Mike York has joined the Lake Superior State hockey coaching staff.
He’ll join head coach Damon Whitten, who was his teammate at Michigan State for two seasons in the 1990s.
“We are thrilled to welcome Mike, Aimee and Ivy to Sault Ste. Marie and to Lake Superior State University,” said Whitten in a news release. “Mike’s experience as a two-time NCAA All-American, Olympian and NHL all-star will be a tremendous asset in the development of our players. Along with his accomplishments on the ice, Mike brings a work ethic and humility that will aid us in our continued growth as a program. As a coach, we are always fighting to provide our student athletes with the best resources and any edge that helps them grow. We’re excited for our current and future players to have Mike bring his experiences and over 550 NHL games to Laker hockey.”
York, who played for the Spartans from 1995 to 1999, was a two-time Hobey Baker Award finalist and the CCHA Player of the Year and Best Defensive Forward following the 1998-99 season. He ranks 12th in MSU career scoring with 79 goals and 201 points and was inducted into the MSU Athletics Hall of Fame in 2015.
A sixth-round draft pick of the New York Rangers in the 1997 NHL Draft, York played 579 NHL games with the Rangers, New York Islanders, Edmonton, Philadelphia, Phoenix and Columbus. He totaled 127 goals and 322 points during his decade in the NHL. He played his final five professional seasons with Germany’s Iserlohn Roosters, who eventually retired his number.
York teamed with former Lakers standouts Doug Weight and Brian Rolston and earned a silver medal while playing for Team USA in the 2002 Olympics.
“I am extremely excited to join the coaching staff at Lake State – the Laker program has always had a great tradition,” York added. “The players, the campus and Sault St. Marie community are passionate about hockey, and I am eager to get started.”
