Randy Velischek Explained

Randy Velischek
Birth Date:10 February 1962
Birth Place:Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Height Ft:6
Height In:0
Weight Lb:200
Position:Defence
Shoots:Left
Played For:Minnesota North Stars
New Jersey Devils
Quebec Nordiques
Draft:53rd overall
Draft Year:1980
Draft Team:Minnesota North Stars
Career Start:1983
Career End:1995

Randolph "Randy" Velischek (born February 10, 1962) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman who played ten seasons in the National Hockey League for the Minnesota North Stars, New Jersey Devils, and Quebec Nordiques, and coached the Metropolitan Riveters of the National Women's Hockey League for one season. He was drafted 53rd overall by the North Stars in the 1980 NHL Entry Draft and played 509 career NHL games, scoring 21 goals and 97 points.

Playing career

Velischek was born in Montreal, Quebec. As a youth, he played in the 1974 and 1975 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournaments with a minor ice hockey team from Mount Royal, Quebec.[1] He spent his junior hockey career with the Lac St-Louis Lions of the Quebec Amateur Hockey Association and the Verdun Éperviers of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. After his junior career ended, Velischek played four years of college hockey for the Providence Friars from 1979 to 1983.

In addition to playing in the NHL, Velischek played professionally in the American Hockey League for the Springfield Indians, Maine Mariners, Halifax Citadels, and Cornwall Aces, the International Hockey League for the Milwaukee Admirals, the Central Hockey League for the Salt Lake Golden Eagles, and the British Hockey League for the Durham Wasps.

Life after hockey

From 1995 to 2006, Velischek served as a broadcaster for the New Jersey Devils on ABC Radio and WFAN-AM.

Beginning in 2007–08 school year, Velischek taught at the Pingry School as a German and French teacher and coached middle school ice hockey. On June 11, 2009, Velischeck was hired as the boy's high school ice hockey coach at Morristown-Beard School. Along with coaching at Morristown-Beard School, Velischek was also the hockey director at Twin Oaks Ice Rink in Morristown, New Jersey, and runs RJV Hockey School.

On September 20, 2018, he was named the head coach of the New Jersey Devils-associated Metropolitan Riveters of the National Women's Hockey League,[2] based in Newark, New Jersey, despite not having any previous experience in women's hockey.[3] He was not retained for the 2019–20 season after the Devils severed ties with the Riveters and the team performed disappointingly.[4] [5]

Career statistics

Team League GP GPG A Pts PIM
1977–78Lac-St-Louis LionsQMAAA26 3 25 28 147 5 3 8 6
1978–79Lac-St-Louis LionsQMAAA39 13 31 44 479 3 8 11 10
1978–79Verdun EperviersQMJHL4 0 1 1 0
1979–80Providence CollegeNCAA31 5 5 10 20
1980–81Providence CollegeNCAA33 3 12 15 26
1981–82Providence CollegeNCAA33 1 14 15 38
1982–83Providence CollegeNCAA41 18 34 52 50
1982–83Minnesota North StarsNHL3 0 0 0 29 0 0 0 0
1983–84Salt Lake Golden EaglesCHL43 7 21 28 545 0 3 3 2
1983–84Minnesota North StarsNHL33 2 2 4 101 0 0 0 0
1984–85Springfield IndiansAHL26 2 7 9 22
1984–85Minnesota North StarsNHL52 4 9 13 269 2 3 5 8
1985–86Maine MarinersAHL21 0 4 4 4
1985–86New Jersey DevilsNHL47 2 7 9 39
1986–87New Jersey DevilsNHL64 2 16 18 52
1987–88New Jersey DevilsNHL51 3 9 12 6619 0 2 2 20
1988–89New Jersey DevilsNHL80 4 14 18 70
1989–90New Jersey DevilsNHL62 0 6 6 726 0 0 0 4
1990–91Quebec NordiquesNHL79 2 10 12 42
1991–92Halifax CitadelsAHL16 3 6 9 0
1991–92Quebec NordiquesNHL38 2 3 5 22
1992–93Halifax CitadelsAHL49 6 16 22 18
1993–94Milwaukee AdmiralsIHL53 7 11 18 284 0 0 0 2
1993–94Cornwall AcesAHL18 1 6 7 17
1994–95Milwaukee AdmiralsIHL35 3 3 6 2412 2 2 4 6
NHL totals5092176974014425732

Awards and honors

AwardYear
All-ECAC Hockey All-Star Team of The 1980s Second Team1979-83
All-ECAC1981–82
ECAC Second All-Star Team1981–82
NCAA (All-East) Senior All-Stars1982–83
All-ECAC1982–83
ECAC First All-Star Team1982–83
ECAC Player of The Year1982–83
NCAA (New England)-All New England1982–83
AHCA East All-American1982–83

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Pee-Wee players who have reached NHL or WHA. 2018. Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament. 2019-01-11. 2019-03-06. https://web.archive.org/web/20190306085544/https://www.publicationsports.com/ressources/files/439/Joueurs_Pro.pdf. dead.
  2. Web site: The Riveters finally name a new coach . TheIceGarden.com . 20 September 2018 . September 20, 2018 . 20 September 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180920234953/https://www.theicegarden.com/2018/9/20/17882844/riveters-name-head-new-coach-nwhl-velischek-metropolitan-riveters . live.
  3. Web site: Will New Coach Randy Velischek Survive More Than One Season?. November 8, 2018.
  4. Web site: The Riveters' next coach needs to be chosen carefully. Mike. Murphy. July 3, 2019. The Ice Garden. September 16, 2020. May 19, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200519134351/https://www.theicegarden.com/2019/7/3/20550164/the-riveters-next-coach-needs-to-be-chosen-carefully-nwhl-womens-hockey-wiseman-velischek. live.
  5. Web site: Metropolitan Riveters: Reeling Rivs Relieved to See 2018 End. December 16, 2018. September 16, 2020. October 26, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201026165232/https://thehockeywriters.com/metropolitan-riveters-relieved-to-see-2018-end/. live.