VARSITY INSIDER

'It looked effortless for him': Meet the Free Press' Mr. Hockey for the 2023-24 season

Burlington Free Press

Opposing coaches offered nothing but praise for South Burlington High School junior Lucas Van Mullen's all-around game. One rival coach summed it up best on the defenseman's game-wrecking abilities:

"He's a 200-foot player," BFA-St. Albans coach Ben Roberts said. "He could play forward, he could play defense. He's very dynamic and any time the puck was on his stick, he was a threat.

"And it looked effortless for him. It almost looked like he was going half speed. He plays the right way."

And after a 15-goal, nine-assist season from the blue line to guide the Wolves to their first Division I title-game appearance in nine years, Van Mullen earns the state's highest honor: The Free Press' Mr. Hockey, an award handed out annually since 1992 to the state's top boys hockey player.

Earlier this week:This record-setter is the Free Press' Miss Hockey for the 2023-24 season

Van Mullen is the first South Burlington player to be named Mr. Hockey since Tommy Royer in 2013.

In a phone interview Tuesday afternoon, Van Mullen spoke to a Burlington Free Press reporter, about his memorable season, playing with his younger brother, and what's next for the junior.

Editor's note: This interview has been edited for clarity and length.

Burlington Free Press: First and foremost, what's priority No. 1 for you as a defenseman?

Lucas Van Mullen: Priority No. 1 for me as a defenseman is always to give my team and my forwards the best chance to score while also assuring that the puck stays out of our net. A close priority No. 2 for me, is to generate offense myself and get involved and turn our scheme into a four-forward, one-defenseman attack. But like I said, priority No. 1, is to keep the other team away from our net and just minimize any and all effective and dangerous opportunities that they might try and get. Priority No. 1 is always defense, that's my position and that's my role.

BFP: How or when do you decide to attack and push forward from the blue line?

Van Mullen: It's really a feel thing, but I'm always looking and anticipating a time or moment when I can make a play that could turn into an offensive push. I'm always looking for space and plays ahead that could be made. But really, it's just something I've gotten so used to and if I get the puck in the corner versus in front of our net, there are different ways I'll go with that. If I'm in the corner, that's when I'm going to test it. I like to create 1-on-1s because I have the confidence and you have so much ice to work with. You read and react and you figure out when to carry the puck and when not to.

South Burlington's Lucas Van Mullen fires a shot on goal during the Wolves 5-1 win over the Cougars in the 2024 D1 semifinals at Cairns Arena.

BFP: What was it like playing with your younger brother this season?

Van Mullen: It was awesome. Until this year I had never played with my brother (Miles) on a full sheet of ice, so I didn't even know what to expect. Coming into this year, I was so excited and in the first quarter of the season we were defensive partners and it was the best. We would just come home talking about hockey and talking about plays and how to move off each other and when to read certain plays we might make. But we're brothers and we are very comfortable with letting each other know when we were doing something wrong and not being nice about it to make sure you get your message across.

It's hard to take any criticism from your little brother, but all of it gets to my head and I think about and process all of it. I'm not always entirely accepting with him, but we do definitely have a respect for each other. I was so happy to see him perform so well this year.

BFP: Did a team with three sets of brothers create more of a family atmosphere?

Van Mullen: I think we absolutely had a family atmosphere on the team, but honestly don't think it was because of the brother thing. Everyone bought into the team so early and our captains did such a good job of bringing everyone together, so we absolutely had a family feel to our team all year.

BFP: What area of your game did you improve the most this season?

Van Mullen: I think there are two areas. One thing I wanted to work on was my defensive play because if you keep pucks out of your net you really increase your chances of winning. And then, I just worked on my finishing. I've been comfortable getting into scoring positions, but last year I had so much trouble (scoring). This year, I got more into the offensive lines in practices and finished pucks.

South Burlington's Lucas Van Mullen fires a shot on goal during the Wolves 3-2 loss to Rice in the championship game of the Beech Classic at Leddy Arena on Thursday night.

BFP: What's your favorite goal that you scored from this season?

Van Mullen: I have to go with that second goal against (Mount Mansfield) in the semifinals. For one, and any hockey player will tell you in the same thing, the harder you have to work for a goal the better it feels. And on that one, I was just getting hacked and a finally just spun around and whipped it. I saw it go in and just you feel this sensation that you deserved it. The mood was incredible after that goal.

I know this isn't a question, but just to give a shoutout to all of the coaching staff. I don't think with any other coaching staff we could've been nearly as productive or successful as we did. Our head coach (Sean Jones) knew exactly how to handle this group of guys that we had and all of our assistant coaches filled their roles perfectly. And beyond hockey, they are just great people and really good role models and mentors.

BFP: What's your favorite memory of the 2023-24 season?

Van Mullen: There are two that stick out in my mind. One was Miles' game-winner against Spaulding in overtime. Miles had so many good chances that game and their goalie was awesome. We were so frustrated and then finally in overtime, (Miles) rips one by (the Spaulding goalie) and we go into the corner and start celebrating. The other that easily comes to mind was, just after we scored our fifth goal in the semifinals against MMU, I come back to the bench and Drew Dougherty and I look at each other and we were just like, 'Holy smokes, we are going to the Gut.' It was something we had been talking about for so long and to finally feel the satisfaction of it actually happening was insane. It was such a good feeling.

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Contact Abrami at aabrami@freepressmedia.com. Follow him on Twitter: @aabrami5