Top 50 Players in ECAC Hockey

"Legendary Cornell hockey goaltender Ken Dryden has been named as one of the top 50 players in ECAC Hockey as the league celebrates its 50th season in 2010-11. The league office announced the first five players to be recognized, with Dryden in the initial group of five honorees.

The league is announcing its all-time top 50 players in segments of five players each, to be released every two weeks until the league championship weekend on March 18-19, 2011, in Atlantic City, N.J. The players joining Dryden in this first installment are Rensselaer forward Bob Brinkworth, Harvard defenseman Mark Fusco, Clarkson defenseman Brian Mueller and Boston College forward Joe Mullen."

Thoughts on other Cornellians and opponents who ought to be named?

Ken Dryden Honored As One Of ECAC Hockey's All-Time Top 50

Lance Nethery holds career records for assists (180) and points (271). It would be pretty tough to leave him off the list...

Brock Tredway? His 113 goals in 113 games puts him at #4 on the career goal scoring list. Maybe, but not a lock.

It will be fun to watch & speculate...

The Keebler Elves, presumably, even though they NEVER WON ANYTHING.

Josh '99
The Keebler Elves, presumably, even though they NEVER WON ANYTHING.

They did. Their team didn't.

From RPI, Adam Oates and Joey Juneau should make it. I also would pick Joel Laing and John Carter, but they probably won't make it.

For Cornell, I'd be quite surprised if Dan Lodboa didn't make it.

Nethery and Nieuwendyk

The ECAC has named all-decade teams for at least the 60's through 00's, that's probably the superset from which the players will be chosen (unless somebody happened to straddle and get hosed).

Here are the East All-American squads.

Among the guys that just jump out at me:

Cornell: Nethery, Dryden, Doug Ferguson, Nieuwendyk, Murray
Yale: Jeff Hamilton
SLU: Pete Lappin
Clarkson: Todd White, Brian Mueller
RPI: Joe Juneau, Adam Oates, John Carter, (I'd never heard of Bob Brinkworth)
Harvard: both Fusco bros., Lane MacDonald, Joe Cavanaugh
BU: Rick Meagher
BC: Joe Mullen
UVM: Martin St. Louis

I'm sure I'm missing blindly obvious ones.

I'm showing my age - Doug Ferguson '67, Dan Lodboa '70 and Lance Nethery '79, Clarkson's Dave Taylor and Bruce Bullock, BC's John Cunniff, BU's Herb Wakabayashi and Rick Meagher.

All great picks. I;m kicking myself for forgetting Taylor, one of those most dominant forwards of all time (41-67-108 in 34 games in 1977 -- yikes!)

Trotsky
RPI: Joe Juneau, Adam Oates, John Carter, (I'd never heard of Bob Brinkworth)

Brinkworth won the first ECAC RotY and the next two PotYs. Of course, back then players were only eligible for three years.

Ones that haven't been named that I think have a good chance, Ron Wilson of Providence, Bob Brown of BU, Willie Mitchell of Clarkson, Eric Perrin of UVM, Tim Sheehy of BC.

Erik Burgdoerfer of RPI.

The Keebler Elves were clearly mentioned, so you can take Perrin off your list.

I think if Willie Mitchell makes it on the list I'll have to do something drastic.

One Cornell player who seems to be forgotten (not by Al or Jim I'll bet) is Bruce Pattison '69. Bruce was a great defenseman, both defensively and offensively for Cornell teams that finished #1, #3 and #2 in the nation. Good skater, strong, hard and accurate slapshot, good puck handler - really no weakness in his game.

Two additional guys that I'd want to see on the list:

Ralph Cox, F, New Hampshire (went toe-to-toe with Nethery when they matched up, and that's saying something)
Ken Hammond, D, Rensselaer (best ECAC defenseman I ever saw)

jkahn
One Cornell player who seems to be forgotten (not by Al or Jim I'll bet) is Bruce Pattison '69. Bruce was a great defenseman, both defensively and offensively for Cornell teams that finished #1, #3 and #2 in the nation. Good skater, strong, hard and accurate slapshot, good puck handler - really no weakness in his game.

Great player (two-time first-team All-American) but not sure he'll make top 50. Came to Cornell as a forward, and was one of many converted by Ned to defense (Harry Orr, Steve Giuliani, Dan Lodboa). Different game then. Less grinding on the boards and more open ice skating. Ned wanted d-men who could carry the puck and make things happen in the offensive zone. Bruce did.

Rod Langway, University of New Hampshire.

And I will mention Peter Shire, not because he really deserves top 50, but he did have the hardest slapshot and scored the prettiest goal I have ever seen.

CowbellGuy
I think if Willie Mitchell makes it on the list I'll have to do something drastic.

I had the same thought. Fuck that guy.

Josh '99

CowbellGuy
I think if Willie Mitchell makes it on the list I'll have to do something drastic.

I had the same thought. Fuck that guy.

Better not or else you might get syphilis.

Nieuwendyk makes the second listing.

Jim Hyla
Nieuwendyk makes the second listing.

Very puzzling list. Andy McDonald was a fine player but named in the second five over Dave Taylor? Or Martin St. Louis? Huh? And how does a second-team all-decade forward make it before all the first-team forwards (Hamilton, Stempniak, and Trevelyan; Moulson was 2nd team along with McDonald and Dom Moore) of that decade make it?

Al DeFlorio

Jim Hyla
Nieuwendyk makes the second listing.

Very puzzling list. Andy McDonald was a fine player but named in the second five over Dave Taylor? Or Martin St. Louis? Huh? And how does a second-team all-decade forward make it before all the first-team forwards (Hamilton, Stempniak, and Trevelyan; Moulson was 2nd team along with McDonald and Dom Moore) of that decade make it?

Is there any order to the announcements? I was under the impression that The Fifty are to be considered on the same level.

Trotsky

Al DeFlorio

Jim Hyla
Nieuwendyk makes the second listing.

Very puzzling list. Andy McDonald was a fine player but named in the second five over Dave Taylor? Or Martin St. Louis? Huh? And how does a second-team all-decade forward make it before all the first-team forwards (Hamilton, Stempniak, and Trevelyan; Moulson was 2nd team along with McDonald and Dom Moore) of that decade make it?

Is there any order to the announcements? I was under the impression that The Fifty are to be considered on the same level.

That's the way I thought about it, too.

Jim Hyla

Trotsky

Al DeFlorio

Jim Hyla
Nieuwendyk makes the second listing.

Very puzzling list. Andy McDonald was a fine player but named in the second five over Dave Taylor? Or Martin St. Louis? Huh? And how does a second-team all-decade forward make it before all the first-team forwards (Hamilton, Stempniak, and Trevelyan; Moulson was 2nd team along with McDonald and Dom Moore) of that decade make it?

Is there any order to the announcements? I was under the impression that The Fifty are to be considered on the same level.

That's the way I thought about it, too.

OK. We'll see if Stempniak, Hamilton, and Trevelyan are in the remaining 40.

Al DeFlorio

Jim Hyla

Trotsky

Al DeFlorio

Jim Hyla
Nieuwendyk makes the second listing.

Very puzzling list. Andy McDonald was a fine player but named in the second five over Dave Taylor? Or Martin St. Louis? Huh? And how does a second-team all-decade forward make it before all the first-team forwards (Hamilton, Stempniak, and Trevelyan; Moulson was 2nd team along with McDonald and Dom Moore) of that decade make it?

Is there any order to the announcements? I was under the impression that The Fifty are to be considered on the same level.

That's the way I thought about it, too.

OK. We'll see if Stempniak, Hamilton, and Trevelyan are in the remaining 40.

There's always the chance that it's just different people picking this set of players to honor. The All-Decade teams aren't ensconced in ECAC canonical law or anything.

What about Ratushny or UVM's Kirk McCaskill?

Third group [www.ecachockey.com] Joe Cavanagh, Yann Danis, Dave Fretz, Dan Laperriere, and Martin St. Louis.

Tim Thomas of UVM? We here in Boston have learned to love him.

ursusminor
Third group [www.ecachockey.com] Joe Cavanagh, Yann Danis, Dave Fretz, Dan Laperriere, and Martin St. Louis.

Because this can never be mocked enough:

[web.archive.org]

Josh '99

ursusminor
Third group [www.ecachockey.com] Joe Cavanagh, Yann Danis, Dave Fretz, Dan Laperriere, and Martin St. Louis.

Because this can never be mocked enough:

[web.archive.org]

Both lame and great at the same time. Much like:

They don't seem to tire of that Top Gun song.

Lance Nethery makes the next group.

Jim Hyla
Lance Nethery makes the next group.

Trevor Koenig? Really? Man, the ECAC really loves that "spread the awards around" stuff, don't they?

Josh '99

Jim Hyla
Lance Nethery makes the next group.

Trevor Koenig? Really? Man, the ECAC really loves that "spread the awards around" stuff, don't they?

My reaction, also. Good goalie, but no Bullock or Yurkiewicz.

Josh '99

Jim Hyla
Lance Nethery makes the next group.

Trevor Koenig? Really? Man, the ECAC really loves that "spread the awards around" stuff, don't they?

My thoughts also. I wonder whom they will pick from QU.

ursusminor

Josh '99

Jim Hyla
Lance Nethery makes the next group.

Trevor Koenig? Really? Man, the ECAC really loves that "spread the awards around" stuff, don't they?

My thoughts also. I wonder whom they will pick from QU.

Reid Cashman? (though IIRC he only played one season in the ECAC)

redhair34

ursusminor

Josh '99

Jim Hyla
Lance Nethery makes the next group.

Trevor Koenig? Really? Man, the ECAC really loves that "spread the awards around" stuff, don't they?

My thoughts also. I wonder whom they will pick from QU.

Reid Cashman? (though IIRC he only played one season in the ECAC)

As good a choice as any.

It isn't relevant for this thread, but there was the comment about the ECAC liking to spread the awards around, which does seem to be the case. No RPI coach has ever won the CotY award. I wonder if Seth Appert will get it if RPI gets a bye into the ECAC tourney.

Edit: It isn't even relevant to this Forum.

ursusminor

redhair34

ursusminor

Josh '99

Jim Hyla
Lance Nethery makes the next group.

Trevor Koenig? Really? Man, the ECAC really loves that "spread the awards around" stuff, don't they?

My thoughts also. I wonder whom they will pick from QU.

Reid Cashman? (though IIRC he only played one season in the ECAC)

As good a choice as any.

It isn't relevant for this thread, but there was the comment about the ECAC liking to spread the awards around, which does seem to be the case. No RPI coach has ever won the CotY award. I wonder if Seth Appert will get it if RPI gets a bye into the ECAC tourney.

Edit: It isn't even relevant to this Forum.

Thread drift? On ELynah? I'm shocked! Shocked!

Al DeFlorio

Josh '99

Jim Hyla
Lance Nethery makes the next group.

Trevor Koenig? Really? Man, the ECAC really loves that "spread the awards around" stuff, don't they?

My reaction, also. Good goalie, but no Bullock or Yurkiewicz.

Never mind that; there are four or five of his contemporaries (Alex Westlund and Eric Heffler and Dan Murphy come to mind, ignoring my pro-Elliott bias) I'd take ahead of him if I were putting a team together.

Josh '99

Al DeFlorio

Josh '99

Jim Hyla
Lance Nethery makes the next group.

Trevor Koenig? Really? Man, the ECAC really loves that "spread the awards around" stuff, don't they?

My reaction, also. Good goalie, but no Bullock or Yurkiewicz.

Never mind that; there are four or five of his contemporaries (Alex Westlund and Eric Heffler and Dan Murphy come to mind, ignoring my pro-Elliott bias) I'd take ahead of him if I were putting a team together.

The shutout streak was pretty memorable, so I could see some sort of "Hall of Fame" type argument. Or maybe it's like the Pro Bowl where they have to take one player from each team (who's representing Colby?) and he was the best Skating Dutchman available.

jtwcornell91

Josh '99

Al DeFlorio

Josh '99

Jim Hyla
Lance Nethery makes the next group.

Trevor Koenig? Really? Man, the ECAC really loves that "spread the awards around" stuff, don't they?

My reaction, also. Good goalie, but no Bullock or Yurkiewicz.

Never mind that; there are four or five of his contemporaries (Alex Westlund and Eric Heffler and Dan Murphy come to mind, ignoring my pro-Elliott bias) I'd take ahead of him if I were putting a team together.

The shutout streak was pretty memorable, so I could see some sort of "Hall of Fame" type argument. Or maybe it's like the Pro Bowl where they have to take one player from each team (who's representing Colby?) and he was the best Skating Dutchman available.

Ron Ryan of Colby was the first PotY.

FWIW - I didn't vote for Koenig ... I wish I could find my ballot to tell you who I put on ... Dryden, Tim Thomas, Bullock, Danis for sure - after that, can't remember....

adamw
...Tim Thomas...

You're dead to me!

Doug Murray makes the fifth round.

Jim Hyla
Doug Murray makes the fifth round.

Cornell has had eight two-time first-team All-Americans. Four have been named to the top fifty: Dryden (three-time AA); Nieuwendyk; Nethery; Murray. The remaining four are Doug Ferguson; Brian Cornell; Bruce Pattison; Dan Ratushny.

CowbellGuy

adamw
...Tim Thomas...

You're dead to me!

Oh lord, another Tuukka fanboy?

Next group is up. None for us.

redhair34
Reid Cashman? (though IIRC he only played one season in the ECAC)

Two years, 41 points both seasons. Brandon Wong played 4 ECAC seasons and had 143 points in 147 games.

Two-time All-American, Brian Cornell '69, named as one of ECAC Hockey's all-time top-50 players.

George64
Two-time All-American, Brian Cornell '69, named as one of ECAC Hockey's all-time top-50 players.

Those were great years.

George64
Two-time All-American, Brian Cornell '69, named as one of ECAC Hockey's all-time top-50 players.

That leaves Doug Ferguson, Bruce Pattison, and Dan Ratushny as Cornell's two-time All-Americans not yet named to the top 50. Ferguson averaged 30 goals and 62 points during his three seasons, compared with Lance Nethery's 24 and 68 over four seasons. They are first and second among Cornellians in points per game: 2.44 for Nethery and 2.28 for Ferguson. The latter centered a national championship team, scoring goals in both the ECAC and NCAA championship games.

[I recall watching an intimidating Cornell defenseman named George who graduated in 1964. Might it be?]

Al DeFlorio

George64
Two-time All-American, Brian Cornell '69, named as one of ECAC Hockey's all-time top-50 players.

That leaves Doug Ferguson, Bruce Pattison, and Dan Ratushny as Cornell's two-time All-Americans not yet named to the top 50. Ferguson averaged 30 goals and 62 points during his three seasons, compared with Lance Nethery's 24 and 68 over four seasons. They are first and second among Cornellians in points per game: 2.44 for Nethery and 2.28 for Ferguson. The latter centered a national championship team, scoring goals in both the ECAC and NCAA championship games.

[I recall watching an intimidating Cornell defenseman named George who graduated in 1964. Might it be?]

In my dreams - I never got beyond intramurals. I think that you're thinking of George Walker '64.

Al DeFlorio

George64
Two-time All-American, Brian Cornell '69, named as one of ECAC Hockey's all-time top-50 players.

That leaves Doug Ferguson, Bruce Pattison, and Dan Ratushny as Cornell's two-time All-Americans not yet named to the top 50. Ferguson averaged 30 goals and 62 points during his three seasons, compared with Lance Nethery's 24 and 68 over four seasons. They are first and second among Cornellians in points per game: 2.44 for Nethery and 2.28 for Ferguson. The latter centered a national championship team, scoring goals in both the ECAC and NCAA championship games.

Only three groups of five remain. So far, no school has been named to a group more than once. If this pattern holds, some very deserving Cornellians will get stiffed. Cornell, however, leads with five players named, followed by Harvard and Clarkson with four each.

Al DeFlorio

George64
Two-time All-American, Brian Cornell '69, named as one of ECAC Hockey's all-time top-50 players.

That leaves Doug Ferguson, Bruce Pattison, and Dan Ratushny as Cornell's two-time All-Americans not yet named to the top 50. Ferguson averaged 30 goals and 62 points during his three seasons, compared with Lance Nethery's 24 and 68 over four seasons. They are first and second among Cornellians in points per game: 2.44 for Nethery and 2.28 for Ferguson. The latter centered a national championship team, scoring goals in both the ECAC and NCAA championship games.

[I recall watching an intimidating Cornell defenseman named George who graduated in 1964. Might it be?]

Well, stop worrying about Doug Ferguson.

Jim Hyla

Al DeFlorio

George64
Two-time All-American, Brian Cornell '69, named as one of ECAC Hockey's all-time top-50 players.

That leaves Doug Ferguson, Bruce Pattison, and Dan Ratushny as Cornell's two-time All-Americans not yet named to the top 50. Ferguson averaged 30 goals and 62 points during his three seasons, compared with Lance Nethery's 24 and 68 over four seasons. They are first and second among Cornellians in points per game: 2.44 for Nethery and 2.28 for Ferguson. The latter centered a national championship team, scoring goals in both the ECAC and NCAA championship games.

[I recall watching an intimidating Cornell defenseman named George who graduated in 1964. Might it be?]

Well, stop worrying about Doug Ferguson.

This is an outstanding group of five.

Al DeFlorio

Jim Hyla

Al DeFlorio

George64
Two-time All-American, Brian Cornell '69, named as one of ECAC Hockey's all-time top-50 players.

That leaves Doug Ferguson, Bruce Pattison, and Dan Ratushny as Cornell's two-time All-Americans not yet named to the top 50. Ferguson averaged 30 goals and 62 points during his three seasons, compared with Lance Nethery's 24 and 68 over four seasons. They are first and second among Cornellians in points per game: 2.44 for Nethery and 2.28 for Ferguson. The latter centered a national championship team, scoring goals in both the ECAC and NCAA championship games.

[I recall watching an intimidating Cornell defenseman named George who graduated in 1964. Might it be?]

Well, stop worrying about Doug Ferguson.

This is an outstanding group of five.

Yeah, the only minor question I had was with Dan Fridgen. Very good, but great?

Jim Hyla

Al DeFlorio

Jim Hyla

Al DeFlorio

George64
Two-time All-American, Brian Cornell '69, named as one of ECAC Hockey's all-time top-50 players.

That leaves Doug Ferguson, Bruce Pattison, and Dan Ratushny as Cornell's two-time All-Americans not yet named to the top 50. Ferguson averaged 30 goals and 62 points during his three seasons, compared with Lance Nethery's 24 and 68 over four seasons. They are first and second among Cornellians in points per game: 2.44 for Nethery and 2.28 for Ferguson. The latter centered a national championship team, scoring goals in both the ECAC and NCAA championship games.

[I recall watching an intimidating Cornell defenseman named George who graduated in 1964. Might it be?]

Well, stop worrying about Doug Ferguson.

This is an outstanding group of five.

Yeah, the only minor question I had was with Dan Fridgen. Very good, but great?

My reaction, also. The other four were truly great college hockey players.

Todd White, there's a name from the past. Exploded to two 70+ seasons his junior and senior years after scoring approx 50 points his first two seasons. The Rangers signed White and he's struggled this year whereas the player he battled against for the Hobey Baker award in '96-'97, Brendan Morrison, has found his game again and is playing on the first line in Calgary.

RatushnyFan
Todd White, there's a name from the past. Exploded to two 70+ seasons his junior and senior years after scoring approx 50 points his first two seasons. The Rangers signed White and he's struggled this year whereas the player he battled against for the Hobey Baker award in '96-'97, Brendan Morrison, has found his game again and is playing on the first line in Calgary.

The Rangers traded for White to get Donald Brashear off their cap; as far as I'm aware, there was never any expectation that he'd be anything more than experienced organizational depth.

That's right, I forgot

Another two-time All-American (1969-70 and 1970-71) who should be in the ECAC top 50 is Clarkson goalie Bruce Bullock.

Thanks, Al*. When I speak to some Clarkson old timers, the mention of Bullock is almost of "royalty". Either way, impressive group by Tech and Cornell.....should be more to follow.
Drew

*Not that you are old

Al DeFlorio
Another two-time All-American (1969-70 and 1970-71) who should be in the ECAC top 50 is Clarkson goalie Bruce Bullock.

Which causes me to repost the ECAC finals cartoon from 1970.

No Cornellians, but here's the ninth list. Some that some of us can remember.

Jim Hyla
No Cornellians, but here's the ninth list. Some that some of us can remember.

Fusco was a truly great player. And the "Fusco.... SUCKS!" cheer was one of the most fun to do.

Jim Hyla
No Cornellians, but here's the ninth list. Some that some of us can remember.

>>> Terry Yurkiewicz - Clarkson, Goaltender, (1963-66) - Cartier, Ontario

... Last Clarkson Goalie to Play Without a Mask (Did Not Wear Mask Until Senior Year) … Standout in Classroom, Ranking First in His Academic Department … Recipient of Clarkson’s Arnold H. Barben Award in 1992 -- Presented to Hockey Alumnus Who has Demonstrated Outstanding Professional Achievement, Contributed to Betterment of his Community, and Worked Unselfishly for his Alma Mater ... Inducted into Clarkson’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 2007 ... Passed Away in October 2002 at Age 59

Yurk was terrific, but Bullock was every bit as good.

Bruce Pattison [www.ecachockey.com]

Ned Harkness said Dan Lodboa was the best player he'd ever coached. It's an amazing shame that Lodboa did not make the list.

Swampy
Ned Harkness said Dan Lodboa was the best player he'd ever coached. It's an amazing shame that Lodboa did not make the list.

Tell me about it.

Jim Hyla

Swampy
Ned Harkness said Dan Lodboa was the best player he'd ever coached. It's an amazing shame that Lodboa did not make the list.

Tell me about it.

This really does suck. But Pattison, Bullock, and Wakabayashi are very deserving. I'm sure I saw Johnston play, but have no recollection whatsoever.

After some cutting. pasting and parsing, here's a spread sheet listing of the 50 players, along with position, school, years and decade (based on last year of play). Unfortunately, I couldn't attach an Excel file, only a pdf. Cornell and Clarkson lead with seven players each, followed by Harvard and BU. The '70s was the dominant decade, the '00s the was least prolific. Players by position was pretty much what you'd expect.

George64
After some cutting. pasting and parsing, here's a spread sheet listing of the 50 players, along with position, school, years and decade (based on last year of play). Unfortunately, I couldn't attach an Excel file, only a pdf. Cornell and Clarkson lead with seven players each, followed by Harvard and BU. The '70s was the dominant decade, the '00s the was least prolific. Players by position was pretty much what you'd expect.

Actually it was a little light on goalies. 2 more goalies and 2 fewer forwards would have been more proportional.