Steve Christoff
Encyclopedia
Steven Mark Christoff (born January 23, 1958 in Springfield, Illinois
) is a retired American
professional ice hockey
forward
who played 248 regular season games in the NHL
with the Minnesota North Stars
, Calgary Flames
, and Los Angeles Kings
in 1980–84.
Christoff is best known for being a member of the "Miracle on Ice
" 1980
U.S. Olympic hockey team that won the gold medal
.
and graduated from Richfield High School
. As a member of the Richfield High School hockey team, he earned team MVP his junior and senior year, and was selected to the Minnesota High School All-State First Team and the U.S. High School All-American Team during his senior year in 1975-76. He led his school to a state runner-up his senior season and was one of the most highly recruited U.S. hockey players in 1976. Before turning professional, Christoff attended the University of Minnesota
where he played for the Minnesota Gophers for three seasons in 1976–79. He led the team in scoring during his second year with 66 points (32 goals and 34 assists) and was named to the WCHA
All-Star Second Team. During his third year, he led the team in scoring again with 77 points (38 goals and 39 assists). In what turned out to be his last collegiate game on March 23, 1979, Christoff scored a goal and earned an assist to help Minnesota win its third NCAA
title in school history with a 4-3 victory over North Dakota. He made his international debut for Team USA at the 1979 Ice Hockey World Championship
tournament in Moscow
.
. He joined the North Stars for 20 games after the Olympics, scoring eight goals and 15 points. The next year, he suited up for 56 games, netting 26 goals and 39 points and was one of the Stars best performers as Minnesota lost the 1981 Stanley Cup
finals to the New York Islanders
. He also participated in the 1981 Canada Cup
tournament as a member of Team USA. In 1981–82, Christoff appeared in 69 games, scoring 26 goals and 55 points, a career high. Although he was an extremely popular figure in Minnesota, Christoff was traded to the Calgary Flames
for the 1982–83 season, but he was used in just 45 games, scoring nine goals and 17 points. In 1983–84, Christoff played his final season in the NHL with the Los Angeles Kings, starting 58 games.
since retiring from hockey. He was named one of the 50 greatest players in University of Minnesota hockey history as part of "Legends on Ice" tribute in 2001.
TV movie about the gold medal-winning hockey team entitled Miracle on Ice, Christoff's character is played by Rick Rockwell, but is not listed in the film's credits.
Scott Johnson portrayed Christoff in the 2004
Disney film Miracle
.
Springfield, Illinois
Springfield is the third and current capital of the US state of Illinois and the county seat of Sangamon County with a population of 117,400 , making it the sixth most populated city in the state and the second most populated Illinois city outside of the Chicago Metropolitan Area...
) is a retired American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional ice hockey
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...
forward
Forward (ice hockey)
In ice hockey, a forward is a player position on the ice whose primary responsibility is to score goals. Generally, the forwards try to stay in three different lanes, also known as thirds, of the ice going from goal to goal. It is not mandatory however, to stay in a lane. Staying in a lane aids in...
who played 248 regular season games in the NHL
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
with the Minnesota North Stars
Minnesota North Stars
The Minnesota North Stars were a professional ice hockey team in the National Hockey League for 26 seasons, from 1967 to 1993. The North Stars played their home games at the Met Center in Bloomington, and the team's colors for most of its history were green, yellow, gold and white...
, Calgary Flames
Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is the third major-professional ice hockey team to represent the city of Calgary, following the...
, and Los Angeles Kings
Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles, California. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
in 1980–84.
Christoff is best known for being a member of the "Miracle on Ice
Miracle on Ice
The "Miracle on Ice" is the name in American popular culture for a medal-round men's ice hockey game during the 1980 Winter Olympics at Lake Placid, New York, on Friday, February 22...
" 1980
1980 Winter Olympics
The 1980 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XIII Olympic Winter Games, was a multi-sport event which was celebrated from 13 February through 24 February 1980 in Lake Placid, New York, United States of America. This was the second time the Upstate New York village hosted the Games, after 1932...
U.S. Olympic hockey team that won the gold medal
Gold medal
A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
.
Amateur career
Steve Christoff grew up in Richfield, MinnesotaRichfield, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 34,439 people, 15,073 households, and 8,727 families residing in the city. The population density was 4,993.9 people per square mile . There were 15,357 housing units at an average density of 2,226.9 per square mile...
and graduated from Richfield High School
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
. As a member of the Richfield High School hockey team, he earned team MVP his junior and senior year, and was selected to the Minnesota High School All-State First Team and the U.S. High School All-American Team during his senior year in 1975-76. He led his school to a state runner-up his senior season and was one of the most highly recruited U.S. hockey players in 1976. Before turning professional, Christoff attended the University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
where he played for the Minnesota Gophers for three seasons in 1976–79. He led the team in scoring during his second year with 66 points (32 goals and 34 assists) and was named to the WCHA
WCHA
WCHA is an AM radio station broadcasting at 800kHz. Owned by Main Line Broadcasting, it is licensed to Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, serving the Hagerstown-Chambersburg area. WCHA is an Oldies and Classic Hits formatted broadcast radio station. WCHA simulcasts on sister AM station WHAG and on...
All-Star Second Team. During his third year, he led the team in scoring again with 77 points (38 goals and 39 assists). In what turned out to be his last collegiate game on March 23, 1979, Christoff scored a goal and earned an assist to help Minnesota win its third NCAA
NCAA Men's Ice Hockey Championship
The annual NCAA Men's Ice Hockey Championship tournament determines the top men's ice hockey team in NCAA Division I and Division III. The semi-finals and finals of the Division I Championship are branded as the Frozen Four, a passing nod to the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship - known...
title in school history with a 4-3 victory over North Dakota. He made his international debut for Team USA at the 1979 Ice Hockey World Championship
1979 World Ice Hockey Championships
The 1979 Ice Hockey World Championships took place at the Palace of Sports of the Central Lenin Stadium in Moscow, Soviet Union from 26 April to 14 May. Eight teams took part, with the first round split into two groups of four, and the best two from each group advancing to the final group. The four...
tournament in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
.
Professional career
Christoff was selected 24th overall in the 1978 NHL Entry Draft by the Minnesota North StarsMinnesota North Stars
The Minnesota North Stars were a professional ice hockey team in the National Hockey League for 26 seasons, from 1967 to 1993. The North Stars played their home games at the Met Center in Bloomington, and the team's colors for most of its history were green, yellow, gold and white...
. He joined the North Stars for 20 games after the Olympics, scoring eight goals and 15 points. The next year, he suited up for 56 games, netting 26 goals and 39 points and was one of the Stars best performers as Minnesota lost the 1981 Stanley Cup
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
finals to the New York Islanders
New York Islanders
The New York Islanders are a professional ice hockey team based in Uniondale, New York. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
. He also participated in the 1981 Canada Cup
1981 Canada Cup
The 1981 Canada Cup was the second best-on-best ice hockey world championship and involved the world's top six hockey nations. Tournament games were held in Edmonton, Winnipeg, Montreal and Ottawa. The Soviet Union defeated Canada in a single game final to win its first title, while Soviet...
tournament as a member of Team USA. In 1981–82, Christoff appeared in 69 games, scoring 26 goals and 55 points, a career high. Although he was an extremely popular figure in Minnesota, Christoff was traded to the Calgary Flames
Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is the third major-professional ice hockey team to represent the city of Calgary, following the...
for the 1982–83 season, but he was used in just 45 games, scoring nine goals and 17 points. In 1983–84, Christoff played his final season in the NHL with the Los Angeles Kings, starting 58 games.
Post career
Christoff works as a pilot on commuter flights for Minnesota-based Mesaba AirlinesMesaba Airlines
Mesaba Airlines is an American regional airline based in Eagan, Minnesota. The airline operates under Mesaba Aviation, Inc. a wholly owned subsidiary of Pinnacle Airlines Corporation...
since retiring from hockey. He was named one of the 50 greatest players in University of Minnesota hockey history as part of "Legends on Ice" tribute in 2001.
In popular culture
In the 19811981 in film
-Events:*January 19 - Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer acquires beleaguered concurrent United Artists. UA was humiliated by the astronomical losses on the $40,000,000 movie Heaven's Gate, a major factor in the decision of owner Transamerica to sell it....
TV movie about the gold medal-winning hockey team entitled Miracle on Ice, Christoff's character is played by Rick Rockwell, but is not listed in the film's credits.
Scott Johnson portrayed Christoff in the 2004
2004 in film
The year 2004 in film involved some significant events. Major releases of sequels took place. It included blockbuster films like Shrek 2, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, The Passion of the Christ, Meet the Fockers, Blade: Trinity, Spider-Man 2, Alien vs. Predator, Kill Bill Vol...
Disney film Miracle
Miracle (film)
Miracle is a 2004 American biographical sports film about the United States men's hockey team, led by head coach Herb Brooks, that won the gold medal in the 1980 Winter Olympics. The USA team's victory over the heavily favored Soviet team in the medal round was dubbed the Miracle on Ice...
.
Awards and achievements
- WCHAWestern Collegiate Hockey AssociationThe 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....
Second All-Star Team (1978) - NCAA Championship All-Tournament Team (1979)