How good could Mike Eruzione have been in the NHL?

[SLAPSHOT723]

Just reading up a little bit about him, and he looks like he really could've played in the pros and had a solid career. Great praise from coaches, clearly a true leader among teammates, even he himself said he had no doubt he could play in the NHL.

What kind of player was he really (in terms of an NHL comparison) and how good could he have been if he continued playing in the NHL? The Miracle on Ice was before my time, so I never had a chance to watch the real Mike Eruzione, just Patrick O'Brien Demsey (the actor in Miracle).

 

[sr edler]

What stopped him from playing in the NHL? What's the reason he didn't do it?

Also, "play in the NHL" can mean a lot of things. Tanner Glass has had quite a lengthy NHL career and been a regular on two successful Presidents' Trophy winning teams...

 

[Uncle Rotter]

What stopped him from playing in the NHL? What's the reason he didn't do it?

 

[sr edler]

Oh, I see. A mediocre NHL stint would have tarnished all that Olympic glory.

So clever.

 

[SLAPSHOT723]

What stopped him from playing in the NHL? What's the reason he didn't do it?

Also, "play in the NHL" can mean a lot of things. Tanner Glass has had quite a lengthy NHL career and been a regular on two successful Presidents' Trophy winning teams...

Oh, I see. A mediocre NHL stint would have tarnished all that Olympic glory.

So clever.

He said he reached his high point winning the Gold and decided not to play anymore. I don't blame the guy for not wanting to play if he didn't want to, but if he were I'm wondering how good he could've been.

 

[Rebuilt]

He wasnt an NHL calibre forward. He was a great leader at the national level where they were all (sans eastern bloc) amateurs.

His legacy was enhanced by NOT playing in the NHL.

 

[Hanji]

It wasn't like Eruzione was a young player with tons of potential. He was already 25 at the time and wasn't anything special in the IHL previous to that. Playing out his mind for 2 weeks in Lake Placid wouldn't have changed his career prospects.

 

[MS]

Just reading up a little bit about him, and he looks like he really could've played in the pros and had a solid career. Great praise from coaches, clearly a true leader among teammates, even he himself said he had no doubt he could play in the NHL.

What kind of player was he really (in terms of an NHL comparison) and how good could he have been if he continued playing in the NHL? The Miracle on Ice was before my time, so I never had a chance to watch the real Mike Eruzione, just Patrick O'Brien Demsey (the actor in Miracle).

Wasn't even close to an NHL player.

He was 25-26 in 1980 and spent two years in the old IHL (comparable to the current ECHL) without a lot of distinction. The year before the Olympics he was pointless in 6 AHL games.

This wasn't a case like Lane MacDonald in 1988 where a player walked away from a sure-fire NHL career after the Olympics.

 

[McGuillicuddy]

even he himself said he had no doubt he could play in the NHL.

Oh, well, in that case.

In an unrelated matter, I have no doubt I could have played in the NHL. My save percentage would have probably been in the 700s, but I could have played .

 

[GJB]

This wasn't a case like Lane MacDonald in 1988 where a player walked away from a sure-fire NHL career after the Olympics.

Not questioning it but what made Lane MacDonald a sure-fire NHL'er?

I know nothing about him so would like to hear.

 

[Uncle Rotter]

This wasn't a case like Lane MacDonald in 1988 where a player walked away from a sure-fire NHL career after the Olympics.

MacDonald would return to Harvard as team captain to win the 1989 Hobey Baker Award, given to the top collegiate ice hockey player, while at Harvard University, and leading the Crimson to the NCAA Championship. After college he played for HC Lugano is the Swiss League before recurring migraine headaches forced him to retire.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lane_MacDonald

 

[double5son10]

Very good college/minor league player. He more than likely could've played at the NHL level, he was offered a contract by the Rangers after the Olympics, so the opportunity was there he just passed on it. Team USA assistant Craig Patrick became the Rangers GM in '80 and Herb Brooks would've arrived a little more than a year later, so if he'd earned a roster spot post-Olympics he would've had major backers in the GM and coach going forward. But, as other's have pointed out he was already 25 when he won Gold, so his upside was minimal. Middle six plugger at best.

 

[Sentinel]

I think there were far worse NHL players in the Eruzione's time.

 

[Beliveau]

I'm an American the same age as Mike. He could have been the 21st man who never dressed, but that's it. He just wasn't very good or even one of the best players on the Olympic team. He was a 25 year old man put with young college players for his character and leadership.

 

[VMBM]

Despite Eruzione's GWG heroics in the USSR game, I think Mark Johnson was the best Team USA player in the 1980 Olympics. Neal Broten, Dave Christian (played as a dman in the tournament), and Mark Pavelich were arguably more talented than Eruzione too. And it is hard for me to see that E would have had a better NHL career than Mike Ramsey or Ken Morrow. But Eruzione never played in the NHL, whereas those others did, so there's that little mystique about him.

 

[MS]

Not questioning it but what made Lane MacDonald a sure-fire NHL'er?

I know nothing about him so would like to hear.

MacDonald was the best player in US college hockey in the late 1980s, won a Hobey Baker, but didn't turn pro because he had concussion issues and was worried about taking more shots to the head. Quietly collected some money playing a year in a non-physical league in Switzerland and then retired.

Was the leading goalscorer on the 1988 US Olympic team which featured Scott Young, Kevin Stevens, Tony Granato, and Craig Janney. Brilliant skater and was a sure-fire NHLer if he'd have kept playing.

I think there were far worse NHL players in the Eruzione's time.

Goons, maybe.

Again, Eruzione was unable to cut it in the AHL the year before the 1980 Olympics.

 

[Flamer12]

wasn't he rather small? Back then, it was tough for small guys to make it. There were 4-5 guys better than him on the US team and only 1 or two was a stand out NHL'er.