Bob Peters

Bob Peters
Biographical details
Born(1937-10-06)October 6, 1937[1]
Fort Frances, Ontario, Canada
DiedDecember 14, 2021(2021-12-14) (aged 84)
Bemidji, Minnesota, U.S.
Playing career
1957–1958North Dakota
Position(s)Goaltender
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1961–1964North Dakota (assistant)
1964–1966North Dakota
1966–2001Bemidji State
Head coaching record
Overall744–313–50 (.695)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
1963 NCAA National Champion (assistant)
1965 WCHA regular season champion
1967 ICHA regular season champion
1968 NAIA National Champion
1969 ICHA regular season champion
1969 NAIA national champion
1970 ICHA regular season champion
1970 NAIA national champion
1971 ICHA regular season champion
1971 NAIA national champion
1973 ICHA regular season champion
1973 NAIA national champion
1974 ICHA regular season champion
1976 ICHA regular season champion
1977 ICHA regular season champion
1978 ICHA regular season champion
1979 NAIA national champion
1980 NAIA national champion
1982 NCHA regular season champion
1984 NCHA regular season champion
1984 NCAA national champion (D-II)
1985 NCHA regular season champion
1986 NCHA regular season champion
1986 NCHA tournament champion
1986 NCAA national champion (D-III)
1987 NCHA tournament champion
1991 NCHA regular season champion
1993 NCAA national champion (D-II)
1994 NCAA national champion (D-II)
1995 NCHA regular season champion
1995 NCHA tournament champion
1995 NCAA national champion (D-II)
1997 NCAA national champion (D-II)
Awards
1984 Edward Jeremiah Award

Robert H. Peters (October 6, 1937 – December 14, 2021) was a Canadian men's ice hockey coach. He was the head coach of the Bemidji State University ice hockey team from 1967 to 2001. With 702 wins, he ranks fifth all-time in career wins by a men's college ice hockey coach.

Coaching history

Peters entered the college hockey head coaching ranks in 1964 as bench boss at the University of North Dakota. During his initial campaign, Peters, the eventual Western Collegiate Hockey Association Coach of the Year, led the Fighting Sioux to a WCHA title and a third-place finish at the NCAA Championships. He coached in Grand Forks for two seasons, leading the Sioux to a 42–20–1 mark before making a career decision that would change the face of collegiate hockey.

Peters left the Division I powerhouse in 1966 and took over at Bemidji State University. Within two seasons Peters led BSU to its first national championship and set the foundation for what would become one of the most dominant programs in college hockey.

Thirty-five years later, Peters retired from coaching with one of the most impressive lists of achievements in the history of collegiate sports: 744 victories as a head coach, 702 coming at Bemidji State alone, to make Peters the first coach to win 700 or more games at a single school; 13 small-college national championships; and still-standing national collegiate records for most wins in an unbeaten season (31–0–0 in 1983–'84) and longest unbeaten streak (43 games from Nov. 8, 1983 to Jan. 1, 1985).

Peters, the only coach to lead a team to a national championship game in three divisions of college hockey and the only coach to reach the Final Four in all four divisions (Division I, II, III and NAIA), developed five NHL players and numerous Olympians and All-Americans.

A 1960 graduate of the University of North Dakota, Peters spent his collegiate days at goaltender for the Fighting Sioux. He coached at the high school level for one season before rejoining the UND staff as an assistant coach.

CHA commissioner

Retired from coaching, Peters remained heavily involved in the sport of college hockey. In 2001 he became the commissioner of the College Hockey America (CHA) conference.

In addition to appointing Peters CHA Commissioner, the athletic directors of the league's member institutions approved the recommendation by the coaches to name the regular-season championship trophy in honor of Peters as the R.H. "Bob" Peters Cup.

Contributions to college hockey

Peters' influence on college hockey also has stretched outside the arena. He has proven his administrative skills at Bemidji State by serving as athletic director and head hockey coach, and he lent service to several committees. Under Peters' guidance, BSU hockey progressed from NAIA to NCAA Division III to NCAA Division II, and in 1999, BSU elevated its hockey program to Division I. He served on championship committees for the NAIA and NCAA for over 20 years, and in 2001 was named a Hobey Baker Legend of Hockey.

Personal life

Peters died in Bemidji, Minnesota on December 14, 2021, at the age of 84.[2]

Career statistics

Season Team League GP W L T Min GA SO GAA SV%
1957–58 North Dakota NCAA 11 9 1 1 660 14 2 1.27 .927

[3]

Head coaching record

Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
North Dakota Fighting Sioux (WCHA) (1964–1966)
1964–65 North Dakota 25–8–0 13–3–0 1st NCAA consolation game (win)
1965–66 North Dakota 17–12–1 13–9–1 2nd WCHA second round
North Dakota: 42–20–1 26–12–1
Bemidji State Beavers (ICHA) (1966–1978)
1966–67 Bemidji State 13–5–1 10–2–0 t-1st
1967–68 Bemidji State 16–8–0 6–6–0 – NAIA national champion
1968–69 Bemidji State 23–2–0 11–1–0 1st NAIA national champion
1969–70 Bemidji State 24–3–0 10–2–0 1st NAIA national champion
1970–71 Bemidji State 20–7–1 10–1–1 1st NAIA national champion
1971–72 Bemidji State 13–12–1 5–6–1 –
1972–73 Bemidji State 23–6–1 8–4–0 t-1st NAIA national champion
1973–74 Bemidji State 20–10–1 9–3–0 1st NAIA runner-up
1974–75 Bemidji State 13–15–0 2–10–0 –
1975–76 Bemidji State 22–9–0 8–4–0 1st
1976–77 Bemidji State 24–4–3 9–3–2 1st
1977–78 Bemidji State 25–5–1 11–3–0 1st NAIA runner-up
Bemidji State: 236–86–9 99–45–4
Bemidji State Beavers (NAIA Independent) (1978–1980)
1978–79 Bemidji State 27–2–0 NAIA national champion
1979–80 Bemidji State 24–8–0 NAIA national champion
Bemidji State: 51–10–0
Bemidji State Beavers (NCHA) (1980–1982)
1980–81 Bemidji State 24–7–0 8–4–0 –
1981–82 Bemidji State 25–5–1 16–3–1 1st NAIA runner-up
Bemidji State: 222–68–9 129–42–7
Bemidji State Beavers (NCHA (D-II)) (1983–1984)
1983–84 Bemidji State 31–0–0 18–0–0 1st NCAA national champion
Bemidji State: 31–0–0 18–0–0
Bemidji State Beavers (NCHA (D-III)) (1984–1992)
1984–85 Bemidji State 27–6–2 14–3–1 1st NCAA runner-up
1985–86 Bemidji State 25–9–1 12–6–0 t-1st NCAA national champion
1986–87 Bemidji State 22–12–1 12–7–1 3rd NCAA Frozen Four
1987–88 Bemidji State 24–11–3 15–6–3 2nd NCAA Frozen Four
1988–89 Bemidji State 19–13–4 11–8–1 3rd NCAA Frozen Four
1989–90 Bemidji State 15–11–2 11–11–2 5th
1990–91 Bemidji State 21–6–3 17–4–3 t-1st
1991–92 Bemidji State 16–9–5 9–8–3 4th
Bemidji State: 169–77–21 101–53–15
Bemidji State Beavers (NCHA (D-II)) (1992–1999)
1992–93 Bemidji State 24–7–0 14–6–0 2nd NCAA national champion
1993–94 Bemidji State 21–9–3 12–6–2 3rd NCAA national champion
1994–95 Bemidji State 24–7–2 16–3–1 1st NCAA national champion
1995–96 Bemidji State 16–9–4 13–5–2 2nd NCAA runner-up
1996–97 Bemidji State 25–7–2 14–5–1 2nd NCAA national champion
1997–98 Bemidji State 22–10–2 14–6–0 3rd NCAA runner-up
1998–99 Bemidji State 17–13–0 10–6–0 3rd
Bemidji State: 149–62–13 93–37–6
Bemidji State Beavers (CHA) (1999–2001)
1999–00 Bemidji State 13–20–1 8–8–1 3rd CHA third-place game (win)
2000–01 Bemidji State 4–26–4 4–12–3 6th
Bemidji State: 17–46–5 12–20–4
Total: 744–313–50

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

[4]

See also

  1. ^ Bob Peters Coaching Record at collegehockeynews.com
  2. ^ "Bemidji State's Bob Peters, who won 13 national hockey titles, dies at 84". Star Tribune. 15 December 2021. Retrieved 16 December 2021.
  3. ^ "2013–14 North Dakota hockey media guide". ISSUU.com. Retrieved 2014-08-10.
  4. ^ "2012–13 Bemidji State hockey media guide" (PDF). Bemidji State Beavers. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-08-12. Retrieved 2014-08-10.
Awards and achievements
Preceded by WCHA Coach of the Year
1964–65 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Edward Jeremiah Award
1983–84 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Hobey Baker Legends of College Hockey Award
2001 		Succeeded by