St. Paul Steers (1965-66)
1966 USHL Champions
Front Row L to R: Bill Halbrehder, Herb Brooks, Ken Williamson, Bill Masterton, Murray Williamson, Player/Coach /President/GM, Jim Ridley, Gerry Edmonds, Rod Blackburn
Back Row L to R: Dave Metzen, Jerry Melnychuk, Marsh Tschida, Bob Currie, Larry Alm, Marv Jorde, Myron Graftstrom, Art Miller, Jim Arndt, Dave Brooks, Doc Rose, Don Neiderkorn
Not Pictured: Dick Paradise, Lynn Davis, Geo Konik, Bob Turk, Dick Burg, Dick Merridith
The nucleus for the 1967 National Team and the 1968 Olympic Team
When Walter Bush became the manager of the 1964 Olympic Team and ultimately the managing partner of the Minneapolis Bruins of the CPHL, the St Paul franchise in the USHL was purchased by Murray Williamson. In the 1964-65 season the team established an impressive record in the league and against some of the major college teams in the WCHA. It won the league championship and a 3-3 tie with the Russian "B" team, a 10-2 victory over the US National Team and a impressive 6-2 victory over a touring Swedish Elite team convinced the AHAUS that this team and its affiliation with the USHL would be a good basis for the
1967 U S National Team.
The USHL at the time was a five team senior league made up of teams from St. Paul, Rochester, Waterloo, Green Bay and Marquette. The NHL at the time was a six team league with limited opportunity for players who had taken 4 years out of their hockey careers to play college hockey, so the league was a haven for good college players with the desire to pursue business opportunities while playing in a league that had a 36 game weekend schedule.
Bill Masterton and George Konik graduated from Denver University, turned pro with Montreal and New York respectively then applied for and was reinstated as amateurs when the opportunities in the pro ranks were limited.