Jerry York Inducted In Hockey Hall Of Fame

Photo courtesy of BCEagles.com

Jerry York, arguably the greatest college hockey coach of all time was inducted in the Hockey Hall of Fame last night in Toronto, Canada. The Hall honored York, winner of over 600 games at Boston College and 1,074 over his career the legendary coach has spent 25 years at the Heights winning four national championships and an all time leader in NCAA victories with 41. Not only has his program been successful on the ice, but his players have gone on to greatness as well with 58 former players finding careers in the NHL. 

"College doesn't get a lot of love from the Hall of Fame, necessarily, but I think you look at his resume, it's impeccable," former Boston College goalie Corey Schneider told NHL.com. "There's been nobody better at the college ranks than him in coaching and also developing players and getting guys to the NHL and the next level. He's extremely deserving of it, and it's a proud moment for alumni and for guys who played for him. You're proud to have played for him and represented him and gotten the opportunity to work with him."

The story of Jerry York is well known by most around Boston College. He grew up in the Watertown area near BC, and attended BC where he where he played from 1963-67. BC gave him the opportunity to start coaching intramurals which he did before he headed to Clarkson to be an assistant head coach under former BC legend Len Ceglarski in . He took over when his mentor headed to BC to become head coach and won a ECAC regular season title in 1977. 

York headed to Bowling Green where he reached even more heights, winning his first National Championship in 1984. He won 342 games at Bowling Green, before he landed back at his alma mater in Chestnut Hill, where he has coached ever since. 

Not to wax poetic here, but Jerry York is everything that every coach should strive to be, and the way he runs his program should be the gold standard for every collegiate program around the country. He is a personable, graceful and holds his players to a high standard one that demands excellence. Even after a tough down season last year, he recruited extremely well and again has Boston College deep in the pursuit of more gold. 

Nothing exemplifies his values more than when Canadian reporters ripped him for missing some of this weekend's Hall of Fame festivities due to his desire to stay with his team and coach them during a weekend series in Vermont. Bu that is who York is, a coach who always pick his team and players over personal achievements. He is a winner, a players coach, and now he is immortalized with the greats in the Hockey Hall of Fame.