Rube Bjorkman

Rube Bjorkman
Personal information
Born (1929-02-27) February 27, 1929

Rubin Eugene Bjorkman (born February 27, 1929) is a former head coach of the University of North Dakota Fighting Sioux hockey men's team. A graduate of Roseau, Minnesota High School where he led his team to a State Championship in 1946, Bjorkman was a member of the US Olympic teams in 1948 and 1952 (silver medalists).[1] He was a three-year letter winner at the University of Minnesota. Known as the "Masked Marvel" due to the flight goggles he wore to protect his glasses, Bjorkman was considered one of the finest hockey players of his era.

Bjorkman's High School coaching career began at Greenway High School in Coleraine, Minnesota. His 1962 team competed in the Minnesota State High School Hockey Tournament, making him one of the few who have participated in the tournament as both a player and coach.

His first college coaching season (1963–1964), at RPI, culminated with his team finishing third in the NCAA Championships. Following that season he was hired as the Head Hockey Coach at the University of New Hampshire where he would spend four years prior to accepting the position at the University of North Dakota.

In 1982 Bjorkman was honored by the Minnesota Hockey Coaches Association when he was named the recipient of the Cliff Thompson Award, given for long term, outstanding contributions to the sport of hockey in Minnesota. In 1997 The American Hockey Coaches Association recognized Bjorkman with the John "Snooks" Kelly Founders Award. Named after the famed Boston College coach, this award honors those people in the coaching profession who have contributed to the overall growth and development of the sport of ice hockey in the United States.

Coaching career

Head coaching record

Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Rensselaer (ECAC Hockey) (1963–1964)
1963–1964 Rensselaer 18-8-0 0-0 NCAA Third Place
Rensselaer: 18-8-0
New Hampshire (Hockey East) (1964–1968)
1964–1965 New Hampshire 6-14-0 0-0
1965–1966 New Hampshire 11-12-0 0-0
1966–1967 New Hampshire 18-7-0 0-0
1967–1968 New Hampshire 22-7-0 0-0
New Hampshire: 57-40-0
North Dakota (WCHA) (1968–1978)
1968–1969 North Dakota 18-10-1 0-0
1969–1970 North Dakota 14-5-1 0-0
1970–1971 North Dakota 14-17-2 0-0
1971–1972 North Dakota 21-14-1 0-0
1972–1973 North Dakota 17-17-2 0-0
1973–1974 North Dakota 10-23-1 0-0
1974–1975 North Dakota 6-28-2 0-0
1975–1976 North Dakota 15-21-0 0-0
1976–1977 North Dakota 19-19-0 0-0
1977–1978 North Dakota 15-22-1 0-0
North Dakota: 149-186-11
Total: 224-234-11

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

References

  1. http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/countries/USA/winter/1952/ICH/
Awards and achievements
Preceded by
Ned Harkness
Rensselaer Head Coach
1963-1964
Succeeded by
Garry Kearns
Preceded by
A. Barr Snively
University of New Hampshire Head Coach
1964–1968
Succeeded by
Charlie Holt
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