News

 

By Ashley McKenelly
 

“It was a difficult position. It wasn’t easy not to play,” Steve Janaszak said without a tinge of bitterness in his voice. “But that is a grain of salt in the entire experience.”

 

That experience is better known as the “Miracle on Ice.” The United States Olympic team, made up of amateur and collegiate players, defeating the Soviet Union national team at the 1980 Olympic Winter Games in Lake Placid, N.Y.

 

Born on Jan. 7, 1957, in St. Paul, Minn., and raised in White Bear Lake, Minn., Janaszak grew up around hockey. He first became known in the hockey world as the star goaltender for Hill-Murray School on the east side of St. Paul.

 

From there, Janaszak went on to attend the University of Minnesota where he was a goaltender for the Golden Gophers. He was voted most valuable player in the 1979 NCAA Tournament, the same tournament the Gophers won their third national title.

 

One year later, Janaszak made the Olympic team. Coach Herb Brooks, his college coach, who was now the coach of the Olympic hockey team said, “You’re going to go to Lake Placid, but I can’t guarantee you that you’re going to play.”

 

He ended up watching every second from the bench. He was the only player on that team who did not play.

 

For Janaszak, his job was to stay ready if needed. He went even further. When he wasn’t practicing – he and assistant coach Craig Patrick worked together every day at 6 a.m., while the rest of the team slept – he did everything from sharpening skates to timing shifts on the ice.

 

The team’s goalie, Jim Craig, stopped 36 of 39 shots on goal as the U.S. beat the Soviets.

 

“He had a terrific work ethic,” said Craig. “He worked real hard, which helped make me work harder because I never wanted anybody to work harder than I did.”

 

Janaszak signed a free agent contract with the Minnesota North Stars after the Olympics and appeared in one regular season game that season. Unfortunately, the North Stars already had two quality goalkeepers in Gilles Meloche and Don Beaupre and there was no room for Janaszak. After spending the next season in the minor leagues, Janaszak returned to the NHL with the Colorado Rockies, who signed him as a free agent in 1982. He also played three games for Team USA as Glenn Resch’s backup at the 1982 Ice Hockey World Championship tournament in Helsinki, Finland before retiring from the game after the 1982-83 season. But not before he left his mark with on hockey with the NCAA Championship All-Tournament Team award (1979), NCAA Championship Tournament MVP award (1979) and the Ken McKenzie Trophy (1981 U.S. Born Rookie of the Year - IHL, shared with Mike Labianca).

 

After retiring from hockey, he went on to work as a bond salesman for an investment banking firm on the 89th floor of the South Tower in the World Trade Center until March 2001, leaving the company six months before 9/11. He says the company lost 67 people when the towers collapsed, including most of the people on the trading desk where he had worked.

 

Today, Janny lives in Babylon, N.Y., with his wife and two daughters. He is currently running a private investment business. “First year in business and didn’t blow up,” he says.

 

Prior to this he spent 30 years selling bonds to financial institutions and money managers, the last 12 years for Robert W. Baird & Co. of Milwaukee, Wis.

 

His wife of 33 years, Jackie, has a Ph.D., in literacy and she is currently teaching graduate classes at St. John’s University. They met in Lake Placid in 1980 where she was working in the Olympic Village as an interpreter for the International Olympic Committee. We were married in 1981.

 

“I consider myself the most fortunate fellow from the 1980 team,” Janaszak said. “I had the best seat in the house at the greatest moment in sports in the 20th century, met my wife-to-be there, and have had the good fortune over the last 35 years of being able to stay reasonably close to a group of former teammates who are truly an incredible bunch of personalities.”

 

Steve Janaszak is one of 10 coaches who will be attending the first ever Miracle on Ice Fantasy Camp in Lake Placid this March. Join players from the gold medal winning 1980 USA Hockey Team and participate in their inaugural fantasy camp in Lake Placid, host city of those historic 1980 Winter Games. Connect with the greatest sports moment of all time. Meet and get to know players from that greatest of all teams in the relaxed and friendly atmosphere that is Lake Placid. Skate in the 1980 Rink -Herb Brooks Arena at the Lake Placid Olympic Center where we beat the Russians and shocked the sports and political worlds. For more information visitmiracleonicefantasycamp.com, like us on Facebook: Miracle on Ice Fantasy Camp, and follow us on Twitter @1980HockeyCamp.

 

Photo: U of M Athletics