American born players in the 80’s

[crobro]

up until Bobby Carpenter ,Pat Lafontaine and Neal Broten there were to that point not many elite American born NHLers.
It actually for awhile seemed as if there were American born college players who only made the big club because of there college degree and ability to be effective NHLPA reps.

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[DowntownBooster]

I would say that Phil Housley also qualifies as an elite American player in the 1980's.

 

[AmericanDream]

I am not sure what you are trying to say here? are you talking about American players that went to college or just US players overall in the 80's and prior?

Like my friend above just said, you forgot about Housley, but also Joey Mullen, Brian Leetch, Chris Chelios, Kevin Stevens, Mike Ramsey, Rod Langway, Mark Johnson, Mark Howe, Tom Barrasso, Jimmy Carson, Dave Christian, Eddie Olczyk, Gary Suter, Kevin Hatcher, etc etc.. Plenty of elite players in that group, it was a far better era for USA Hockey than the 90's were....so many of our top players came from that decade including Roenick, Modano, Leclair, Amonte, Guerin, etc.....it was a pretty loaded decade if you ask me! Our 1996 World Cup Gold is mainly due to this group of players from the 80's..

 

[crobro]

What I’m saying is put together a US Canada cup team in 78 and in 86

 

[Iron Mike Sharpe]

Reed Larson is another top American player from the 70s-80s.

 

[Iron Mike Sharpe]

What I’m saying is put together a US Canada cup team in 78 and in 86

There was no Canada Cup in either year, but there was a Canada Cup in 76 & one in 87, & the US had competitive teams in both. Granted, the 76 team was comparatively weaker, but had a number of strong players like Robbie Ftorek, Mike Milbury, Lou Nanne, Rick Chartraw, Lee Fogolin, etc.

What I'm saying is I guess I really don't have a clue what you're on about. & do you really think guys made the NHL based on their potential ability to be NHLPA reps because of their degrees? SRSLY???

 

[Michael Farkas]

Like most things, it takes a "trigger" to reverberate into youth/development-level hockey. Note the change in the talent pool about 3-4 years after the Miracle on Ice. When kids have to start to deciding where to specialize around 14-16 years old, they can be pulled in either direction by a major event. Miracle on Ice (1980) and its impact on Americans in the 1983-1984 drafts. Conversely, the 1995 lockout on the 1999 draft (half Europeans in the first round). Canada/USA 2002 gold medal game...I think the 2005 and 2006 drafts saw nothing but US & Canadian kids for each of the top 10 picks...not the case at all in 2002 thru 2004.

I'd wager we'll see a German player or two in the first round in the 2021 or 2022 NHL Entry Draft...

 

[JackSlater]

I've seen a lot of top Americans who entered the NHL in the 1980s and had success in the 1990s credit Orr and his Bruins team with generating big interest in hockey in the Northeast.

 

[BigBadBruins7708]

I've seen a lot of top Americans who entered the NHL in the 1980s and had success in the 1990s credit Orr and his Bruins team with generating big interest in hockey in the Northeast.

yup. Bobby Orr and the 70s Bruins started the fire in terms of American kids playing hockey. Especially in New England there was a huge boom of rinks being built, leagues starting and kids picking up a stick.

The 1980 US team was like throwing a big can of gas on the fire and inspired the "2nd wave" of American kids

 

[Killion]

yup. Bobby Orr and the 70s Bruins started the fire in terms of American kids playing hockey. Especially in New England there was a huge boom of rinks being built, leagues starting and kids picking up a stick.

The 1980 US team was like throwing a big can of gas on the fire and inspired the "2nd wave" of American kids

.... while Orr would have inspired a considerable number of kids in Boston & New England, all over the States & in Canada to start playing hockey & or to switch to playing Defense.... and as my all time favorite & vote for Greatest All Time.... just hold your horses here BBB. ..... New England & Boston has a long, deep & rich history when it comes to hockey. The first recorded game in the US I believe held in Concord NH in 1883.... the Bruins of course the 1st NHL team, born in 1924.... pre-dating that club College & Senior Amateur, kids of course, High School Hockey's huge.... If your pinning the arena building boom of the 70's in your area on Bobby Orr & the success of the Bruins ok..... I'll go for that but I dont think its entirely accurate."Partially responsible" sure but the games been extremely popular throughout the region for decades, over 100 years.

As you know even during the many decades & era's when the Bruins perennial doormats attendance decent. Though sure, some problems following the Depression & WW2, into the 50's. Boston over the years has had many a great player that wouldve inspired kids to play, Boston College as well for that matter along with various Minor Pro teams & players. That whole region a hotbed, one of the cradles of the game in a lot of ways & who's contributions have been significant, every bit on par with anywhere & anything in Canada. Population growth, urban development etc combined with the success of the Bruins, having the "it guy" under contract, whole team really, fabulous group, a combination of factors no? BC you had Brian Leetch, grew up in CT but born in Texas. Hell of a baseball player as well. Miracle Team in 80 for sure, huge impact; Forgotten Miracle in 60 at Squaw Valley.... on & on. Minnesota. Michigan/PA first ever Pro League....

 

[double5son10]

It's interesting to see the jump in quality of players on the respective US Canada Cup squads, from 1976 to 1987. There's no player on the '76 squad who is remotely close to being an NHL All-Star or award winner. Ftorek's probably the best US forward, Milbury the best defenseman (at least he has some Norris votes, a distant 10th in '83) and Pete LoPresti is the goalie.
Just ten yrs. later the forwards include Hall of Famers Lafontaine and Mullen, the defense Chelios, Langway and Housley, and the goaltenders are HoVG tenders Barrasso and Vanbiesbrouck.
Really suggests how far the US program jumped in that short span.

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

i wonder also whether it wasn't just seeing the miracle on ice but later watching the 1980 olympic guys come into the league and actually be good, like christian, ramsey, morrow, pavelich, mark johnson, steve christoff. plus of course neal broten being a star. those guys being an example to young kids deciding what sport to get serious about, that this wasn't just some crazy fluke and then they would hang up your skates and open a car dealership somewhere in middle america.

looking at previous us olympic rosters, i don't think that american kids ever really thought before that the college scholarship route was going to pay off in terms of a career.

and even if you failed, hey at least the north stars would give you a contract at some point.

 

[Hockey Stathead]

I'd wager we'll see a German player or two in the first round in the 2021 or 2022 NHL Entry Draft...

Called it!

2019: Moritz Seider - 1st round, 6th overall
2020: Tim Stutzle - 1st round, 3rd overall

 

[Michael Farkas]

2022 Julian Lutz went 43, which means they probably had him top 30 on their list.
2020 JJ Peterka went 34, I think I had him top 15 or 20 on my list. 34 suggests that Buffalo probably had him in that area too. Lukas Reichel went 17th.

Good stuff. Scooped up their first ever win against the Finns at the WJC just a couple weeks ago too.