapter and the hard work starts all over again.”

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.