David Silk
Former Professional Hockey Player | Miracle on Ice
Born on January 1, 1958 in Scituate, Massachusetts, Silk shined on the ice for Thayer Academy, scoring 85 goals in his first season. He was immediately a force on the Boston University hockey team, winning New England Rookie of the Year in 1976. The Terriers won a national championship in 1978 and Silk received First Team All-New England honors. The New York Rangers selected him with the 59th overall pick in the 1978 National Hockey League draft.
Silk’s greatest contribution to the memories of Americans comes from the 1980 Olympics in Lake Placid. Joined by college teammates Mike Eruzione, Jim Craig and Jack O’Callahan, he was part of a team that was not expected to do well. Against all odds, the United States pulled off one of the biggest upsets in hockey history over the Soviet Union, marked by Al Michaels’ call “Do you believe in miracles?” Silk later explained that “To us, it was a hockey game; to the rest of the world it was a political statement.” The United States had a comeback win over Finland to win the gold, cementing the team’s place in history. In seven Olympic games Silk had two goals and three assists.
After the Olympics, Silk signed with the New York Rangers and began his NHL career. His seven-year career included stops with the Rangers, Boston Bruins, Detroit Red Wings and Winnipeg Jets. The two seasons playing with the Bruins fulfilled a childhood dream for Silk. In total, he scored 54 goals and added 59 assists in 249 NHL games. Silk left the United States to play hockey in Germany, returning as an assistant coach for Boston University. He is a member of the United States Hockey Hall of Fame and United States Olympic Hall of Fame. Silk only laces up his skates a couple times a year for charity events, and enjoys golfing in his spare time. He now works in the financial services field.
