Hockey East has continued a steady rise to prominence since its founding charter on July 11, 1983, when the possibility of an apparent Ivy League departure threatened the ECAC. In response, the athletics directors from Boston College, Boston University, New Hampshire, Northeastern and Providence unveiled a new Division I men’s ice hockey conference. Together, Bill Flynn of Boston College, John Simpson of Boston University, Andy Mooradian of New Hampshire, Joe Zabilski of Northeastern and Lou Lamoriello of Providence launched Hockey East. Lamoriello assumed the role of the league’s first commissioner.

Later that summer, the Board of Directors added the University of Maine and the University of Lowell (now UMass Lowell). Official conference competition of the seven-team league began with the 1984-85 season, and expansion brought the league to nine teams with the additions of Merrimack College (1989) and the University of Massachusetts (1993). The entry of the University of Vermont for the 2005-06 season brought the conference membership to 10 teams.

Since its inception, Hockey East has set new competitive standards for college hockey success, annually compiling an impressive collective winning percentage against non-conference opponents, including a record .705 during the 2002-03 season. Over the last 16 years, Hockey East has cemented itself as the nation’s most elite league, having earned 25 of the 64 berths in the NCAA Frozen Four and boasting five NCAA title winners: the University of Maine in 1993 and 1999, Boston University in 1995 and Boston College in 2001 and 2008. Three of the four Frozen Four participants in 1999 came from the Hockey East ranks, and in 2007, both Boston College and the University of Maine made it to the semifinal round in St. Louis, after five squads (including Boston University, Massachusetts and New Hampshire) were selected for the 16-team NCAA field. Last year, after finishing the season with nine-game winning streak, Boston College claimed its third national championship in school history defeating Notre Dame, 4-1, at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado.

Hockey East has proven to be an equally strong presence off the ice. Both in the classroom and in the community, league athletes continue to demonstrate their commitment to overall excellence. The Hockey East All-Academic Team honored 92 student-athletes for outstanding academic achievement during the 2007-08 campaign. For the first time ever, three student-athletes achieved a 4.0 GPA in 2007-08. Hockey East athletes also make a positive impact on many community service programs across the region, volunteering with youth hockey associations and community service organizations. Four Hockey East athletes have received the prestigious Hockey Humanitarian Award, two each from the men’s and women’s leagues, and seven others have been finalists for the award. Last year, Northeastern’s junior forward Missy Elumba was a finalist for the award.

However, it is the quality of its individual players as leading athletes that most sets Hockey East apart from the rest. More than 43 Hockey East were regulars in the NHL in 2007-08, to go along with 53 regulars in the America Hockey League last season. Several Hockey East alumni were able to bask in the glow of the Stanley Cup finals between the Detroit Red Wings and Pittsburgh Penguins. The Stanley Cup runner-up Penguins had four Hockey East alums on their squad: Former Eagles Brooks Orpik and Rob Scuderi, BU’s Ryan Whitney and UNH’s Ty Conklin all enjoyed a lengthy post-season run with Pittsburgh. Four league alumni also won the AHL’s Calder Cup with the Chicago Wolves; including UMass’ Matt Anderson, Maine’s Mike Hamilton, along with fellow UNH Wildcats Darren Haydar and Jason Krog. Krog was the AHL’s MVP, while Wolves captain Haydar took home playoff MVP honors.

Former Vermont Catamount Martin St. Louis had a standout season with the Tampa Bay Lightning, posting 83 points (25g,58a), notching his 500th career point and playing in his 600th career game. Another former Catamount, Patrick Sharp, tallied 36 goals on the year for the Chicago Blackhawks and amassed a rating of +23, good for 14th in the NHL. Tim Thomas, a Catamount from 1993-97, helped the Boston Bruins get to the playoffs for the first time since 2004 with his 2.44 GAA, which tied him for 15th in the NHL. Conklin was second in the NHL with a .923 save percentage in 33 games for the Penguins. Former Maine Black Bear Paul Kariya assisted on 49 goals this season for the St. Louis Blues.

In total, 50 current Hockey East players have been selected in the NHL Entry Draft, 11 of which come from the Boston College Eagles squad. Hockey East boasts 28 all-time first round picks in the 24-year history of the league, which includes Boston University’s sophomore forward Colin Wilson selected seventh overall by the Nashville Predators in 2008.

The reach of Hockey East continues to grow as new state-of-the-art facilities are constructed, increasing capacities and amenities for college hockey fans. And the fans have responded – over a million spectators came out to watch Hockey East teams during the 2007-08 season.