William Donald Nyrop was a professional ice hockey player who won three Stanley Cups with the Montreal Canadiens in 1976, 1977, and 1978.
Background
Born in Washington, District of Columbia, his father, Donald Nyrop, served as United States. Administrator of Civil Aeronautics (now the Federal Aviation Administration) and Chairman of the United States. Civil Aeronautics Board (now National Transportation Safety Board) under President Harry S. Truman in the early 1950s.
Education
As a boy, Nyrop attended Edina High School, where he was an all-star athlete, playing quarterback for an undefeated football team and leading the hockey team to the state title in 1969. After graduation from high school in 1970, Nyrop attended the University of Notre Dame.
Career
Donald Nyrop moved his family to Edina, Minnesota, where he served as president, Chief Executive Officer and chairman of the board of Northwest Airlines from 1954–1976. However, he was injured in practice and never played for the team, instead playing hockey during his four years in college. After his sophomore year with the Fighting Irish in 1971–1972, Nyrop was selected 66th overall by the Montreal Canadiens at the Amateur Draft.
He attended his first pro training camp in September 1972, and in 1973 he was voted on to the WCHA first all-star team and the National Collegiate Athletic Association west first all-American team
The next year he represented the United States at the "B" Pool Ice Hockey World Championship where he was named to the tournament All-Star team as the best defenseman. During his first pro season with the American Hockey League"s Nova Scotia Voyageurs in 1974–1975, Nyrop played with the stability of a seasoned veteran.
Later that year Nyrop scored two points in five games and was stalwart on the defense as team captain for the United States team at the inaugural 1976 Canada Cup. After the 1977–1978 season, Nyrop stepped away from the game to study law.
His rights were traded by the Canadiens to the Minnesota North Stars in September 1980 and he returned to the National Hockey League a year later.
He dressed for 42 regular season games with the Stars and two post-season contests in which his team was upset by Chicago in the first round. Nyrop also played briefly for Kölner Haie of the German league in 1982–1983 before retiring for good. After retirement, he attended Gonzaga University School of Law in Spokane, Washington, earning his Juris Doctor (Juris Doctor) in 1986.
He set up his law practice, but then returned to hockey as the coach of the Knoxville (Tennessee) Cherokees (ECHL) in 1991-1992.
The following season he became owner and coach of the Sunshine Hockey League"s West Palm Beach Blaze. After guiding the club to three straight league championships, he sold his interest in the club due to failing health.
In September 1995 he was diagnosed with inoperable colon cancer (that spread to his liver and lungs) and died three months later in his father"s home in Minneapolis at age 43.