Dave Christian

David William Christian (born May 13, 1959 in Warroad, Minnesota) is a retired American professional ice hockey forward. Christian comes from a family of hockey players. His father Bill and uncle Roger were members of the 1960 U.S. Olympic Hockey Team that won the Gold Medal. Another uncle, Gordon Christian, was a member of the 1956 U.S. Olympic Hockey Team that won the Silver Medal. Bill and Roger also were the founders of the Christian Brothers hockey stick company based in Warroad, Minnesota.
==Amateur career==
He attended the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks, North Dakota where he played for the North Dakota Fighting Sioux and played in the 1979 national championship, where North Dakota lost the championship game to the University of Minnesota and Christian's future Olympic teammate, Neal Broten.
==Professional and international career==
Christian is best known for being a member of the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team that won the gold medal in an event known as the Miracle on Ice during the 1980 Olympics. He also played for the U.S. national team at the 1981 Canada Cup as well as the 1981 Ice Hockey World Championship tournaments as an NHL rookie. His international career continued in the 1984 Canada Cup, 1989 Ice Hockey World Championship and 1991 Canada Cup tournaments.
Christian's professional hockey career started one week after the Miracle on Ice when he joined the Winnipeg Jets, who drafted him 40th overall in the 1979 NHL Entry Draft. Christian set and still holds the record for the fastest goal by a player in his first NHL game, scoring after just 7 seconds. After a roller-coaster career in Winnipeg, he went on to play in the NHL with the Washington Capitals, Chicago Blackhawks, Boston Bruins and St. Louis Blues. Between 1980 and 1993, he scored 340 goals and 433 assists in 1,009 NHL regular season games.
==Post career==
Christian was named head coach and general manager of the United States Hockey League Fargo-Moorhead Bears near the end of the 1997–98 season and held the positions through the 1999–2000 season.
==Awards and achievements==
* Christian was inducted into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame in 2001.
* Christian played in the 1991 NHL All-Star Game
==Career statistics==
===Regular season and playoffs===
  	  	  	 	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	 	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs
Season 	Team 	League 	 	GP 	G 	A 	Pts 	PIM 	 	GP 	G 	A 	Pts 	PIM
1976–77 	Warroad High School 	High-MN 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1977–78 	University of North Dakota	WCHA 	 	38 	8 	16 	24 	14 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1978–79 	University of North Dakota	WCHA 	 	40 	22 	24 	46 	22 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1979–80 	United States 	Intl 	 	59 	10 	20 	30 	26 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1979–80 	Winnipeg Jets 	NHL 	 	15 	8 	10 	18 	2 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1980–81 	Winnipeg Jets 	NHL 	 	80 	28 	43 	71 	22 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1981–82 	Winnipeg Jets 	NHL 	 	80 	25 	51 	76 	28 	 	4 	0 	1 	1 	2
1982–83 	Winnipeg Jets 	NHL 	 	55 	18 	26 	44 	23 	 	3 	0 	0 	0 	0
1983–84 	Washington Capitals 	NHL 	 	80 	29 	52 	81 	28 	 	8 	5 	4 	9 	5
1984–85 	Washington Capitals 	NHL 	 	80 	26 	43 	69 	14 	 	5 	1 	1 	2 	0
1985–86 	Washington Capitals 	NHL 	 	80 	41 	42 	83 	15 	 	9 	4 	4 	8 	0
1986–87 	Washington Capitals 	NHL 	 	76 	23 	27 	50 	8 	 	7 	1 	3 	4 	6
1987–88 	Washington Capitals 	NHL 	 	80 	37 	21 	58 	26 	 	14 	5 	6 	11 	6
1988–89 	Washington Capitals 	NHL 	 	80 	34 	31 	65 	12 	 	6 	1 	1 	2 	0
1989–90 	Washington Capitals 	NHL 	 	28 	3 	8 	11 	4 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1989–90 	Boston Bruins 	NHL 	 	50 	12 	17 	29 	8 	 	21 	4 	1 	5 	4
1990–91 	Boston Bruins 	NHL 	 	78 	32 	21 	53 	41 	 	19 	8 	4 	12 	4
1991–92 	St. Louis Blues 	NHL 	 	78 	20 	24 	44 	41 	 	4 	3 	0 	3 	0
1992–93 	Chicago Blackhawks 	NHL 	 	60 	4 	14 	18 	12 	 	1 	0 	0 	0 	0
1993–94 	Indianapolis Ice 	IHL 	 	40 	8 	18 	26 	6 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1993–94 	Chicago Blackhawks 	NHL 	 	9 	0 	3 	3 	0 	 	1 	0 	0 	0 	0
1994–95 	Minnesota Moose 	IHL 	 	81 	38 	42 	80 	16 	 	3 	0 	1 	1 	0
1995–96 	Minnesota Moose 	IHL 	 	69 	21 	25 	46 	8 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
NHL totals	NHL totals 	NHL totals	 	1,009 	340 	433 	773 	284 	 	102 	32 	25 	57 	27
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
===International===
Year 	Team 	Event 	 	GP	G 	A 	Pts	PIM
1979 	United States	WJC 	 	5 	2 	1 	3 	0
1980 	United States	OG 	 	7 	0 	8 	8 	6
1981 	United States	WC 	 	8 	8 	3 	11 	6
1981 	United States	CC 	 	6 	1 	0 	1 	4
1984 	United States	CC 	 	6 	2 	1 	3 	2
1989 	United States	WC 	 	6 	4 	3 	7 	2
1991 	United States	CC 	 	7 	1 	1 	2 	0
Junior totals	Junior totals	Junior totals	 	5 	2 	1 	3 	0
Senior totals	Senior totals	Senior totals	 	40	16	16	32 	20
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
==In popular culture==
In the 1981 TV movie about the gold medal-winning hockey team entitled Miracle on Ice, Christian is played by Thomas F. Duffy.
In the 2004 Disney film Miracle, he is played by Steve Kovalcik.
==See also==
*List of members of the United States Hockey Hall of Fame
*List of NHL players with 1000 games played
==External links==
*
*Profile at hockeydraftcentral.com
Category:1959 births
Category:1980 US Olympic ice hockey team
Category:American men's ice hockey right wingers
Category:Boston Bruins players
Category:Chicago Blackhawks players
Category:Ice hockey players from Minnesota
Category:Ice hockey players at the 1980 Winter Olympics
Category:Indianapolis Ice players
Category:Medalists at the 1980 Winter Olympics
Category:Warroad Lakers players
Category:Minnesota Moose players
Category:National Hockey League All-Stars
Category:North Dakota Fighting Hawks men's ice hockey players
Category:Olympic gold medalists for the United States in ice hockey
Category:St. Louis Blues players
Category:United States Hockey Hall of Fame inductees
Category:Washington Capitals players
Category:Winnipeg Jets (1972–1996) captains
Category:Winnipeg Jets (1979–1996) draft picks
Category:Winnipeg Jets (1979–1996) players
Category:Retired in 1993