Joe Becker, seen here with his mom and dad, has a lot to be thankful for on Mother's Day

When you think of big names from hockey's past, chances are you come up with the likes of Gretzky, Messier, Orr, Lafleur, Lemieux, Richard, Sittler and the list goes on virtually never-ending and full of Canadian names. How about American born players that were influential in the great Canadian game; they are there, perhaps just a little harder to find. Sure there is the Christian family, that would be easy after last season; but what about the name - Becker?

After doing a little bit of research, the Becker name carries a lot of weight behind it inside the hockey arenas. This is especially true in the state of Minnesota where the family has seen no less than three generations lace up a pair of skates and can boast of an inductee to the United States Hockey Hall of Fame.

Fans of the Spruce Kings have reason to be excited about the imminent arrival of Joe Becker from Moorhead Minnesota to start the team's 37th season in Prince George. Moorhead has already tipped its hand once as a hockey hotbed by providing last season's leading goal scorer and rookie sensation, Jordy Christian. Now another nugget is about to show its shine.

Joe Becker, who grew up playing hockey with Jordy Christian, put up good numbers playing as a senior with the Moorhead Spuds High School hockey team last season. His graduating year marked the first time in a long time that he didn't share the ice with his lifelong friend or anyone else that has the same last name for that matter.

Growing up in Moorhead, Minnesota, Joe is the youngest of three boys in the Becker household; three boys that share similar characterstics. Not only are all three right handed forwards that have played for the Moorhead Spuds, but the stage is set for all three to have played Junior A hockey for at least one year before taking the NCAA route.

The oldest, Bryan, played one year in the North American (Junior A) Hockey League with the Billings Bulls before putting on the blue and silver of the NCAA Division I Air Force Academy Falcons for the next four seasons. The second oldest, Matthew, followed up his high school hockey with a year at Billings as well before joining his brother on the Falcons lineup.

The importance of education and hockey for Joe Becker goes beyond his brothers to his father, Brad, who played high school hockey as well as NCAA Division I hockey. Brad remembers being caught up in the growing hype of hockey in southern Minnesota and first becoming enthralled with the game in his hometown of Edina.

"At the time (the Edina high school hockey team) practiced outside and I remember, as a little kid, going to watch them," reflects Brad Becker. "At that time, Edina was a young up and coming program in high school hockey and later became the model that other schools wanted to be like."

The success of Edina translated into a great deal of scholarship opportunities for the players and Brad was just one of the many that went on to the next level playing for the University of North Dakota. Proving that all paths in the hockey world cross, Brad Becker remembers playing against the now General Manager and Head Coach of the Spruce Kings. At the time, Ed Dempsey was a defenceman with the Michigan Tech Huskies that went on to win the NCAA Division I championship in 1974/75.

"Ed was playing for Michigan Tech when I came into the league," continues Becker. "In my freshman year, they were the NCAA champions with a lot of outstanding players. I played with a lot of kids from the BC league, that was quite the hotbed for college recruiters."

A right-handed forward, Brad played three years and over one hundred games for the Fighting Sioux. Signed by the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League, Brad played his first season of professional hockey with the New Haven Nighthawks of the American Hockey League. The Nighthawks finished second in the South Division and went on to defeat the Philadelphia Firebirds and Rochester Americans before losing to the Maine Mariners in the Calder Cup finals.

The following season he played for the defending champion Toledo Goaldiggers of the International Hockey League, alongside the likes of Mike Eruzione, the eventual Olympic gold medal goal scorer in the 1980 Miracle on Ice game. With all of the memories of hockey available to choose from, Brad holds onto his high school hockey days in Edina, Minnesota the tightest and with good reason.

Joe Becker's maternal grandfather, Willard Ikola, provides the start of a rich hockey heritage.

It was while playing in Edina that Brad would meet his high school sweetheart and life partner, Deb, the daughter of a hockey legend in the making. Willard Ikola won three consecutive high school state championships (1948-1950), two consecutive NCAA national championships (1951-1952) with the University of Michigan Wolverines and an Olympic Silver medal at the 1956 Winter Olympics in Italy. Between backstopping his teams to championships and Olympic glory; Willard was also a lieutenant in the United States Air Force, but his biggest claim to fame would come from behind the bench.

In 1958 Willard Ikola retired from playing hockey, but decided to go back to the roots of his passion for the game of hockey and give back to the youth that were developing a love for the sport. His first season as a coach was a tough one and resulted in a losing record, but that would be the only season of 33 that would bare a blemish.

Ikola compiled an impressive record of 616 wins, 149 losses and 38 ties between 1958 and 1991; a record that is ranked as third best in the United States and the most wins by any coach in the State of Minnesota. During his coaching tenure, Ikola coached the Edina High School Hockey teams to 22 Classic Lake Conference championships, 19 section titles and eight state championships while being named Minnesota High School hockey coach of the year six times.

In the same year that he became the grandfather to Joe Becker, Willard Ikola was inducted into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame, received the John Mariucci Award from the American Hockey Coaches Association and was also put on the University of Michigan Hall of Honor. After retiring from coaching in 1991, the accolates continued with his 1992 induction into the National High School Sports Hall of Fame and the Edina Athletic Hall of Fame in 1997.

Although retired from the game of hockey, Ikola is never far from the rink and has spent many years as a scout for the National Hockey League's Minnesota North Stars, New York Islanders and currently on a part time basis for the Dallas Stars. Perhaps a scouting trip out west to see his grandson play for the Prince George Spruce Kings is now on his list of things to do.

CLICK HERE to read an excerpt from Blades of Glory: The True Story of a Young Team Bred to Win by John Rosengren - 2005. The book is described as "A behind-the-scenes look at how the relentless pressure to win can inspire or destroy a team of high school hockey champions."