Gordon Wilkie
Encyclopedia
Gordon Wilkie is a Canadian ice hockey
player (center) who played three seasons for the University of Michigan
from 1961-1964. As a senior and team captain in 1964, Wilkie led the Michigan Wolverines men's ice hockey
team to the NCAA ice hockey championship. Wilkie also played two seasons of junior hockey with the Regina Pats
, and five years of professional hockey with the Cleveland Barons, San Diego Gulls and Seattle Totems
. He was inducted into the University of Michigan Athletic Hall of Honor
in 1989.
, Wilkie played two seasons of junior hockey with the Regina Pats
from 1957-1959. In 1960, Coach Al Renfrew
recruited Wilkie and other players from Regina to play for him at the University of Michigan
. Wilkie later recalled, "My dad ran a meat market in Regina. He simply couldn't afford to send me here. Michigan hockey was my chance at an education. I spent a lot of Saturday nights in the library." He added, "I owe Red (Berenson) and Coach (Al) Renfrew
for the opportunity to be part of this great tradition.
Freshman were not eligible to play varsity hockey at the time, and Wilkie began his collegiate hockey career as a sophomore in the 1961-1962 season. He received the Western Collegiate Hockey Association
Rookie of the Year Award. As a junior in the 1962-63 season, Wilkie scored 34 points on 24 goals and 10 assists. At the end of the season, in March 1963, Wilkie was elected by his teammates to be the captain of the 1963-64 team.
Wilkie had his greatest success as a senior in the 1963-1964 season, as he led the Michigan Wolverines to their seventh NCAA hockey championship, and their first in ten years. Wilkie was also named a first-team All-American at center. The 1964 team had a record of 24-4-1 and defeated the University of Denver
6-3 in their home arena to win the NCAA title. Wilkie later recalled, "Winning the NCAA, with 7,000 fans packing their home ice -- man, that was the greatest."
Wilkie credited the success of the 1964 team to chemistry: "We had 20 guys who fit together as a team. Any night any line could take it, not just a few guys. And we had six good defensemen. We got along as well on the ice as off it, and that's big in college hockey. The Regina guys used to joke with the Toronto guys who produced the best players, but we had good harmony, even with the American kids." Wilkie and Gary Butler were Michigan's leading scorers, combining for a 135 points in just 29 games. In one memorable game in the 1963-1964 season, Michigan beat Ohio State 21-0, still a Michigan team record. The team scored all 21 goals in the first two periods, and Wilkie recalled Coach Renfrew telling the team after the second period, "Anyone who scores this period is benched."
Wilkie graduated from Michigan's business school with a 3.5 grade point average, and received an award for being the top student-athlete on campus.
and was assigned to the Cleveland Barons of the American Hockey League
. He scored 42 points (16 goals and 26 assists) in the 1964-1965 season. He was briefly loaned out to the Seattle Totems
of the Western Hockey League
, playing three games for the Totems. In October 1965, Wilkie was reacquired by the Cleveland Barons for whom he played 42 games in the 1965-1966 season. In April 1966, Wilkie scored the winning goal for Cleveland in the semi-finals of the Calder Cup Playoffs in the AHL.
Wilkie returned to the WHL in 1966, playing for 111 games and scoring 42 points for the San Diego Gulls in the first two seasons of professional hockey in San Diego, from 1966-1968.
. In 2003, the members of the 1964 NCAA championship team returned to Yost Arena for a 40th-anniversary reunion. The 1964 team was brought onto the ice during the first intermission of a Michigan hockey game, and was given a standing ovation, as the hockey pep band played "The Victors." Wilkie told a reporter for the Michigan Daily that watching the action brought back "fond memories." He added, "It's a great thrill to be back. Michigan was really good to us, and we had a good time when we were down (playing) here."
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
player (center) who played three seasons for the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
from 1961-1964. As a senior and team captain in 1964, Wilkie led the Michigan Wolverines men's ice hockey
Michigan Wolverines men's ice hockey
The Michigan Wolverines men's ice hockey team is the college ice hockey team that represents the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Earning varsity status in 1922, the program is competing in its 90th season...
team to the NCAA ice hockey championship. Wilkie also played two seasons of junior hockey with the Regina Pats
Regina Pats
The Regina Pats are a junior ice hockey team that plays in the Western Hockey League. The Pats are based out of Regina, Saskatchewan and the Brandt Centre is their home arena.-History:...
, and five years of professional hockey with the Cleveland Barons, San Diego Gulls and Seattle Totems
Seattle Totems
The Seattle Totems were a professional ice hockey franchise in Seattle, Washington. They were a member of various minor professional and semi-professional leagues between 1945 and 1975. They played their home games in the Mercer Arena and later at the Seattle Center Coliseum...
. He was inducted into the University of Michigan Athletic Hall of Honor
University of Michigan Athletic Hall of Honor
The University of Michigan Athletic Hall of Honor, founded in 1978, recognizes University of Michigan athletes, coaches, and administrators who have made significant contributions to the university's athletic programs...
in 1989.
University of Michigan
A native of Regina, SaskatchewanRegina, Saskatchewan
Regina is the capital city of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The city is the second-largest in the province and a cultural and commercial centre for southern Saskatchewan. It is governed by Regina City Council. Regina is the cathedral city of the Roman Catholic and Romanian Orthodox...
, Wilkie played two seasons of junior hockey with the Regina Pats
Regina Pats
The Regina Pats are a junior ice hockey team that plays in the Western Hockey League. The Pats are based out of Regina, Saskatchewan and the Brandt Centre is their home arena.-History:...
from 1957-1959. In 1960, Coach Al Renfrew
Al Renfrew
Al Renfrew was a hockey player at the University of Michigan in the late 1940s and a college hockey coach with Michigan Technological University , the University of North Dakota , and the University of Michigan...
recruited Wilkie and other players from Regina to play for him at the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
. Wilkie later recalled, "My dad ran a meat market in Regina. He simply couldn't afford to send me here. Michigan hockey was my chance at an education. I spent a lot of Saturday nights in the library." He added, "I owe Red (Berenson) and Coach (Al) Renfrew
Al Renfrew
Al Renfrew was a hockey player at the University of Michigan in the late 1940s and a college hockey coach with Michigan Technological University , the University of North Dakota , and the University of Michigan...
for the opportunity to be part of this great tradition.
Freshman were not eligible to play varsity hockey at the time, and Wilkie began his collegiate hockey career as a sophomore in the 1961-1962 season. He received the Western Collegiate Hockey Association
Western Collegiate Hockey Association
The Western Collegiate Hockey Association is a college athletic conference which operates over a wide area of the Midwestern and Western United States. It participates in the NCAA's Division I as an ice hockey-only conference....
Rookie of the Year Award. As a junior in the 1962-63 season, Wilkie scored 34 points on 24 goals and 10 assists. At the end of the season, in March 1963, Wilkie was elected by his teammates to be the captain of the 1963-64 team.
Wilkie had his greatest success as a senior in the 1963-1964 season, as he led the Michigan Wolverines to their seventh NCAA hockey championship, and their first in ten years. Wilkie was also named a first-team All-American at center. The 1964 team had a record of 24-4-1 and defeated the University of Denver
University of Denver
The University of Denver is currently ranked 82nd among all public and private "National Universities" by U.S. News & World Report in the 2012 rankings....
6-3 in their home arena to win the NCAA title. Wilkie later recalled, "Winning the NCAA, with 7,000 fans packing their home ice -- man, that was the greatest."
Wilkie credited the success of the 1964 team to chemistry: "We had 20 guys who fit together as a team. Any night any line could take it, not just a few guys. And we had six good defensemen. We got along as well on the ice as off it, and that's big in college hockey. The Regina guys used to joke with the Toronto guys who produced the best players, but we had good harmony, even with the American kids." Wilkie and Gary Butler were Michigan's leading scorers, combining for a 135 points in just 29 games. In one memorable game in the 1963-1964 season, Michigan beat Ohio State 21-0, still a Michigan team record. The team scored all 21 goals in the first two periods, and Wilkie recalled Coach Renfrew telling the team after the second period, "Anyone who scores this period is benched."
Wilkie graduated from Michigan's business school with a 3.5 grade point average, and received an award for being the top student-athlete on campus.
Professional hockey
Wilkie signed with the Montreal CanadiensMontreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...
and was assigned to the Cleveland Barons of the American Hockey League
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
. He scored 42 points (16 goals and 26 assists) in the 1964-1965 season. He was briefly loaned out to the Seattle Totems
Seattle Totems
The Seattle Totems were a professional ice hockey franchise in Seattle, Washington. They were a member of various minor professional and semi-professional leagues between 1945 and 1975. They played their home games in the Mercer Arena and later at the Seattle Center Coliseum...
of the Western Hockey League
Western Hockey League
The Western Hockey League is a major junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitute the Canadian Hockey League as the highest level of junior hockey in Canada...
, playing three games for the Totems. In October 1965, Wilkie was reacquired by the Cleveland Barons for whom he played 42 games in the 1965-1966 season. In April 1966, Wilkie scored the winning goal for Cleveland in the semi-finals of the Calder Cup Playoffs in the AHL.
Wilkie returned to the WHL in 1966, playing for 111 games and scoring 42 points for the San Diego Gulls in the first two seasons of professional hockey in San Diego, from 1966-1968.
Later years
In 1989, Wilkie was inducted into the University of Michigan Athletic Hall of HonorUniversity of Michigan Athletic Hall of Honor
The University of Michigan Athletic Hall of Honor, founded in 1978, recognizes University of Michigan athletes, coaches, and administrators who have made significant contributions to the university's athletic programs...
. In 2003, the members of the 1964 NCAA championship team returned to Yost Arena for a 40th-anniversary reunion. The 1964 team was brought onto the ice during the first intermission of a Michigan hockey game, and was given a standing ovation, as the hockey pep band played "The Victors." Wilkie told a reporter for the Michigan Daily that watching the action brought back "fond memories." He added, "It's a great thrill to be back. Michigan was really good to us, and we had a good time when we were down (playing) here."