Robert V. "Happy" Heathcott is a Canadian retired ice hockey Defenceman who played for Michigan in the early 1950s.[1]

Bob Heathcott
Born Calgary, Alberta, CAN
Position Defenceman
Played for Michigan
Playing career 1949–1952

Career

edit

Heathcott played several years of junior A ice hockey in Canada before he began attending the University of Michigan in the fall of 1948. He joined the team in his sophomore season and posted good numbers for a first year defenseman. He helped Michigan reach their third consecutive tournament but the team had to settle for winning the consolation game.[2] His play and scoring increased for the 1950–51 season and Heathcott was selected as an AHCA First Team All-American[3] while again helping the Wolverines reach the tournament. Heathcott's final goal that season proved to be the game-winning goal in Michigan's 8-2 drubbing of Boston University (the team that had defeated them the previous season) and after dominating Brown in the following game, Michigan claimed the 1951 National Championship. Heathcott was named to the First All-Tournament Team for his efforts.[4]

The following year was Heachcott's finest as he not only led the team to a second consecutive national championship (third overall) but also led the team in scoring, becoming the first defenseman to achieve that feat with a champion. Despite his scoring prowess as well as the team success, Heathcott was not conferred any postseason honor. He graduated in 1952 with a degree in geology and returned to Calgary to work in the oil industry.[5]

Heathcott was inducted into the Michigan Dekers hall of fame in 1978.

Statistics

edit

Regular season and playoffs

edit
Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1949–50 Michigan NCAA 15 12 27
1950–51 Michigan NCAA 12 21 33
1951–52 Michigan MCHA 24 13 31 44 30
NCAA totals 40 64 104

Awards and honors

edit
Award Year
AHCA First Team All-American 1950–51 [3]
NCAA All-Tournament Second Team 1951 [4]
Michigan Dekers Athletic Hall of Fame 1978 [1]

References

edit
  1. ^ a b "Hall of Fame: Bob Heathcott (1978)". Dekers Club. Retrieved June 26, 2020.
  2. ^ "NCAA Division 1 Tournament". College Hockey Historical Archives. Archived from the original on 2014-02-02. Retrieved 2013-06-19.
  3. ^ a b "1950-1951 All-American Team". The American Hockey Coaches Association. Retrieved 2017-06-21.
  4. ^ a b "NCAA Frozen Four Records" (PDF). NCAA.org. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2012-08-17. Retrieved 2013-06-19.
  5. ^ "The Michigan Alumnus, Volume 60". The Michigan Alumnus. 1953. Retrieved June 26, 2020.
edit