November 19, 1966.In the first game ever contested at the newly-constructed Duluth Arena, All-American senior center Keith "Huffer" Christiansen, who later that year would be named the WCHA's Most Valuable Player, collects a school-record six assists to help propel the Bulldogs past Minnesota 8-1 before a sellout crowd of 5,700.Christiansen, Keith (Fort Frances, ONT) 1963-67 C 102 75 121 196 95-258  

KEITH 'HUFFER' CHRISTIANSEN 

Developing his hockey talents growing up in Fort Frances, this athlete’s smart play making abilities earned him success from the local to the world level.  Attending school in International Falls, he helped the Broncos claim the 1962 Minnesota State High School title, earning All-State team honours. Playing junior hockey with the Fort Frances Royals his legendary career at the University of Minnesota-Duluth included, Rookie of the Year honours, 3 MVP and 4 team leading scoring titles, and a UMD record of 196 points in 102 games. A 1966-67 Western Collegiate Hockey Association first team all-star, scoring champion, league MVP and NCAA All-American, his #9 was retired upon his graduation.  A member of the U.S. National Team from 1969-71, he co-captained the 1972 U.S. Olympic silver medal winning squad. Rounding out his career by leading the Minnesota Fighting Saints to two World Hockey Association playoffs, he was inducted into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame in 2005.

 

 ‘Huffer’ to enter Hall of Fame
August 09, 2006

Alex Cruickshank

    Keith “Huffer” Christiansen is no stranger to receiving accolades and recognition.

    The Fort Frances native and former hockey great shone throughout his roughly 15-year playing career, earning him numerous fans both in Canada and the United States.

    Since his retirement from hockey in 1975, Christiansen has been honoured time and again by a series of major sports organizations for his on-ice accomplishments.

    Christiansen will once again be in the spotlight later next month (Sept. 30) when he’s enshrined into the Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame and Museum at a ceremony in Thunder Bay.

    “I’m kind of excited about it,” Christiansen said of his most recent honour over the phone from Duluth, Mn.

    The reason for his excitement?

    “I’m most excited because my father is already in there.”

    Christiansen’s father Walter “Whitey” Christiansen was inducted into the Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame 22 years ago along with his Fort Frances Canadians teammates in recognition of their 1952 Allan Cup win.

    In addition to it being a great honour to be enshrined in the hall next to his father, Christiansen credits the Allan Cup winning squad with playing a major role in his development as a hockey player, albeit in an indirect manner.

    “Hockey was everything at that time,” he recalled of the feeling around town after the Canadians’ victory.

    “We had a team in the east end and central and in the west end,” explained Christiansen. “Every kid in town was playing hockey then because that was the thing to do.”

    The Canadians win also helped to finally bring an indoor rink, artificial ice and all, to Fort Frances.

    Christiansen went on to play junior hockey with the Fort Frances Royals—a time he remembers fondly.

    “I always enjoyed playing in the Fort Frances arena, in front of the home town fans, because we did pretty good,” he said.

    The home fans also appreciated the skilled Christiansen.

    Peter Makarchuk, already a member of the Northwestern Ontario Sport Hall of Fame and the man who nominated Christiansen for the honour, recalls watching the forward skate.

    According to Makarchuk, the diminutive Christiansen, who stood only 5’5,” would dazzle the home crowd with his speed and puck-handling ability.

    “When ‘Huffer’ got the puck, he could go through everyone—and everyone loved him for it,” Makarchuk said.

    After his junior hockey days were finished, Christiansen went across the river to play at International Falls High School.

    During his two years of high school hockey, the young Canadian flourished, being named an All-State player and leading the Broncos to the Minnesota State High School Hockey Championship in 1962.

    Upon graduation, Christiansen moved on to the University of Minnesota-Duluth where he is often credited with bringing the hockey program to national prominence.

    An immediate star, Christiansen led the Bulldogs in scoring each of his four years at the school, finishing his Bulldog career with an amazing 196 points in 102 collegiate games.

    While Christiansen enjoyed a great deal of success in each of his four seasons at UMD—he was named the team’s most valuable player three times—his best season came as a senior.

    During his final year at UMD, Christiansen led the Western Collegiate Hockey Association in scoring, racking up 15 goals and 31 assists for 46 points in 23 games.

    His offensive prowess earned him the league’s most valuable player honours as well as a spot on both the All-WCHA and All-American First Teams.

    Despite garnering the interest of numerous professional teams upon graduating from college, Christiansen chose to maintain his amateur status and joined the United States National Hockey Team.

    During his tenure on the national squad, Christiansen was a member of teams that participated in the International Ice Hockey Federation’s World Championships in Sweden in 1969, in Romania in 1970, and in Switzerland in 1971.

    The highlight of Christiansen’s international hockey playing career came in 1972 at the Winter Olympics in Sapporo, Japan where he served as captain of the silver medal-winning U.S. hockey team.

    Christiansen finally turned professional following the 1972 Winter Olympics joining the Minnesota Fighting Saints of the fledgeling World Hockey Association.

    He would retire from hockey in 1975 after helping the Fighting Saints reach the playoffs in each of the two years he played for the team.

    The University of Minnesota-Duluth was the first organization to recognize Christiansen’s remarkable playing career in 1991 when they made him a charter member of their Athletic Hall of Fame.

    Christiansen is also the only player in school history ever to have their jersey retired.

    The WCHA followed UMD’s lead in 2002, naming Christiansen one of its “Top 50 Players in 50 Years.”

    The Duluth Entertainment Convention Center was next to honour the Fort Frances native, inducting him into their Athletic Hall of Fame in 2004.

    Last year, Christiansen received his greatest honour to date when he was enshrined into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame as part of their 32nd Annual Induction and Luncheon Ceremony along with players Murray Williamson, Lane MacDonald and Maurice “Moe” Roberts.