Born: Sept. 28, 1946
H.S. Class: 1965
Position: Defenseman
HOMETOWN | HIGH SCHOOL | COLLEGE |
---|---|---|
International Falls | International Falls | None |
State Tourney Appearances | State Titles | All-State Tourney | NHL Draft | Died |
---|---|---|---|---|
1963, 64, 65 | 1964, 65 | 1963, 64, 65 | 12th overall pick (California, 1967) | Dec. 23, 2002 |
Radar guns never have been required equipment for hockey scouts.
A slapshot is a slapshot. Doesn’t take a finely tuned electronic instrument to figure that out.
In certain cases, however, what originates as a slapshot becomes something altogether different.
A missile. A rocket. A vulcanized rubber blur.
Of course, there’s no way to gauge who has the hardest shot in Minnesota high school hockey history, but any discussion on the topic requires a long, hard look at the exploits of Gary Wood.
An International Falls defenseman who starred during the peak of the Broncos’ mid-1960s dynasty years, Wood’s blasts from the point were unlike anything state tournament fans had ever seen.
“When he shot a puck in a game, I don’t care where he was, when he hit the puck, oh boy, it would go,” said Merlin Holm, who played hockey in International Falls in the 1940s and has been a regular at Broncos games ever since. “He had the hardest slapshot I ever saw.”
Wood, who died on Dec. 23, 2002, reached the state tournament with the Broncos three straight years from 1963 through ’65. He was named to the all-state tournament team all three years. International Falls won state championships in 1964 and ’65.
“You have to remember we played back in the era when the hockey sticks we used were the old Northland Pros,” said Peter Fichuk, who played alongside Wood in high school. “Straight hockey sticks.”
Wood could do amazing things with that old straight-bladed Northland Pro.
“At that time we played our games at the Fort Frances (Ontario) hockey arena,” Fichuk said. “You would have to enter the ice from behind the goalie cage. He would always make sure he was the first person to go through the gate.
"He would have a puck in his hand, and the first thing he would do when he stepped on the ice was shoot it to the other end. It wouldn’t go more than 2-feet up off the ice all the way.
“Showmanship.”
As a sophomore, Wood scored three goals in three state tournament games in 1963. He scored one goal during the 1964 tournament and finished his career with one goal and six assists as the Broncos dominated the 1965 tourney for a second straight state crown.
“He had the patented shot,” said John Gilbert, the former longtime hockey writer for the Minneapolis Star Tribune. “Other than (Minneapolis Roosevelt’s) Reed Larson, I don’t think there was ever a defenseman that shot the puck like he did.”
Also a talented golfer, Wood was known for his prodigious drives.
“It was the same thing in golf, he could hit the golf ball so far,” Holm said.
Fichuk said Wood enrolled at the University of Minnesota-Duluth after high school. Wood, who was the 12th overall pick by the California Seals in the 1967 NHL Draft, didn’t play for the Bulldogs and instead left school to embark on his pro hockey career.
Although he never reached the NHL, Wood’s pro career spanned a decade and included three full seasons with the Charlotte Checkers.
-- Loren Nelson, MN Hockey Hub editor
Rank | Name | School | Grad. | Pos. | Born | Status | St. Titles | Mr. Hockey | College | Olym. | NHL |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | John Mayasich | Eveleth | 1951 | F | 5/22/33 | Retired | 1948, 49, 50, 51 | NA | Minnesota (1951-55) | 1956, 1960 | - |
2 | Neal Broten | Roseau | 1978 | F | 11/29/59 | Retired | - | NA | Minnesota (1978-81) | 1980 | 1,099 gms; four teams; 80-97 |
3 | Phil Housley | South St. Paul | 1982 | D | 3/9/64 | Retired | - | NA | - | 2002 | 1,495 gms; eight teams; 82-03 |
4 | Tim Sheehy | International Falls | 1966 | F | 9/3/48 | Retired | 1964, 65, 66 | NA | Boston College (1967-70) | 1972 | 27 gms; DET, HAR; 77-80 |
5 | Henry Boucha | Warroad | 1969 | D | 6/1/51 | Retired | - | NA | - | 1972 | 247 gms; four teams; 71-77 |
6 | Mike Antonovich | Greenway | 1969 | F | 10/18/51 | Retired | 1967, 68 | NA | Minnesota (1969-72) | - | 87 gms; three teams; 75-84 |
7 | Willard Ikola | Eveleth | 1950 | G | 7/28/32 | Retired | 1948, 49, 50 | NA | Michigan (1951-54) | 1956 | - |
8 | Mike Crowley | Bloomington Jefferson | 1994 | D | 7/4/75 | Retired | 1992, 93, 94 | 1994 | Minnesota (1994-97) | - | 67 gms; ANA; 97-01 |
9 | Dave Spehar | Duluth East | 1996 | F | 11/7/77 | Retired | 1995 | 1996 | Minnesota (1996-00) | - | - |
10 | John Matchefts | Eveleth | 1949 | F | 6/18/31 | Retired | 1948, 49 | NA | Michigan (1950-53) | 1956 | - |
11 | Kyle Rau | Eden Prairie | 2011 | F | 10/24/92 | Active | 2009, 11 | 2011 | Minnesota (2011- present) | - | - |
12 | Aaron Broten | Roseau | 1979 | F | 11/14/60 | Retired | - | NA | Minnesota (1979-81) | - | 748 gms; six teams; 80-92 |
13 | Craig Norwich | Edina East | 1974 | D | 12/15/55 | Retired | 1974 | NA | Wisconsin (1974-77) | - | 104 gms; three teams; 79-81 |
14 | John Pohl | Red Wing | 1998 | F | 6/29/79 | Retired | 1997 (Class 1A) | 1998 | Minnesota (1998-02) | - | 115 gms; StL, TOR; 03-08 |
15 | Gary Sargent | Bemidji | 1972 | D | 2/8/54 | Retired | - | NA | Bemidji State (1972-73) | - | 402 gms; LAK, MIN; 75-83 |
16 | Bob Krieger | Edina | 1970 | F | 10/5/52 | Retired | 1969 | NA | Denver (1970-74) | - | - |
17 | George Pelawa | Bemidji | 1986 | F | 2/14/68 | Deceased | - | 1986 | - | - | - |
18 | Bill Nyrop | Edina | 1970 | D | 7/23/52 | Deceased | 1969 | NA | Notre Dame (1970-74) | - | 207 gms; MON, MIN; 75-82 |
19 | Tom Chorske | Minneapolis Southwest | 1985 | F | 9/18/66 | Retired | - | 1985 | Minnesota (1985-89) | - | 596 gms; seven teams; 89-00 |
20 | Steve "Pokey" Trachsel | Duluth Cathedral | 1969 | D | 4/16/51 | Retired | 1966, 67, 68, 69 (Catholic) | NA | Minnesota-Duluth (1969-73) | - | - |
21 | Scott Bloom | Burnsville | 1986 | F | 2/6/68 | Retired | 1985, 86 | 1986 finalist | Minnesota (1986-90) | - | - |
22 | Phil Hoene | Duluth Cathedral | 1967 | F | 3/15/49 | Retired | 1965, 66, 67 (Catholic) | NA | Minnesota-Duluth (1968-71) | - | 37 gms; LAK; 72-75 |
23 | Corey Millen | Cloquet | 1982 | F | 4/29/64 | Retired | - | NA | Minnesota (1982-87) | 1984, 1988 | 335 gms; five teams; 89-97 |
24 | Reed Larson | Minneapolis Roosevelt | 1974 | D | 7/30/56 | Retired | - | NA | Minnesota (1974-77) | - | 904 gms; six teams; 76-90 |
25 | Bob Young | Hill | 1971 | D | 3/1/53 | Retired | 1970 (Indep.) | NA | Denver (1971-75) | - | - |
26 | Brad Shelstad | Minneapolis Southwest | 1970 | G | 9/14/52 | Retired | 1970 | NA | Minnesota (1970-74) | - | - |
27 | Mike Ramsey | Minneapolis Roosevelt | 1978 | D | 12/3/60 | Retired | - | NA | Minnesota (1978-79) | 1980 | 1,070 gms; three teams; 80-97 |
28 | Matt Cullen | Moorhead | 1995 | F | 11/2/76 | Active | - | 1995 finalist | St. Cloud State (1995-97) | - | 966 gms; five teams; 98- present |
29 | Bill Baker | Grand Rapids | 1975 | D | 11/29/56 | Retired | 1975 | NA | Minnesota (1975-79) | 1980 | 143 gms; four teams; 80-83 |
30 | Paul Martin | Elk River | 2000 | D | 3/5/81 | Active | - | 2000 | Minnesota (2000-03) | 2006 | 487 gms; NJ, PIT; 03- present |
31 | Wally Grant | Eveleth | 1945 | F | 12/8/27 | Retired | 1945 | NA | Michigan (1945-46, 47-50) | - | - |
32 | Brian Bonin | White Bear Lake | 1992 | F | 11/28/73 | Retired | - | 1992 | Minnesota (1992-96) | - | 12 gms; PIT, MIN; 98-00 |
33 | Larry Olimb | Warroad | 1988 | D | 8/11/69 | Retired | - | 1988 | Minnesota (1988-92) | - | - |
34 | Dave Langevin | Hill-Murray | 1972 | D | 5/15/54 | Retired | 1970, 72 (Indep.) | NA | Minnesota-Duluth (1972-76) | - | 513 gms; three teams; 79-87 |
35 | Joe Bianchi | Bloomington Jefferson | 1994 | F | 8/17/75 | Retired | 1992, 93, 94 | 1994 finalist | Wisconsin (1994-98) | - | - |
36 | Peter Fichuk | International Falls | 1965 | F | 4/8/47 | Retired | 1964, 65 | NA | Minnesota (1966-69) | - | - |
37 | Jon Casey | Grand Rapids | 1980 | G | 8/29/62 | Retired | 1980 | NA | North Dakota (1980-84) | 425 gms; three teams; 83-87 | |
38 | Doug Woog | South St. Paul | 1962 | F | 1/26/44 | Retired | - | NA | Minnesota (1963-66) | - | - |
39 | Darby Hendrickson | Richfield | 1991 | F | 8/28/72 | Retired | - | 1991 | Minnesota (1991-93) | 1994 | 518 gms; five teams; 94-04 |
40 | Paul Ranheim | Edina | 1984 | F | 1/25/66 | Retired | 1984 | NA | Wisconsin (1984-88) | - | 1,013 gms; five teams; 88-03 |
41 | Steve Christoff | Richfield | 1976 | F | 1/23/58 | Retired | - | NA | Minnesota (1976-79) | 1980 | 248 gms; three teams; 79-84 |
42 | T.J. Oshie | Warroad | 2005 | F | 12/23/86 | Active | 2003, 2005 (Class 1A) | 2005 finalist | North Dakota (2005-08) | - | 184 gms; StL; 08- present |
43 | Scott Lecy | Rochester John Marshall | 1977 | F | 4/8/59 | Retired | 1977 | NA | Wisconsin (1977-81) | - | - |
44 | Scott Bjugstad | Irondale | 1979 | F | 6/2/61 | Retired | - | NA | Minnesota (1979-83) | 1984 | 317 gms; three teams; 83-92 |
45 | Mike "Lefty" Curran | International Falls | 1962 | G | 4/14/1944 | Retired | 1962 | NA | North Dakota (1965-68) | 1972 | - |
46 | Joe Micheletti | Hibbing | 1973 | F | 10/24/54 | Retired | 1973 | NA | Minnesota (1973-77) | - | 158 gms; StL, COL; 79-82 |
47 | Rob McClanahan | Mounds View | 1976 | F | 1/9/58 | Retired | - | NA | Minnesota (1976-79) | 1980 | 224 gms; three teams; 80-84 |
48 | Nick Leddy | Eden Prairie | 2009 | D | 3/20/91 | Active | 2009 | 2009 | Minnesota (2009-10) | - | 46 gms; CHI; 10- present |
49 | Tom Pederson | Bloomington Jefferson | 1988 | D | 1/14/70 | Retired | - | 1988 finalist | Minnesota (1988-91) | - | 240 gms; SJ, TOR; 92-97 |
50 | Dave Christian | Warroad | 1977 | F | 5/12/59 | Retired | - | NA | North Dakota (1977-79) | 1980 | 1,009 gms; five teams; 80-94 |
51 | Jay North | Bloomington Jefferson | 1980 | F | 6/26/62 | Retired | - | NA | Harvard (1980-84) | - | - |
52 | Paul Johnson | Breck | 1953 | F | 5/18/36 | Retired | - | NA | - | 1960, 1964 | - |
53 | Pete Waselovich | International Falls | 1973 | G | 11/15/54 | Retired | 1972 | NA | North Dakota (1973-77) | - | - |
54 | Tom Kurvers | Bloomington Jefferson | 1980 | D | 9/14/62 | Retired | - | NA | UM-Duluth (1980-84) | - | 659 gms; seven teams; 84-95 |
55 | Mark Osiecki | Burnsville | 1986 | D | 7/23/68 | Retired | 1985, 86 | - | Wisconsin (1997-90) | - | 93 gms; four teams; 91-93 |
56 | Mark Pavelich | Eveleth | 1976 | F | 2/28/58 | Retired | - | NA | UM-Duluth (1976-79) | 1980 | 355 gms; three teams; 81-92 |
57 | Mark Parrish | Bloomington Jefferson | 1995 | F | 2/2/77 | Active | 1994 | 1995 finalist | St. Cloud State (1995-97) | 2006 | 722 gms; seven teams; 98- present |
58 | Bryan "Butsy" Erickson | Roseau | 1978 | F | 3/7/60 | Retired | - | NA | Minnesota (1979-83) | - | 351 gms; four teams; 83-94 |
59 | Roger Christian | Warroad | 1956 | F | 12/1/35 | Deceased | - | NA | - | 1960, 1964 | - |
60 | Bill Christian | Warroad | 1956 | F | 1/28/38 | Retired | - | NA | - | 1960, 1964 | - |
61 | Trent Klatt | Osseo | 1989 | F | 1/30/72 | Retired | - | 1989 | Minnesota (1989-92) | - | 782 gms; five teams; 91-04 |
62 | Erik Rasmussen | St. Louis Park | 1995 | F/D | 3/28/77 | Retired | - | 1995 | Minnesota (1995-97) | - | 545 gms; three teams; 97-07 |
63 | Robb Stauber | Duluth Denfeld | 1986 | G | 11/25/67 | Retired | - | NA | Minnesota (1986-89) | - | 62 gms; LAK, BUF; 89-95 |
64 | Joe Dziedzic | Minneapolis Edison | 1990 | F | 12/18/71 | Retired | - | 1990 | Minnesota (1990-94) | - | 130 gms; PIT, PHX; 95-99 |
65 | Ryan McDonagh | Cretin- Derham Hall | 2007 | D | 6/13/89 | Active | 2006 | 2007 | Wisconsin (2007-10) | - | 40 gms; NYR; 10- present |
66 | Craig Johnson | Hill-Murray | 1990 | F | 3/18/72 | Retired | - | 1990 finalist | Minnesota (1990-93) | 1994 | 557 gms; five teams; 94-04 |
67 | Matt Hendricks | Blaine | 2000 | F | 6/17/81 | Active | 2000 | 2000 finalist | St. Cloud State (2000-04) | - | 137 gms; COL, WSH; 08- present |
68 | Wally Chapman | Edina | 1982 | F | 7/6/64 | Retired | 1982 | NA | Minnesota (1982-86) | - | - |
69 | Bob Paradise | Cretin | 1962 | D | 4/22/44 | Retired | - | NA | Saint Mary's (1962-66) | 1968 | 368 gms; four teams; 71-79 |
70 | Ben Hanowski | Little Falls | 2009 | F | 10/18/90 | Active | - | 2009 finalist | St. Cloud State (2009- present) | - | - |
71 | Damian Rhodes | Richfield | 1987 | G | 5/28/69 | Retired | - | NA | Michigan Tech (1987-90) | - | 309 gms; three teams; 90-02 |
72 | Eric Strobel | Rochester Mayo | 1976 | F | 6/5/58 | Retired | - | NA | Minnesota (1976-79) | 1980 | - |
73 | Dick Dougherty | International Falls | 1950 | F | 8/5/32 | Retired | - | NA | Minnesota (1951-54) | 1956 | - |
74 | Gino Guyer | Greenway | 2002 | F | 10/14/83 | Active | - | 2002 | Minnesota (2002-06) | - | - |
75 | Jim Amidon | International Falls | 1963 | F | 2/18/45 | Retired | 1962 | NA | Colorado College (1964-67) | - | - |
76 | Karl Goehring | Apple Valley | 1996 | G | 8/23/78 | Retired | 1996 | NA | North Dakota (1997-01) | - | - |
77 | Rube Bjorkman | Roseau | 1947 | F | 2/27/29 | Retired | 1946 | NA | Minnesota (1948-51) | 1948, 1952 | - |
78 | Tony Bianchi | Bloomington Jefferson | 1989 | F | 12/15/70 | Retired | 1989 | - | Minnesota (1991-94) | - | - |
79 | Oscar Mahle | International Falls | 1957 | F | 8/22/39 | Deceased | 1957 | NA | Minnesota (1959-61) | - | - |
80 | Mike Randolph | Duluth Cathedral | 1970 | F | 11/5/51 | Retired | 1967, 68, 69 (Catholic) | NA | - | - | - |
81 | Aaron Ness | Roseau | 2008 | D | 5/18/90 | Active | 2007 | 2008 | Minnesota (2008-11) | - | - |
82 | Doug Palazzari | Eveleth | 1970 | F | 11/3/52 | Retired | - | NA | Colorado College (1970-74) | - | 108 gms; StL; 74-79 |
83 | Nick Checco | Bloomington Jefferson | 1993 | F | 11/18/74 | Retired | 1992, 93 | 1993 | Minnesota (1993-97) | - | - |
84 | John Rothstein | Grand Rapids | 1975 | F | 10/28/56 | Retired | 1975 | NA | UM-Duluth (1975-79) | - | - |
85 | Gary Wood | International Falls | 1965 | D | 9/28/46 | Deceased | 1964, 65 | NA | - | - | - |
86 | Al Hangsleben | Warroad | 1971 | D | 2/22/53 | Retired | - | NA | North Dakota (1971-74) | - | 185 gms; three teams; 79-82 |
87 | Doug Peltier | St. Paul Johnson | 1968 | F | 6/29/50 | Retired | - | NA | Minnesota (1969-72) | - | - |
88 | Mike Lauen | Edina East | 1979 | F | 2/6/61 | Retired | 1978, 79 | NA | Michigan Tech (1979-83) | - | 4 gms; WIN; 83-84 |
89 | Max Oshie | Warroad | 1948 | F | 6/10/28 | Deceased | - | NA | - | - | - |
90 | Tom Gorowsky | Centennial | 2004 | F | 4/8/86 | Retired | 2004 | 2004 | Wisconsin (2005-09) | - | - |
91 | Jack McCartan | St. Paul Marshall | 1953 | G | 8/5/35 | Retired | - | NA | Minnesota (1955-58) | 1960 | 12 gms; NYR; 59-61 |
92 | Doug Zmolek | Roch. John Marshall | 1989 | D | 11/3/70 | Retired | - | 1989 finalist | Minnesota (1989-92) | - | 467 gms; four teams; 92-00 |
93 | Pete LoPresti | Eveleth | 1972 | G | 5/23/54 | Retired | - | NA | Denver (1972-74) | - | 175 gms; MIN, EDM; 74-81 |
94 | Terry Abram | South St. Paul | 1965 | D | 2/14/47 | Retired | - | NA | North Dakota (1966-69) | - | - |
95 | Bill "Buzz" Schneider | Babbitt | 1972 | F/D | 9/14/54 | Retired | - | NA | Minnesota (1972-75) | 1976, 1980 | - |
96 | David Backes | Spring Lake Park | 2002 | F | 5/1/84 | Active | - | 2002 finalist | Minnesota State (2003-06) | 2010 | 364 gms; StL; 06-11 |
97 | Don Ross | Roseau | 1960 | F | 10/11/42 | Retired | 1958, 59 | NA | North Dakota (1961-65) | 1964, 1968 | - |
98 | Mike Polich | Hibbing | 1971 | F | 12/19/52 | Retired | - | NA | Minnesota (1971-75) | - | 226 gms; MON, MIN; 76-81 |
99 | Chris Locker | Duluth East | 1996 | F | 10/14/77 | Retired | 1995 | - | UW-River Falls (1999-2000) | - | - |
100 | Herb Brooks | St. Paul Johnson | 1955 | F | 8/5/37 | Deceased | 1955 | NA | Minnesota (1955-59) | 1964, 1968 | - |