Episode 45 of the Pro Hockey Alumni Podcast is a tribute to 7-year NHL pro Mike Christie, who passed away on July 11, 2019.
Born in Big Spring, Texas, and raised in Calgary, Alberta, Mike was the first native Texan to play in the NHL although it was strictly a technicality as his father was a Canadian citizen working for an American oil company and Mike grew up in Canada.
Before turning pro , Mike played for the University of Denver, becoming a first team all-American in 1971 as well being chosen to the US amateur national team at the 1972 Ice Hockey World Championship.
Mike then played two seasons with the Dallas Blackhawks (CHL), before signing with NHL's California Golden Seals in 1974, where he played until the franchise moved to Cleveland in 1977, becoming the Cleveland Barons. Mike was captain of the NHL's Colorado Rockies hockey team in the late 1970s, and his NHL career ended with the Vancouver Canucks in 1981.
He also represented the United States in the inaugural 1976 Canada Cup tournament.
Mike settled in Colorado after his hockey career ended, and started a second career as a sales representative that allowed him to enjoy his other athletic passion - golf. He represented several well-known brands, including Callaway and Top-Flite, before retiring in 2010.
Mike died of kidney disease on July 11, 2019. He was married to his wife of 47 years, Molly (née Hamill), and had two daughters, Lisa and Colleen, a son Dan, and four grandchildren. [
In this episode we hear tributes from four of Mike’s teammates: former NHLers Mike Lampman, George Pesut, Dave Gardner and Paul Gardner.
#52 - A Tribute to Larry Hale - Philadelphia Flyers and Houston Aeros D
#51 Bruce Landon: New England Whalers Goaltender and AHL Hall of Famer
#50 WHA Summit Series '74 Review, NHL Training Camp Memories, NYR Rangers vs. Boston Bruins Alumni Classic
#49 Dan Quinn: Scoring Star for the Calgary Flames and Pittsburgh Penguins
#48 Bruins G Jim "Seaweed" Pettie is Remembered by Rick Middleton
#47 Hockey Fights 1, Russ Conway Remembered, 2019 RI Hockey Hall of Fame Event
#46 Blake Dunlop -- 1981 NHL Masterton Trophy Winner
#44 Morris Lukowich Part 2
#43 Mike Boland - Original WHA Ottawa National, Emmy Winning Filmaker
#42 Morris Lukowich - NHL and WHA All Star Part 1
#41 Rhode Island Reds Reunion Special
#40 Hartford Whalers 2019 Reunion Special
#39 - Dennis Sobchuk: Junior Hockey Icon to WHA Superstar
#38 Wayne Babych - The 1st St. Louis Blues 50-goal Scorer
#37 John Van Boxmeer: High Scoring D with Montreal, Buffalo and Colorado
#36 Larry Lund - Houston Aeros WHA Legend
#35 Phil Bourque: Pittsburgh Penguins Stanley Cup Winner in 1991 and 1992
#34 Geoff Kirbyson (Author) and the 1978-79 WHA Champion Winnipeg Jets
#33 Tim Sweeney - Anaheim Mighty Ducks Original and 1992 US Olympian
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