Seventh Group in Top 50 Announced
ALBANY, N.Y. -- As part of its 50th anniversary celebration, ECAC Hockey has comprised a group of its top 50 players to recognize the storied history of the League and honor its significant players. The League today announced the seventh installment of honorees as part of its top 50 players of all-time. The top 50 players were determined by a selection committee made up of former coaches and media members. These honorees were tallied from 145 players (47 defensemen; 73 forwards; and 25 goaltenders).
The seventh segment of honorees includes: Clarkson defenseman Bill Blackwood, a two-time all-America selection (1976-77), who is the Golden Knights all-time leading scorer from blue line with 52 goals and 117 assists for 169 points in 123 games; Brian Cornell, forward at Cornell, who was member of 1967 NCAA Champions and the Big Red record-holder for consecutive games with a point (32 -- March 1968 to March 1969); Jeff Hamilton, forward, Yale, the Bulldogs’ all-time leading scorer in points (173) who led Yale in scoring three times (1998-99, 01); Harvard forward Lane MacDonald, 1989 Hobey Baker Memorial Award Winner and the Crimson’s all-time goals leader (111), including netting a school-record 52 power-play goals during his career; and Tim Thomas, goaltender, Vermont, two-time ECAC Hockey goals-against average champion (1995: 2.68; 1996: 2.05), 1996 ECAC Hockey save percentage champion (.934) and two-time ECAC Hockey annual goaltending leader (1995-96).
All current and former teams’ impactful players, including those from Boston College, Boston University, New Hampshire, Middlebury, Army, etc... were reviewed in comprising the list of candidates for the special team. Five players from the top 50 all-time team will be released every two weeks throughout the season leading up the championship in March 18-19 in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
Throughout its history, ECAC Hockey has been home to seven NCAA men’s championship teams, witnessed over 15,000 games, produced more than 500 National Hockey Leaguers, nearly 300 All-Americans, three Hobey Baker Memorial Award winners, and over 1,100 student-athletes who have earned All-Academic honors since 1999-00, the first year the League recognized these individuals.
The first group of top 50 players released on November 11 included the following: Bob Brinkworth, forward at Rensselaer (1961-64); Ken Dryden, Cornell goaltender (1967-69); defenseman Mark Fusco, Harvard (1980-83); Brian Mueller, defenseman, Clarkson (1991-95); and Boston College forward Joe Mullen (1975-79). The League released the second segment of players on November 24 which included the following; defenseman Ray Giroux, Yale (1994-98); Joe Juneau forward Rensselaer (1987-91); Colgate forward Andy McDonald (1996-00); Joe Nieuwendyk, foward Cornell (1984-87); and defenseman Ron Wilson, Providence (1973-77). The third assembly release on December 8 included the following: Joe Cavanagh, Harvard, forward, (1969-71); Yann Danis Brown, goaltender, (2000-04); Clarkson defenseman Dave Fretz (1981-85); Dan Laperriere, St. Lawrence, defenseman, (1988-92); and forward Martin St. Louis, Vermont (1993-97). On December 22, the fourth collection of top 50 players was released which included; Ralph Cox, New Hampshire, forward, (1975-79); Union goaltender, Trevor Koenig (1995-98); Boston University forward, Rick Meagher (1973-77); forward Lance Nethery from Cornell (1975-79); and Lee Stempniak, Dartmouth, forward (2001-05). The League released the fifth segment on January 5 which included the following; John Cunniff, Boston College, forward (1963-66); Harvard forward, Gene Kinasewich (1964-66); defenseman Douglas Murray from Cornell (1999-03); Vic Stanfield, Boston University defenseman (1972-75); and forward Dave Taylor, Clarkson (1973-77). The sixth group was announced on January 18 which included the following: Brown defenseman Bob Gaudreau (1964-66); Jeff Halpern, forward at Princeton (1995-99); forward Peter Lappin from St. Lawrence (1984-88); Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute forward Adam Oates (1983-85); and defenseman Jack O’Callahan, Boston University (1975-79).
The top 50 players were determined by a vote of a selection committee of 10 individuals, which include Joe Bertagna, former student-athlete at Harvard, former hockey commissioner of the ECAC and current commissioner of Hockey East; Ed Carpenter, former Sports Information Director at Boston U.; Bill Cleary, former student-athlete, head coach and director of athletics at Harvard;
John Connolly, long-time sports reporter at the Boston Herald; Dan Fridgen, former student-athlete at Colgate and former head coach at RPI; Mike Gilligan, former head coach at Yale (interim) and Vermont; Lou Lamoriello, former student-athlete and head coach at Providence and current CEO/President/General Manager of the New Jersey Devils; Mark Morris, former student-athlete at Colgate and former head coach at Clarkson; Tim Taylor, former student-athlete at Harvard and former head coach at Yale; and Adam Wodon, editor of the College Hockey News Web site.
Bill Blackwood - Clarkson University - Defenseman, (1974-78) - Copper Cliff, Ontario
Two-Time All-America (1976-77) ... Three-Time All-Conference Second Team (1976-78) ... 1970-79 ECAC Hockey All-Decade First Team … Clarkson’s All-Time Leading Scorer from Blue Line with 52 Goals and 117 Assists for 169 Points in 123 Games ... Career Goals (52) Ranks First Among Clarkson Defensemen, While Career Assists (117) Rank Third All-Time in School History ... Led ECAC Hockey Defensemen in Scoring in 1976-77 with 71 Points ... Member of 1977 Regular-Season Champions ... One of Only Six Clarkson Defensemen All Time to Record 100-Plus Points ... Co-Captain of Clarkson’s 1978 Squad
Brian Cornell -Cornell University - Forward, (1966-69) - Niagara Falls, Ontario
Two-Time All-America (1968-69) ... Two-Time All-Conference (First Team 1969; Second Team 1968) ... Two-Time ECAC Hockey All-Tournament First Team (1968-69) ... Two-Time NCAA First-Team All-Tournament (1968-69) ... Co-Captain of Cornell’s 1969 Team ... Member of 1967 NCAA Champions ... Three-Time League Champion (1967-69) ... Big Red Record-Holder for Consecutive Games with a Point (32 -- March 1968 to March 1969) ... Amassed 148 Career Points in 67 Games ... Cornell All-Time Leader for Points in Season by Senior (74 in 1969) ... Two-Time Recipient (1968-69) of Cornell Hockey Association Award -- Presented to Player Displaying Enthusiasm, Dedication, Desire and Unselfish Willingness to Give Team an Extra Ounce of Energy ... Inducted into Cornell Athletic Hall of Fame in 1982
Jeff Hamilton - Yale University -Forward, (1996-99, 2001) - Englewood, Ohio
Three-Time All-America (First Team 2001; Second Team 1998-99) ... Three-Time All-Conference First Team (1998-99 and 2001) ... 1997 ECAC Hockey All-Rookie ... 2000-09 ECAC Hockey All-Decade First Team ... Yale’s All-Time Leading Scorer in Points (173) ... Ranks Second All-Time in Goals (80) and Assists (93) at Yale ... Three-Time ECAC Hockey Goals Leader (1998, 00-01) ... 1999 ECAC Hockey Points Leader (38 points in 21 Games) ... Led Bulldogs in Scoring Three Times (1998-99, 01) ... One of Only Four Bulldogs to Register 50-Plus Points in Season (55 in 2001) ... Two-Time Finalist for Hobey Baker Memorial Award -- Yale’s Only Two-Time Finalist ... Two-Time Recipient (1999-01) of Yale’s Murray Murdoch Award Presented to Team Most Valuable Player ... Competed in 157 Games in the National Hockey League (NHL), Scoring 32 Goals and Adding 45 Assists ... Tallied 39 Points, Including 18 Goals, in 70 Games with Chicago Blackhawks in 2006-07 -- His First Full Season in NHL
Lane MacDonald - Harvard University, Forward, (1985-87, 1989) - Tulsa, Oklahoma
Two-Time All-America First Team (1987 and 1989) ... 1989 ECAC Hockey Player of Year ... 1989 Hobey Baker Memorial Award Winner ... Two-Time All-Conference First Team (1987 and 1989) ... 1987 ECAC Hockey Tournament Most Outstanding Player ... 1989 ECAC Hockey All-Tournament Team ... 1989 NCAA All-Tournament ... 1980-89 ECAC Hockey All-Decade ... Captain of Harvard’s 1989 Team ... Harvard’s All-Time Goals Leader (111) ... Netted a School-Record 52 Power-Play Goals During Career ... Ranks Second to Scott Fusco (240 Points) on Harvard’s All-Time Scoring List with 225 Points ... One of Only Two Crimson to Amass 200-Plus Career Points ... 1987 ECAC Hockey Goals (37) and Points Leader (67) ... Member of 1987 League Champions ... Member of 1989 NCAA Champions ... Two-Time Honoree (1987-89) of Harvard’s John Tudor Memorial Award as Team Most Valuable Player ... 1989 Recipient of Harvard’s William J. Bingham Award (Honoring Harvard’s Top Male Athlete in Any Sport) ... MVP of 1989 Beanpot ... Member of 1986 U.S. Junior National Team ... 1988 U.S. Olympian Competing at Winter Games in Calgary, Alberta ... Competed with U.S. National Team in 1987
Tim Thomas - University of Vermont, Goaltender, (1993-97) - Flint, Michigan
Two-Time All-America (First Team 1996; Second Team 1995) ... 1996 ECAC Hockey Goaltender of Year ... Two-Time All-Conference First Team (1995-96) ... 1994 ECAC Hockey All-Rookie ... 1990-99 ECAC Hockey All-Decade First Team ... 1996 NCAA All-Regional Team (East Regional) ... Vermont’s Record Holder in Games Played (37), Saves (1,079) and Save Percentage (.924) in Season ... Vermont’s All-Time Leader in Games Played (140), Wins (81), and Saves (3,950) ... Two-Time ECAC Hockey Goals-Against Average Champion (1995: 2.68; 1996: 2.05) ... 1996 ECAC Hockey Save Percentage Champion (.934) ... Two-Time ECAC Hockey Annual Goaltending Leader (1995-96) ... Inducted into Vermont Athletics Hall of Fame in 2007 ... 1997 Recipient of Vermont’s John C. Cunningham MVP Award ... Currently a Member of the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League (NHL) ... Compiled 150-Plus NHL Wins During Seven-Year Career with Boston ... Has Netted 24 Shutouts in Nearly 300 NHL Regular-Season Contests ... Appeared in Three Consecutive NHL All-Star Games ... Awarded 2009 Vezina Trophy as NHL’s Outstanding Goaltender ... Co-Recipient of 2009 William M. Jennings Trophy -- Presented to Goalkeeper(s) of Team with Fewest Goals Allowed in Regular-Season Play
