Rube Bjorkman

Last updated
Rube Bjorkman
Biographical details
Born (1929-02-27) February 27, 1929 (age 95)
Roseau, Minnesota
Playing career
1948 US Olympic Team
1948–1951 Minnesota
1951–1952 Saint Paul Saints
1952 US Olympic Team
Position(s) Center
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1961–1962 Greenway High School
1963–1964 RPI
1964–1968 New Hampshire
1968–1978 North Dakota
1980–1983 Warroad High School
Head coaching record
Overall224–234–11 (college)
Medal record
Men's ice hockey
Representing the Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States
Olympic Games
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 1952 Oslo Team competition

Reuben Eugene Bjorkman (born February 27, 1929) is a former head coach of the University of North Dakota Fighting Sioux hockey men's team. A graduate of Roseau, Minnesota High School, where he led his team to a state championship in 1946, Bjorkman was a member of the US Olympic teams in 1948 and 1952 (silver medalists). [1] He was a three-year letter winner at the University of Minnesota.

Contents

Career

Bjorkman's high school coaching career began at Greenway High School in Coleraine, Minnesota. His 1962 team competed in the Minnesota State High School Hockey Tournament. His first college coaching season (1963–1964), at RPI, culminated with his team finishing third in the NCAA Championships. Following that season he was hired as the Head Hockey Coach at the University of New Hampshire where spent four years before accepting the position at the University of North Dakota.

In 1982 Bjorkman was honored by the Minnesota Hockey Coaches Association when he was named the recipient of the Cliff Thompson Award, given for long-term, outstanding contributions to the sport of hockey in Minnesota. In 1997 The American Hockey Coaches Association recognized Bjorkman with the John "Snooks" Kelly Founders Award. Named after the Boston College coach, this award honors those people in the coaching profession who have contributed to the overall growth and development of the sport of ice hockey in the United States.

Head coaching record

College

Statistics overview
SeasonTeamOverallConferenceStandingPostseason
Rensselaer Engineers (ECAC Hockey / Tri-State League)(1964–1969)
1963–64 Rensselaer 18–8–012–6–0 / 1–3–0t-6th / 3rd NCAA third-place game (win)
Rensselaer:18–8–012–6–0 / 1–3–0
New Hampshire Wildcats (ECAC 2)(1964–1966)
1964–65 New Hampshire 6–14–06–9–0
1965–66 New Hampshire 11–12–011–5–0
New Hampshire:17–26–017–14–0
New Hampshire Wildcats(ECAC Hockey)(1966–1968)
1966–67 New Hampshire 18–7–05–4–07th
1967–68 New Hampshire 22–7–07–6–0
New Hampshire:40–14–012–10–0
North Dakota Fighting Sioux (WCHA)(1968–1978)
1968–69 North Dakota 18–10–115–7–03rd WCHA West Regional semifinals
1969–70 North Dakota 14–5–112–13–15th WCHA East Regional semifinals
1970–71 North Dakota 14–17–210–15–17th WCHA East Regional Finals
1971–72 North Dakota 21–14–118–10–03rd WCHA second round
1972–73 North Dakota 17–17–213–15–27th WCHA first round
1973–74 North Dakota 10–23–18–20–010th
1974–75 North Dakota 6–28–24–26–210th
1975–76 North Dakota 15–21–012–20–0t-7th
1976–77 North Dakota 19–19–016–16–05th WCHA first round
1977–78 North Dakota 15–22–113–19–0t-5th WCHA first round
North Dakota:149–186–11121–161–6
Total:224–234–11

      National champion        Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion        Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion      Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

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References

  1. Sports Reference