Fifth Group in League’s Top 50 Players 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 fifth 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 fifth segment of honorees includes: Boston College forward John Cunniff, a three-time all-Conference selection (First Team 1964-65; Second Team 1966), who finished his career with 71 goals and 82 assists in 75 games establishing a school record for career points; Gene Kinasewich, forward at Harvard, who tallied 61 goals, 50 assists and 111 points in 75 career games and scored game-winning goal in overtime of 1963 ECAC Hockey Championship Game; Douglas Murray, defenseman, Cornell, two-time all-America First Team (2002-03) selection and three-time ECAC Hockey All-Tournament (2001-03) team member; Boston University defenseman Vic Stanfield, who led the Terriers in scoring (points) on two (2) occasions (1974-75) and amassed 160 career points in 92 Games to rank first all-time in scoring among Terriers defensemen; and Dave Taylor, forward, Clarkson’s all-time scoring leader in assists (153) and points (251) and one of only three (3) ECAC Hockey players to exceed 100 points in season (108 - 1976-77).
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. 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 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.
John Cunniff - Boston College - Forward, (1963-66) - South Boston, Massachusetts
Two-Time All-America (1965-66) ... 1965 ECAC Hockey Player of Year ... 1964 ECAC Hockey Rookie of Year ... Three-Time All-Conference (First Team 1964-65; Second Team 1966) ... 1965 ECAC Hockey First-Team All-Tournament ... 1965 NCAA First-Team All-Tournament ... Member of the 1965 League Champions ... 1965 ECAC Hockey Points Leader (63 points in 27 games) ... His 71 Goals and 82 Assists in 75 Games Established School Record for Career Points ... Led NCAA in Scoring (67 Points) in 1967 ... Two-Time Most Valuable Player of Beanpot Tournament (1964-65) ... Member of 1968 U.S. Olympic Hockey Team ... Spent Three (3) Seasons in World Hockey Association (WHA), Competing with New England Whalers and Quebec Nordiques ... Member of Whalers’ 1973 WHA Championship Team ... Served as Head Coach of National Hockey League’s Hartford Whalers (1983) and New Jersey Devils (1990-1991) ... Inducted into Boston College Varsity Club Athletic Hall of Fame in 1978 ... Passed Away in May 2002 at Age of 57
Gene Kinasewich - Harvard University - Forward, (1962-64) - Thorsby, Alberta
Three-Time All-Conference First Team (1962-64) ... Two-Time ECAC Hockey All-Tournament (First Team 1963; Second Team 1962) ... 1963 ECAC Hockey Tournament Most Outstanding Player ... Tallied 61 Goals, 50 Assists and 111 Points in 75 Career Games ... Captain of Harvard’s 1964 Team ... Member of the 1963 League Champions ... Scored Game-Winning Goal in Overtime of 1963 ECAC Hockey Championship Game ... Led Crimson in Scoring on Two (2) Occasions -- 1962 and 1964 ... Led Harvard in Goals in 1964 (23) ... 1964 Co-Recipient of Harvard’s John Tudor Memorial Cup Award -- Presented to Team’s Most Valuable Player ... 1964 Recipient of Harvard’s William J. Bingham Award (Honoring Harvard’s Top Male Athlete in Any Sport) ... 1996 Inductee into Beanpot Hall of Fame ... Most Valuable Player of 1962 Beanpot ... Passed Away in February 2005 at Age of 63
Douglas Murray - Cornell University - Defenseman, (1999-03) - Bromma, Sweden
Two-Time All-America First Team (2002-03) ... 2000-09 ECAC Hockey All-Decade First Team ... Two-Time All-Conference First Team (2002-03) ... 2003 ECAC Hockey Defensive Defenseman of Year ... Three-Time ECAC Hockey All-Tournament (2001-03) ... Two-Time NCAA All-Regional Team (East Regional 2002-03) ... Co-Captain of Big Red’s 2003 Team ... Member of 2003 League Champions ... 2002 Recipient of Cornell’s Nicky Bawlf Award as Team Most Valuable Player ... 2001 Recipient of Cornell’s Ironman Award -- Presented for Determination to Overcome Injuries ... Represented Sweden at 2008 World Championships ... Member of Sweden’s 2010 Olympic Team ... Currently Member of the National Hockey League’s San Jose Sharks ... Has Spent Six (6) Seasons with San Jose, Competing in More Than 300 Contests
Vic Stanfield - Boston University, Defenseman, (1972-75) - Mississauga, Ontario
Two-Time All-America (1974-75) ... 1970-79 ECAC Hockey All-Decade Second Team ... 1973 ECAC Hockey Rookie of Year ... Three-Time All-Conference First Team (1973-75) ... Captain of Terriers’ 1975 Team ... Member of 1975 League Champions ... Led Boston U. in Scoring (Points) on Two (2) Occasions (1974-75) ... Boston U. Record Holder for Assists in Season (60 in 1975) ... Ranks Third All-Time at Boston U. in Career Assists (129), and First Among Defensemen ... Amassed 160 Career Points in 92 Games to Rank First All-Time in Scoring Among Terriers Defensemen ... One of Only Nine (9) Players in Terriers’ History to Earn Multiple All-America Honors ... Two-Time Most Valuable Player (MVP) of Beanpot Tournament (1973-75) ... Earned All-New England and All-East Honors on Two (2) Occasions (1973-75) ... Voted Best Defenseman in New England in 1974 ... Recipient of 1975 George Brown Award as Team MVP ... Inducted into Beanpot Hall of Fame in 1995 ... Enshrined in Boston U. Athletic Hall of Fame in 1987
Dave Taylor - Clarkson University, Forward, (1973-77) - Levack, Ontario
1977 All-America ... 1970-79 ECAC Hockey All-Decade Second Team ... 1977 ECAC Hockey Player of Year ... 1977 All-Conference First Team ... Clarkson’s All-Time Scoring Leader in Assists (153) and Points (251) ... 1977 ECAC Hockey Goals Leader (41 goals in 34 games) ... 1977 NCAA Points Leader (108 points in 34 games) ... ECAC Hockey Record-Holder for Points in a Season (108) ... One of Only Three (3) ECAC Hockey Players to Exceed 100 Points in Season ... Two-Time Co-Captain (1976-77) … Three-Time Clarkson Most Valuable Player (1974-76-77) … Enjoyed Stellar Career in National Hockey League (NHL), Playing 17 Seasons with Los Angeles Kings (1977-94) ... Skated in 1,111 NHL Games, Recording 1,069 Points (431 Goals, 638 Assists) … Four-Time NHL All Star (1980-81-82-86) ... First Player in NHL History to Win the Two (2) Prestigious Awards in Same Season, Claiming 1991 Recipient of Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy (Perseverance, Sportsmanship and Dedication to Hockey) and 1991 King Clancy Memorial Trophy (Leadership On and Off Ice as Well as Contributions to the Community) … A 1992 Inaugural Clarkson Athletic Hall of Fame Inductee ... Currently Serves as Director of Player Personnel with St. Louis Blues
