UMD Men's Hockey Alum Ronald Busniuk Passes Away at Age 75
University of Minnesota Duluth men's hockey alum Ronald Busniuk passed away at the age of 75.
Ron Busniuk, who starred at the University of Minnesota Duluth during the late 1960s, was inducted into the Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame in 2016.
Busniuk topped the team's scoring charts all three of his seasons with the Bulldogs (freshmen were not allowed to compete in NCAA Division I hockey at the time) and as a senior in 1969-70, he landed both All-American and All-Western Collegiate Hockey Association first team recognition. Selected the Bulldogs' Most Valuable Player in 1968-69 while working out of the center position, Busniuk was relocated to defense the following winter and won the same honor again. He was the recipient of UMD's Outstanding Senior Athlete Award for 1969-70 and went on to spend eight years in professional hockey ranks, which included stints with the National Hockey League's Buffalo Sabres (1972-74) and the World Hockey Association's Minnesota Fighting Saints (1974-76), New England Whalers (1976-1977), and Edmonton Oilers (1977-78). After putting the wraps on his playing days, Busnuik served as head coach for the Thunder Bay Twins and directed that club to to a pair of Allan Cup titles as Canadian Senior A champions (1983-84 and 1984-85).
A Celebration of Ronald's Life will be held on Thursday, March 14, 2024 at 1:00 pm in the WESTFORT CHAPEL, 420 West Gore Street at James. Should friends so desire, donations made in memory of Ron to the Make-A-Wish Foundation would be greatly appreciated. Please sign the online condolences at everestofthunderbay.com
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