Eric Strobel

Last updated

Eric Strobel
Born (1958-06-05) June 5, 1958 (age 66)
Rochester, Minnesota, U.S.
Height 5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
Weight 175 lb (79 kg; 12 st 7 lb)
Position Right wing
Shot Right
Played for Rochester Americans
National teamFlag of the United States.svg  United States
NHL draft 133rd overall, 1978
Buffalo Sabres
Playing career 19761980
Medal record
Men's ice hockey
Representing the Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States
Olympic Games
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1980 Lake Placid Team

Eric Martin Strobel (born June 5, 1958) is an American former ice hockey forward who was a member of the "Miracle on Ice" 1980 gold medal-winning U.S. Olympic hockey team.

Contents

Amateur career

Strobel attended Rochester Mayo High School where he earned all-conference honors in 1973-74, 1974–75 and 1975–76 before moving on to the University of Minnesota. [1] He was a member of the 1979 University of Minnesota Golden Gophers NCAA championship team. [2]

International

Strobel first played for Team USA at the 1979 Ice Hockey World Championships in Moscow. His coach from Minnesota, Herb Brooks, was the coach for the U.S. for the 1980 Winter Olympics. [3]

Professional career

Drafted 133rd overall in the 1978 NHL Entry Draft by the Buffalo Sabres, Strobel never played with the parent club. He managed only half a season as a professional playing for their top minor league team, the Rochester Americans of the American Hockey League (AHL), before he broke his ankle during an AHL playoff game in the spring of 1980, and retired from hockey. [4]

Post playing career

Strobel returned to Minnesota after his retirement and became a telephone sales executive in Apple Valley, Minnesota. [5]

He previously coached the Peewee A team for the Eastview Athletic Association in Apple Valley. [6]

Personal

Strobel met his future wife Kim when he returned to university after his playing career ended, [4] and they have two daughters, Leslie and Krista. [6] Strobel's father, Art Strobel played for the New York Rangers. [7]

Eric Strobel suffered a minor stroke on October 31, 2006 and recovered in the hospital. He leads a normal life after undergoing physical therapy.

Strobel was not featured in Miracle on Ice , a 1981 TV movie, but appears in archival footage of the gold medal ceremony.

Robbie MacGregor portrayed Strobel in the 2004 film Miracle . [8]

Awards and honors

AwardYear
All-NCAA All-Tournament Team 1979 [9]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

   Regular season   Playoffs
Season TeamLeagueGP G A Pts PIM GPGAPtsPIM
1973–74 Mayo High School HS-MN
1974–75Mayo High SchoolHS-MN
1975–76Mayo High SchoolHS-MN
1976–77 University of Minnesota WCHA 3911142512
1977–78 University of MinnesotaWCHA3811182930
1978–79 University of MinnesotaWCHA4430225234
1979–80 United States Intl4914243822
1979–80 Rochester Americans AHL 13448430222
WCHA totals121525410676

International

YearTeamEvent GPGAPtsPIM
1979 United States WC 83362
1980 United States OG 71232
Senior totals154594

References

  1. "1978 NHL Amateur Draft -- Eric Strobel". www.hockeydraftcentral.com. Retrieved April 22, 2020.
  2. Pekale, Zach (February 27, 2020). "Meet the 1980 Miracle on Ice participants from the 1979 Frozen Four | NCAA.com". www.ncaa.com. Retrieved April 22, 2020.
  3. Kelly, Griffin (April 12, 2019). "'This rink looks the same' to '80 winger Eric Strobel". lakeplacidnews.com. Lake Placid News. Archived from the original on April 14, 2019. Retrieved April 22, 2020.
  4. 1 2 Coffey, Wayne (2005). The Boys Of Winter: The Untold Story Of A Coach, A Dream, And The 1980 U.S. Olympic Hockey Team . Crown Publishers. p.  155. ISBN   978-1-4000-4766-6 . Retrieved April 22, 2020.
  5. Marcus, Steven (February 21, 2015). "Miracle on Ice team: Where are they now?". Newsday. Retrieved July 31, 2018.
  6. 1 2 "Strobel reunites with 'Miracle on Ice' cast". PostBulletin.com. February 2, 2002. Retrieved April 22, 2020.
  7. Wendel, Tim (2010). Going for the Gold: How the U. S. Olympic Hockey Team Won at Lake Placid. Courier Corporation. p. 64. ISBN   978-0-486-47461-8 . Retrieved April 22, 2020.
  8. "MN Hockey & Hollywood". Vintage Minnesota Hockey - History. Retrieved April 22, 2020.
  9. "NCAA Frozen Four Records" (PDF). NCAA.org. Retrieved June 19, 2013.