Given for "long term outstanding
contributions to the sport of hockey in Minnesota,"
this award is given in memory of Cliff Thompson. As
the coach in Eveleth, Thompson was the only man ever
to coach teams to four consecutive state
championships (1948-51) and the list of his former
players reads like a "who's who" in Minnesota
hockey. Winners of this award are listed in the
Hockey Hall of Fame.
Cliff Thompson Award Winners:
2007 - Roger "Bud" Leak
2006 - Bill Halbrehder
2005 - Rod Magnuson
2004 - Herb Brooks
2003 - Jim Baxter
2002 - John Matchefts, Eveleth
2001 - Tom Osiecki, Burnsville
2000 - Jerry Peterson, Bloomington Kennedy
1999 - Gordy Genz, Roseville Area
1998 - Bill Frantti, St. Cloud Tech
1997 - Dudley Otto, Owatonna
1996 - Lou Cotroneo, St. Paul Johnson
1995 - Charles "Lefty" Smith, South St. Paul
1994 - Dave Hendrickson, Virginia
1993 - Al Godfrey, Hopkins Eisenhower
1992 - John Niehart, St. Paul Johnson
1991 - Ronald Castellano, Babitt-Embarrass
1990 - Carl Carlson, Minneapolis Washburn
1989 - Leo Goslin, Orono
1988 - David Peterson, Minneapolis Southwest
1987 - John Mariucci, University of Minnesota
1986 - Gene Sack, Rochester
1985 - George Perpich, Hibbing
1984 - Glenn Rolle, Duluth East
1983 - Dennis Rolle, Thief River Falls
1982 - Rube Bjorkman, Warroad
1981 - Al Maki, Farmington
1980 - Willard Ikola, Edina
1979 - Larry Ross, International Falls
1978 - Oscar Almquist, Roseau
1977 - Rube Gustafson, St. Paul Johnson
