Ex-CC star Swanson chosen to WCHA's top 50 team

0 Comments | Gazette, The (Colorado Springs), Dec 20, 2001 | by Thomas Harding

The Hamilton Bulldogs of the American Hockey League have gone through a minor losing streak.

Their answer?

Put a young player who needs to produce alongside center Brian Swanson, a guy who always boosts his teammates.

Colorado College and the Western Collegiate Hockey Association know all about how Swanson makes others better. The conference announced Wednesday that Swanson, a two-time all-American at CC in the late 1990s and currently a member of the Edmonton Oilers organization, has been selected to the WCHA all-time top 50 team.

The 50-year-old league has been releasing its honor list, 10 at a time. Former CC star forward Doug Palazzari, now executive director of USA Hockey, was one of the first 10 announced, and Swanson is one of the second 10.

Swanson, 25, went into Wednesday leading the AHL in scoring with 22 goals and 25 assists for 47 points. To snap a three-game losing streak, Hamilton's longest of this season, the Bulldogs are placing 20-year-old Finnish forward Jani Rita on Swanson's line.

Swanson earned second-team all-America honors in 1997-98 and made the first team in 1998-99. He finished his career second on the Tigers' career scoring list with 232 points (88 goals, 144 assists). He left CC with three team MVP awards, and led the team in scoring three times.

Swanson made his NHL debut with Edmonton last season.

Palazzari played at CC in the early 1970s. His 228 points (95- 133) rank third all-time. He was chosen to two all-America teams and played on the U.S. national team in 1973 and 1974.

Palazzari appeared in four NHL seasons with the St. Louis Blues, but played mostly with the Salt Lake City Golden Eagles and, in 1997, was chosen the greatest player in the history of the Central Hockey League. In his days, the CHL consisted of direct NHL affiliates.

Palazzari served as a CC assistant from 1985-91, as well as in various coaching capacities with USA Hockey. He and his wife, Sara, have two sons, Blake, age 18, and Drew, 12.