THERE have been many talented players from Thunder Bay who went on to star in the NCAA collegiate hockey ranks.
Be it the likes of Greg Johnson, Norm Maciver, Haley Irwin, and many more, there is one individual, whose posted a single-season achievement that continues to stand the test of time.
Back three and a half decades ago, in 1986-87, Tony Hrkac had a campaign for the ages in helping lead the University of North Dakota to a national championship.
That year, Hrkac also went on to establish a new NCAA Division I single-season record for points in a campaign with 116, which still stands today.
His offensive efforts broke the previous mark of 109 set two seasons earlier by Bill Watson at Minnesota-Duluth and Steve Moria at Alaska-Fairbanks.
Since the show put on by the ‘Hrkac Circus’, as he was dubbed by the faithful in Grand Forks, N.D., when he notched 46 goals and doled out 70 assists, no one has really come relatively close in surpassing this remarkable achievement.
In fact, over the previous 35 winters, only two players have managed to reach the century mark, in terms of points in one season.
Former NHLers Kip Miller (Michigan State/1989-90) and hall of famer Paul Kariya (Maine/1992-93) racked up 101 and 100 respectively to become just the 11th and 12th members in NCAA play to join the 100-point club.
The efforts compiled by Hrkac in 1986-87 saw him collect Western Collegiate Hockey Association Most Valuable Player laurels, while being tabbed with both first team All-WCHA and All-American honours.
Topping that, he became North Dakota’s first-ever recipient of the Hobey Baker Award as the top player in U.S. college hockey.
Team success was also prevalent with his UND side defeating Michigan State 5-3 in the NCAA final four.
At that four-school event held in Detroit, that also featured Harvard and the University of Minnesota, Hrkac picked up the NCAA Tournament Outstanding Player award and was named to the All-Tournament team.
Of note, his 70 helpers that year remains the third-most in the NCAA record book.
The late Greg Johnson is also on the list at 14th, when he had 61 assists at North Dakota in 1990-91.
Johnson meanwhile is knotted for third-best in career set-ups with 198 and Maciver still holds a place in all-time assists at 34th, with 152 while starring on defence at UMD.
Moving on to a lengthy professional career, Hrkac was tabbed International Hockey League MVP in 1993 and won a Stanley Cup with the Dallas Stars in 1999.
In 1,483 contests from the junior ranks through a 22-year pro career, including 16 in the NHL, Hrkac piled up 1,296 points, making him one of the most proficient point-producers ever to come out of the Lakehead.
SO LONG BOB: The city lost a familiar face in the local hockey scene last week with the passing of Bob Marks.
For many years Bob was always there when called upon, volunteering his time, no matter what the role.
He helped coach and serve with various minor hockey programs in numerous capacities. He was a manager with the Thunder Bay Kings under-18 AAA program and eventually held the position of vice-president, with the city’s Jr. B league.
Whether running into him in arenas across the city, or in venues across the country at multiple tournaments, such as provincial and national championships, he remained friendly, upbeat and positive right up until the end, before losing his courageous battle with cancer.
All the while Bob remained fully supportive of his son and grandchildren’s endeavours in hockey, while remaining fully cognizant of all the many individuals and teams from Thunder Bay, who went on to achieve success on the ice.
So long Bobby. You’ll be missed.