Rube Bjorkman

(Redirected from Ruben Bjorkman)

Reuben Eugene Bjorkman (born February 27, 1929) is a former head coach of the University of North Dakota Fighting Sioux hockey men's team. A graduate of Roseau, Minnesota High School, where he led his team to a state championship in 1946, Bjorkman was a member of the US Olympic teams in 1948 and 1952 (silver medalists).[1] He was a three-year letter winner at the University of Minnesota.

Rube Bjorkman
Biographical details
Born (1929-02-27) February 27, 1929 (age 95)
Roseau, Minnesota
Playing career
1948US Olympic Team
1948–1951Minnesota
1951–1952Saint Paul Saints
1952US Olympic Team
Position(s)Center
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1961–1962Greenway High School
1963–1964RPI
1964–1968New Hampshire
1968–1978North Dakota
1980–1983Warroad High School
Head coaching record
Overall224–234–11 (college)
Medal record
Men's ice hockey
Representing the  United States
Olympic Games
Silver medal – second place 1952 Oslo Team competition

Career

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Bjorkman's high school coaching career began at Greenway High School in Coleraine, Minnesota. His 1962 team competed in the Minnesota State High School Hockey Tournament. His first college coaching season (1963–1964), at RPI, culminated with his team finishing third in the NCAA Championships. Following that season he was hired as the Head Hockey Coach at the University of New Hampshire where spent four years before accepting the position at the University of North Dakota.

In 1982 Bjorkman was honored by the Minnesota Hockey Coaches Association when he was named the recipient of the Cliff Thompson Award, given for long-term, outstanding contributions to the sport of hockey in Minnesota. In 1997 The American Hockey Coaches Association recognized Bjorkman with the John "Snooks" Kelly Founders Award. Named after the Boston College coach, this award honors those people in the coaching profession who have contributed to the overall growth and development of the sport of ice hockey in the United States.

Head coaching record

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College

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Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Rensselaer Engineers (ECAC Hockey / Tri-State League) (1964–1969)
1963–64 Rensselaer 18–8–0 12–6–0 / 1–3–0 t-6th / 3rd NCAA third-place game (win)
Rensselaer: 18–8–0 12–6–0 / 1–3–0
New Hampshire Wildcats (ECAC 2) (1964–1966)
1964–65 New Hampshire 6–14–0 6–9–0
1965–66 New Hampshire 11–12–0 11–5–0
New Hampshire: 17–26–0 17–14–0
New Hampshire Wildcats (ECAC Hockey) (1966–1968)
1966–67 New Hampshire 18–7–0 5–4–0 7th
1967–68 New Hampshire 22–7–0 7–6–0
New Hampshire: 40–14–0 12–10–0
North Dakota Fighting Sioux (WCHA) (1968–1978)
1968–69 North Dakota 18–10–1 15–7–0 3rd WCHA West Regional semifinals
1969–70 North Dakota 14–5–1 12–13–1 5th WCHA East Regional semifinals
1970–71 North Dakota 14–17–2 10–15–1 7th WCHA East Regional Finals
1971–72 North Dakota 21–14–1 18–10–0 3rd WCHA second round
1972–73 North Dakota 17–17–2 13–15–2 7th WCHA first round
1973–74 North Dakota 10–23–1 8–20–0 10th
1974–75 North Dakota 6–28–2 4–26–2 10th
1975–76 North Dakota 15–21–0 12–20–0 t-7th
1976–77 North Dakota 19–19–0 16–16–0 5th WCHA first round
1977–78 North Dakota 15–22–1 13–19–0 t-5th WCHA first round
North Dakota: 149–186–11 121–161–6
Total: 224–234–11

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

References

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