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.[1]

Randy Velischek
Born (1962-02-10) February 10, 1962 (age 62)
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Height 6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight 200 lb (91 kg; 14 st 4 lb)
Position Defence
Shot Left
Played for Minnesota North Stars
New Jersey Devils
Quebec Nordiques
NHL draft 53rd overall, 1980
Minnesota North Stars
Playing career 1983–1995

Playing career

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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.[2] 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.[1] After his junior career ended, Velischek played four years of college hockey for the Providence Friars from 1979 to 1983.[1][3]

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.[1][4]

Life after hockey

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From 1995 to 2006, Velischek served as a broadcaster for the New Jersey Devils on ABC Radio and WFAN-AM.[3]

Beginning in 2007–08 school year, Velischek taught at the Pingry School as a German and French teacher and coached middle school ice hockey.[3] On June 11, 2009, Velischeck was hired as the boy's high school ice hockey coach at Morristown-Beard School.[5] 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.[6]

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,[7] based in Newark, New Jersey, despite not having any previous experience in women's hockey.[8] He was not retained for the 2019–20 season after the Devils severed ties with the Riveters and the team performed disappointingly.[9][10]

Career statistics

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Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1977–78 Lac-St-Louis Lions QMAAA 26 3 25 28 14 7 5 3 8 6
1978–79 Lac-St-Louis Lions QMAAA 39 13 31 44 47 9 3 8 11 10
1978–79 Verdun Eperviers QMJHL 4 0 1 1 0
1979–80 Providence College NCAA 31 5 5 10 20
1980–81 Providence College NCAA 33 3 12 15 26
1981–82 Providence College NCAA 33 1 14 15 38
1982–83 Providence College NCAA 41 18 34 52 50
1982–83 Minnesota North Stars NHL 3 0 0 0 2 9 0 0 0 0
1983–84 Salt Lake Golden Eagles CHL 43 7 21 28 54 5 0 3 3 2
1983–84 Minnesota North Stars NHL 33 2 2 4 10 1 0 0 0 0
1984–85 Springfield Indians AHL 26 2 7 9 22
1984–85 Minnesota North Stars NHL 52 4 9 13 26 9 2 3 5 8
1985–86 Maine Mariners AHL 21 0 4 4 4
1985–86 New Jersey Devils NHL 47 2 7 9 39
1986–87 New Jersey Devils NHL 64 2 16 18 52
1987–88 New Jersey Devils NHL 51 3 9 12 66 19 0 2 2 20
1988–89 New Jersey Devils NHL 80 4 14 18 70
1989–90 New Jersey Devils NHL 62 0 6 6 72 6 0 0 0 4
1990–91 Quebec Nordiques NHL 79 2 10 12 42
1991–92 Halifax Citadels AHL 16 3 6 9 0
1991–92 Quebec Nordiques NHL 38 2 3 5 22
1992–93 Halifax Citadels AHL 49 6 16 22 18
1993–94 Milwaukee Admirals IHL 53 7 11 18 28 4 0 0 0 2
1993–94 Cornwall Aces AHL 18 1 6 7 17
1994–95 Milwaukee Admirals IHL 35 3 3 6 24 12 2 2 4 6
NHL totals 509 21 76 97 401 44 2 5 7 32

Awards and honors

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Award Year
All-ECAC Hockey All-Star Team of The 1980s Second Team 1979-83[1]
All-ECAC 1981–82[1]
ECAC Second All-Star Team 1981–82[1]
NCAA (All-East) Senior All-Stars 1982–83[1]
All-ECAC 1982–83[1]
ECAC First All-Star Team 1982–83[1]
ECAC Player of The Year 1982–83[1]
NCAA (New England)-All New England 1982–83[1]
AHCA East All-American 1982–83[11]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Randy Velischek". Eliteprospects.com. Archived from the original on July 17, 2014. Retrieved September 13, 2014.
  2. ^ "Pee-Wee players who have reached NHL or WHA" (PDF). Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament. 2018. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2019-03-06. Retrieved 2019-01-11.
  3. ^ a b c "The Pingry Review" (PDF). Pingry School. Winter 2009. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 14, 2014. Retrieved September 13, 2014.
  4. ^ "Randy John Velischek". Hockey Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on September 14, 2014. Retrieved September 13, 2014.
  5. ^ "Randy Velischek Named Morristown-Beard Ice Hockey Coach (High School Boys Ice Hockey News)". NJ.com. June 11, 2009. Archived from the original on September 14, 2014. Retrieved September 13, 2014.
  6. ^ "Randy Velischek". Twin Oaks Ice Rink. Archived from the original on September 14, 2014. Retrieved September 13, 2014.
  7. ^ "The Riveters finally name a new coach". TheIceGarden.com. 20 September 2018. Archived from the original on 20 September 2018. Retrieved September 20, 2018.
  8. ^ "Will New Coach Randy Velischek Survive More Than One Season?". November 8, 2018.
  9. ^ Murphy, Mike (July 3, 2019). "The Riveters' next coach needs to be chosen carefully". The Ice Garden. Archived from the original on May 19, 2020. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
  10. ^ "Metropolitan Riveters: Reeling Rivs Relieved to See 2018 End". December 16, 2018. Archived from the original on October 26, 2020. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
  11. ^ "1982-1983 AHCA TITAN ALL-AMERICAN TEAM". American Hockey Coaches Association. Archived from the original on September 14, 2014. Retrieved September 13, 2014.
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Awards and achievements
Preceded by ECAC Hockey Player of the Year
1982–83
Succeeded by