Lou Nanne to speak at July 17 Rotary Club of Edina meeting
Please join us Thursday, July 17, for the Rotary Club of Edina meeting where our program speaker will be Minnesota sports legend Lou Nanne. Nanne will speak about "The Case for the U of M Athletic Capital Campaign." Nanne is well known in Minnesota for his years playing hockey at the University of Minnesota , as well as his pro-hockey career as a player, coach and general manager with the Minnesota North Stars. He still resides in Minnesota and was color commentator for the 2013 Minnesota State High School Hockey Tournament.
The meeting starts at 12:15 p.m. at the Edina Country Club. All are welcome. Lunch is $18.
The Rotary Club of Edina will welcome Minnesota hockey legend Lou Nanne for their Thursday, July 17, meeting at the Edina Country Club. Nanne will speak about "The Case for the U of M Athletic Capital Campaign."
A native of Ontario, Nanne attended the University of Minnesota and played hockey under legendary coach John Mariucci. He went on to become an American citizen, and be named captain of the 1968 U.S. Olympic hockey team, along with future U.S. Olympic hockey coach Herb Brooks. Nanne signed with the Minnesota North Stars to play hockey professionally, and stayed with the team his entire pro career. He also was coach and general manager of the North Stars. The Stars would reach the Stanley Cup finals in 1981, the semifinals in 1984, and would make it to the playoffs seven consecutive seasons (1979-80 - 1985-86). This winning run would see the North Stars average over 35 wins per season, and encompass the North Stars sole 40-win season and six of the organization's ten 35-plus-win seasons.
He is a member of the United States Hockey Hall of Fame and the International Ice Hockey Federation Hall of Fame.
Since leaving his general manager position, Nanne has been involved in hockey broadcasting in Minnesota—most recently being the color commentator for the 2013 Minnesota State High School Hockey Tournament. His son, Marty Nanne, was selected by the Chicago Blackhawks in the 8th round of the 1986 NHL Draft. Nanne has three grandsons playing junior ice hockey or high school hockey. One, also named Lou, played for Edina High School before passing up his senior season to play for the Penticton Vees. He had signed to play hockey for the University of Minnesota in the future, but decommited and has now signed to play for Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and was drafted by the Minnesota Wild in 2012. Tyler Nanne, who was drafted by the New York Rangers in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft, was a member of the Edina High School team that won consecutive Minnesota State High School Hockey Tournaments in 2013 and 2014, and recently committed to play hockey at Ohio State University.
All are welcome at the meeting, which begins at 12:15 p.m. Cost for lunch is $18.