1980 Olympic Hockey Team Roster Before Cuts
When people think of the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York, one of the first things that comes to mind is the miraculous victory of the United States hockey team. The team, made up of a group of relatively unknown college players, went on to defeat the heavily favored Soviet Union team in what is commonly referred to as the "Miracle on Ice". But before the team could achieve this feat, they had to go through a grueling selection process to determine the final roster. In this article, we will take a deep dive into the 1980 Olympic hockey team roster before cuts were made.
The Selection Process
The process to select the US Olympic hockey team for the 1980 Winter Olympics was not an easy one. Head coach Herb Brooks had a pool of over 60 players to choose from, including current NHL players, college players, and even some players from the US Hockey League. Brooks knew that in order to be competitive with the top teams in the world, he needed to put together a group of players with a specific skill set and a strong work ethic.
Brooks was very meticulous in his selection process, often attending multiple games a day and taking extensive notes on each player's performance. He also held several tryouts and training camps, where players were put through a series of grueling drills and scrimmages to determine their fitness and skill level.
The Roster Before Cuts
After several weeks of tryouts and training camps, Brooks had narrowed down his pool of players to just 26. These players were announced to the public on January 22, 1980, and would represent the United States in the upcoming Winter Olympics.
The 26 players selected to the team were:
- Neal Broten
- Dave Christian
- Steve Christoff
- Jim Craig
- Mike Eruzione
- John Harrington
- Steve Janaszak
- Mark Johnson
- Rob McClanahan
- Buzz Schneider
- Dave Silk
- Eric Strobel
- Phil Verchota
- Bob Suter
- Mark Pavelich
- Ken Morrow
- Mike Ramsey
- Jack O'Callahan
- Bill Baker
- Steve Shea
- Eric Calder
- Mark Wells
- Bob Brooke
- Jim McElmury
- Mike Ramsey
- Mark Johnson
As you can see, the roster was made up of mostly college players, with only four players having any NHL experience. This was a bold move by Brooks, as many people at the time felt that in order to compete at the highest level, the team needed to be made up of seasoned professionals.
The Final Cuts
Despite the strong roster that Brooks had put together, he still had to make some tough decisions when it came time for the final cuts. In the end, he decided to drop four players from the team.
The players who were cut from the team were:
- Rob McClanahan
- Steve Christoff
- Bob Brooke
- Jim McElmury
These cuts were met with some controversy, especially the decision to cut McClanahan, who had been a standout player throughout the selection process. However, Brooks felt that the players he had chosen had the right combination of skill and chemistry to make a run at the gold medal.
Conclusion
While the 1980 US Olympic hockey team will forever be remembered for their miraculous victory over the Soviet Union, it is important not to overlook the hard work and dedication that went into selecting the final roster. From a pool of over 60 players, Herb Brooks was able to put together a team that not only had the skill to compete with the best in the world, but also had the right chemistry and work ethic to pull off one of the greatest upsets in sports history.