Mark Wells
Mark Wells | ||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Born |
[1] St. Clair Shores, Michigan, U.S. | September 18, 1957|||||||||||||
Died |
May 14, 2024 Escanaba, Michigan, U.S. | (aged 66)|||||||||||||
Height | 5 ft 9 in (175 cm) | |||||||||||||
Weight | 175 lb (79 kg; 12 st 7 lb) | |||||||||||||
Position | Centre | |||||||||||||
Shot | Right | |||||||||||||
Played for |
Nova Scotia Voyageurs Flint Generals New Haven Nighthawks Fort Wayne Komets Oklahoma City Stars | |||||||||||||
National team |
![]() | |||||||||||||
NHL draft | 176th overall, | |||||||||||||
Playing career | 1980–1982 | |||||||||||||
Medal record
|
Mark Ronald Wells (September 18, 1957 – May 14, 2024) was an American professional ice hockey forward who was best known for being a member of the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team.
Amateur career
Mark Wells graduated from
Following the completion of his college career, Wells, along with Falcons teammate Ken Morrow, was selected to play on the 1980 U.S. Olympic Men's Ice Hockey team that went on to win the gold medal at Lake Placid. Wells played centre on a line with Phil Verchota and Eric Strobel.[3]
Professional career
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/26/Mark_Wells_Jersey.jpg/220px-Mark_Wells_Jersey.jpg)
Wells was selected 176th overall in the
Wells then signed as a free agent with the New York Rangers but spent the next two seasons shifting around the minor leagues playing for the New Haven Nighthawks, Flint Generals, Fort Wayne Komets, and Oklahoma City Stars. Wells finally retired in 1982 without playing a single game in the NHL.
Post-playing career
Following his retirement from hockey, Wells worked as a restaurant manager in
In 2010, financially struggling from medical bills and in need of finances for further surgery, Wells reluctantly sold his gold medal medallion to a private collector for $40,000. The medal was later auctioned off by the buyer for $310,700.
In later years, Wells attended civic events and spoke at several special venues around his hometown and beyond, including the St Clair Shores Lions Club fundraiser, SCS Tree Lighting Ceremony in Dec 2014, and seminar at the Arsenal of Democracy. Additionally, he made appearances at state hockey tournaments and various collectors shows around the country. He resided in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
Wells died on May 14, 2024, at the age of 67.[8][9]
Awards and achievements
Award | Year | |
---|---|---|
All-CCHA First Team | 1976–77 | [10] |
All-CCHA First Team | 1978–79 | [10] |
- Olympic Gold Medal in Men's Ice Hockey, U.S. Men's Ice Hockey team: 1980[2]
In popular culture
Wells was featured in a 1981 TV movie about the 1980 U.S. hockey team called Miracle on Ice. Jeff Miller, a retired California State Assemblyman played Wells in the 1981 movie, and Wells himself appeared in archival footage of the gold medal ceremony used in the movie.
In the 2004 Disney film Miracle, he is portrayed by Joe Hemsworth.
Career statistics
Regular season and playoffs
Regular season
|
Playoffs | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
1974–75 | Detroit Jr. Red Wings | SOJHL | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
1975–76 | Bowling Green Falcons | CCHA | 32 | 17 | 27 | 44 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
1976–77 | Bowling Green Falcons | CCHA | 39 | 23 | 36 | 59 | 20 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
1977–78 | Bowling Green Falcons | CCHA | 38 | 11 | 34 | 45 | 33 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
1978–79 | Bowling Green Falcons | CCHA | 45 | 26 | 57 | 83 | 30 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
1979–80 | United States | Intl | 22 | 7 | 6 | 13 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
1979–80 | Nova Scotia Voyageurs | AHL | 9 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
1979–80 | Flint Generals
|
IHL | 19 | 9 | 13 | 22 | 19 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
1980–81 | New Haven Nighthawks | AHL | 67 | 14 | 29 | 43 | 22 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
1981–82 | Fort Wayne Komets | IHL | 19 | 3 | 10 | 13 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
1981–82 | Oklahoma City Stars | CHL
|
14 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
1981–82 | Flint Generals | IHL | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
AHL totals | 76 | 15 | 29 | 44 | 22 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
IHL totals | 44 | 12 | 24 | 36 | 33 | — | — | — | — | — |
International
Year | Team | Event | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1980 | United States | OG
|
7 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
References
- ^ 1980 Olympics Roster
- ^ a b Mark Wells: ‘I still can’t believe it’
- ^ Peters, Chris (February 19, 2020). "Inside the Miracle on Ice: How Team USA defied the numbers to beat the Soviet Union at the 1980 Olympics". ESPN. Retrieved May 19, 2024.
- ^ a b c Mark Wells' story goes from 'Miracle' to misery after helping United States beat Soviets in 1980
- ^ "HOCKEY; A 1980 Olympian Is Dreaming of His Miracle on Ice (Published 2002)". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2018-10-28.
- ^ "Mark Wells' 'Miracle on Ice' Gold Medal Sells for $310,700". AOL. November 6, 2010. Archived from the original on November 1, 2012. Retrieved October 26, 2011.
- ^ OlympicTalk (14 January 2020). "Another Miracle on Ice player's Olympic gold medal being auctioned". NBC Sports.
- ^ "Wells dies at 67, won gold medal with 'Miracle on Ice' team in 1980 Olympics | NHL.com". www.nhl.com. 2024-05-18. Retrieved 2024-05-18.
- ^ Mark Ronald Wells Anderson Funeral Homes
- ^ a b "CCHA All-Teams". College Hockey Historical Archives. Retrieved May 19, 2013.
- ^ St. Clair Shores to dedicate ice rink to Mark Wells
External links
- Biographical information and career statistics from NHL.com, or Eliteprospects.com, or The Internet Hockey Database
- Mark Wells @ hockeydraftcentral.com