While we get through the playoffs, we move to a goalie who was great in the college playoffs and helped a team get to their first NHL series win. This week's AGM had a soft spot for his hometown though and gives back to the community that gave so much to him. This week, the profile of Marc Behrend.
After graduating from LaFollette High School in Madison, Wisconsin; Behrend went to play for the University of Wisconsin starting in the 1980-81 season, finishing with an 11-4-1 record and helping the Badgers to a National Championship; where Behrend would go onto the All-Tournament Team and win Tournament MVP, as well. For the 1981-82 season, Behrend compiled a 21-3-1 record and would go to the WCHA Second All-Star Team, but for the 1982-83 season; Behrend went 17-1-1, helping the Badgers to another National Championship where he would, again, go the All Tournament Team and win Tournament MVP-- only the second player in NCAA history to do so.
Despite being drafted by the Winnipeg Jets in 1981, Behrend decide to play for the US National Team instead to start off the 1983-84 season in preparation for the 1984 Olympics. Behrend played 33 games in warm-up for the event, and then 1-2-1 in four Olympics games.
Behrend would move to the Winnipeg Jets at the end of the 1983-84 season, playing in six games and posting a 2-4-0 record, then went 0-2 in the playoffs. In the 1984-85 season, Behrend went to the AHL to start, playing in seven games with the Sherbrooke Canadiens and posting a 2-3-2 record before being called up to Winnipeg, going 8-10-3 in 24 games then having a 1-1 record in four playoff games, the win being in the first series-clinching win for the Jets in the NHL. The majority of the 1985-86 season had Behrend staying Sherbrooke while posting a 16-5-2 record, then recalled for nine games in Winnipeg with a 2-5-0 record. With the 1986-87 season coming up, the Jets would keep Behrend in Sherbrooke, where Behrend would play in 19 games and compile an 8-5-0 record, then one loss in his only playoff appearance. Behrend would retire after that season.
Post retirement, Behrend returned to his home in Madison, Wisconsin to become a firefighter for the Madison Fire Department, which are his last known whereabouts. Behrend was also named to the NCAA All-Time Tournament Team in 1997.
Making a splash was something that Behrend did with his venture into college hockey, but on a team with a logjam in net and in desperate need for a critical stopper, Behrend got buried in the fold. However, he was able to get a life after hockey-- something that he seemingly is happy with and has some memories of his time in the big time with him always.
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