Jeff Levy
Born (1970-12-09) December 9, 1970
Omaha, Nebraska, USA
Height 6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight 170 lb (77 kg; 12 st 2 lb)
Position Goaltender
Caught Left
Played for New Hampshire
Kalamazoo Wings
Huntington Blizzard
Jacksonville Lizard Kings
El Paso Buzzards
Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees
NHL Draft 134th, 1990
Minnesota North Stars
Playing career 19902005

Jeffrey Levy is an American ice hockey coach and former goaltender who was an All-American for New Hampshire.[1]

Career

Levy grew up in Salt Lake City and played high school hockey in the region. He took a chance to advance his career by moving to Minnesota for his senior year. He managed to get on the Rochester Mustangs as a third goaltender and played well in his minimal appearances. The following year he became the team's starter and began to make a name for himself. Levy helped the Mustangs win the US National junior ice hockey championship in 1990 and he used the notoriety to earn a scholarship to the University of New Hampshire.[2] Levy was also selected by the Minnesota North Stars in the NHL Draft that summer, something he admittedly didn't fully comprehend.

Levy made an immediate impact in college, taking over as the starter as a freshman and being named an All-American. He backstopped the Wildcats to the team's first winning season in 7 years and was among the best goaltenders in terms of production for the year.[3] The following season he continued to improve and led UNH to the Hockey East championship game and was named the best goaltender of the tournament. The team's stellar season also helped them earn an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 9 years. After his sophomore season, he was offered an NHL contract by the North Stars and he accepted.

When he appeared in training camp in the fall, Levy was not prepared for the vast difference between college and the NHL levels. He played a year in the minors with the Kalamazoo Wings but was definitely a work in progress for an extended professional career.[4] That offseason he was also invited to take part in the tryout for the US national team for the upcoming Winter Olympics and made the squad along with fellow college standouts Mike Dunham and Garth Snow. Levy ended up becoming the third goaltender on the squad and, due to a lack of available playing time, was returned to Minnesota prior to the game and did not participate. His pro career never fully materialized, unfortunately, and after getting demoted to the ECHL, Levy retired once his rookie contract with the North Stars expired.

Levy was frustrated by how his career had gone and he remained out of the game for five years. Eventually, however, he caught 'the bug' and wanted to get back into the net. He returned to minor pro hockey for the later half of the 2000 season and played in parts of five campaigns. Levy was much happier with his play after his return and believed that, if he had played as well earlier, he could have continued at a higher level for much longer.

After retiring as a player, Levy returned to the game as a coach at the junior hockey level, helping teach his son Hank how to improve his play.

Statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
SeasonTeamLeague GPWLTMINGASOGAASV% GPWLMINGASOGAASV%
1988–89 Rochester Mustangs USHL 9711
1989–90 Rochester Mustangs USHL 32247018239703.19.900
1990–91 New Hampshire Hockey East 24157214908003.22.905
1991–92 New Hampshire Hockey East 3520132197110823.29.898
1992–93 Kalamazoo Wings IHL 288141151211504.56.866
1992–93 Dayton Bombers ECHL 100165302.77.909 2
1993–94 Team USA International
1993–94 Kalamazoo Wings IHL 200159404.06.840
1993–94 Dayton Bombers ECHL 3110133167212504.48.879
1994–95 Huntington Blizzard ECHL 366221184413804.49.874 4
1999–00 Jacksonville Lizard Kings ECHL 122505074305.09.857
2000–01 El Paso Buzzards WPHL 5623257324116723.09.901 7
2001–02 El Paso Buzzards CHL 29188216517422.69.905 10
2003–04 Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees CHL 4825175279810342.21.922 3
2004–05 Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees CHL 4518141261013323.06.897
NCAA totals 5935204346119123.26.901
ECHL totals 8018405408830904.54.874 6
CHL totals 12261498705931082.63.909 13

Awards and honors

Award Year
USHL Goaltender of the Year 1989–90
All-Hockey East Second Team 1990–91 [5]
Hockey East All-Rookie Team 1990–91 [6]
AHCA East Second-Team All-American 1990–91 [1]
Hockey East All-Tournament Team 1992 [7]

References

  1. 1 2 "Men's Ice Hockey Award Winners" (PDF). NCAA.org. Retrieved June 11, 2013.
  2. "Jeff Levy reminisces about hockey in Utah during the 80s and the modern development process for young goalies". Utah Puck Report. April 2, 2021. Retrieved July 8, 2021.
  3. "MHOC Year-by-Year Quick Look". New Hampshire Wildcats. Retrieved May 6, 2019.
  4. "SALT LAKE HOMECOMING WILL BE BRIEF ONE FOR LEVY". Deseret News. October 10, 1992. Retrieved July 8, 2021.
  5. "Hockey East All-Teams". College Hockey Historical Archives. Retrieved May 19, 2013.
  6. "Hockey East All-Rookie Teams". College Hockey Historical Archives. Retrieved May 19, 2013.
  7. "2013-14 Hockey East Media Guide". Hockey East. Retrieved 2014-05-19.
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