DU HOCKEY LEGENDS
From: Legends of Hockey.net and
DU Athletics Hall of Fame website
From: Legends of Hockey.net and
DU Athletics Hall of Fame website
Article researched by du78
KEITH MAGNUSON
When Keith Magnuson launched his junior career with the Saskatoon Blades of the SJHL in 1964-65, his on-ice performance bore little relationship to the wild-man tendencies he would later display at the NHL level. To the contrary, he left the Blades after one season to attend college at the Univeristy of Denver where he performed as an NCAA all-star during his final two campaigns on campus.
Born in Wadena, Saskatchewan, Keith Magnuson earned Western Collgiate Hockey Association's Rookie-of-the-Year honor as a freshman at DU. He went on to become the WCHA Sophomore-of-the-Year the next season. As a junior, Magnuson led the Pioneers to the National Championship, earning first-team All-America honors. Magnuson repeated his efforts in his senior campaign, once again leading the Pioneers to the national title. He also garnered first-team All-American honors as a senior, while becoming the NCAA Finals tournament MVP. Magnuson continued his hockey career for the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks, playing 11 years in the Windy City. He captained the Blackhawks for four seasons, performing in two NHL All-Star games during his career. Magnuson stayed with the Blackhawks following his retirement, coaching the club for two seasons. Magnuson was inducted into the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame in 1991, and was selected to college hockey's All-Century team. "Mags" as he was affectionately known to his teamates is probably the most well known player to ever don the Pioneer jersey. In many eyes he was the greatest hockey player in DU history. He is the only DU Pioneer to individually grace the cover of Sports Illustrated. He and Ken Dryden are generally considered the two college players to open the doors to the NHL for all the college players that have followed.
To shake his erudite reputation, he signed as a free agent with the Chicago Blackhawks in 1969-70. From that moment on, Magnuson, with his red head of hair, erupted onto the NHL scene like an angry carrot. He was not a particularly big man by big-league policemen standards. To compensate, he took boxing lessons to enhance his fist work and would work himself into a pique before the start of each game. In the early years, he took on all comers and often came out on the losing end. Nonetheless, he became a team leader on the strength of his commitment to compete at the outer extreme of his endurance. He adopted coach Billy Reay's defensive mantra of "None Against." That meant that Magnuson would strive at all costs to keep the puck out his own net. He once noted that in support of the mantra, he'd stop the puck with his teeth if necessary.
As his career moved from the early to late 1970s, the fiery defender began to mellow with age and mileage. His penalty minutes fell into decline as he left more of the punch-ups for the younger guys. He concentrated on stay-at-home defense until injuries began to slow him down.
KEITH MAGNUSON
When Keith Magnuson launched his junior career with the Saskatoon Blades of the SJHL in 1964-65, his on-ice performance bore little relationship to the wild-man tendencies he would later display at the NHL level. To the contrary, he left the Blades after one season to attend college at the Univeristy of Denver where he performed as an NCAA all-star during his final two campaigns on campus.
Born in Wadena, Saskatchewan, Keith Magnuson earned Western Collgiate Hockey Association's Rookie-of-the-Year honor as a freshman at DU. He went on to become the WCHA Sophomore-of-the-Year the next season. As a junior, Magnuson led the Pioneers to the National Championship, earning first-team All-America honors. Magnuson repeated his efforts in his senior campaign, once again leading the Pioneers to the national title. He also garnered first-team All-American honors as a senior, while becoming the NCAA Finals tournament MVP. Magnuson continued his hockey career for the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks, playing 11 years in the Windy City. He captained the Blackhawks for four seasons, performing in two NHL All-Star games during his career. Magnuson stayed with the Blackhawks following his retirement, coaching the club for two seasons. Magnuson was inducted into the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame in 1991, and was selected to college hockey's All-Century team. "Mags" as he was affectionately known to his teamates is probably the most well known player to ever don the Pioneer jersey. In many eyes he was the greatest hockey player in DU history. He is the only DU Pioneer to individually grace the cover of Sports Illustrated. He and Ken Dryden are generally considered the two college players to open the doors to the NHL for all the college players that have followed.
To shake his erudite reputation, he signed as a free agent with the Chicago Blackhawks in 1969-70. From that moment on, Magnuson, with his red head of hair, erupted onto the NHL scene like an angry carrot. He was not a particularly big man by big-league policemen standards. To compensate, he took boxing lessons to enhance his fist work and would work himself into a pique before the start of each game. In the early years, he took on all comers and often came out on the losing end. Nonetheless, he became a team leader on the strength of his commitment to compete at the outer extreme of his endurance. He adopted coach Billy Reay's defensive mantra of "None Against." That meant that Magnuson would strive at all costs to keep the puck out his own net. He once noted that in support of the mantra, he'd stop the puck with his teeth if necessary.
As his career moved from the early to late 1970s, the fiery defender began to mellow with age and mileage. His penalty minutes fell into decline as he left more of the punch-ups for the younger guys. He concentrated on stay-at-home defense until injuries began to slow him down.During a game at the start of the 1979-80 season, Bruin slugger Stan Jonathan scrummed with Magnuson along the boards asking if the Hawk defender wanted to drop the gloves. By then, a battered Magnuson was sporting braces on his back and his knee and, by his own admission, had to think about it for a few seconds before he obliged. At the end of the game, the veteran blueliner marched right up to Bob Pulford's office and announced his retirement. He felt that if he ever had to think about whether he would or wouldn't fight, even for a second, then it was time to quit.
Magnuson left the ice to serve as the club's assistant coach until he replaced head coach Eddie Johnston the following year. The move bore little fruit, however. Magnuson's lack of experience and familiarity with the players hindered his ability to lead with authority. The team languished and he was dismissed by 1982.On December 15, 2003 after attending the funeral of former NHLer Keith McCreary, Magnuson was involved in a serious car accident with another former NHLer Rob Ramage. Ramage escaped the accident with a broken leg, however, Magnuson would not be as fortunate. At the time of his death Keith Magnuson was 56 years old.
AWARDS
WCHA First All-Star Team (1967, 1968, 1969)
WCHA Sophmore of the Year (1967) (co-winner - Bob Munro)
WCHA Most Valuable Player (1968)
NCAA West First All-American Team (1968, 1969)
NCAA Championship All-Tournament Team (1968, 1969)
NCAA Championship Tournament MVP (1969)
Played in NHL All-Star Game (1971, 1972)
2 comments:
Very nice piece on Maggie. It brought back some great memories. A very small group of people close to him also called him "riddler" (you know, the Batman TV show?).
Seems he would have occasional brain cramps. Like the time he called his girlfriend at their apartment. The conversation went something like "Hey, Dawn, where are you?" Like I say, a very small group of people.
After the '68 championship a certain poster who shall go nameless bought a box of cigars and was passing them out at the post game party. Maggie required a little on the job training on how to hold the thing without looking like an interior decorator.
On a visit to campus in the late '80's I ran into a couple of players on the bridge and they began to talk about playing against Maggie in the Hilltopper game. They each marveled that "he had the biggest frickin' hands I've ever seen."
Also, Maggie is in the DU Athletics Hall of Fame as an individual and with the 68 NCAA team. Can the 69 team be far behind? Maggie has also been inducted into the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame.
To add one more thing to the list of "Maggie isms" he was known for writing lists of things to do. Before going to bed one night he wrote his list for the next day. The first thing on his list--"wake up".
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