Bill Baker (ice hockey)

William Robert " Bill" Baker ( born November 29, 1956 in Grand Rapids, Minnesota ) is a retired American professional ice hockey defender. He was a member of the U.S. team at the Miracle on Ice, the Olympic victory of the United States in 1980. Between 1980 and 1983 he played in the NHL for the Montreal Canadiens, Colorado Rockies, St. Louis Blues and New York Rangers.

Career

In high school, Baker scored the first success in hockey when he first won the school championship of Minnesota with the East Grand Rapids Pioneers. In his studies, he played four years for the University of Minnesota in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association and won two NCAA titles there. In the NHL Amateur Draft 1976, he was pulled in the third round to 54th place of the Montreal Canadiens. He was national team, and participated in the World Cup 1979. 1980 he was employed at the Olympic Games in Lake Placid for the U.S. team and won the gold medal. In the group match against Sweden before the final whistle, he scored a few seconds in the equalizer to 2:2.

In the season 1980/81 Baker played his first game for the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League, but was already replaced shortly thereafter to the Colorado Rockies. In 1981 he again took part with the USA at the World Ice Hockey Championships. Shortly after the start of the season he moved to the St. Louis Blues before he played the 1982/83 season for the New York Rangers. He then spent another year at the Tulsa Oilers in the CHL before he retired from the professional sports.

Today Baker lives in Brainerd, Minnesota and works as an oral surgeon.