NAEGELE, BURKE, HOUSLEY AND LINDSAY SELECTED AS RECIPIENTS OF 2008 LESTER PATRICK TROPHY
Posted on August 8th, 2008 – 8:33 AMBy Michael Russo
NAEGELE, BURKE, HOUSLEY AND LINDSAY SELECTED AS RECIPIENTS OF 2008 LESTER PATRICK TROPHY NEW YORK (August 7, 2008) — Minnesota Wild founding owner Bob Naegele, Jr., Anaheim Ducks Executive Vice President and General Manager Brian Burke, 21-year NHL defenseman Phil Housley and Hockey Hall of Fame left wing Ted Lindsay have been named recipients of the 2008 Lester Patrick Trophy for outstanding service to hockey in the United States.
The award, one of the most prestigious in hockey, was presented to the National Hockey League by the New York Rangers in 1966. It honors the memory of Lester Patrick, who spent 50 years in hockey as a player, coach, and general manager, and was a pioneer in the sport’s development. The recipients will be honored at the 2008 Lester Patrick Awards Luncheon Oct. 22 in Minnesota. Further details on the event, including ticket information, will be announced at a later date.
A born and bred Minnesotan who played goal for Minnetonka High School, Naegele became the lead investor of an informal association of hockey enthusiasts whose dream was to see the return of NHL hockey to Minnesota. The group, Minnesota Sports & Entertainment, helped Minnesota hockey fans realize their dream on June 25, 1997, when the NHL announced that St. Paul was awarded an expansion franchise. The Minnesota Wild began competing in the 2000-01 season at the new Xcel Energy Center. With Naegele as majority owner, the Wild became one of the most successful expansion franchises in pro sports. The team has played in front of capacity crowds for every home game in franchise history, a streak that encompasses seven seasons and 319 pre-season, regular-season and playoff games.
Born in New England and raised in Minnesota, Brian Burke has been passionate advocate for the game over a career that spans more than 35 years as a player, player representative and senior executive at both the League and Club level. Burke played hockey at Providence College (1973-77) and with the AHL Maine Mariners (1977-78), returned to the classroom to obtain his degree from Harvard Law School (1981) and practiced law in Boston for the next six years as a player representative. Burke launched his NHL career with the Vancouver Canucks in 1987 as VP Hockey Operations, a post he held until joining the Hartford Whalers as General Manager in 1992. He joined the NHL front office in 1993 as Senior VP/Hockey Operations and returned to Vancouver in 1998 for a six-year stint as the Canucks’ President and General Manager. Burke has served as Executive VP and General Manager of the Anaheim Ducks since 2005, re-tooling the club into an aggressive, up-tempo squad that became the first California club to capture the Stanley Cup in 2007. In June, Burke was named President and General Manager of the 2010 U.S. entry at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver.
Phil Housley made headlines when the Buffalo Sabres selected the 18-year-old South St. Paul High School star with the sixth overall pick of the 1982 Entry Draft. Only one U.S.-born player had been taken with a higher draft pick — Massachusetts prep prodigy Bob Carpenter, who went third overall to Washington the previous year. Housley made a successful jump from high school to the NHL, leading all first-year defensemen in scoring with 66 points (19 goals, 47 assists) and earning a place on the NHL’s All-Rookie Team in 1982-83. Housley went on to play 21 NHL seasons with eight clubs and retired as the League’s all-time leader among U.S.-born players in games (1,495) and points (338-894–1,232). He currently ranks second in both categories, trailing Chris Chelios (1,616) and Mike Modano (1,283), respectively. Housley was a member of the United States team that defeated Canada to win the 1996 World Cup of Hockey, captured a silver medal with Team USA at the 2002 Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City and also represented his country in one World Junior Championship, two Canada Cups and six World Championships. He was inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame in 2004.
An icon in Detroit sports history, Ted Lindsay played 14 of his 17 NHL seasons with the Detroit Red Wings and was a key member of the Red Wings dynasty that captured seven consecutive regular-season titles and four Stanley Cups from 1948-49 through 1954-55. Playing much of his career at left wing on the Red Wings’ famed ‘Production Line’ alongside right wing Gordie Howe and center Sid Abel, Lindsay captured the League scoring title in 1949-50, made 11 All-Star Game appearances and was named an NHL First Team All-Star eight times. Traded to Chicago in 1957-58, Lindsay played three seasons with the Blackhawks before retiring following the 1959-60 season. He made a storied one-season comeback with the Red Wings in 1964-65, helping the club to a first-place finish, and was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1966. Lindsay later served as Red Wings General Manager from 1976-77 through 1979-80 and also coached the club for parts of the 1979-80 and 1980-81 campaigns.
79 Responses to "NAEGELE, BURKE, HOUSLEY AND LINDSAY SELECTED AS RECIPIENTS OF 2008 LESTER PATRICK TROPHY"
#1 stunna
Please, dear Lord, for Christmas, please strike down Zigtron so we do not need to deal with #1 posts any longer.
Congrats to Housley and Neagele, but any award that is given to Brian Burke is automatically tainted.
Come on Russo, don’t you have any news about the Panthers - um, I mean Wild!?
Give Ziggy a break. He hasn’t had a college education; he went to UND…
Sorry Buddha I thought Zig was Funny.
Delta is still a jerk
Matt Cooke Sucks!
Alex Burrows Sucks!
Ryan Kesler Sucks!
Ohlund (aka Paul Bunyan) Sucks!
Pinky and the Groin Twins Suck!
Oh yes, the season is getting closer…. gotta get in bashing shape…
3 out of 4 Minnesotans ain’t bad. Even if one is Burke the Jerk.
Then again, Burke’s not native - he’s an import. I guess that explains it all. And nice job on the PR piece - they got it right with “re-tooling the club into an aggressive, . . . squad.” Thugs, all.
they got it right with “re-tooling the club into an aggressive, . . . squad.” Thugs, all.
Oh yeah, Getzlaf, Selanne, Scott Neidermayer - Major thugs, those guys.
I hear Selanne takes notes from Chuck Norris. Straight Thuggin’
You know what they say, Iggy… lie down with dogs, get up with fleas.
NiNY…how close to the arena do you want to meet? Do you have transportation?
Lots of downtown diversions.
Or, we could migrate to a hockeyhangout.
Decisions, decisions… 
i personally admire his dedication
kj: send me your email again
I thought they say qui cum canibus concumbunt cum pulicibus surgent.
Weird.
They also say, “when you get into bed with evil, it always steals the covers.”
Ok, I think only the Tick said that.
Uh oh. I’m afraid I may be evil…
Oh, actually I think I misquoted. It’s supposed to be “evil incarnate.”
ms.c…
Evil is good from a different point of view… 
I didn’t realize that Texans had covers on their beds.
haha…well played, ms.c
You’re right, KJ. In the summer, evil goes in reverse where you kick all the covers off yourself and onto your partner.
Ms. C - At first I read that as “…and onto your panther.”
I like my version better.
Oh man, the jokes flying around my head right now…
What about panthers? Let me go re-read that…. oh, ok, now I get it. So, simce Burke wasn’t born here does that make him only 1/2 Minnesotan? And I’m really surprised with how big hockey is in So. St. Paul (live there, so I know first hand)that there isn’t a sign that says “Home of Phil Housley” or does that only happen for football players? I only have a few moments while I’m on an early lunch, glad there was something new to read with my PB&J.
Bandgeek, apparently you haven’t been in the north rink at Wakota Arena. They have a massive Housley jersey in there.
According to tsn, the Flames have re-signed a cunning forward.
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=245639&lid=sublink01&lpos=headlines_nhl
Dallas passing on Parrish because of cap issues per one of the GM.
http://starsblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2008/08/no-parrish-for-stars.html
I thought you had to have and AHL Affiliate. It would suck to have all of your prospects on different teams.
It’s nice that NHL hockey is back in MInnesota, but until Risebrough is fired, a Cup run will never happen.
Lucky we have 5 division 1 teams in this state!!
Lucky we have 5 division 1 teams in this state!!
That ought help our cup chances.
I wonder how a WCHA all-star team would handle an NHL team?
aka - I wonder how the Sioux would handle an NHL team
Oooh, a Tick reference.
Favorite character: Evil Midnight Bomber What Bombs At Midnight.
Quote:
So he says to me, ‘You wanna be a baaaaad guy?’ And I say yeah, baby! I wanna be bad! I SAYS, SURF’S UP, SPACE PONIES! I’M MAKING GRAVY WITHOUT THE LUMPS! Aaaaaa-hahahahaha!
“Destiny dressed you this morning my friend, and now Fear is trying to pull off your pants. If you give up, if you give in, you’re gonna end up naked with Fear just standing there laughing at your dangling unmentionables!”
Tick: It’s your turn now, Thorace-bog.
Thrakkorzog: It’s Thrakkorzog. Thrakkorzog. With a K.
Tick: We’re only serving humble pie, Whatchamazog.
Thrakkorzog: For the last time, it’s…
Tick: Thorax-and-a-bog. Four-yacks-and-a-dog.
Thrakkorzog: No.
Tick: Ah, laxative-log.
Thrakkorzog: No, no, no.
Tick: Sapsucker-frog.
Thrakkorzog: Thrakkorzog.
Tick: Susan?
Thrakkorzog: Now you’re doing it on purpose. How juvenile.
Zigtron, the Sioux would get spanked - sorry.
“Arthur, the brain baby is kicking again!”
“It’s called a ‘Headache’, Tick!”
“It has a name!?”
SCOTTY BOWMAN!
Sorry…tension breaker…had to be done.
“It has a name!?”
hahaha, that is great. I do love The Tick.
Did you ever see the short-lived live action show The Tick, ATX? That’s what my quotes were from.
So would an WCHA All Star team Zig, baaaaad even if it was a last place team Zig.
Unless, the NHL team could not motivate themselves and then it could be like the US Olympic team in 1980 or Ferris State/Holy Cross wins.
Now, a WCHA all star team vs. an AHL team, that is a different matter. I’d say that one’s a tossup.
Let’s get back to the Wild so….. read this on the Wild board.
The latest Gaborik Trade Rumor courtesy of http://www.hockeyleaks.com/index.php?page=rumors
” spoke with a source today that confirmed for me that Carolina has had very serious discussions with Minnesota about aquiring Marian Gaborik. The Hurricanes feel that Staal and Gaborik could be one of the most lethal combinations in the NHL. The rumour I have heard would send Justin Williams, F. Kaberle, prospect Jamie Mcbain and a 1st round draft pick to Minnesota for Marian Gaborik and something else to be determined. The Wild continue to shop Gaborik around the NHL, as Gaborik has made it clear to management that he intends to move on to a more offense-minding team after his contract runs out following this season. The Wild would prefer to trade him prior to the start of the season.”
I50G, yeah I loved the live action version too. It was a shame it didn’t stick around.
Yeah, ATX, I bought the series on DVD for like 5 bucks.
The Hurricanes feel that Staal and Gaborik could be one of the most lethal combinations in the NHL.
Why don’t they give us Staal then?
“The rumour I have heard would send Justin Williams, F. Kaberle, prospect Jamie Mcbain and a 1st round draft pick to Minnesota for Marian Gaborik and something else to be determined.”
I would not be cool with that at all. Where would the Wild’s scoring come from? Unless that Jamie Mcbain kid is a 40 goal scorer we would be in serious trouble.
You know, most rumors don’t sound very realistic to me, but that one does. Though the only three of those I’ve heard of is Kaberle.
Y’all ready to write off this year?
Yeah, Williams is a nice player, but I don’t think he’s going to be putting up 40 any time soon. He’s got more Rolston-type numbers.
I checked - McBain ( a Minnesotan from Edina) is a defensemen so we are lucky if we can get 10 points from him. A second round pick to boot.
This summer there were rumours that the Hurricanes were shopping Kaberle and were getting no takers.
Someone must be listening to the radio or reading the blogs about the Wild fans wanting more Minnesotans on the team.
Good lord. Another d-man? Is he AHL right now?
McBain is at U of Wisconsin right now. He just attended his first rookie camp this year so he wants to make the jump soon.
06-07 NCAA 36 3 15 18 36
07-08 NCAA 35 5 19 24 18
One hopes. We got enough kids in college not doing me any good in Houston. And it is all about me, doncha know.
Good heavens. He’s not even the Kaberle I’ve heard of! AUGH.
I would not be cool with that at all. Where would the Wild’s scoring come from? Unless that Jamie Mcbain kid is a 40 goal scorer we would be in serious trouble.
ATX, keep in mind this sort of trade would only happen if the Wild CANNOT sign Gaborik to an extension, in THAT situation I think this would be a decent trade for the Wild.
Williams is good, he is young, and he has a reasonable contract. I don’t get why Kaberle would be a part of the trade though, because I think the Wild squad is set on defense right now. Mcbain (of Simpsons fame?) is a solid prospect and add to that a number 1 pick and I think we are in the ballpark.
I think you would have to exchange Kaberle for something else though.
Eklund reporting Parrish heading to NYI to be with Park and Sutton.
Makes some sense.
Eklund reporting Parrish heading to NYI to be with Park and Sutton.
Makes some sense.
Blind Squirrel Theory?
Almost.
Blind Squirrel Theory?
In his case, add to that Deaf and Dumb.
One more thing, someone on HFboards that Williams is coming of knee surgery — that makes me nervous.
Yes he is, sunshine. Quick fantasy tangent: last season I had him on my team and he was on fire the first two months then went into a major rut. I traded him for Shanahan, then a day later he tore his ACL or something and was out for almost the entire year. He returned april 1 but that was it, since Carolina choked away the playoffs.
Yikes!
Torn MCL too it looks. He’d started the year with 25 points in 23 games.
I hate to call out Wild fan posters on Hfboards as there doesn’t seem to be a lot, but this poster is an idiot representing the Wild’s interests. He is willing to except for Gaborik…. wait for this…
“1st than maybe Babchuk and Ruutu”
I admit I write a lot of dumb stuff but I would never write that I would accept that kind of deal.
except should be accept…. my bad.
for Gaborik…. wait for this…
“1st than maybe Babchuk and Ruutu
Wait… that’s it?
That’s it so far he has posted.
Heehee. Yeah, I think Carolina makes that deal. I think even I’d be jumping on the Dump the Dumpper bandwagon with that one.
Maybe Phoenix will trade us Jokinen for Gabby.
>.>
Mmm… Ruutu… *drool*
Er, I mean, that’s a terrible trade. No way.
I don’t mind Ruutu. Its just the whole trade. YUCK. YUCK. and YUCK.
Maybe he meant Zach Boychuck, C, (#14 in 2008 draft) instead of Babchuk.
Though it still wouldn’t be enough.
On another issue — anybody listed to the Rolston interview that is posted on 830wcco.com ’s on demand page.
I am still feeling negative towards Rolston and have refuse to listen to it.
Is it recent? Or from when he abandoned us for stinking New Jersey?
Its recent from 7/30.
Nope. I’m with you, I think. There’s really not much he can say that he actually WOULD say that wouldn’t just piss me off further.
Any Gaborik trade combos/rumors I have heard thus far (if accepted) would get DR a lifetime ban from the NHL.
Sheesh.
Personally, I thought when the were negotiating for OJ that Gabby should have been included but with us getting more than just OJ … (OJ, other players, choices).
The point of getting Olli was for Gaborik. If Gaborik is part of the package, who is Olli suppose to play with?
Maybe no one will see this post, since Russo has moved on, but I’m going to post it anyway.
First, zigtron is not funny. The first posts are not funny. The fact that he went to UND though explains everything.
And Zigtron, really? UND against an NHL team? I’m thinking if they allowed UND two golaies and 8 guys on the ice, they would still lose by 10 to 15 goals, and then only if the pro squad decided not to play full out.
This isn’t Lake Placid. No miracles.
Goody you are fooling yourself if you think a WCHA team could keep up with an AHL All Star team. Remember some of the stars in college don’t even make it to the pros. Just compare the goalies for a start. Would be a humbling experience for the little college boys.
