Brooks Returns To Team USA
Herb Brooks, who led the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team to its "Miracle on Ice," is returning to Team USA as head coach for the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City.
USA Hockey confirmed Brooks' hiring Wednesday morning.
"From USA Hockey's perspective, the members of this coaching staff have been an integral part of our success in international competition over many years, including the glory of the 1980 Olympic Winter Games, which continues to come back to us," Walter Bush Jr., president of USA Hockey, said in a statement.
Joining Brooks as assistants are minor league coach John Cunniff and former Olympic hockey coach Lou Vairo. Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Craig Patrick will be the team's GM; St. Louis Blues general manager Larry Pleau is associate GM; USA Hockey official Art Berglund is director of player personnel; and Jim Johannson, another USA Hockey official, is team leader.
"I'm extremely interested in the American hockey movement, and if USA Hockey feels I can help in this capacity at this time, I'm very proud to do so," Brooks said in a statement. "The Olympics are special and transcend other sporting events, although the competition will be extremely difficult. I believe in the American players in the National Hockey League and their competitive spirit."
In 1980, Brooks and Patrick, the assistant general manager and assistant coach, led a group of college players to an upset of the Soviet Union en route to a gold medal. It was the last time the United States won a medal in men's hockey.
At the 1998 Nagano Games in Japan, the United States tied for fifth place, despite using NHL players, and the team came under criticism for its behavior.
The 63-year-old Brooks, who coached the University of Minnesota from 1972-79, played on the 1964 and `68 teams. He has not been a part of the U.S. Olympic team since 1980. Brooks also has coached the Penguins, New York Rangers, Minnesota North Stars and New Jersey Devils.
Patrick, 54, has been the general manager of the Rangers and Penguins. Patrick has been in Pittsburgh since 1989.
Pleau, 53, a member of the 1968 U.S. Olympic team, has been the Blues' general manager since 1997.
Cunniff, in his fifth season as head coach of the American Hockey League's Albany River Rats, is making his third appearance on the staff of a men's Olympic hockey team. He served as assistant coach in 1998 and was an associate coach in 1994. He also was a member of the 1968 U.S. Olympic team.
Vairo has been director of special projects for USA Hockey since 1992. He served as head coach of the 1984 Olympic hockey team.
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