League Announces Group Six in Top 50
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 sixth 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 sixth segment of honorees includes: Brown defenseman Bob Gaudreau, a three-time all conference member (First Team 1965-55 and Second Team 1964), who won the Walter Brown Award in 1965, presented to the Outstanding American-Born player in New England; Jeff Halpern, forward at Princeton, who led the Tigers to their first ECAC Hockey Championship Title (1998) and first NCAA Championship appearance (1998); Peter Lappin, forward, St. Lawrence, two-time all-America selection (First Team 1988 and Second Team 1987), who led the Saints in scoring for three consecutive season (1986-1988); Rensselaer forward Adam Oates, a member of the 1985 NCAA Championship team, who compiled 216 points in 98 career collegiate contests and ranks among the all-time NCAA leaders in assists per game with 1.53; and Jack O’Callahan, defenseman, Boston University, one of only 12 Terriers to register 100-plus career assists (102) and was named the 1978 NCAA Tournament Most Valuable Player.
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 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 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.
The sixth segment of the League's top 50 players of all-time is listed below:
Bob Gaudreau - Brown University - Defenseman, (1964-66) - Providence, RI
Two-Time All-America (1965-66) ... 1966 ECAC Hockey Defensive Defenseman of Year ... 1964 All-Conference Second Team ... Three-Time All-Conference (First Team 1965-66; Second Team 1964) ... 1966 ECAC Hockey First-Team All-Tournament ... Recipient of 1965 Walter Brown Award -- Presented to Outstanding American-Born College Player in New England .. First and Only Brown player to Receive Award ... Totaled 35 Career Goals, Second-Highest Total Among Defenseman in School History ... Member of 1968 U.S. Olympic Team ... Brown Hall of Fame member ... Scored 12 goals in both 1965 and 1966 ranking 4th all-time for goals in a season by a defenseman at Brown … His 33 points in 1966 is 8th all-time for points in a season by a defenseman ... His 55 career assists is 8th all-time for assists in a career by a defenseman (27th all-time) at Brown ... Totaled 90 career points which is 4th all-time in a career by a defenseman at Brown
Jeff Halpern - Princeton University - Forward, (1995-99) - Potomac, MD
Two-Time All-Conference Second Team (1998-99) ... Led Princeton to First ECAC Hockey Championship Title (1998) and First NCAA Championship Appearance (1998) ... 1998 ECAC Hockey Tournament Most Outstanding Player (MOP) -- First Princeton Player to Earn Honor ... Two-Time ECAC Hockey All-Tournament (1998-99) ... Co-Leading Scorer with Teammate Casson Masters of 1998 ECAC Hockey Tournament (10 Points) ... Co-Captain of Tigers’ 1999 Squad ... Princeton’s Record Holder for Goals (28) in Season (1998) ... 1998 ECAC Hockey Points Leader [All Games] (53 Points in 36 Games) ... Two-Time ECAC Hockey Goals Leader [All Games] ... Ranks Third All-Time Among Princeton Scoring Leaders (142 Points) ... Tigers’ Ironman, Appearing in School-Record 132 Games ... 1998 Co-Winner of Princeton's Roper Trophy -- Awarded for Athletic and Academic Achievement ... Three-Time Recipient of Princeton’s Blackwell Trophy - Awarded to Player Who in Play, Sportsmanship and Influence Contributed Most to Sport ... Member of Five U.S. World Championship Teams ... Represented U.S. at 2004 World Cup of Hockey ... Current Member of National Hockey League’s Montreal Canadiens ... Competed in More Than 750 NHL Regular-Season Contests in 11 Seasons ... Amassed 300-Plus Career Points in NHL, Including 137 Goals ... One of Only Three Maryland Natives to Play in NHL
Peter Lappin - St. Lawrence University - Forward, (1984-88) - St. Charles, IL
Two-Time All-America (First Team 1988; Second Team 1987) ... Two-Time All-Conference (First Team 1988; Second Team 1987) ... 1980-89 ECAC Hockey All-Decade ... 1988 ECAC Hockey Player of Year -- First St. Lawrence Player to Earn Honor ... 1988 ECAC Hockey Tournament Most Outstanding Player ... 1988 NCAA All-Tournament ... Member of 1988 League Champions ... Finalist for 1988 Hobey Baker Memorial Award - First Saints Player So Honored ... 1988 ECAC Hockey Points Leader [All Games] (60 points in 34 games) ... Led Saints in Scoring Three Consecutive Seasons (1986-88) ... Saints’ All-Time Points Leader (187) ... Guided Salt Lake Golden Eagles to 1989 International Hockey League (IHL) Turner Cup Championship in First Professional Season ...Accumulated 90 Points, Including 48 Goals, in First Professional Campaign ... Competed with Minnesota North Stars (1990) and San Jose Sharks (1992) of National Hockey League (NHL), Appearing in Seven Contests
Adam Oates - Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Forward, (1983-85) - Weston, ONT
Two-Time All-America First Team (1984-85) ... 1980-89 ECAC Hockey All-Decade ... Two-Time All-Conference (First Team 1985; Second Team 1984) ... 1984 ECAC Hockey Tournament Most Outstanding Player ... 1985 NCAA All-Tournament ... Finalist for 1985 Hobey Baker Memorial Award ... 1984 ECAC Hockey Points Leader (49 Points in 20 Games) ... RPI’s Record Holder for Assists (60) and Points (91) in Season (1985) ... RPI’s All-Time Leader in Assists (150) ... Two-Time League Champion (1984-85) ... Member of 1985 NCAA Champions, Which Finished 35-2-1 ... Team Record of 85-19-1 During Career ... Two-Time ECAC Hockey Points Leader [All Games] (1984: 83 Points in 38 Games; 1985: 91 Points in 38 Games) ... Led RPI in Scoring Two Consecutive Seasons (1984-85)... Compiled 216 Points in 98 Collegiate Contests -- Total Ranks Tied for Third All-Time in School History ... Led RPI in Assists Three Consecutive Seasons ... Ranks Among NCAA All-Time Leaders in Assists Per Game (1.53) ... Inducted into Rensselaer Athletic Hall of Fame in 2004 ... First Player Inducted into RPI Hockey Ring of Honor (2005) ... Enjoyed 19-Year Playing Career in National Hockey League (NHL) ... Amassed 1,420 Career Regular-Season Points in 1,337 Contests ... Four Times Exceeded 100 Points in Season, Including Career-High 142 Points with Boston in 1993 ... Five-Time NHL All-Star Game Participant ... 1991 NHL All-Star Second-Team Honoree ... Currently Serves as Assistant Coach with New Jersey Devils of NHL
Jack O’Callahan - Boston Uuniversity, Defenseman, (1975-79) - Charlestown, MA
Two-Time All-Conference First Team (1978-79) ... 1979 All-America ... 1978 NCAA All-Tournament ... 1978 NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player ... NCAA 50th Anniversary Team ... Member of 1978 NCAA Champions ... Two-Time League Champion (1976-77) ... One of Only 12 Terriers All Time to Register 100-Plus Career Assists (102) ... Two-Time Captain of Terriers’ Squad (Co-Captain 1978, Captain 1979) ... Two-Time Recipient (1978-79) of Boston U.‘s George V. Brown Award as Team Most Valuable Player ... 1995 Inductee into Beanpot Hall of Fame ... Member of 1980 U.S. Olympic Gold-Medal Winning Squad ...Compiled 120 Points in 121 Collegiate Contests ... Inducted into Boston U. Athletic Hall of Fame in 1986 ... Represented U.S. at Two World Championships (1979 and 1989) ... Enjoyed Seven-Year Career in National Hockey League (NHL), Competing for Chicago Blackhawks and New Jersey Devils ... Appeared in 389 NHL Regular-Season Games, Tallying 27 Goals and 104 Assists for 131 Points
