Six of the remaining seven defensemen are freshmen and sophomores, but Motzko likes what he's seen. He said Chesley is "at another level," demonstrating a toughness and take-charge attitude that resembles Faber. Rinzel, chosen 25th overall by Chicago in the 2022 NHL draft, is developing quickly, while Luke Mittelstadt and Thomas are building on the experience they got last season.
"We relied heavily on [LaCombe, Johnson and Faber] last year," said Carl Fish, the lone senior among the defensemen. "Things are going to be different. But [Chesley] has done a really nice job of stepping into that leadership role, and the freshmen are doing great. I can see from our team's demeanor that everybody wants to fill those roles and play every single night."
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