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By Dave Schwartz
Let’s Play Hockey Contributor

There are guys who play hockey together for years and envy the kind of camaraderie that St. Cloud State freshmen Nick, Jack, and Ryan Poehling have.

“Growing up together helps,” Jack Poehling said by phone from his hotel room in Kalamazoo, Mich., where the team was playing a weekend series with Western Michigan. “I don’t even think we realize it. It just comes naturally that we know where each other are on the ice. We don’t have to look for passes. It’s a special thing we have and we’re going to try and use it to our advantage.”

They haven’t played together a lot this year since Nick’s recovery from a torn ACL kept him sidelined for four games. They did have an opportunity to skate together last weekend on the same line vs. Western Michigan with Ryan scoring a goal on Saturday night. And even though the three are fine with playing apart, they admit it’s nice to enjoy the familiarity they have. 

“I think it’s a nice boost to play together. We have the chemistry together that other guys don’t,” Nick Poehling said by phone. “If we’re not playing together, so be it. But I think it’s definitely a little addition if all three of us are playing together.” 

It certainly was when the brothers were at Lakeville North High School where they won a state title in 2015 while going a perfect 31-0. A lot has happened since then. The twin brothers, Nick and Jack, played a season for Green Bay in the USHL, while their younger brother, Ryan, accelerated his studies in high school and enrolled at St. Cloud a year early so that they could all play together. But it was that year away that they believe allowed them to grow as players while still having an appreciation for what each other brings.

“I think we’ve all grown up a lot,” Ryan said. “Nick and Jack living away from home and me living away from them. And being older I think we’ve all become a bit more mature, and that has helped us with our hockey game and off the ice, too. 

Off the ice, the Poehlings are your typical set of brothers. Nick, they agree, is the most responsible.

“He kind of keeps us in check,” Jack said while Ryan laughed along. “Nick is always knocking on our door making sure we’re on time for things.”

He is also the brother that chose to live with someone other than family. 

“Yeah, I like to have my space,” Nick laughed. “We’ve been together our whole lives, so it’s kind of nice. Our rooms are still right across the hall though, so we’re still right there.”

On the ice, all three have very different styles to their game, but it’s the youngest, Ryan, that has made the most impact on the scoresheet for the 17th-ranked Huskies with four goals and two assists in 13 games. Nick and Jack have put together nice freshman seasons as well with four and three points, respectively. Still, the talented trio refuses to speculate about who is best. In fact, they say it’s never even come up in conversation. 

“I don’t think we ever talk about that. I think we all look at each different. For example, I think Nick and Jack have really good shots. I think they have developed that over their time in the USHL,” Ryan said. “We don’t really compare and contrast from one another.”

One thing they can agree on though is that their impressive hockey talent isn’t a coincidence. Growing up, they all had the benefit of playing against some of the most talented players in the state – right in their own household. 

“Growing up together we were always playing street hockey together.” Nick said. “We were always playing together on the driveway or playing pass and working on our skills. I think that definitely helped build our competitiveness and skill level.”

It certainly has taken these three (and there is still one younger brother) to some amazing heights. While Jack and Nick have not been drafted yet, Ryan is expected to be a high pick in this spring’s NHL Entry Draft.  

“It’s not something I worry about,” he said. “At the end of the day, I have to work hard and do my best.”

That has worked well for all three so far. If it continues, St. Cloud State may not be the pinnacle for this talented trio of puck-handling Poehling brothers.