Craig Homola

Craig Homola
Born	(1958-11-29) November 29, 1958 Eveleth, Minnesota, USA
Height	5 ft 8 in (173 cm)
Weight	170 lb (77 kg; 12 st 2 lb)
Position	Center
Shot	Left
Played for	Vermont Oklahoma City Stars Nashville South Stars Birmingham South Stars Salt Lake Golden Eagles Milwaukee Admirals Dundee Rockets Dundee Tigers
Playing career	1977–1989

Craig A. Homola is an American retired ice hockey center who was an All-American for Vermont.

Career

In his sophomore year in high school, Homola was one of three centers on the Eveleth-Gilbert High School team who would go on to be stars in college hockey, the others being Dave Delich and Mark Pavelich. Homola graduated in 1977 and began attending the University of Vermont that fall. After a good freshman season, he took over as the leader on offense, pacing the Catamounts with 55 points as a sophomore. As a junior Homola gained wide recognition for his scoring prowess and he was invited to join the US national team a month before the 1980 Winter Olympics but he turned down the offer and watched as his former teammate Pavelich went on to win a gold medal. That season Homola was named as an All-American and ECAC Player of the Year while helping the Catamounts capture the ECAC West Division.

After graduating in 1981, Homola signed on with the Minnesota North Stars minor league system and played well. Unfortunately, short players were not in high demand for NHL teams. He bounced around in the Minnesota and Chicago Blackhawks organizations for a few years before heading to Scotland in 1986. In his first season with the Dundee Rockets, Homola produced astounding numbers, scoring 167 points in just 34 games (nearly 5 points per game), contributing on more than half of the team's goals that season. Dundee folded after the year but Homola stayed in the city when the Rockets were replaced by the Dundee Tigers. Homola was again the focus of the offense but didn't continue his torrid pace for much longer. After 7 games the following year, Homola retired for the game and returned home, eventually becoming a coach at his old high school.

Homola was inducted into the Vermont Athletic Hall of Fame in 1991.

Statistics

Regular season and playoffs

				Regular Season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1974–75	Eveleth-Gilbert High School	MN-HS		—	—	—	—	—		—	—	—	—	—
1975–76	Eveleth-Gilbert High School	MN-HS		—	—	—	—	—		—	—	—	—	—
1976–77	Eveleth-Gilbert High School	MN-HS		—	—	—	—	—		—	—	—	—	—
1977–78	Vermont	ECAC Hockey		31	17	18	35	14		—	—	—	—	—
1978–79	Vermont	ECAC Hockey		30	24	31	55	39		—	—	—	—	—
1979–80	Vermont	ECAC Hockey		34	28	41	69	18		—	—	—	—	—
1980–81	Vermont	ECAC Hockey		33	19	27	46	44		—	—	—	—	—
1980–81	Oklahoma City Stars	CHL		5	2	2	4	0		—	—	—	—	—
1981–82	Nashville South Stars	CHL		76	19	35	54	47		3	0	0	0	2
1982–83	Birmingham South Stars	CHL		80	30	44	74	34		13	3	9	12	8
1983–84	Salt Lake Golden Eagles	CHL		68	29	27	56	37		5	0	2	2	0
1984–85	Milwaukee Admirals	IHL		56	16	32	48	18		—	—	—	—	—
1985–86	Milwaukee Admirals	IHL		12	2	2	4	2		—	—	—	—	—
1986–87	Dundee Rockets	BHL		34	73	94	167	27		5	14	9	23	2
1987–88	Dundee Tigers	BHL		29	75	61	136	42		—	—	—	—	—
1988–89	Tayside Tigers	BHL		7	8	10	18	12		—	—	—	—	—
NCAA totals				128	88	117	205	115		—	—	—	—	—
CHL totals				229	80	108	188	118		21	3	11	14	10
IHL totals				68	18	34	52	20		—	—	—	—	—
BHL totals				70	156	165	321	81		5	14	9	23	2

Awards and honors

Award	Year
All-ECAC Hockey First Team	1979–80
AHCA East All-American	1979–80

External links

• Biographical information and career statistics from NHL.com, or Eliteprospects.com, or The Internet Hockey Database