(left) DU Alum Mike Busniuk played in the NHL and will spend his 8th season as an assistant coach for the AHL Binghamton Senators this seasonFrom: AHL.com
DU Alum Mike Busnick played for the University of Denver from 1971-74. "Buzzie" is now a longtime assistant coach in the AHL and may soon cross paths with current DU defenseman Patrick Wiercioch, if Wiercioch spends any time in the AHL.
The Binghamton Senators announced yesterday that Busniuk will return as assistant coach of the American Hockey League franchise for the 2009-10 season. Busniuk will work with new head coach Don Nachbaur, who was hired July 17.
While friends, colleagues, players and fans refer to the assistant coach as “Buzzie”, the former defenseman calls himself a “booster-fan-club type of guy” who exudes what long-time Binghamton season-ticket holder Hans Petersen describes as “a fan’s personality, on and off the ice.”
“I don’t know where I get it from,” shrugs Busniuk. “I just have an upbeat attitude and like to be positive. When a player gets upset about his performance, I try to remind him that yes, this is his job, but it’s supposed to be one of the best experiences in his life — plus he gets his summers off. Enjoy it. The time to worry is after hockey, when you have to work at a job during the summer.
“That's why I became a teacher and a coach, you know. I like my summers off.”
Busniuk was the Montreal Canadiens’ fifth-round pick (67th overall) in the 1971 National Hockey League amateur draft. He spent three years playing for the University of Denver, earning a degree in education before turning pro in 1974 and playing forward with the Nova Scotia Voyageurs, then Montreal’s AHL affiliate.
The Thunder Bay, Ont., native appeared in 143 NHL games, all with Philadelphia after being signed as a free agent by the Flyers in October 1977.
Busniuk enters his seventh season in the Senators’ organization.
The Binghamton Senators announced yesterday that Busniuk will return as assistant coach of the American Hockey League franchise for the 2009-10 season. Busniuk will work with new head coach Don Nachbaur, who was hired July 17.
While friends, colleagues, players and fans refer to the assistant coach as “Buzzie”, the former defenseman calls himself a “booster-fan-club type of guy” who exudes what long-time Binghamton season-ticket holder Hans Petersen describes as “a fan’s personality, on and off the ice.”
“I don’t know where I get it from,” shrugs Busniuk. “I just have an upbeat attitude and like to be positive. When a player gets upset about his performance, I try to remind him that yes, this is his job, but it’s supposed to be one of the best experiences in his life — plus he gets his summers off. Enjoy it. The time to worry is after hockey, when you have to work at a job during the summer.
“That's why I became a teacher and a coach, you know. I like my summers off.”
Busniuk was the Montreal Canadiens’ fifth-round pick (67th overall) in the 1971 National Hockey League amateur draft. He spent three years playing for the University of Denver, earning a degree in education before turning pro in 1974 and playing forward with the Nova Scotia Voyageurs, then Montreal’s AHL affiliate.
The Thunder Bay, Ont., native appeared in 143 NHL games, all with Philadelphia after being signed as a free agent by the Flyers in October 1977.
Busniuk enters his seventh season in the Senators’ organization.
2 comments:
Buzzie grew up in Thunder Bay, Ontario a few years ahead of another famous Thunder Bay-born and-raised hockey coach....drumroll....George Gwozdecky.
You mean - Blunder Bay! REAL men come from Sudbury!! Go Wolves :)!
But hey Man, this is great for Buzzie. I guarantee he'll be smiling ear-to-ear in about 8 months from now when DU turns Detroit "RAK City" upside down
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