Bonin became only the second Gopher hockey player (after John Mayasich in 1954 and 1955) to be named a First-Team All-American in back-to-back seasons. He led the WCHA in scoring as both a junior and a senior, and was named the league’s Player of the Year in the 1995 and 1996 seasons. He led the nation in regular season scoring as a senior and finished with 34 goals and 47 assists for 81 points. His 216 career points rank him among the top six scorers in Minnesota history. Bonin carried himself just as well in the classroom as on the ice, turning in a 3.17 overall GPA as a chemistry major for the resident of White Bear Lake, Minnesota. He was a ninth round pick (211th overall) of the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 1992 NHL Entry Draft. Bonin is retired from professional hockey and works in the financial industry in Minnesota. He spent five seasons playing minor pro hockey in the AHL and IHL and two seasons with Langnau in the Swiss A league.
Top Ten:
Player Stats
| Type | Season | Team Name | League | Goals | Assists | Points | PIM | +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Current Season | 2004-2005 | Worcester IceCats | AHL | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | -2 |
| Hobey Winning Season | 1995-1996 | Univ. of Minnesota | NCAA | 34 | 47 | 81 | 30 |
1996 Runner Up
Jay Pandolfo had a highly successful college hockey career at Boston University from 1992 to 1996. During his time there, he helped the Terriers win the NCAA National Championship in 1995. In his senior season, he was a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award, which is given to the nation’s top college hockey player. He also won the Walter Brown Award as the best American-born college hockey player in New England. Pandolfo finished his collegiate career with 169 points in 138 games.
After his collegiate career, Pandolfo was drafted by the New Jersey Devils in the second round of the 1993 NHL Entry Draft. He spent 15 seasons in the NHL as a highly regarded defensive forward, playing for the Devils, Minnesota Wild, and Boston Bruins. Pandolfo won the Stanley Cup twice with the Devils, in 2000 and 2003. He was known for his penalty-killing skills and was a key contributor to the Devils’ success during their championship years. He retired in 2013, having played 899 NHL games.