Mark Vichorek Explained

Mark Vichorek
Played For:AHL
Binghamton Whalers
New Haven Nighthawks
IHL
Salt Lake Golden Eagles
Milwaukee Admirals
Flint Spirits
Phoenix Roadrunners
Fort Wayne Komets
Kansas City Blades
San Diego Gulls
ECHL
Nashville Knights
CoHL
St. Thomas Wildcats
Flint Generals
AHA
Green Bay Ice
Position:Defense
Shoots:Right
Height Ft:6
Height In:3
Weight Lb:205
Birth Date:6 June 1963
Birth Place:Moose Lake, Minnesota, US
Draft:245th overall
Draft Year:1982
Draft Team:Philadelphia Flyers
Career Start:1986
Career End:1995

Mark Vichorek (born January 5, 1963) is an American retired professional ice hockey player. He was selected by the Philadelphia Flyers in the 12th round (245th overall) of the 1982 NHL Entry Draft.

Early life

Vichorek was born in Moose Lake, Minnesota. He attended Lake Superior State University where he played college hockey with the Lake Superior State Lakers men's ice hockey team from 1982 to 1986. Vichorek set an all-time consecutive game played record at LSSU of 161 games. He was also freshman of the year in 1982–1983 and runner up for athlete of the year his senior year of 1986. Vichorek is also the only LSSU hockey player to be named a captain for three seasons at LSSU.

Career

Vichorek was drafted by the Philadelphia Flyers from the Sioux City Musketeers of the United States Hockey League. The Musketeers lost in the Robertson Cup finals to the Paddock Pool Saints in the 1981–1982 season. Vichorek was only one of three players drafted that year out of the USHL.

In 1986, following his college career, the unsigned defenseman was offered and signed a professional contract by the Hartford Whalers and assigned to play in the AHL with the Binghamton Whalers and later assigned to the Salt Lake Golden Eagles where he was part of the Turner Cup Championship team in 1987–1988. Mark also played in a Calder Cup championship with the New Haven Nighthawks, in the 1988–1989, season where they lost to the Adirondack Redwings in six games, that included players Barry Melrose and Robbie Nichols.

Upon retiring, Vichorek began his coaching career at the minor professional level of the defunct American Hockey Association. After one year with the AHA, he was hired at Michigan Technological University as an assistant coach of the Michigan Tech Huskies. Vichorek returned home to his hometown of Moose Lake to coach his former high school team for six seasons. Vichorek also coached several International Cup teams winning four championships with boys and girls teams. In one stretch, his women's teams won three International Cups in a row, between 1998 and 2000.[1] [2]

Career statistics

Team League GP GPG A Pts PIM
1981–82Sioux City MusketeersUSHL48 11 27 38 111
1982–83Lake Superior State UniversityNCAA36 2 13 15 24
1983–84Lake Superior State UniversityNCAA40 3 8 11 14
1984–85Lake Superior State UniversityNCAA44 4 11 15 36
1985–86Lake Superior State UniversityNCAA39 9 11 20 38
1986–87Salt Lake Golden EaglesIHL16 1 0 1 3217 0 8 8 23
1986–87Binghamton WhalersAHL64 1 12 13 632 0 0 0 0
1987–88Binghamton WhalersAHL26 0 4 4 48
1987–88Milwaukee AdmiralsIHL49 4 5 9 67
1988–89Flint SpiritsIHL44 4 9 13 47
1988–89New Haven NighthawksAHL23 1 5 6 2617 2 4 6 18
1989–90Phoenix RoadrunnersIHL29 2 8 10 57
1989–90Fort Wayne KometsIHL31 2 4 6 305 0 1 1 19
1990–91Kansas City BladesIHL10 0 1 1 4
1990–91San Diego GullsIHL14 1 4 5 20
1990–91Nashville KnightsECHL36 6 29 35 70
1991–92St. Thomas WildcatsCoHL60 13 28 41 8612 1 8 9 18
1992–93Green Bay IceAHA12 3 8 11 40
1992–93St. Thomas WildcatsCoHL12 5 10 15 1414 1 4 5 18
1994–95Flint GeneralsCoHL7 0 1 1 106 0 2 2 4
AHL totals113221231371924618
IHL totals1931431452572209942

References

[Michigan Tech men's hockey archives 1993] [Lake Superior State University archives 1982-86]

Notes and References

  1. Wcha men's hockey website
  2. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=jeVHAAAAIBAJ&sjid=xv8MAAAAIBAJ&pg=4781,237454&dq=mark+vichorek+salt+lake+golden+eagles&hl=en Meridan Record-Journal - September 2, 1987 – Page 16 - Hockey: Whalers