# Dave Christian

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> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Dave_Christian.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dave_Christian
> Source revision: 1348850473
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

{{Short description|American ice hockey player (born 1959)}}
{{other people||David Christian (disambiguation)}}
{{Use American English|date=February 2026}} 
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox ice hockey player
| image = DaveChristian.png
|caption=Christian in 1986 card
| played_for = [Winnipeg Jets](/source/Winnipeg_Jets_(1972%E2%80%9396))<br>[Washington Capitals](/source/Washington_Capitals)<br>[Boston Bruins](/source/Boston_Bruins)<br>[St. Louis Blues](/source/St._Louis_Blues)<br>[Chicago Blackhawks](/source/Chicago_Blackhawks)
| position = [Right wing](/source/Winger_(ice_hockey))
| shoots = Right
| height_ft = 5
| height_in = 11
| weight_lb = 170
| ntl_team = USA
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1959|5|12}}
| birth_place = [Warroad, Minnesota](/source/Warroad%2C_Minnesota), U.S.
| draft = 40th overall
| draft_year = 1979
| draft_team = [Winnipeg Jets](/source/Winnipeg_Jets_(1972%E2%80%9396))
| career_start = 1980
| career_end = 1996
| medaltemplates =
{{MedalSport | Men's [ice hockey](/source/ice_hockey)}}
{{MedalCountry|the {{USA}}}}
{{MedalCompetition|[Olympic Games](/source/Olympic_Games)}}
{{MedalGold| [1980 Lake Placid](/source/1980_Winter_Olympics) | [Team competition](/source/Ice_hockey_at_the_1980_Winter_Olympics)}}
}}

'''David William Christian''' (born May 12, 1959) is an American former professional [ice hockey](/source/ice_hockey) [forward](/source/forward_(ice_hockey)). He played on the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team that won the [gold medal](/source/gold_medal) during the [1980 Winter Olympics](/source/1980_Winter_Olympics). Christian went on to play for five [National Hockey League](/source/National_Hockey_League) teams over a 15-season career, from 1980 to 1994.

==Amateur career==
Christian was born in [Warroad, Minnesota](/source/Warroad%2C_Minnesota), and grew up playing hockey, [gridiron football](/source/gridiron_football), and [baseball](/source/baseball), as well as competing on the [track and field](/source/track_and_field) team, for [Warroad High School](/source/Warroad_High_School). He later attended the [University of North Dakota](/source/University_of_North_Dakota) in [Grand Forks](/source/Grand_Forks%2C_North_Dakota), where he played for the [North Dakota Fighting Sioux hockey team](/source/North_Dakota_Fighting_Sioux_hockey) and played in the [1979 national championship](/source/1979_NCAA_Men's_Division_I_Ice_Hockey_Tournament), but North Dakota lost the final to the [University of Minnesota](/source/University_of_Minnesota) and Christian's future Olympic teammate, [Neal Broten](/source/Neal_Broten).

==Professional and international career==
[[File:DaveChristian.jpg|thumb|alt=Dave Christian's jersey from the 1980 Winter Olympics|Dave Christian's jersey from the [1980 Winter Olympics](/source/1980_Winter_Olympics) on display at the [Hockey Hall of Fame](/source/Hockey_Hall_of_Fame)]]

Christian is best known for being a member of the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team that won the [gold medal](/source/gold_medal) in an event known as the ''[Miracle on Ice](/source/Miracle_on_Ice)'' during the [1980 Winter Olympics](/source/Ice_hockey_at_the_1980_Winter_Olympics). He also played for the U.S. national team at the [1981 Canada Cup](/source/1981_Canada_Cup) as well as the [1981 Ice Hockey World Championships](/source/1981_Ice_Hockey_World_Championships) tournaments as an NHL rookie. His international career continued in the [1984 Canada Cup](/source/1984_Canada_Cup), [1989 Ice Hockey World Championships](/source/1989_Ice_Hockey_World_Championships) and [1991 Canada Cup](/source/1991_Canada_Cup) tournaments.

Christian's professional hockey career started one week after the ''[Miracle on Ice](/source/Miracle_on_Ice)'' when he joined the [Winnipeg Jets](/source/Winnipeg_Jets_(1972%E2%80%9396)), who drafted him 40th overall in the [1979 NHL entry draft](/source/1979_NHL_entry_draft). Christian set and still holds the record for the fastest goal by a player in his first NHL game, scoring just seven seconds into his first shift, electrifying the crowd. After a roller-coaster career in [Winnipeg](/source/Winnipeg), where he scored 70 or more points in both seasons following the 1980 Olympics, he went on to play with the [Washington Capitals](/source/Washington_Capitals) where he led the team in assists his first [season](/source/1983-84_Washington_Capitals_season) there, with 52. He also added 29 goals, and after the Capitals he would go on to play with the [Chicago Blackhawks](/source/Chicago_Blackhawks), [Boston Bruins](/source/Boston_Bruins), and [St. Louis Blues](/source/St._Louis_Blues), ending his [NHL](/source/National_Hockey_League) career with 340 goals and 433 assists in 1,009 NHL regular season games. He also made an appearance in the [Stanley Cup](/source/Stanley_Cup) Finals as a member of the Boston Bruins in 1990, losing to the Edmonton Oilers in five games.

==Post career==
Christian was named head coach and general manager of the [United States Hockey League](/source/United_States_Hockey_League) [Fargo-Moorhead Ice Sharks](/source/Fargo-Moorhead_Ice_Sharks) near the end of the 1997–98 season and held the positions through the 1999–2000 season.

==Family==
Christian comes from a family of hockey players. His father [Bill](/source/Bill_Christian) and uncle [Roger](/source/Roger_Christian_(ice_hockey)) were members of the [1960 U.S. Olympic Hockey Team](/source/Ice_hockey_at_the_1960_Winter_Olympics) that won the gold medal. Another uncle, [Gordon](/source/Gordon_Christian), was a member of the [1956 U.S. Olympic Hockey Team](/source/Ice_hockey_at_the_1956_Winter_Olympics) that won the silver medal. Bill and Roger, along with Hal Bakke, were the founders of the Christian Brothers Hockey Company based in Warroad, which until 2009, made hockey sticks.<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://www.vintageminnesotahockey.com/ChristianHockeySticks.html |title = Home}}</ref> Christian's nephew, [Brock Nelson](/source/Brock_Nelson), is also an NHL player and was selected for the [2026 U.S. Olympic Hockey Team](/source/Ice_hockey_at_the_2026_Winter_Olympics), which won the gold medal.<ref>{{Cite web | last =Zaccardi | first= Nick | date = January 19, 2026 | title = Who is qualified for Team USA for 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics? | url=https://www.nbcsports.com/olympics/news/team-usa-2026-winter-olympics-milan-cortina-qualified-roster | access-date = January 19, 2026 }} </ref>

==Awards and achievements==
*Christian was inducted into the [United States Hockey Hall of Fame](/source/United_States_Hockey_Hall_of_Fame) in 2001.
*Christian played in the [1991 NHL All-Star Game](/source/42nd_National_Hockey_League_All-Star_Game)

==Career statistics==
===Regular season and playoffs===
{| border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" style="text-align:center; width:60em"
|- bgcolor="#e0e0e0"
! colspan="3" bgcolor="#ffffff"|
! rowspan="100" bgcolor="#ffffff"|
! colspan="5"|[Regular season](/source/Regular_season)
! rowspan="100" bgcolor="#ffffff"|
! colspan="5"|[Playoffs](/source/Playoffs)
|- bgcolor="#e0e0e0"
! [Season](/source/Season_(sports))
! Team
! League
! GP !! [G](/source/Goal_(ice_hockey)) !! [A](/source/Assist_(ice_hockey)) !! [Pts](/source/Point_(ice_hockey)) !! [PIM](/source/Penalty_(ice_hockey))
! GP !! G !! A !! Pts !! PIM
|-
| 1976–77
| [Warroad High School](/source/Warroad_High_School)
| [HS-MN](/source/Minnesota_State_High_School_League)
| — || — || — || — || —
| — || — || — || — || —
|- bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| [1977–78](/source/1977%E2%80%9378_NCAA_Division_I_men's_ice_hockey_season)
| [University of North Dakota](/source/North_Dakota_Fighting_Hawks_men's_ice_hockey)
| [WCHA](/source/Western_Collegiate_Hockey_Association)
| 38 || 8 || 16 || 24 || 14
| — || — || — || — || —
|-  
| [1978–79](/source/1978%E2%80%9379_NCAA_Division_I_men's_ice_hockey_season)
| University of North Dakota
| WCHA
| 40 || 22 || 24 || 46 || 22
| — || — || — || — || —
|- bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| 1979–80
| [American National Team](/source/United_States_men's_national_ice_hockey_team)
| Intl
| 59 || 10 || 20 || 30 || 26
| — || — || — || — || —
|-
| [1979–80](/source/1979%E2%80%9380_NHL_season)
| [Winnipeg Jets](/source/Winnipeg_Jets_(1972%E2%80%931996))
| [NHL](/source/National_Hockey_League)
| 15 || 8 || 10 || 18 || 2
| — || — || — || — || —
|- bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| [1980–81](/source/1980%E2%80%9381_NHL_season)
| Winnipeg Jets
| NHL
| 80 || 28 || 43 || 71 || 22
| — || — || — || — || —
|-  
| [1981–82](/source/1981%E2%80%9382_NHL_season)
| Winnipeg Jets
| NHL
| 80 || 25 || 51 || 76 || 28
| 4 || 0 || 1 || 1 || 2
|- bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| [1982–83](/source/1982%E2%80%9383_NHL_season)
| Winnipeg Jets
| NHL
| 55 || 18 || 26 || 44 || 23
| 3 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0
|-  
| [1983–84](/source/1983%E2%80%9384_NHL_season)
| [Washington Capitals](/source/Washington_Capitals)
| NHL
| 80 || 29 || 52 || 81 || 28
| 8 || 5 || 4 || 9 || 5
|- bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| [1984–85](/source/1984%E2%80%9385_NHL_season)
| Washington Capitals
| NHL
| 80 || 26 || 43 || 69 || 14
| 5 || 1 || 1 || 2 || 0
|-  
| [1985–86](/source/1985%E2%80%9386_NHL_season)
| Washington Capitals
| NHL
| 80 || 41 || 42 || 83 || 15
| 9 || 4 || 4 || 8 || 0
|- bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| [1986–87](/source/1986%E2%80%9387_NHL_season)
| Washington Capitals
| NHL
| 76 || 23 || 27 || 50 || 8
| 7 || 1 || 3 || 4 || 6
|-  
| [1987–88](/source/1987%E2%80%9388_NHL_season)
| Washington Capitals
| NHL
| 80 || 37 || 21 || 58 || 26
| 14 || 5 || 6 || 11 || 6
|- bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| [1988–89](/source/1988%E2%80%9389_NHL_season)
| Washington Capitals
| NHL
| 80 || 34 || 31 || 65 || 12
| 6 || 1 || 1 || 2 || 0
|-  
| [1989–90](/source/1989%E2%80%9390_NHL_season)
| Washington Capitals
| NHL
| 28 || 3 || 8 || 11 || 4
| — || — || — || — || —
|- bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| 1989–90
| [Boston Bruins](/source/Boston_Bruins)
| NHL
| 50 || 12 || 17 || 29 || 8
| 21 || 4 || 1 || 5 || 4
|-  
| [1990–91](/source/1990%E2%80%9391_NHL_season)
| Boston Bruins
| NHL
| 78 || 32 || 21 || 53 || 41
| 19 || 8 || 4 || 12 || 4
|- bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| [1991–92](/source/1991%E2%80%9392_NHL_season)
| [St. Louis Blues](/source/St._Louis_Blues)
| NHL
| 78 || 20 || 24 || 44 || 41
| 4 || 3 || 0 || 3 || 0
|-  
| [1992–93](/source/1992%E2%80%9393_NHL_season)
| [Chicago Blackhawks](/source/Chicago_Blackhawks)
| NHL
| 60 || 4 || 14 || 18 || 12
| 1 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0
|- bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| [1993–94](/source/1993%E2%80%9394_IHL_season)
| [Indianapolis Ice](/source/Indianapolis_Ice)
| [IHL](/source/International_Hockey_League_(1945%E2%80%932001))
| 40 || 8 || 18 || 26 || 6
| — || — || — || — || —
|- 
| [1993–94](/source/1993%E2%80%9394_NHL_season)
| Chicago Blackhawks
| NHL
| 9 || 0 || 3 || 3 || 0
| 1 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0
|- bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| [1994–95](/source/1994%E2%80%9395_IHL_season)
| [Minnesota Moose](/source/Minnesota_Moose)
| IHL
| 81 || 38 || 42 || 80 || 16
| 3 || 0 || 1 || 1 || 0
|-  
| [1995–96](/source/1995%E2%80%9396_IHL_season)
| Minnesota Moose
| IHL
| 69 || 21 || 25 || 46 || 8
| — || — || — || — || —
|- bgcolor="#e0e0e0"
! colspan="3" | NHL totals
! 1,009 !! 340 !! 433 !! 773 !! 284
! 102 !! 32 !! 25 !! 57 !! 27
|}

===International===
{| border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" ID="Table3" style="text-align:center; width:40em"
|- bgcolor="#e0e0e0"
! Year
! Team
! Event
! rowspan="102" bgcolor="#ffffff"|
! GP !! G !! A !! Pts !! PIM
|-
| [1979](/source/1979_World_Junior_Ice_Hockey_Championships)
| [United States](/source/United_States_men's_national_junior_ice_hockey_team)
| [WJC](/source/World_Junior_Ice_Hockey_Championships)
| 5 || 2 || 1 || 3 || 0
|- bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| [1980](/source/Ice_hockey_at_the_1980_Winter_Olympics)
| [United States](/source/United_States_men's_national_ice_hockey_team)
| [OLY](/source/Ice_hockey_at_the_Winter_Olympics)
| 7 || 0 || 8 || 8 || 6
|-
| [1981](/source/1981_Ice_Hockey_World_Championships)
| United States
| [WC](/source/Ice_Hockey_World_Championships)
| 8 || 8 || 3 || 11 || 6
|- bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| [1981](/source/1981_Canada_Cup)
| United States
| [CC](/source/Canada_Cup)
| 6 || 1 || 0 || 1 || 4
|-
| [1984](/source/1984_Canada_Cup)
| United States
| CC
| 6 || 2 || 1 || 3 || 2
|- bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| [1989](/source/1989_Ice_Hockey_World_Championships)
| United States
| WC
| 6 || 4 || 3 || 7 || 2
|-
| [1991](/source/1991_Canada_Cup)
| United States
| CC
| 7 || 1 || 1 || 2 || 0
|- bgcolor="#e0e0e0"
! colspan=3 | Junior totals
! 5 !! 2 !! 1 !! 3 !! 0
|- bgcolor="#e0e0e0"
! colspan=3 | Senior totals
! 40 !! 16 !! 16 !! 32 !! 20
|}

==In popular culture==
In the [1981](/source/1981_in_film) TV movie about the gold medal-winning hockey team entitled ''[Miracle on Ice](/source/Miracle_on_Ice_(1981_film))'', Christian is played by [Thomas F. Duffy](/source/Thomas_F._Duffy).

In the [2004](/source/2004_in_film) [Disney](/source/Disney) film ''[Miracle](/source/Miracle_(2004_film))'', he is played by Steve Kovalcik.

==See also==
* [List of members of the United States Hockey Hall of Fame](/source/List_of_members_of_the_United_States_Hockey_Hall_of_Fame)
* [List of NHL players with 1,000 games played](/source/List_of_NHL_players_with_1%2C000_games_played)
* [List of Olympic medalist families](/source/List_of_Olympic_medalist_families)

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{icehockeystats}}
* [http://www.hockeydraftcentral.com/1979/79040.html Profile at hockeydraftcentral.com]

{{s-start}}
{{succession box | before = [Morris Lukowich](/source/Morris_Lukowich) | title = [Winnipeg Jets captain](/source/Winnipeg_Jets_(1972%E2%80%9396)) | years = [1981](/source/1981%E2%80%9382_NHL_season)–[82](/source/1982%E2%80%9383_NHL_season) | after = [Lucien DeBlois](/source/Lucien_DeBlois)}}
{{s-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Christian, Dave}}
Category:1959 births
Category:Living people
Category:1980 US Olympic ice hockey team
Category:American men's ice hockey right wingers
Category:Boston Bruins players
Category:Chicago Blackhawks players
Category:Ice hockey players from Minnesota
Category:Ice hockey players at the 1980 Winter Olympics
Category:Indianapolis Ice players
Category:Medalists at the 1980 Winter Olympics
Category:Warroad Lakers players
Category:Minnesota Moose players
Category:National Hockey League All-Stars
Category:North Dakota Fighting Hawks men's ice hockey players
Category:Olympic gold medalists for the United States in ice hockey
Category:Sportspeople from Warroad, Minnesota
Category:St. Louis Blues players
Category:United States Hockey Hall of Fame inductees
Category:Washington Capitals players
Category:Winnipeg Jets (1972–1996) captains
Category:Winnipeg Jets (1979–1996) draft picks
Category:Winnipeg Jets (1979–1996) players
Category:University of North Dakota Olympic medalists

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Dave Christian](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dave_Christian) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dave_Christian?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.