Vintage Minnesota Hockey - History

ART BERGLUND
2010 United States Hockey Hall of Fame Enshrinee

Art Berglund’s career in international ice hockey spans five decades, during which time he managed or served on the administrative staff of more than 30 U.S. teams.

Berglund’s start in international ice hockey came soon after his graduation from Colorado College in 1963.  After playing professional hockey in Switzerland and Austria, Berglund was hired by the legendary Wm. Thayer Tutt to work at the Broadmoor World Arena in Colorado Springs, CO.  He went on to oversee the facility for 13 years and, during that time, managed three U.S. Men’s National Teams (1973-75).

After accepting his first Olympic assignment as general manager of the 1976 U.S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team, Berglund took on the same role for eight U.S. National Junior Teams (1977, 1981 and 1986-87, 1989-1992).

Berglund served as the general manager for five more U.S. Men’s National Teams from 1985-90.  He was also the assistant general manager for the 1983 U.S. Men’s National Team and for the 1981 and 1991 U.S. squads that competed at the Canada Cup.

During the 1970s and 1980s, Berglund served as an NHL scout for the St. Louis Blues and as director of player recruitment for the Colorado Rockies. Then, in 1984, he joined USA Hockey’s national office as its director of national teams and international activities.  After 11 years, Berglund was named senior director of international administration in 1996.

Berglund chaired the 1984 U.S. Olympic Player Selection Committee and managed his second U.S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team in 1988.  He was also director of player personnel for three U.S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Teams (1992, 1994, and 2002), including the silver medal-winning squad at the 2002 Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City, Utah.

In 1992, the NHL awarded Berglund its prestigious Lester Patrick Award for his outstanding contributions to the sport of hockey in the United States. Eight years later, the American Hockey Coaches Association name Berglund the recipient of the Jim Fullerton award, which annually recognizes an individual who demonstrates a love for the purity of the sport.  In 2005, USA Hockey presented him with its Builders Award for his lasting contributions to the long-term growth and success of USA Hockey.

Berglund was inducted into the Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame in 2004, the Colorado College Athletic Hall of Fame in 2006 and both the Colorado Springs Sports Hall of Fame and the International Ice Hockey Federation Hall of Fame in 2008.

He retired from USA Hockey on June 30, 2005, but remains a consultant for the organization.

DERIAN HATCHER
2010 United States Hockey Hall of Fame Enshrinee

The first American-born team captain in the National Hockey League to have his name engraved on the Stanley Cup, Derian Hatcher was one of the game’s great defensive forces.

Hatcher developed his hockey skills playing for the Detroit area’s Compuware Youth Hockey Program from 1986-89.

Selected eighth overall in the 1990 NHL Entry Draft by the Minnesota North Stars, Hatcher went on to play 16 seasons in the league. His first NHL action came in the 1991-92 season, when he appeared in 43 games for the North Stars and was named the team’s Rookie of the Year.

After the franchise’s move to Dallas in the summer of 1993, Hatcher racked up career-highs in both penalty minutes (211) and points (31) during the 1993-94 season and was named the Stars’ top defenseman. From 1994-96, his older brother, Kevin, joined him on the blueline in Dallas, and in 1997, he was named to his first NHL All-Star Team. Hatcher then led the Stars to their first Stanley Cup in franchise history in 1999 to become the first American-born captain of a Stanley Cup winning team.

Hatcher made the NHL’s All-Star Second Team in 2003 before departing Dallas to play the 2003-04 season with the Detroit Red Wings. He spent the final years of his NHL career with the Philadelphia Flyers (2005-08), serving as team captain for the end of the 2005-06 season.

During the course of his NHL career, Hatcher recorded 30 or more points in five seasons (1993-94, 1995-96, 1997-98, 1998-99, 2002-03). In total, he compiled 80 goals, 251 assists and a plus-83 rating in 1,045 games.

Hatcher’s defensive presence was not only recognized in the NHL, but on the international stage as well. He helped the United States to a gold medal-winning performance at the 1996 World Cup of Hockey, recording five points (2-3) in six games in the tournament. Additionally, he was a member of two U.S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Teams (1998, 2006) and two U.S. Men’s National Teams (1993, 2002).

KEVIN HATCHER
2010 United States Hockey Hall of Fame Enshrinee

A 17-year National Hockey League veteran and frequent representative of the United States on the international stage, Kevin Hatcher became a symbol for consistency on the blue line throughout his career.

Hatcher honed his hockey skills as a youngster playing for the Detroit area’s Compuware Youth Hockey Program from 1980-83.

The Washington Capitals made Hatcher their first pick (17th overall) at the 1984 NHL Entry Draft. He played in three games for the organization in the 1984-85 season, scoring his first career NHL goal and appearing in his first NHL playoff game.

The defenseman went on to play 10 seasons with the organization (1984-94), including making appearances in three consecutive NHL All-Star Games during that time (1990-92). In the 1989-90 season, Hatcher was the only Washington defenseman to appear in all 80 games and missed only one game the following season, while leading the team with 74 points (24-50).

During the 1992-93 season, Hatcher scored a career-high 34 goals and became only the seventh defenseman in league history to score 30 goals in a single season. The blueliner also logged a career-high 79 points to lead all league defensemen in scoring.

Hatcher was traded to the Dallas Stars in 1994, where he joined his brother, Derian, for two seasons (1994-96) and was named to his fourth NHL All-Star Team (1996). After leading all Stars defensemen in scoring both seasons, Hatcher moved to the Pittsburgh Penguins where he once again made the NHL All-Star Game in 1997.

Following a three-year stint with the Penguins (1996-99), Hatcher closed out his professional playing days with the New York Rangers (1999-00) and Carolina Hurricanes (2000-01). During the course of his NHL career, he skated in 1,157 games, scoring 227 goals and collecting 450 assists.

In addition to his career in the NHL, Hatcher represented the United States internationally at many levels. Perhaps most notably, he helped the U.S. to the gold medal at the 1996 World Cup of Hockey. He was also a member of the 1984 U.S. National Junior Team, and was a part of U.S. squads that competed at the Canada Cup in 1987 and 1991. Hatcher was also selected to the 1998 U.S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team that competed at the Olympic Winter Games in Nagano, Japan.

DR. V. GEORGE NAGOBADS
2010 United States Hockey Hall of Fame Enshrinee

One would be hard pressed to name any individual who has been a member of more U.S. international hockey teams than Dr. V. George Nagobads. While he was born in Riga, Latvia, and spent the first quarter century of his life in Europe, he became one of the greatest influencers of American hockey of his time.

After receiving his medical degree from University of Tubingen in Germany, Nagobads moved to the United States in 1951 to begin his surgical residency at the Swedish Hospital in Minneapolis.

He eventually served as a team physician for the University of Minnesota men’s ice hockey team beginning in 1958 and lasting until his retirement in 1992. In 1978, Minnesota Coach Herb Brooks took the trophy Nagobads donated to the program and established the annual Dr. V. George Nagobads Unsung Hero Award.

Simultaneous to his duties with the Gophers, Nagobads was the team physician for the World Hockey Association’s Minnesota Fighting Saints from 1973-76 and the National Hockey League’s Minnesota North Stars from 1984-92.

His largest contributions to hockey in the United States may have come on the international stage, however. Nagobads was named the team physician for five U.S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Teams (1968, 1972, 1980, 1984, and 1988); including the “Miracle on Ice” squad that won the gold medal at the 1980 Olympic Winter Games in Lake Placid, N.Y., and the silver medal-winning 1972 U.S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team that competed in Sapporo, Japan.

Nagobads served as the team physician for 15 U.S. Men’s National Teams (1967, 1970-71, 1973-75, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1981, 1985-87, 1989-90), including the 1970 and 1974 squads that won the gold medal at the International Ice Hockey Federation World Hockey Championship in Pool B and the silver medal-winning 1973 team. He also served as team physician for the first-ever U.S. Women’s National Team that won the silver medal at the 1990 IIHF World Women’s Championship.

In addition, Nagobads was the team physician for five U.S. National Junior Teams (1974, 1985-87, 1989); the 1988 U.S. Under-17 Select Team; the 1989 Spengler Cup Team; and the 1984 and 1987 Canada Cup squads.

In 1984, Nagobads became USA Hockey’s chief medical officer, a title he held until 1992. He was also appointed to USA Hockey’s Safety and Protective Equipment Committee in 1984, and was named to the IIHF’s Medical Committee in 1990.

In 2003, Nagobads received the Paul Loicq Award from the IIHF for serving international hockey in an extraordinary manner and promoting ice hockey worldwide. He was also honored by USA Hockey with both its Distinguished Achievement Award and Excellence in Safety Award in 2005.

JEREMY ROENICK
2010 United States Hockey Hall of Fame Enshrinee

A nine-time National Hockey League All-Star and two-time U.S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team member, Jeremy Roenick was one of hockey’s top American-born players on both the professional and international stage.

A native of Boston, Roenick spent three seasons (1985-88) at Thayer Academy in Braintree, Mass., leading the team to two high school state championships. He represented the United States as a member of the 1988 U.S. National Junior Team, before being drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks eighth overall in the 1988 NHL Entry Draft.

The following year, Roenick again competed on the international stage, as a member of the 1989 U.S National Junior Team, before jumping directly into the Chicago Blackhawks lineup after having just turned 19.

Roenick made his first of nine NHL All-Star Game appearances in 1991. At the conclusion of the season, he played in the 1991 International Ice Hockey Federation World Men’s Championship as part of the U.S. Men’s National Team. Roenick also competed for Team USA at the 1991 Canada Cup.

Shortly thereafter, Roenick put up more than 100 points for three straight seasons (1991-94). In 1992, he helped Chicago reach the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time since 1973, recording 18 points in 20 playoff games. 

After eight years with Chicago, Roenick played five seasons (1996-2001) with the Phoenix Coyotes, where he became the only player in league history to lead his team in goals, assists, points and penalty minutes in two different seasons (1999-00, 2000-01).

He was named to the U.S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team that competed at the 1998 Olympic Winter Games in Nagano, Japan, and earned a silver medal with the U.S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team at the 2002 Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City, Utah. Altogether, Roenick recorded 23 goals and 25 assists while wearing a Team USA sweater in international competition.

Roenick spent the final seven years of his playing days with the Philadelphia Flyers (2001-2004), the Los Angeles Kings (2005-06), the Coyotes (2006-07) and the San Jose Sharks (2007-09), and finished his career as the second highest American-born goal scorer in NHL history. In total, Roenick amassed 513 goals and 703 assists in 1,363 games.