Jeff Levy

Last updated
Jeff Levy
Born (1970-12-09) December 9, 1970 (age 50)
Omaha, Nebraska, USA
Height 6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight 170 lb (77 kg; 12 st 2 lb)
Position Goaltender
Caught Left
Played for New Hampshire
Kalamazoo Wings
Huntington Blizzard
Jacksonville Lizard Kings
El Paso Buzzards
Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees
NHL Draft 134th, 1990
Minnesota North Stars
Playing career 1990–2005

Jeffrey Levy is an American ice hockey coach and former goaltender who was an All-American for New Hampshire. [1]

Contents

Career

Levy grew up in Salt Lake City and played high school hockey in the region. He took a chance to advance his career by moving to Minnesota for his senior year. He managed to get on the Rochester Mustangs as a third goaltender and played well in his minimal appearances. The following year he became the team's starter and began to make a name for himself. Levy helped the Mustangs win the US National junior ice hockey championship in 1990 and he used the notoriety to earn a scholarship to the University of New Hampshire. [2] Levy was also selected by the Minnesota North Stars in the NHL Draft that summer, something he admittedly didn't fully comprehend.

Levy made an immediate impact in college, taking over as the starter as a freshman and being named an All-American. He backstopped the Wildcats to the team's first winning season in 7 years and was among the best goaltenders in terms of production for the year. [3] The following season he continued to improve and led UNH to the Hockey East championship game and was named the best goaltender of the tournament. The team's stellar season also helped them earn an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 9 years. After his sophomore season, he was offered an NHL contract by the North Stars and he accepted.

When he appeared in training camp in the fall, Levy was not prepared for the vast difference between college and the NHL levels. He played a year in the minors with the Kalamazoo Wings but was definitely a work in progress for an extended professional career. [4] That offseason he was also invited to take part in the tryout for the US national team for the upcoming Winter Olympics and made the squad along with fellow college standouts Mike Dunham and Garth Snow. Levy ended up becoming the third goaltender on the squad and, due to a lack of available playing time, was returned to Minnesota prior to the game and did not participate. His pro career never fully materialized, unfortunately, and after getting demoted to the ECHL, Levy retired once his rookie contract with the North Stars expired.

Levy was frustrated by how his career had gone and he remained out of the game for five years. Eventually, however, he caught 'the bug' and wanted to get back into the net. He returned to minor pro hockey for the later half of the 2000 season and played in parts of five campaigns. Levy was much happier with his play after his return and believed that, if he had played as well earlier, he could have continued at a higher level for much longer.

After retiring as a player, Levy returned to the game as a coach at the junior hockey level, helping teach his son Hank how to improve his play.

Statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season TeamLeagueGPWLTMINGA SO GAA SV% GPWLMINGASOGAASV%
1988–89 Rochester Mustangs USHL 9711—————————————
1989–90 Rochester Mustangs USHL 32247018239703.19.900————————
1990–91 New Hampshire Hockey East 24157214908003.22.905————————
1991–92 New Hampshire Hockey East 3520132197110823.29.898————————
1992–93 Kalamazoo Wings IHL 288141151211504.56.866————————
1992–93 Dayton Bombers ECHL 100165302.77.9092———————
1993–94 Team USA International—————————————————
1993–94 Kalamazoo Wings IHL 200159404.06.840————————
1993–94 Dayton Bombers ECHL 3110133167212504.48.879————————
1994–95 Huntington Blizzard ECHL 366221184413804.49.8744———————
1999–00 Jacksonville Lizard Kings ECHL 122505074305.09.857————————
2000–01 El Paso Buzzards WPHL 5623257324116723.09.9017———————
2001–02 El Paso Buzzards CHL 29188216517422.69.90510———————
2003–04 Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees CHL 4825175279810342.21.9223———————
2004–05 Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees CHL 4518141261013323.06.897————————
NCAA totals5935204346119123.26.901————————
ECHL totals8018405408830904.54.8746———————
CHL totals12261498705931082.63.90913———————

Awards and honors

AwardYear
USHL Goaltender of the Year 1989–90
All-Hockey East Second Team 1990–91 [5]
Hockey East All-Rookie Team 1990–91 [6]
AHCA East Second-Team All-American 1990–91 [1]
Hockey East All-Tournament Team 1992 [7]

Related Research Articles

Ty Conklin American ice hockey player

Ty Curtis Conklin is an American former professional ice hockey goaltender. Throughout his National Hockey League (NHL) career, he played for the Edmonton Oilers, Columbus Blue Jackets, Buffalo Sabres, Pittsburgh Penguins, St. Louis Blues and two stints with the Detroit Red Wings.

Steven James Janaszak is an American former ice hockey goaltender who played three games in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Minnesota North Stars and Colorado Rockies between 1980 and 1982.

Tim Thomas (ice hockey) American ice hockey player

Timothy Thomas Jr. is an American former professional ice hockey goaltender who mainly played in the National Hockey League (NHL), most notably with the Boston Bruins.

Keith Ballard American ice hockey player (born 1982)

Keith Galen Ballard is an American former professional ice hockey defenseman who previously played in the National Hockey League with the Phoenix Coyotes, Florida Panthers, Vancouver Canucks and Minnesota Wild. He played college hockey for the Minnesota Golden Gophers of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) for three seasons. After his freshman year, he was selected 11th overall by the Buffalo Sabres in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft. Before he made his NHL debut, he was traded twice – initially to the Colorado Avalanche, then to the Phoenix Coyotes. He played his professional rookie season in 2004–05 with the Coyotes' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Utah Grizzlies, then debuted with Phoenix the following season. After three years, he was traded to the Florida Panthers, where he spent two seasons before being dealt to Vancouver at the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.

Daniel J. Berthiaume is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender who played six seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Winnipeg Jets, Minnesota North Stars, Los Angeles Kings, Boston Bruins, and Ottawa Senators.

Cory Schneider American ice hockey goaltender

Cory Franklin Schneider is an American professional ice hockey goaltender for the New York Islanders of the National Hockey League (NHL). He previously played for the Vancouver Canucks and New Jersey Devils.

John Curry (ice hockey) American ice hockey goaltender

John Clifford Curry is an American former professional ice hockey goaltender. He played for the Hamburg Freezers of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga, and with the Pittsburgh Penguins and Minnesota Wild of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was also part of the Penguins team when they won the Stanley Cup in 2009.

New Hampshire Wildcats womens ice hockey

The New Hampshire Wildcats represent the University of New Hampshire. They have won five ECAC championships between 1986 and 1996. When the Wildcats joined Hockey East, they won four Hockey East titles from 2006 to 2009. The Wildcats have more wins than any other women's ice hockey program at 668 in its first 32 years. The Wildcats went undefeated in their initial 74 games (73-0-1) spanning the 1978 through 1982 seasons. A UNH goaltender has been declared Hockey East Goaltending Champion in the first six years of the league's existence. From 2007 to 2009, UNH hosted NCAA Tournament Regional home games.

Matt Climie

Matthew Scott Climie is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender. He is currently an unrestricted free agent who most recently played with the CBR Brave of the Australian Ice Hockey League (AIHL). Climie has played in the National Hockey League with the Dallas Stars and Phoenix Coyotes.

Richard Umile is a former American men's ice hockey coach at the University of New Hampshire. Coaching the Wildcats from 1990 through the 2018 season, Umile led UNH to the most wins in school history.

New Hampshire Wildcats mens ice hockey

The New Hampshire Wildcats men's ice hockey team is a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I college ice hockey program that represents the University of New Hampshire. The Wildcats are a member of Hockey East. They play at the Whittemore Center Arena in Durham, New Hampshire.

The UConn Huskies women's ice hockey program represents the University of Connecticut. The Huskies compete in Hockey East.

Kevin Regan American ice hockey player

Kevin Regan is an American former professional ice hockey goaltender. He played college ice hockey for the New Hampshire Wildcats, and once held the all-time leader in save percentage in Hockey East conference games.

Roman Will is a Czech professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing with Traktor Chelyabinsk of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). He has formerly appeared in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Colorado Avalanche.

Brian Foster is an American professional ice hockey goaltender who is currently playing for the Wheeling Nailers in the ECHL on loan from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the American Hockey League (AHL). He was selected by the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League in the 5th round of the 2005 NHL Entry Draft. Foster was born in Pembroke, New Hampshire.

Casey DeSmith American ice hockey player

Casey DeSmith is an American professional ice hockey goaltender for the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League (NHL). He holds the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins record for most saves in a playoff game. DeSmith was named to the AHL's 2016–17 All-Rookie Team and was a co-recipient of the 2017 Harry "Hap" Holmes Memorial Award.

Cal Petersen American ice hockey player

Calvin Louis Petersen is an American professional ice hockey goaltender for the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected in the fifth round, 129th overall by the Buffalo Sabres in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft. Petersen and the Sabres were not able to agree on a contract and on July 1, 2017, he signed a two-year entry level contract with the Kings as an unrestricted free agent.

Spencer Knight is an American professional ice hockey goaltender for the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected by the Panthers, 13th overall, in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft.

The 1990–91 Northern Michigan Wildcats men's ice hockey team represented Northern Michigan University (NMU) in college ice hockey. In its 15th year under head coach Rick Comley, the team compiled a 38–5–4 record. The Wildcats won the 1991 national championship, their first national title.

Grant Blair is a Canadian retired ice hockey goaltender who was an All-American for Harvard.

References

  1. 1 2 "Men's Ice Hockey Award Winners" (PDF). NCAA.org. Retrieved June 11, 2013.
  2. ↑ "Jeff Levy reminisces about hockey in Utah during the 80s and the modern development process for young goalies". Utah Puck Report. April 2, 2021. Retrieved July 8, 2021.
  3. ↑ "MHOC Year-by-Year Quick Look". New Hampshire Wildcats. Retrieved May 6, 2019.
  4. ↑ "SALT LAKE HOMECOMING WILL BE BRIEF ONE FOR LEVY". Deseret News. October 10, 1992. Retrieved July 8, 2021.
  5. ↑ "Hockey East All-Teams". College Hockey Historical Archives. Retrieved May 19, 2013.
  6. ↑ "Hockey East All-Rookie Teams". College Hockey Historical Archives. Retrieved May 19, 2013.
  7. ↑ "2013-14 Hockey East Media Guide". Hockey East. Retrieved 2014-05-19.
Awards and achievements
Preceded by
Scott Cashman 		Hockey East Rookie of the Year
1990–91 		Succeeded by
Craig Darby / Ian Moran
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.