Jack O'Callahan

Infobox Ice Hockey Player


image_size =
position = Defence
shot = Right
height_ft = 6
height_in = 1
weight_lb = 190
played_for = Chicago Black Hawks
New Jersey Devils
nationality = USA
birth_date = birth date and age|1957|7|24
birth_place = Charlestown, MA, USA
death_date =
death_place =
draft = 96th
draft_year = 1977
draft_team = Chicago Black Hawks
wha_draft = 68th
wha_draft_year= 1977
wha_draft_team= Calgary Cowboys
career_start = 1980
career_end = 1989
halloffame =
website =

Jack O'Callahan (born July 24, 1957 in Charlestown, Massachusetts) is a retired professional ice hockey player who played 390 NHL regular season games between 1982 and 1989 for the Chicago Blackhawks and New Jersey Devils. Before turning professional, he was a member of the 1980 Winter Olympics United States national team that upset the Soviet Union in the famous "Miracle on Ice" game.

Playing career

Amateur career

O'Callahan graduated from Boston Latin School in 1975 and then attended Boston University from 1975–1979, where he was a team captain during the 1977–78 and 1978–79 seasons and was named All-East twice, All-New England and All-America, team MVP twice, Beanpot MVP, NCAA tournament MVP, and Cochrane award winner twice. He also played for Team USA at the 1979 Ice Hockey World Championship tournament in Moscow.

The year after he graduated, O'Callahan was selected to represent the USA in the 1980 Winter Olympics. Three days before the Olympics, in an exhibition match against the Soviet Union, Jack injured his knee. This forced him out of the qualifying round at the Olympics. He returned for the famous "Miracle on Ice" game against the Soviet Union in the first game of the medal round and in his first seconds on the ice, delivered a massive hit on a Soviet player that turned the puck over to the Americans near the Soviet defensive zone. The hit caught the Soviets off guard and set up a goal scored by William "Buzz" Schneider to tie the game 1 all and boost the confidence of the Americans.

Professional career

O'Callahan was drafted 96th overall in the 1977 NHL Entry Draft by the Chicago Blackhawks. He joined the Hawks after the Olympics, initially playing for two seasons in the minors for the American Hockey League New Brunswick Hawks. He finally made the Blackhawks roster in 1982 and played there until 1987 when the Hawks left him unprotected. He was claimed off waivers by the New Jersey Devils and played a further two seasons before retiring 1989. He also made a final appearance for the United States national team at the 1989 Ice Hockey World Championship tournament.

Post career

Jack O'Callahan returned to Chicago after his retirement and went into the financial services business on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. He later co-founded Beanpot Financial Services with former NHL player Jack Hughes, who also played college hockey at Harvard and was one of the final players cut from the 1980 Olympic team.

Awards and Achievements

*ECAC First All-Star Team (1978, 1979)
*NCAA Championship All-Tournament Team (1978)
*NCAA Championship Tournament MVP (1978)
*NCAA East First All-American Team (1979)

References

*legendsofhockey|13873
* [http://www.hockeydraftcentral.com/1977/77096.html O'Callahan bio @ hockeydraftcentral.com]