There’s not much I can say about the Miracle on Ice that hasn’t already been said. In short, that’s exactly what it was: a Miracle. The Soviets were a dominant force that no one in the world could seem to stop. The Soviets won Olympic Gold in 1964, 1968, 1972 and 1976. The 1980 team was supposed to be their best yet. Between 1954 and 1991, they won nearly every tournament they played in. No team has ever been that dominant in any major sport and I won’t hear otherwise.
Do you believe?
Everyone knows about the Miracle on Ice. The young, upstart American squad led by Head Coach Herb Brooks. An unbelievable performance by goalie, Jim Craig. A game-winning goal by captain Mike Eurozione. It’s a moment that may never be matched in American sports.
Al Michaels is best known for his legendary, ‘DO YOU BELIEVE IN MIRACLES!? YES!!’ But another of his quotes from the tournament came during the medal ceremony, “no scriptwriter would ever dare.” Indeed not. How the hell do you come up with a story like that?
The Americans
The Soviets were by all means a professional team. They were technically part of the Red Army, but their MOS was hockey. These athletes trained year round to the point where games felt like a welcome vacation. They were better than every other nation and at the time, the NHL all-stars as well.
By contrast, the Americans were a group of college kids, some out of college hockey that were carefully selected by Herb Brooks. The talent gap was tremendous. Hockey at the time was nowhere near as good as it is now in the States. Lake Placid changed that forever.
Paving The Way
Hockey has been on the rise since the Americans captured Olympic Gold in 1980. Participation, viewership, you name it. Hockey isn’t the biggest sport in the U.S., but it could be flat out insignificant were it not for the Miracle.
Think of all the great players who may have never played hockey were they or their parents not inspired by that team. Coaching at Hockey camp for several years showed me that every kid in America playing hockey, whether they’re six or sixty, knows that story. It’s one of the most cherished memories for hockey fans around the country.
When the Americans took the ice in 1980, these states were represented; Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin. That’s it. Just four. Nowadays, the most D-1 college hockey players come from the three M’s and Illinois.
What the roster looks like now
The 2014 Olympic Roster represented the state’s of New Jersey, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Connecticut, Michigan, New York, California and Washington. Two players, Cam Fowler (Ontario) and Paul Stastny (Quebec) hailed from Canada originally, but grew up in the United States. Furthermore, most of the team were still NCAA alums.
In 2018, the United States brought players from Michigan, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Virginia, New York, Arizona, Minnesota, New Jersey, California, Colorado and Florida. No one would have dreamed that you’d have guys from Arizona, California and Florida on the same Olympic roster in 1980? It’s unreal how much this game has grown in 39 years. Even if the NHL sent players to last year’s Olympics, Arizona would have been represented. Missouri (Clayton Keller) would also have had a really good shot. In fact, if the NHL sent their players last Olympics the United States would have had a helluva shot to at least medal.
I could do a whole blog about what that American roster would have looked like. To make it even better, it would have been loaded with former college hockey stars.
The Miracle changed the game
The 1980 Miracle on Ice has been the catalyst for the growth of American Hockey. Guys from Dorchester to Phoenix are showing out in college hockey and going on to be superstars at the highest level of hockey. And we’re only getting better.
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