Eric Strobel

Eric Martin Strobel (born June 5, 1958) is an American former ice hockey forward who was a member of the "Miracle on Ice" 1980 gold medal-winning U.S. Olympic hockey team.

Eric Strobel
Born (1958-06-05) June 5, 1958
Rochester, Minnesota, U.S.
Height 5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
Weight 175 lb (79 kg; 12 st 7 lb)
Position Right wing
Shot Right
Played for Rochester Americans
National team  United States
NHL Draft 133rd overall, 1978
Buffalo Sabres
Playing career 1976–1980
Medal record
Men's ice hockey
Representing the  United States
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place1980 Lake PlacidTeam

Amateur career

Strobel attended Rochester Mayo High School where he earned all-conference honors in 1973-74, 1974–75 and 1975–76 before moving on to the University of Minnesota.[1] He was a member of the 1979 University of Minnesota Golden Gophers NCAA championship team.[2]

International

Strobel first played for Team USA at the 1979 Ice Hockey World Championships in Moscow. His coach from Minnesota, Herb Brooks, was the coach for the U.S. for the 1980 Winter Olympics.[3]

Professional career

Drafted 133rd overall in the 1978 NHL Entry Draft by the Buffalo Sabres, Strobel never played with the parent club. He managed only half a season as a professional playing for their top minor league team, the Rochester Americans of the American Hockey League (AHL), before he broke his ankle during an AHL playoff game in the spring of 1980, and retired from hockey.[4]

Post playing career

Strobel returned to Minnesota after his retirement and became a telephone sales executive in Apple Valley, Minnesota.[5]

He previously coached the Peewee A team for the Eastview Athletic Association in Apple Valley.[6]

Personal

Strobel met his future wife Kim when he returned to university after his playing career ended,[4] and they have two daughters, Leslie and Krista.[6] Strobel's father, Art Strobel played for the New York Rangers.[7]

Eric Strobel suffered a minor stroke on October 31, 2006 and recovered in the hospital. He leads a normal life after undergoing physical therapy.

Strobel was not featured in Miracle on Ice, a 1981 TV movie, but appears in archival footage of the gold medal ceremony.

Robbie MacGregor portrayed Strobel in the 2004 film Miracle.[8]

Awards and honors
Award Year
All-NCAA All-Tournament Team 1979 [9]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs
    Regular season   Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1973–74 Mayo High School HS-MN
1974–75 Mayo High School HS-MN
1975–76 Mayo High School HS-MN
1976–77 University of Minnesota WCHA 39 11 14 25 12 — — — — —
1977–78 University of Minnesota WCHA 38 11 18 29 30 — — — — —
1978–79 University of Minnesota WCHA 44 30 22 52 34 — — — — —
1979–80 United States Intl 49 14 24 38 22 — — — — —
1979–80 Rochester Americans AHL 13 4 4 8 4 3 0 2 2 2
WCHA totals 121 52 54 106 76 — — — — —

International
Year Team Event   GP G A Pts PIM
1979 United States WC 8 3 3 6 2
1980 United States OG 7 1 2 3 2
Senior totals 15 4 5 9 4

References
  1. "1978 NHL Amateur Draft -- Eric Strobel". www.hockeydraftcentral.com. Retrieved April 22, 2020.
  2. Pekale, Zach (February 27, 2020). "Meet the 1980 Miracle on Ice participants from the 1979 Frozen Four | NCAA.com". www.ncaa.com. Retrieved April 22, 2020.
  3. Kelly, Griffin (April 12, 2019). "'This rink looks the same' to '80 winger Eric Strobel". lakeplacidnews.com. Lake Placid News. Archived from the original on April 14, 2019. Retrieved April 22, 2020.
  4. Coffey, Wayne (2005). The Boys Of Winter: The Untold Story Of A Coach, A Dream, And The 1980 U.S. Olympic Hockey Team. Crown Publishers. p. 155. ISBN 978-1-4000-4766-6. Retrieved April 22, 2020.
  5. Marcus, Steven (February 21, 2015). "Miracle on Ice team: Where are they now?". Newsday. Retrieved July 31, 2018.
  6. "Strobel reunites with 'Miracle on Ice' cast". PostBulletin.com. February 2, 2002. Retrieved April 22, 2020.
  7. Wendel, Tim (2010). Going for the Gold: How the U. S. Olympic Hockey Team Won at Lake Placid. Courier Corporation. p. 64. ISBN 978-0-486-47461-8. Retrieved April 22, 2020.
  8. "MN Hockey & Hollywood". Vintage Minnesota Hockey - History. Retrieved April 22, 2020.
  9. "NCAA Frozen Four Records" (PDF). NCAA.org. Retrieved 2013-06-19.
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