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HISTORY

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HISTORY

BILL CHRISTIAN

Billy Christian

Bill was born in Warroad, MN on January 28, 1938.

As a freshman in high school, Bill helped the Warroad Warriors take home a 2nd place trophy in the 1953 Minnesota State High School Tournament playing alongside his older brother, Roger.

In 1960, Bill was involved in one of the greatest moments in U.S. hockey history, as he scored the tying and winning goals as the U.S. beat the Soviet Union 3-2 in Squaw Valley, California at the 1960 Olympics. Bill Christian and the U.S. hockey team went on to win the gold medal defeating Czechoslovakia in the championship game.

Brothers, Bill and Roger Christian also played in the 1964 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck, Austria. Later, they founded Christian Brothers, Inc., which for decades was a leading hockey stick manufacturing company in Warroad, MN.

Bill Christian was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame on October 6, 1984, and is a member of the Warroad Athletic Hall of Fame.

CAL MARVIN, "MR. HOCKEY"

Cal was born in Warroad in 1924. He grew up playing hockey on the Warroad River, and on an outdoor rink that was made in the school yard with snow banks all around it. Although Cal loved to play the game, he is most known for how much he promoted the sport of hockey, locally and nationally.

In 1946, he developed the Warroad Lakers, helping them become the best senior amateur hockey team in North America. The Warroad Lakers hockey team entertained the locals with excellent hockey for 50 years, and Cal was coaching or managing them every step of the way.

Cal attended the University of North Dakota and is recognized for getting their hockey program off the ground when he and a group of players from the early Warroad Lakers team played for UND.

He organized and started the Warroad Arena Fund, and was the driving force behind building Warroad’s first indoor arena, the Memorial Arena in 1949.

He helped the Minnesota Amateur Hockey Association (MAHA) take shape and he served on the board of the United States Amateur Hockey Association (USAHA).

Cal coached the 1958 U.S. National Team and was the manager of the 1965 U.S. National Team.

He was inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame in 1982, he was named to the UND Athletic Hall of Fame and the Warroad High School Athletic Hall of Fame as well as the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame. He won the Maroosh Award for his longtime dedication to the sport of hockey and in 1995 Cal was given the U.S. Hockey Association Hall of Fame Heritage Award.

Calvin Coolidge Marvin passed away September 5, 2004 at the age of 80.

DANIEL DUNCAN MCKINNON

Dan McKinnon 1956 -

“Dan” McKinnon was born in Williams, Minnesota in 1927. Dan starred in high school hockey in Williams, and then served in the U.S. Navy for 2 years at the end of World War 2.

After the Navy, Dan was a standout player of collegiate hockey at the University of North Dakota, where he lettered in hockey from 1947 through 1950, becoming one of the pioneers of UND hockey. As a defenseman, he made the All-American second-team in 1950.

Dan played for the American National Teams in 1955 and 1958, and he served as Assistant Captain of the 1956 Olympic team that won silver at the Winter Olympics in Cortina, Italy.

He was inducted into the UND Sports Hall of Fame in 1982. He also played semi-pro hockey with the Warroad Lakers.

Dan McKinnon’s hockey career came to an end in 1958, after a deer hunting accident damaged his arm. Dan is retired and living in Warroad, Minnesota.

DAVID CHRISTIAN

Dave Christian

David was born in Warroad, MN on May 12, 1959. He played hockey at all levels in Warroad, and although his high school team never made it to the State Hockey Tournament in St. Paul, David was on the All Region 8 team, three years on WCCO’s All-State team, and was one of the most talked about players in the Region in 1977.

David played for the University of North Dakota, and in his sophomore year in 1979, UND won the WCHA title. He attended the National Sports Festival in Colorado Springs that summer and was voted the Outstanding Player.

David then decided to forego his junior year at UND and try out for the 1980 Olympic team. The Dream Team brought home the gold medal and was recognized by Sports Illustrated as the Greatest Sports Moment of the Century.

This was the 2nd gold medal in hockey for the U.S. and David’s father; Bill Christian, and Uncle Roger Christian were member s of the 1st team to win gold in 1960.

David played for the Winnipeg Jets team and scored his first NHL goal after seven seconds on his first shift on the ice against the Chicago Blackhawks. He was selected to play in the 1991 NHL All Star Game. Then in 1993, the 76th year of the NHL, David Christian became the first Minnesotan and second American to play 1000 NHL games, for which he was awarded the NHL Pinnacle Award. Governor Arne Carlson proclaimed Tuesday, April 13, 1993, David Christian Day in Minnesota.

David played for 15 years in the NHL with the Winnipeg Jets, Washington Capitals, Boston Bruins, St. Louis Blues and Chicago Blackhawks. He finished his professional career in the IHL with the Minnesota Moose.

On December 3, 2001, David Christian was inducted into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame and he is a member of the Warroad Athletic Hall of Fame.

GIGI MARVIN

Gigi Marvin

Gigi was born March 7, 1987 and grew up in Warroad, MN. She started skating at the age of 2 and competed alongside the boys hockey players in Warroad up until Warroad’s girl’s program took shape. In her high school years she accumulated 196 goals and 229 assists, and was named the 2005 recipient of the Let’s Play Hockey Ms. Hockey Award her senior year.

She played four seasons at the University of Minnesota of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association and received many honors and awards during that time, including WCHA Rookie of the Year, and was named to several WCHA All-Tournament Teams.

Gigi has participated in the International Ice Hockey Federation World Women’s Championships. She won gold in 2008, 2009, 2011 & 2013 while winning the silver in 2007 & 2012. She also participated in the United States Women’s Select Team for the Four Nations Cup. In addition, Marvin has also been a USA Hockey Women’s National Festival participant (2006–09).

Gigi won a silver medal at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver and the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.

GORDON (GINNY) CHRISTIAN

Gordon (Ginny) Christian

Ginny was born in Warroad November 21, 1927, and he graduated from Warroad High School in 1947. He played college hockey at the University of North Dakota from 1947-1950. He played on two national teams for the U.S. The first being in 1955 playing in locations such as Dusseldorf, Krefeld & Cologne, Germany and then with his 2 brothers Roger and Bill in 1958 in Oslo, Norway and Russia. In 1958 the City of Warroad took up a collection to send Gordon’s dad, Ed, to Oslo, Norway, so he would be able to watch his sons play there.

Ginny was on the silver medal Olympic U.S. Hockey team in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy in 1956 and was listed as one of the top 10 leading scorers for the Olympic tournament.

He was part of the National Guard, and was called up for the Korean War in 1951.

Ginny is a member of the UND Athletic Hall of Fame, Warroad Athletic Hall of Fame, and the Minnesota Olympic Wall of Fame. He is also listed in the “Legends” area at the UND arena with his bio and picture on the wall there.

HENRY BOUCHA

Henry Boucha

Henry was born June 1, 1951 in Warroad, MN. He graduated from Warroad High School in 1969.

Henry Boucha helped lead the Warroad Warriors to the State Tournament in 1969. He played junior hockey in Winnipeg after high school and was selected in the second round (16th overall) by the Detroit Red Wings in the 1971 NHL Draft.

Henry won a silver medal in the 1972 Olympics in Sapporo, Japan, and he turned pro with the Detroit Red Wings after the Olympics in 1972.

Henry Boucha played in 247 NHL games, including 51 with the Minnesota North Stars in 1974-75. His career was cut short when he suffered a cracked bone in his eye as the result of being hit in the head during a game against the Boston Bruins. Because of the injury to his eye, Henry Boucha retired from pro hockey in 1977 at the age of 25.

Henry was inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame in 1995. He is also a member of the Warroad Athletic Hall of Fame.

ROGER CHRISTIAN

Roger Christain

Roger has been described as being “tougher than nails”. He was born December 1, 1935 in Warroad, MN, and grew up doing construction work with his Dad and brothers. He and his brother Bill were on the Warroad High School team that took 2nd at the State Hockey Tournament in 1953, and Roger was named to the All-Tournament team that same year.

Roger was a member of the 1960 US Olympic team that took the Gold Medal in Squaw Valley, California, scoring 4 goals in the 9-4 win over Czechoslovakia. He was also on the 1964 US Olympic team that took 4th place in Innsbruck, Austria.

Together Roger and Bill Christian founded Christian Brothers, Inc., which was a leading hockey stick manufacturing company in Warroad, MN for many years.

Roger Christian was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame on October 7, 1989, and is a member of the Warroad Athletic Hall of Fame.

Roger Christian passed away on November 9, 2011 at the age of 75.

T.J. OSHIE

T.J. was born in Mount Vernon, Washington on December 23, 1986, and was raised in Everett, Washington.

He moved to Warroad his Sophomore year of High School and lead the Warroad Warrior hockey team to two Minnesota State Class A titles in 2003 and 2005. He made the state’s All-Tournament Team all three years. He totaled 100 points in 31 games his senior year, was named to the 2005 Associated Press and Pioneer Press All-State First Team and was a Minnesota Mr. Hockey Finalist.

After his senior hockey season with the Warriors, he joined the Sioux Falls Stampede of the United States Hockey League for 11 games. He was selected 24th overall by the St. Louis Blues in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft.

Following the NHL Draft, T.J. Oshie played for the University of North Dakota for 3 seasons, and he was named to the WCHA All-Rookie Team and the WCHA Final Five All-Tournament Team.

In 2014 T.J. Oshie was chosen as a member of the U.S. Olympic Hockey Team, where he led the U.S. to a 3-2 victory in a preliminary game against Russia. The game ended in a shoot-out, where Oshie was called on again and again by Head Coach, Dan Bylsma. T.J. made 4 of his 6 attempts, including the game winning shot.

T.J. Oshie played for the St. Louis Blues team from 2008- 2015. On July 2, 2015, Oshie was traded to the Washington Capitals.

BROCK NELSON

Brock Nelson is the son of Jeri (Christian) Christofferson and Rock Nelson.

His family members were former Olympians, Grandfather is Billy Christian (1960 & 64 Olympic Teams), great Uncles Ginny (1956 Olympic Team) & Roger Christian (1960 & 64 Olympic Teams), and his Uncle Dave Christian (1980 Olympic Team).

Brock played for the Warroad Warrior hockey team his 10th, 11th, and 12th grades at Warroad High School and graduated from Warroad in 2010.

He played hockey for the University of North Dakota from 2010 – 2012.

Brock Nelson was the New York Islander’s 30th draft pick overall in 1st round of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.

He played on the World Junior USA Team in 2010.

Nelson signed a 3 year contract with the Islanders in April 2012, after his sophomore year at UND. He then played with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers of the American Hockey League, which is the Islanders top minor league team.

He made his NHL debut May 11, 2013 in game 6 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, Islanders vs. Penguins game.

Brock Nelson signed a 3 year extension with the Islanders worth $7.5 million, in Sept. 2015.