HERB BROOKS
Game 226 | March 21, 1974 | Bill Goldsworthy, Herb Brooks
One of the all-time Minnesota North Star crowd favorites, Goldsworthy joined the team as an expansion draft choice. He had his best offensive season in 1974, setting career highs with 48 goals and 74 points. He died in 1996 of complications from AIDS. Brooks, whose greatest fame was six years ahead of him, had just coached the Gophers to the first of three NCAA hockey championships during the seven years he coached the team before resigning to coach the 1980 U.S. Olympic team.
Game 278 | May 9, 1980 | Herb Brooks
The St. Paul native took leave from his position as Gopher hockey coach to put together a team to represent the United States in the 1980 Olympics at Lake Placid. That team's February victory over the dominant Russian team was forever memorialized by TV announcer AI Michaels' "Do you believe in miracles?" That accomplishment was named the top U.S. Sporting Event of the 20th Century, and Brooks shared a number of inside stories with the Dunkers.
Game 305 | May 10, 1983 | Herb Brooks
Only a year after leading the United States to Olympic gold in 1980, Brooks was hired to coach the New York Rangers. He became the fastest coach in Rangers' history to reach 100 wins. He coached the Rangers 1981-1985, the Minnesota North Stars 1987-1988 and the New Jersey Devils 1992-1993.
Game 346 | June 18, 1987 | Herb Brooks
In a brilliant move, St. Cloud State University hired Brooks as its initial hockey coach for the 1986-'87 season. The team finished with a record of 25-10-1 and achieved instant recognition and credibility. Later that year he was hired by Lou Nanne to coach the Minnesota North Stars for the 1987 -'88 season.
Game 437 | January 28, 1993 | Herb Brooks
In his National Hockey League coaching career Brooks led four different teams, the New York Rangers, Minnesota North Stars, New Jersey Devils and Pittsburgh Penguins. In the 1992-92 season he took over the Devils and coached them to a record of 40-37-7.
Game 596 | February 7, 2002 | Herb Brooks
This was the final Dunkers appearance for Brooks, who was back doing what he loved best, coaching the U.S. Olympic Hockey team. The 2002 team, featuring professional players, took a Silver Medal at the games in Salt Lake City. Eighteen months later he was killed in a one-car crash near Forest Lake, Minnesota, when he apparently fell asleep while driving home from a speaking appearance. He had just celebrated his 66th birthday and was working as an advisor on the movie, Miracle, which featured the Brooks-coached 1980 U.S. Olympic Gold-Medal winning team.
