Lou Nanne

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Lou Nanne
Born	(1941-06-02) June 2, 1941 (age 83) Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada
Height	6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight	180 lb (82 kg; 12 st 12 lb)
Position	Defence
Shot	Right
Played for	Minnesota North Stars
National team	United States
Playing career	1963–1978

Louis Vincent Anthony Nanne (born June 2, 1941) is a Canadian-born American former

After retiring Nanne became the general manager and coach of the North Stars. With an infusion of notable players from the merger with the Cleveland Barons and through the draft, he quickly rebuilt the North Stars into a contender after his playing career ended in 1978. The Stars reached the Stanley Cup Finals in 1981, the conference final in 1984, and made the playoffs seven consecutive seasons (1979–1986). This winning run saw the North Stars average over 35 wins per season, encompassed the North Stars sole 40-win season, and six of the organization's ten 35-plus-win seasons. In 1988, after two seasons in which the North Stars finished below .500 and had consecutive fifth-place finishes in the Norris Division, Nanne resigned from the North Stars citing health reasons and left the organization entirely in 1991.^[3][4][5][6] Nanne also served as general manager of the U.S. national team in the 1981, 1984, and 1987 Canada Cup tournaments.^[7]

CBS Sports and NHL Network enlisted his services to provide color commentary of their hockey telecast when the Minnesota North Stars were not involved. In 1979, he called Game 2 of the 1979 Challenge Cup and Stanley Cup playoff games on NHL Network alongside play-by-play man Dan Kelly.^[8] One year later, he called Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals between the Philadelphia Flyers and New York Islanders on CBS, where was worked with two play-by-play men Kelly (who called the first, third, and overtime periods) and Tim Ryan (who called the second period).

Starting in 2019, he served as the rotating color commentator for Minnesota Wild broadcasts on Bally Sports North, alternating in that role with Wes Walz and Ryan Carter.^[9]

Influence on the "Miracle on Ice"

Nanne, along with USA Hockey's Walter Bush, spearheaded the campaign to have Herb Brooks named head coach of the U.S. Olympic Hockey Team leading up to the 1980 Winter Games. Nanne, who had just been named the General Manager of the North Stars, offered Brooks, who was then the head coach at the University of Minnesota, the North Stars' head coaching job, but Brooks declined, saying that it was instead his goal to coach the Olympic team. After legendary Boston University coach Jack Parker turned down the head coach position of Team USA, Nanne and Bush became involved in the Olympic Team selection process and pushed for Brooks to be named coach. Brooks did later coach under Nanne in Minnesota during the 1987–88 season, but was fired following a 19–48–13 season.^[10]

Personal life

Nanne had been the TV color commentator for the Minnesota State High School Boys Hockey tournament since 1964, a total of 60 years.^[11][12] His last year calling the tournament was in 2024.^[13] Nanne opened "Lou Nanne's Steakhouse" in Edina, Minnesota in March 2016.^[14] It has since been renamed Tavern23 as a tribute to Nanne's jersey number.

His son

• WCHA Most Valuable Player (1963)
• Lester Patrick Trophy (1989)
• Inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame in 2004^[16][17]
• United States Hockey Hall of Fame

References