Silver Bay has long been a hub of hockey talent, producing numerous players who launched their careers in the community. The depth of local talent makes it easy for the small committee selecting inductees to the Silver Bay Mariner Wall of Fame to find deserving nominees. The honor extends beyond players, recognizing individuals who have significantly contributed to the sport in the area.
The Mariner Hockey Wall of Fame began in 2018 with three inaugural inductees, followed by three more in 2019 and one in 2020. However, the pandemic brought the initiative to a halt. Mike Guzzo, now an assistant coach for the girls’ varsity team, felt it was time to revive the tradition.
“It started out that it was the forefathers who started hockey in Silver Bay and helped us get high school hockey and the arena going. The first coaches and people went on there,” he said. “They were the ones who created opportunities for kids and got hockey started in the town.”
Some of the earliest honorees were the fathers who played a pivotal role in building Silver Bay’s hockey program during the 1970s and 1980s.
“The plaques on the wall are their own stories,” said Guzzo. “A lot of talent and a lot of dedicated people over the years.”
On Thursday, January 2, the first Mariner hockey players, Don Dumais and Brian Johnson, will be inducted during the starting lineup at the boys’ varsity game against Duluth Marshall. The game is set for 7 PM at Rukavina Arena. Coffee and cake will be served to family and fans after the first period.
Dumais continued his hockey journey with the Minnesota Gophers after his time in Silver Bay. Although he has passed away, his wife, brothers, and family will be present to accept the plaque, which will be added to the Wall of Fame in his honor.
Brian Johnson, who played for the University of Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs from 1983 to 1987 and competed in two USA U20 games, plans to attend the event in person.
The inductees were selected by the Blue Line Club President, Nick Bjerken, Brian Carpenter, the Recreation Director, and Guzzo as a Blue Line Club volunteer. They follow established guidelines, which may be more complex than one might expect.
Going by stats may be a disservice to players who played in eras where there were less games in the season. Guzzo explains that they focused on, “players that played the game at a high level but also maybe stayed involved in the game or gave back to the game somewhere, too.”
Guzzo is excited to see this initiative continue as an annual event. “We have a lot of talent in this town that played hockey at some pretty elite levels, both on the boys’ side and the girls’ side,” he said. “I think there is a long list of people to get on that wall, but this is the start of it, and I hope they can keep it going so we get this string of fifteen or twenty players on there.”
The small committee plans to revisit the subject annually, considering those recommended by community members as strong candidates.
“A lot of people lobby for the players from their era. You’ve got to compare them to players from other eras: Who went on to play Division I hockey? Who became a coach, an arena manager, or contributed in other ways?” said Guzzo.
If you’re reading this before 7 PM on Thursday, head over to Rukavina Arena! If you miss it, be sure to check out the new additions to the Mariners Hockey Wall of Fame the next time you come to cheer the Mariners and Storm teams in Silver Bay!
