In more than a decade-and-a-half as an elite player, Dave Christian made a notable impact at the Olympic and NHL level. This 1984 story from THN's Archive has more.
Forward Dave Christian is an Olympic gold medalist and a Stanley Cup finalist who had a productive hockey career in the 1980s and '90s. In this cover story from The Hockey News’ March 16, 1984 edition – Vol. 37, Issue 24 – contributor Rod Beaton put the spotlight on Christian.
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Christian was a part of Team USA’s 1980 “Miracle On Ice” gold-winning championship team. He quickly parlayed that into success at the NHL level, first with the Winnipeg Jets and then, in his longest NHL stint, with the Washington Capitals.
He comes from a family of hockey players, and he earned a reputation as a stand-up performer and a goal-scorer of note. His father and uncles were also Olympians, and that instilled a pride for him that lasted through all his playing days and beyond,
“When I was growing up, I was proud that they’d played,” Christian told Beaton. “Proud they’d been successful. It never put any pressure on me. It was a positive thing. I read the scrapbooks and heard the stories.”
By the time he retired in 1996, Christian had appeared in 1,009 regular-season NHL games and generated 433 assists and 773 points. And he's earned the respect of all who know him.
“David is a first-class boy and a very classy skater,” said then-Jets GM John Ferguson.
“I can’t say enough good about him,” added Montreal GM Serge Savard, who was a teammate of Christian’s in Winnipeg. “He is a very good all-around player, so versatile. He played center, right wing, left wing, defense, killed penalties, played on the power play, played the point. He did everything except play goal.”
THE NAME IS SYNONYMOUS WITH HOCKEY IN THE U.S.
Vol. 37, No. 24, March 16, 1984
By Rod Beaton
There have been plenty of prominent people named Christian: Fletcher Christian of the H.M.S. Bounty; Christian Dior; Dr. Christian Barnard and Hans Christian Anderson.
But if you move in hockey circles, especially American hockey circles, there is only one family Christian — the Christians of Warroad, MN, a three-generation clan of gold medal-winners, top amateur and professional skaters and major stick manufacturers.
David Christian is the standard-bearer for the family now. The family name is visible in rinks throughout the world on sticks of their manufacture, but it is David, starring at center for the fast-rising Washington Capitals, who is most prominent.
“David is a first-class boy and a very classy skater,” said Winnipeg general manager John Ferguson, who nonetheless traded him to Washington at last summer’s entry draft. Ferguson made the deal only because he could not come anywhere near an agreement with Christian’s agent on a new contract.
Christian’s class developed in a hockey-mad family in a hockey-mad town. Nurtured by the high-quality Minnesota high school hockey system, maturing at the University of North Dakota, Dave Christian emerged as a world-class player during the 1980 Olympics. He hasn’t looked back.
“I always thought about the NHL,” says Christian. “Growing up I was hopeful, dreaming of getting a chance to play here.”
Warroad, a town of 1,100 hardy souls not far from the Canadian border, is the kind of place that caters to dreams of NHL glory. It is, after all, billed as, “Hockey Town, USA.” and its most striking landmark is a water tower adorned with crossed hockey sticks.
“It’s 29 miles, east of Roseau (home of the NHL Brotens) on Lake of the Woods,” says Christian. “The winters get pretty cold.”
The winters get very cold…and the rink is no warmer. A youngster has to skate hard and keep skating to stay (almost) warm.
“You’d wear gloves under your hockey gloves, a cap under your helmet,” says Christian. “It’s a pretty typical small-town rink. Unheated. It had natural ice.”
In that rink, Christian developed as a player, sustaining a family tradition.
His grandfather, Ed Christian, helped build it. His father, Bill, and uncles, Roger and Gordon, became Olympians. Bill and Roger starred for the U.S. team that won the gold medal in Squaw Valley in 1960. Twenty years later, Dave was bringing home the gold again.
“When I was growing up, I was proud that they’d played,” he said. “Proud they’d been successful. It never put any pressure on me. It was a positive thing. I read the scrapbooks and heard the stories.”
But he had to make it on his own and did. Three times Christian was All-State while playing for Warroad High. His one regret: his team never reached the state high school hockey tournament.
The Minnesota State Hockey Tournament is an annual affair. In David’s high school days it was held at the Met Centre in Bloomington. Since then it has moved to the St. Paul Civic Center, a larger arena.
They need the extra space. Every one of the 18,000-plus seats is filled for the eliminations. For a Minnesota high school player, the dream of the NHL is a longshot. The state tournament is more accessible.
“In Minnesota, the state tournament is the thing to do,” said Christian. “It’s such a large tournament. They draw 18,000 people each day (three in all) through the finals. When we never made it there, for a time it really bothered me.”
Then Christian was bothered because he was not offered a full scholarship to the University of Minnesota.
“Minnesota only offered a three-quarter scholarship,” he recalled. “I felt I’d proven myself and done well in my three years of high school.”
North Dakota beckoned. Gino Gasparini, then an assistant to Rube Bjorkman, recruited Christian. It’s a Class-A capital offense in Minnesota not to go to a state school, Minnesota or Minnesota-Duluth, but David Christian was undaunted. North Dakota wanted him and offered a full ride. He took it.
“He was a good collegian,” said Ferguson, who drafted Christian in the second round in 1979.
After a 22-goal, 24-assist season (in 40 games) in 1978-79, Christian tried for a berth on the 1980 Olympic team. He wasn’t sure he was good enough to make it.
“It was never a lock that I would make it,” he said. “I started off playing right wing, but as we got into the season schedule, Herbie (coach Brooks) asked if I had ever played defense. I was not sure what to think.”
There wasn’t much to think about anyway. Brooks wanted Christian’s speed and puck handling skills on the blueline. That’s where they went. Brooks got what he wanted.
“I felt comfortable there after a period of adjustment,” Christian said. “It just took a bit of time. Our style was puck control and skating and those are my strong points. If they’d wanted me to be some big guy taking out people in front of the net, then they’d be looking at the wrong guy.”
Christian, of course, went on to play a prominent role in the gold medal-win at Lake Placid. One week later, he was in the NHL.
“There was not really a lot of hoopla when I joined the Jets,” he said. “I felt pressure to do well. They were not building me up too much. I was able to stick to hockey.”
And he stuck out. He took a regular shift and won raves.
“I can’t say enough good about him,” said Montreal general manager Serge Savard, who became a teammate of Christian with the Jets. “He is a very good all-around player, so versatile. He played center, right wing, left wing, defense, killed penalties, played on the power play, played the point. He did everything except play goal.”
Christian played with panache. The endless hours at the Warroad rink had fostered a smooth, fast skating style. He can stickhandle with the best.
“He is a very good team player,” said Savard. “They named him captain and he was a good leader for a very young team. He’ll be a captain again some day.”
Not immediately. Rod Langway has impressed everyone as a captain with the Capitals. Christian followed the same path to the Caps as Lang way.
Each was an American playing for a Canadian team. Each was unhappy about the double-jeopardy that Americans playing in Canada are prey to on taxes. Each wanted a salary that compensated for the tax bite. Neither got it. Both were picked up by Washington general manager David Poile at bargain-basement prices.
Christian came for a No. 1 draft pick (10th overall) that Ferguson used to select defenseman Bob Dollas of Laval. Dollas is still in junior. Ferguson says he shows promise, but Christian is delivering. He is the leading scorer on the Capitals. At 24, there is the promise of a lot more to come.
“He’s a player we never wanted to lose,” said Ferguson. “The only problem with David Christian was my problem (negotiating) with his agent (Mark Perrone).
“Washington offered the No. 1 pick, so I made the trade. I was disappointed to lose him. I’m not surprised in the least he’s leading the Capitals in scoring.”
Neither is Poile.
“I’d made up my mind to move Dennis Maruk,” said Poile. “We actually acquired David before I dealt Maruk (to Minnesota for a second-round pick), but David was the heir-apparent to assume Dennis’ offensive production. He certainly has fit the bill.”
Mostly, David Christian has fit in with winger Mike Gartner and Bengt Gustafsson. All three have great speed. Gustafsson and Christian can both handle the puck skillfully and Gartner has one of the NHL’s best shots.
“My role is to create scoring chances for Gus (Gustafsson) and Gart (Gartner) or whoever is on the wing,” said Christian.
But unlike Maruk, Christian knows how to play well without the puck. If he didn’t, he wouldn’t be a Capital. Coach Bryan Murray’s Caps do not have the lowest goals-against in the league because they are a bunch of nice guys.
“That comes from the style this team plays,” said Christian. “Our most important consideration is defense first. Everything starts from how we play in our end.”
Christian excels in either end. And between the bluelines he’s not bad, either.
“He’ll be a good solid player for us a number of years,” said Poile. “I don’t consider him a superstar. He just knows and plays winning hockey.”
That description fits the Capitals, too. Part of the reason Christian has fit in so well as a player is his attention to detail and his diligence. Except for Norris Trophy-winner (and probably repeat-winner) Langway, there is no certified NHL All-Star in the lineup. Just a bunch of hard-skating guys who believe in giving their dollar’s worth and who probably clear their end and forecheck at the other end as well as any team in the NHL.
“I feel really confident about this team,” said Christian. “With the style we’ve played all year and the way we’ve played it, I think we can do well in the playoffs. Really well.”
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