Sheldon Gorski

Sheldon Gorski
Born (1965-10-16) October 16, 1965 (age 59)
Grenfell, Saskatchewan, Canada
Height 5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
Weight 183 lb (83 kg; 13 st 1 lb)
Position Right wing
Shot Right
Played for Illinois–Chicago
Indianapolis Ice
Louisville Icehawks
San Antonio Iguanas
Louisville RiverFrogs
Miami Matadors
Pensacola Ice Pilots
Rockford IceHogs
Playing career 1986–2001

Sheldon Gorski is a Canadian ice hockey coach and former right wing who was an All-American for Illinois–Chicago.[1]

Career

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Gorski's final season of junior hockey resulted in him leading the SJHL in goals and he signed an athletic scholarship with Illinois–Chicago. He joined the Flames as they were on the ascent and helped the team produce its first 20-win season as a sophomore. An injury limited Gorski in his junior season but he returned in force as a senior, scoring a program record 38 goals and becoming the all-time program leader with 86 markers. He was named as an All-American and led UIC to their best season in 1989, finishing 3rd in the CCHA standings and getting out of the conference quarterfinals for the only time in program history.[2]

After graduating with a degree in Kinesiology and Exercise Science, Gorski took a year off before pursuing a professional career. He debuted for the Louisville Icehawks in the ECHL and was an instant success with the team, leading them in scoring for their inaugural season. Gorski was again the team's leader in 1992 and pushed the Icehawks all the way to the Riley Cup finals. After a third season of 50 goals, Gorski missed a large chunk of 1994 with an injury and then had to find a new home when the Icehawks suspended operations after the season. He landed with the San Antonio Iguanas, finishing 3rd in team scoring and helping the club reach the Ray Miron President's Cup final.

Gorski was back in both the ECHL and Louisville the following year when a new franchise, the Louisville RiverFrogs, began playing. He twice led the team in scoring but was forced to move once again when the team dissolved in 1998. He split his time between two ECHL teams in 1999 and then ended his playing career with the Rockford IceHogs in 2000.

Immediately after his retirement, Gorski began to work as a teacher at the FranCenter in Darien, Illinois. He also doubled as the lead instructor at the Northern Edge Hockey School for 14 years. In 2015, while remaining a teacher at the FranCenter, Gorski began working both with the Canadian Professional Hockey School and the Sabre Hockey Association as an instructor and coach, all three positions he continues to fulfil as of 2021.[3]

Gorski was inducted into the UIC Athletic Hall of Fame in 2000 and the ECHL Hall of Fame in 2012.[4][5]

Statistics

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Regular season and playoffs

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    Regular Season   Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1984–85 Melville Millionaires SJHL 62 79 49 128 105
1985–86 Illinois–Chicago CCHA 37 18 11 29 48
1986–87 Illinois–Chicago CCHA 39 18 20 38 50
1987–88 Illinois–Chicago CCHA 24 12 15 27 42
1988–89 Illinois–Chicago CCHA 41 38 22 60 68
1990–91 Indianapolis Ice IHL 3 1 0 1 0
1990–91 Louisville Icehawks ECHL 62 51 53 104 106 7 5 4 9 20
1991–92 Louisville Icehawks ECHL 55 56 54 110 94 13 14 8 22 15
1992–93 Louisville Icehawks ECHL 63 51 47 98 103
1993–94 Louisville Icehawks ECHL 41 22 28 50 85 6 1 7 8 4
1994–95 San Antonio Iguanas CHL 57 45 26 71 96 13 15 12 27 12
1995–96 Louisville RiverFrogs ECHL 48 21 18 39 47 3 1 1 2 8
1996–97 Louisville RiverFrogs ECHL 66 38 35 73 96
1997–98 Louisville RiverFrogs ECHL 68 46 29 75 114
1998–99 Miami Matadors ECHL 36 15 11 26 46
1998–99 Pensacola Ice Pilots ECHL 32 16 17 33 24
1999–00 Rockford IceHogs UHL 67 14 24 38 67 3 0 0 0 4
ECHL totals 471 316 292 608 715 29 21 20 41 47

Awards and honors

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Award Year
All-CCHA First Team 1988–89 [6]
AHCA West Second-Team All-American 1988–89 [1]
CCHA All-Tournament Team 1989 [2]
ECHL Second–Team All–Star 1990–91
ECHL First–Team All–Star 1991–92

References

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  1. ^ a b "Men's Ice Hockey Award Winners" (PDF). NCAA.org. Retrieved June 11, 2013.
  2. ^ a b "2012-13 CCHA Media Guide". ISSUU.com. Retrieved 2014-04-23.
  3. ^ "Sheldon Gorski". Linked In. Retrieved July 1, 2021.
  4. ^ "Hockey". UIC Flames. Retrieved July 1, 2021.
  5. ^ "Sheldon Gorski". ECHL. Retrieved July 1, 2021.
  6. ^ "CCHA All-Teams". College Hockey Historical Archives. Retrieved May 19, 2013.
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