BIRTHPLACE: Detroit, Mich.

BORN: May 20, 1946

TEAMS/ASSOCIATIONS: California Golden Seals, St. Louis Blues, Kansas City Scouts, Washington Capitals, Minnesota Fighting Saints, United States National Teams, United States Olympic Team, New York Rangers, Pittsburgh Penguins

A graduate of the University of Denver, Craig Patrick helped the Pioneers to NCAA Hockey Championships in 1968 and 1969.  From there the speedy winger went on to spend eight years in the NHL with California, St. Louis, Kansas City and Washington and played one season with Minnesota of the WHA before retiring in 1979.  

He also served as captain for Team USA in the 1979 World Champions in Moscow and played on the 1976 US Canada Cup team.  Patrick also became a part of sports history that Americans will long remember when he served as assistant general manager and assistant coach of the 1980 gold medal U.S. Olympic hockey team in Lake Placid. 

He joined the New York Rangers as director of operations in 1980 and in 1981 became the youngest general manager in their history.  Serving in that capacity through the 1986 season, his team gained the playoffs every year.  As general manager of the Pittsburgh Penguins, his team won back-to-back Stanley Cups in 1991 and 1992 and have been continuous contenders in ensuing years.  He has since become the longest-serving GM in franchise history and twice during his tenure he took over behind the bench, coaching the team briefly in 1990 and 1997.  In 1999 he even hired his old 1980 Olympic Team boss, Herb Brooks, to take over as the team's head coach - a position Herbie would relinquish after that season.

One of the game's brightest minds, Patrick comes from some pretty good hockey lineage.  He is the son of Hall of Famer Lynn Patrick and the grandson of hockey legend Lester Patrick.  In addition, his uncle, Muzz Patrick was also an NHL star and later an executive with the Rangers as well.  His cousin, Dick Patrick was an executive with the Washington Capitals, and Craig's brother, Frank, is also a member of the Hall of Fame in Toronto.