For the first time since 2014, professional hockey players from the NHL are competing in the Winter Olympics. Stars like Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews are making their Olympic debut, and hope for the legacy that the "Miracle on Ice" players received.
Almost 50 years ago, Team USA made history when they defeated the Soviet Union at the 1980 Olympic Winter Games in Lake Placid, New York. The now iconic semi-final game is known as the "Miracle on Ice" and was the last time Team USA won gold at the Olympics.
The legendary moment was turned into a film starring Kurt Russell as Coach Herb Brooks. In the 2004 movie Miracle, Kurt as Coach Brooks delivers a moving speech telling Team USA: "Tonight, we are the greatest hockey team in the world."
As professionals are welcomed back to the Olympic Games, here's what the "Miracle on Ice" players are up to now.
Ken Morrow, 69, played defense for the gold medal winning team. He was in the NHL for nine years, won four straight Stanley Cups, and retired in 1989 due to knee issues. After his hockey career, Ken worked as a scout for the New York Islanders and worked as the president of KCIce, an outdoor ice rink company in Kansas City, Missouri.
Mike Ramsey was just 20 when he won an Olympic gold medal. After 16 years in the NHL, he retired while playing for the Detroit Red Wings. Mike returned to Minnesota and opened a sporting goods store. He worked in the NHL as an assistant coach for 13 years.
These days, the 65-year-old is active in the lives of his three children – Hannah, Rachel, and Jack. Hannah and Jack followed in their dad’s footsteps, both playing hockey in college.
Team USA’s right wing, Dave Silk, 68, played for many professional teams throughout his career, including three German ones after he left the NHL. After retiring in 1991, Dave worked as the assistant men’s hockey coach at Boston University.
A star player on the “Miracle on Ice” team, Mark Johnson, 68, was essential in the team’s win over the Soviet Union. During the iconic game, Mark scored two of the four goals. He returned to the Olympics in 2010 to coach the U.S. women’s team, which won a silver medal at the Games.
Mark is a dad-of-four, to Patrick, Mikayla, Chris, and Meghan. All four of his children played hockey in college, with his son Chris following even further in Mark’s footsteps and becoming a hockey coach.
The left wing on Team USA, Rob McClanahan scored the winning goal during their gold medal match against Finland. He had a brief NHL career, only playing for five years, before retiring in 1984.
After retiring from the NHL, Rob, 68, became a financial broker and worked for Morgan Stanley, Bear Stearns, and Piper Jaffray. Outside of work, he coaches the hockey team at The Blake School in Minnesota, where his daughter Sara attended.
Jim Craig, 68, was the goaltender on Team USA in 1980, in which he stopped 36 of 39 shots on goal by the Soviet Union. He only played in the NHL for four years. After retiring in 1984, Craig became a motivational speaker, working at Gold Medal Strategies in Boston. His daughter Taylor is married to NHL player Jayson Megna.
The coach who was portrayed by Kurt Russel in the 2004 film, Herb Brooks, had an iconic coaching career. For over 30 years, Herb coached a range of teams, both college and professional.
He married his wife, Patricia “Patti” Lane in 1965, and had two children, Dan and Kelly. In 2003, Herb died in a car accident at 66-years-old after he fell asleep behind the wheel.
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