ANAHEIM, Calif. — Decades ago, the accepted mantra among college coaches was that the best thing about freshmen is that they become sophomores.
While that does not hold true as often today, in this era where the “one and done” college athlete is more common, the thinking is that with experience, confidence and effectiveness on the field, the court, the diamond or the ice is apt to grow.
Talented defenseman Jackson LaCombe started out strong as a freshman at the University of Minnesota and grew his game every year, finishing his four years in maroon and gold among the top dozen scorers from the blue line in the history of the Gophers program. While he finished an overtime goal short of a NCAA title in 2023, LaCombe grabbed first team All-American honors as a sophomore along with a host Big Ten awards that piled up during his time on campus.
Just hours after the Gophers returned from that gut-wrenching loss in Tampa in the national championship game, LaCombe was on another plane, headed to Southern California. There, he signed with the Anaheim Ducks and made his NHL debut the next day.
LaCombe was a forward until late in his youth hockey career, when a switch to defense while skating at Shattuck-St. Mary’s caused an explosion in his game. Before too long, there were calls from USA Hockey and college offers and a second-round pick by the Ducks in 2019.
As a Gopher, he showed a notable jump in effectiveness as a sophomore year. Now toiling for a healthy paycheck, wearing the sharp orange sweaters of the Ducks, those closest to him are seeing the same kind of advances in his second full NHL season.
Minnesota’s Jackson Lacombe watches an overtime goal against Massachusetts goaltender Matt Murray (31) during a college hockey game in an NCAA men’s tournament regional, Friday, March 25, 2022, in Worcester, Mass. (John Tlumacki/The Boston Globe via AP)
“I’ve talked to Bobby Motzko lots about him, and he has a high belief in (LaCombe) being an all-star caliber defenseman. You can see it. He’s starting to come on now,” Ducks coach Greg Cronin said after a recent Ducks practice at the Honda Center, referencing his regular conversations with the Gophers’ coach.
“He’s getting more involved offensively, he’s getting more physical. When they drafted him and signed him, I think that’s what they expected. Last year he had a bit of the same kind of flatness to his game that he had at Minnesota his first year, then he took off after that. I think we’re seeing that right now. It’s kind of like his sophomore year, if you could compare it to college where you figure things out.”
For LaCombe, figuring things out meant adjusting to life off the ice, as well. Orange County, just south of Los Angeles, has one of the greatest climates in the country and — nestled between the mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west — is a place of stunning beauty. And stunning traffic, as the metro area’s estimated population of around 13 million far exceeds the capacity of the surrounding freeway infrastructure.
“You start to find your way and figure out the right times to go places. I’m a lot more comfortable this year, and I like it a lot,” LaCombe said, with his signature smile, his blonde curly hair a cropped a little closer than the sometimes shaggy mane he had as a Gopher. “I miss some things back home, but I’ve adjusted to things well. I’m enjoying it a lot.”
And while the Ducks have struggled overall, they are enjoying LaCombe’s long reach defensively, and his offensive instincts that pop out at opportune moments. He had scored goals in consecutive games prior to the Minnesota Wild shutting the Ducks down and winning 5-1 in Anaheim last Friday night.
Cronin has given LaCombe a strategic green light, and paired with another young defenseman, Olen Zellweger, the two have clicked.
“He has a great shot. I think he has three backhand goals this year, so it’s awesome that he’s aggressive and offensive around the net,” Zellweger. “That’s what we need from our defensemen. We need to pitch in and help this team offensively. Everyone has to squeeze what they can out of our games.”
LaCombe turns 24 in early January and is still working on his rookie contract, worth $1.8 million over two years. While housing prices are sky-high in Southern Califorinia, he’s found a place of his own where the Minnesota family often visits to see him and escape the cold.
“They’re able to come stay with me, which is nice,” he said.
The first few times he faced former Gophers teammates such as the Wild’s Brock Faber, the Maple Leafs’ Matthew Knies and the Sabres’ Ryan Johnson was a little odd, he said, but at this point, LaCombe said, they have become just another set of opponents.
“You get used to it and kind of forget about it after a while when you’re out there,” he said. “Still, whenever we get a chance, it’s always great to see those guys.”
So, while the Ducks continue to work on finding their footing in the Western Conference playoff race, they have at least one offensive weapon on the blue line. And his deceptively friendly smile hides a deadly set of skills.
“It’s super cool to see him doing well. We know him plenty as out-going ‘Comber’ but maybe some guys don’t,” Faber said. “He’s extremely gifted offensively and one of the best skaters I’ve ever seen, so I’m glad to see it working for him.”
Briefly
The Wild were off Wednesday. They’re back on the ice Thursday at Xcel Energy Center for a key Western Conference game against the Edmonton Oilers. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m.
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