Kevin Maxwell

[Doc Nodak]

Someone just mentioned Kevin Maxwell over on prideonice.com.

Kevin Maxwell, oh yeah! The feisty little center played only one year year for the Sioux (78-79) before joining the Canadian Olympic team and then signing a pro contract. His first shift may have been the unofficial start of the "modern era" of Sioux hockey (and it happened to coincide with Gino Gasparini's first game as head coach. He scored 82 points as a freshman! He was dynamic enough to outshine teammates like Mark Taylor, Doug Smail, and David Christian.

Some of the other Sioux freshmen in 78-79 (I think) were Cary Eades, Phil Sykes, Howard Walker, and Bob Iwabuchi..

[sprig]

Always get an argument from the younger crowd, but I think the 80 team with the players you mentioned as the core was the best Sioux team ever. Close second or even heat, the 82 team. Both were fantastic defensively.

[dagies]

From all I read and hear, I wish I would have seen Sioux hockey in those days.  I came in 1984-1987.  Not bad, but not quite the same.  At least I got one year with Jim Archibald!

[sprig]

Archie used to drive us nuts by not controlling his temper and retaliating. Always in the PB; teams knew thay could get him to retaliate and used it to their advantage. Lost quite a few games because of it. Entertaining though, when they got into the major scrums with the likes of Wisco.

(Edited by sprig at 9:10 am on Jan. 4, 2002)

[dagies]

In 1984 the team wasn't all that good, so Archie's stuff helped keep us entertained.  It was the first year I ever watched hockey other than the few North Stars games we got in South Dakota, so I knew little about the game.  Wish I had been a bit more knowledgeable.

I remember seeing Tony Hrkac on the ice that year, but not especially noticing him.  Paid more attention to Archibald, Williams, Sandelin, etc.

But I remember in 1986 when Hrkac came back how excited a buddy of mine was who had seen him with me in 1984.  He knew what we were in for.  I had no clue.  But I learned quickly.  After going to all the games for a couple years it was a little easier for me to start catching on to who the real good players were.  Then I noticed him.

[sprig]

I was in SD from 1979 to 1987 (returned to ND in Jan, just in time). Tough to keep up with Sioux hockey down there. Travelled up to Oakes (the cabin) to watch on public tv often, sometimes with the Bison faithfull. Wish they still did Sioux hockey. Can't even get Midco cable here anymore, since it was bought out by a local telco for our area, so televised Sioux hockey is rare.

Drawn with a very low number for the 1983 FF in GF, supposed to get seats based on how low your were drawn. I was stuck in the top row behind a goal, thought it was because of my SD address that they gave me the worst seats. Plenty of room to move around to another seat, however.