Tim Breslin

Timothy G. Breslin (December 8, 1967 – February 9, 2005) was an American professional ice hockey left wing.

Breslin played eight seasons in the International Hockey League (IHL) with the Phoenix Roadrunners and Chicago Wolves and part of a season in the ECHL with the South Carolina Stingrays.

He also played major league roller hockey in Roller Hockey International (RHI) with the Chicago Cheetahs.

Breslin attended Lake Superior State University.

Tim was born in Downers Grove, Illinois on December 8, 1967, to James and Kathleen Breslin.

He was one of six children, having three sisters and two brothers.

Breslin grew up in Addison, Illinois where he began playing hockey at age five.

He learned the game while playing with his brothers on a frozen pond near the family home and on a backyard rink his father made.

As he got older Breslin played in local leagues and Driscoll Catholic High School's club team, which afforded him the opportunity to join the Dubuque Fighting Saints in the United States Hockey League.

Breslin joined the Fighting Saints for his high school senior year and played an additional season after graduation.

His performance in Dubuque helped earn a scholarship to Lake Superior State University (LSSU).

In his freshman season with the Lakers, Breslin contributed 6 goals and 20 points, as LSSU finished first in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA).

While a freshman he helped the Lakers win the school's first national championship in 1988.

He served as an alternate captain in his senior season while also tying two school records, points in a game (7) and points in a series (10).

Undrafted out of college, he signed with the Los Angeles Kings as a free agent.

He spent four years in their minor league system playing for Phoenix and South Carolina.

After a brief stint in the RHI, he joined the Wolves as a free agent.

Advancing to the 1988 NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Tournament, the Lakers defeated Merrimack College and University of Maine to reach the championship game.

In the title game LSSU defeated St. Lawrence to earn its first National Championship.

For the 1988–89 season Breslin improved to 7 goals while remaining at 20 points.

LSSU finished second in the CCHA and in the 1989 NCAA Tournament they lost to eventual national champion Harvard in the quarterfinals.

In his junior season Breslin continued to produce at about the same pace, registering 8 goals and 25 points.

The Lakers again finished second in the CCHA, and in the 1990 NCAA Tournament they advanced to the quarterfinals for the second straight year where they were defeated by national champion runner-up Colgate.

In his senior season Breslin was named one of the team's alternate captains.

Playing on a line with future National Hockey League (NHL) player Doug Weight, Breslin had a break-out season.

He set career highs in goals (25), assists (37), and points (62).

During the year he tied a school record for points in a game with a seven-point performance against Ohio State.

The scoring output helped him tie another school record when the two teams played the following day.

Adding another three points in the second game, Breslin brought his two-game total to 10, tying the record for points in a series.

Lake Superior State finished first in the CCHA, but was again defeated in the quarterfinals of the 1991 NCAA Tournament.

Undrafted out of college, Breslin signed with the Los Angeles Kings as a free agent.

He attended Kings training camp, where he played with his professional hockey hero, Wayne Gretzky.

Breslin failed to make the team and Los Angeles assigned him to their International Hockey League (IHL) affiliate the Phoenix Roadrunners.

In his first season with Phoenix, Breslin broke his arm early in the season.

He returned to play just three weeks after the injury, but eventually re-broke the arm and missed the remainder of the season.

As a member of the Wolves, Breslin was highly involved in charitable activities which led to him winning IHL Man of the Year honors in the 1996–97 season.

He was a member of Chicago's Turner Cup champion team the following year.

Late in 2004 Breslin was diagnosed with cancer and died 11 weeks later on February 9, 2005, due to complications from appendiceal cancer.

To honor him the Wolves created the Tim Breslin Unsung Hero Award and the Tim Breslin Memorial Scholarship.

As a way of helping his family financially, they hosted an exhibition game dubbed the Breslin Cup.