As part of its 50th anniversary celebration, ECAC Hockey has comprised a group of its Top 50 Players to recognize the storied history of the League and honor its significant players. Clarkson University Hockey All-Star goaltender Terry Yurkiewicz (1963-66) has been honored as one of the league's all-time best when the conference announced the ninth installment of honorees as part of its top 50 players of all-time.

The top 50 players were determined by a selection committee made up of former coaches and media members. These honorees were tallied from 145 players (47 defenseman; 73 forwards; and 25 goaltenders). 

Terry Yurkiewicz - Clarkson, Goaltender, (1963-66) - Cartier, Ontario?Two-Time All-America (1965-66) ... 1966 ECAC Hockey Player of Year ... Two-Time All-Conference Second Team (1965-66) ... Two-Time ECAC Hockey All-Tournament First Team (1965-66) ... 1966 ECAC Hockey Tournament Most Outstanding Player, Allowing a Mere Five Goals in the League’s Postseason ... 1966 NCAA Second-Team All-Tournament ... Member of 1966 League Champions ... 1965 ECAC Hockey Save Percentage Champion (.913) … Posted 43-10 Record, .910 Save Percentage and 2.10 Goals-Against Average in 53 Games (1963-66) … Helped Clarkson to First League Regular-Season Title and Program’s First League Tournament Trophy in 1966 … Played in 1966 NCAA Championship Contest, Making 40 Saves … Last Clarkson Goalie to Play Without a Mask (Did Not Wear Mask Until Senior Year) … Standout in Classroom, Ranking First in His Academic Department … Recipient of Clarkson’s Arnold H. Barben Award in 1992 -- Presented to Hockey Alumnus Who has Demonstrated Outstanding Professional Achievement, Contributed to Betterment of his Community, and Worked Unselfishly for his Alma Mater ... Inducted into Clarkson’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 2007 ... Passed Away in October 2002 at Age 59.

The ninth segment of honorees includes: along with Yurkiewicz - 

Quinnipiac University defenseman Reid Cashman, a two-time all-american (2006 and 2007), who holds the school record for career assists (125) and one of only six Bobcats to play in 150-plus games (151); Scott Fusco, Harvard, forward, a three-time first-team all-conference selection, who led the Crimson in goals and scoring for three seasons; Tom Mellor, defenseman, Boston College, named 1970 ECAC Hockey Rookie of the Year and 1973 ECAC Hockey Player of the Year, who amassed 135 points in 81 games; Providence defenseman Randy Velischek, a member of the 1980-89 ECAC Hockey All-Decade Team, who helped the Friars to 1981 and 1983 NCAA Tournament appearances.

All current and former teams’ impactful players, including those from Boston College, Boston University, New Hampshire, Middlebury, Army, etc... were reviewed in comprising the list of candidates for the special team. Five players from the top 50 all-time team will be released every two weeks throughout the season leading up the championship in March 18-19 in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

Throughout its history, ECAC Hockey has been home to seven NCAA men’s championship teams, witnessed over 15,000 games, produced more than 500 National Hockey Leaguers, nearly 300 All-Americans, three Hobey Baker Memorial Award winners, and over 1,100 student-athletes who have earned All-Academic honors since 1999-00, the first year the League recognized these individuals.

The first group of top 50 players released on November 11 included the following: Bob Brinkworth, forward at Rensselaer (1961-64); Ken Dryden, Cornell goaltender (1967-69); defenseman Mark Fusco, Harvard (1980-83); Brian Mueller, defenseman, Clarkson (1991-95); and Boston College forward Joe Mullen.

The League released the second segment of players on November 24 which included the following; defenseman Ray Giroux, Yale (1994-98); Joe Juneau forward Rensselaer (1987-91); Colgate forward Andy McDonald (1996-00); Joe Nieuwendyk, foward Cornell (1984-87); and defenseman Ron Wilson, Providence (1973-77).

The third assembly release on December 8 included the following: Joe Cavanagh, Harvard, forward, (1969-71); Yann Danis Brown, goaltender, (2000-04); Clarkson defenseman Dave Fretz (1981-85); Dan Laperriere, St. Lawrence, defenseman, (1988-92); and forward Martin St. Louis, Vermont (1993-97).

On December 22, the fourth collection of top 50 players was released which included; Ralph Cox, New Hampshire, forward, (1975-79); Union goaltender, Trevor Koenig (1995-98); Boston University forward, Rick Meagher (1973-77); forward Lance Nethery from Cornell (1975-79); and Lee Stempniak, Dartmouth, forward (2001-05).

The League released the fifth segment on January 5 which included the following; John Cunniff, Boston College, forward (1963-66); Harvard forward, Gene Kinasewich (1964-66); defenseman Douglas Murray from Cornell (1999-03); Vic Stanfield, Boston University defenseman (1972-75); and forward Dave Taylor, Clarkson (1973-77).

The sixth group was announced on January 18 which included the following: Brown defenseman Bob Gaudreau (1964-66); Jeff Halpern, forward at Princeton (1995-99); forward Peter Lappin from St. Lawrence (1984-88); Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute forward Adam Oates (1983-85); and defenseman Jack O’Callahan, Boston University (1975-79).

On February 2 the League released the seventh group which included the following; Clarkson defenseman Bill Blackwood (1974-78); forward Brian Cornell from Cornell (1966-69); Yale forward Jeff Hamilton (1996-99, 2001); Lane MacDonald, Harvard forward, (1985-87, 1989); and goaltender Tim Thomas, Vermont, (1993-97).

Group No. 8 was released on February 16 which included; Boston University Defenseman Bob Brown (1970-72); forward Doug Ferguson from Cornell (1964-67); Colgate forward Dan Fridgen (1979-82); Tim Sheehy, Boston College forward, (1967-70); and forward Todd White, Clarkson, (1993-97).

The top 50 players were determined by a vote of a selection committee of 10 individuals, which include Joe Bertagna, former student-athlete at Harvard, former hockey commissioner of the ECAC and current commissioner of Hockey East; Ed Carpenter, former Sports Information Director at Boston U.; Bill Cleary, former student-athlete, head coach and director of athletics at Harvard; John Connolly, long-time sports reporter at the Boston Herald; Dan Fridgen, former student-athlete at Colgate and former head coach at RPI; Mike Gilligan, former head coach at Yale (interim) and Vermont; Lou Lamoriello, former student-athlete and head coach at Providence and current CEO/President/General Manager of the New Jersey Devils; Mark Morris, former student-athlete at Colgate and former head coach at Clarkson; Tim Taylor, former student-athlete at Harvard and former head coach at Yale; and Adam Wodon, editor of the College Hockey News Web site.