Tim Benz: An idea to honor the 'Miracle' men with Penguins ties

Since the (re)retirement of Tom Brady, the notion of retiring his No. 12 across the NFL has been floated on a few occasions.

Nah. Brady was greatest. But too many other teams have their own iconic quarterbacks that’ll forever be known as wearing No. 12. The Steelers (Terry Bradshaw), Cowboys (Roger Staubach), Ken Stabler (Raiders), Jets (Joe Namath), Dolphins (Bob Griese), Bills (Jim Kelly) and Packers (Aaron Rodgers) all come to mind.

But here’s an idea along those lines for hockey that makes some sense. How about retiring No. 80 at PPG Paints Arena and in all of the rinks of American NHL franchises in honor of the 1980 “Miracle on Ice” team?

I mean, it’s not very difficult to do. It’s not like a lot of players wear No. 80. And hockey in America may have never risen to whatever level of popularity it enjoys now without that team upsetting the mighty Russians and eventually winning the gold medal in Lake Placid, N.Y.

The idea — perhaps subliminally planted in my brain thanks to some of the Brady talk — sparked up while I was doing my ritualistic rewatching of the movie “Miracle” on Feb. 22. That was the date in 1980 of Team USA’s 4-3 win over the Soviet Union, in what is largely considered the greatest upset in American team-sports history.

It hit me that there are so many Penguins connections to that team that at least their names should somehow be immortalized in the rafters. The two most well-known connections are Herb Brooks and Craig Patrick.

Brooks coached Team USA and the Penguins (1999-2000). He was also a scout and Director of Player Personnel with the franchise.

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Patrick was the general manager of the Penguins’ first two Stanley Cup teams in 1991 and 1992. Patrick was the assistant general manager and assistant coach for the team under Brooks.

But beyond them, there were a number of other connections to the Penguins. Patrick, who is still a professional scout with the team, recently sat down with me and recalled each of the ‘80 team alumni who played with the Pens.

• Forward Mark Johnson, who led the club with 11 points and seven goals in seven games during the 1980 Olympics, had 62 points in 136 games with the Penguins from 1980-82. “He was skilled. He could skate. He was smart. He was well-schooled by his dad (former Penguins coach ‘Badger’ Bob Johnson). He was just a smart guy,” Patrick said.

• Defenseman Mike Ramsey was in Pittsburgh from 1993-94. “He was the youngest guy on the team. Guys picked on him all the time,” Patrick said. “But he was good-natured. He had a lot of fun with it. But he was really talented. He was one of our top three defensemen as an 18- or 19-year-old.”

• William “Buzz” Schneider was drafted 98th overall in the 1974 NHL amateur draft by the Penguins (and 73rd overall in the 1974 WHA amateur draft by the Minnesota Fighting Saints). While he never played for the Pens, Schneider was the left wing on the Coneheads line with Mark Pavelich and John Harrington, scoring five goals and notching three assists in seven games in Lake Placid.

“Buzzy could skate like the wind. Fly,” Patrick said. “That line with Pavelich, Harrington and Buzz was very important for us in the Olympics.”

• Ralph Cox was memorably portrayed as the last cut from the team in the movie “Miracle.” In reality, he and Jack Hughes were both cut at the same time to close out the roster. Cox played in the minors and overseas before eventually scouting alongside Brooks with the Pens throughout the 1990s.

For now, only two numbers are retired at PPG Paints Arena: Mario Lemieux’s No. 66 and Michel Brière’s No. 21. Eventually, a few more should go up to the rafters. Sidney Crosby’s No. 87 and Evgeni Malkin’s No. 71, for sure. Perhaps Jaromir Jagr’s 68, Marc-Andre Fleury’s 29 and Kris Letang’s 58 as well.

Number 80 in Black and Gold with the names of all the Penguins’ “Miracle on Ice” Olympians would look good up there too. It’d also be a fitting reminder for the next wave of hockey fans through Pittsburgh to remember the impact of the team on the sport, as well as socio-politically at the time.

“Sure, I’d like to see it. I think that would be nice. But I think the Penguins have done a real nice job with us, Herb and myself, through the time that I’ve been around. They did a night for us one year. When the team goes off the ice down there (Patrick said, pointing to a wall along the players’ tunnel), the first person they see is Herb,” Patrick said, referring to an image of Brooks.

Indeed, the Penguins have been diligent in recognizing that team and recognizing the memory of those players, particularly at moments of landmark anniversaries and appearances from Lemieux’s long-time friend, 1980 team captain Mike Eruzione. He famously scored the game-winning goal against the Soviet Union in the medal round.

Mike Eruzione goal over Soviets. pic.twitter.com/5tD8sdxYx2

— Paul Gardner (@PaulGardner03) April 27, 2022

I sought comment from a team official with the Penguins. They weren’t willing to discuss any such formalized plans of a jersey retirement on the record, but I was told they might have a few ideas to further recognize the team in the future.

Good. I hope so. Most of the players from that team are in their mid- to late 60s now. And if such an honor as a league-wide jersey retirement or — at least one in Pittsburgh — were to happen, it’d be nice to do it while the team is still largely intact and young enough to enjoy the moment.

And so younger fans can applaud what they have done to help make the game into what it is in this country.

To say nothing of what the legacy of that team has meant to any underdog, in any sport, for the past four decades.