Ian Cooper (ice hockey)
Encyclopedia
Ian Edward Cooper is a retired British
ice hockey
player. He is a member of the British Ice Hockey Hall of Fame and is the younger brother of fellow Hall of Fame member, Stephen Cooper.
during the 1984–85 season when he was still playing junior ice hockey
with the Wasps' junior team, the Durham Hornets. Appearing for the Wasps 30 times that season, he scored just three goals
. His career took off the following season when he appeared exclusively for the Wasps and scored 38 goals and 36 assists
in all competitions and helped the Wasps to retain their British Hockey League
(BHL) Premier Division title.
Cooper stayed with the Wasps for two more seasons — being named to the 1988 BHL all-star team along the way — before an ambitious Cardiff Devils
in Division 1 of the BHL offered him enough money to play full-time and signed him and his brother for the 1988–89 season. Cooper helped Cardiff to win the promotion playoffs to the Premier Division as well gaining his second all-star team award. The following season, Cooper helped the Devils to win the league championship
and the playoffs
.
Being able to get professional wages in his home town, Cooper returned to the Durham Wasps for the 1990–91 season where he helped them to win a grand slam of the Norwich Union Trophy, the league championship and the playoffs. After helping the Wasps to retain the league championship and the playoffs in the 1991–92 season, Cooper returned to the Cardiff Devils for the 1992–93 season. During his six seasons with the Devils, Cooper helped them to win two league championships and two playoffs in the BHL and one league championship and a Bensons & Hedges Cup in the Ice Hockey Superleague
(ISL).
Cardiff did not renew Cooper's contract in 1998 and he joined the London Knights
as captain
for their inaugural campaign in the 1998–99 season of the ISL. He stayed with the Knights for 18 months until they arranged his move to the Guildford Flames
where he finished the 1999–00 season in the British National League
. The following season after two games for the Basingstoke Bison
in the BNL and then 10 games for the Chelmsford Chieftains
in the English Premier Ice Hockey League
, Cooper retired from ice hockey moved into media management as a career.
of the Ice Hockey World Championships
before cementing their position in Pool B. Cooper described the Pool B gold medal he won in 1993 as "something special".
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
player. He is a member of the British Ice Hockey Hall of Fame and is the younger brother of fellow Hall of Fame member, Stephen Cooper.
Club
Cooper started his senior ice hockey career with the Durham WaspsDurham Wasps
The Durham Wasps was an ice hockey team located in Durham and was one of England's most well-known names in ice hockey. The team was bought by Sir John Hall and moved to the neighbouring city of Newcastle Upon Tyne in August 1996...
during the 1984–85 season when he was still playing junior ice hockey
Junior ice hockey
Junior hockey is a catch-all term used to describe various levels of ice hockey competition for players generally between 16 and 20 years of age...
with the Wasps' junior team, the Durham Hornets. Appearing for the Wasps 30 times that season, he scored just three goals
Goal (ice hockey)
In ice hockey, a goal is scored when the puck completely crosses the goal line between the two goal posts and below the goal crossbar. A goal awards one point to the team attacking the goal scored upon, regardless of which team the player who actually deflected the puck into the goal belongs to...
. His career took off the following season when he appeared exclusively for the Wasps and scored 38 goals and 36 assists
Assist (ice hockey)
In ice hockey, an assist is attributed to up to two players of the scoring team who shot, passed or deflected the puck towards the scoring teammate, or touched it in any other way which enabled the goal, meaning that they were "assisting" in the goal. There can be a maximum of two assists per goal...
in all competitions and helped the Wasps to retain their British Hockey League
British Hockey League
The British Hockey League was the top-flight ice hockey league in the United Kingdom from 1982 until 1996, when it was replaced by the Ice Hockey Superleague and the British National League...
(BHL) Premier Division title.
Cooper stayed with the Wasps for two more seasons — being named to the 1988 BHL all-star team along the way — before an ambitious Cardiff Devils
Cardiff Devils
The Cardiff Devils are a Welsh ice hockey team who play in the British Elite Ice Hockey League. The team currently plays in the temporary Cardiff Arena...
in Division 1 of the BHL offered him enough money to play full-time and signed him and his brother for the 1988–89 season. Cooper helped Cardiff to win the promotion playoffs to the Premier Division as well gaining his second all-star team award. The following season, Cooper helped the Devils to win the league championship
British ice hockey league champions
The British ice hockey league champions are the winners of the highest ice hockey league in the United Kingdom, currently the Elite Ice Hockey League...
and the playoffs
British Championship
The British Championship is the most prestigious ice hockey cup competition in the United Kingdom, and also the longest established ice hockey competition. It has been run under various formats and titles since 1930 and contested annually since 1966...
.
Being able to get professional wages in his home town, Cooper returned to the Durham Wasps for the 1990–91 season where he helped them to win a grand slam of the Norwich Union Trophy, the league championship and the playoffs. After helping the Wasps to retain the league championship and the playoffs in the 1991–92 season, Cooper returned to the Cardiff Devils for the 1992–93 season. During his six seasons with the Devils, Cooper helped them to win two league championships and two playoffs in the BHL and one league championship and a Bensons & Hedges Cup in the Ice Hockey Superleague
Ice Hockey Superleague
The Ice Hockey Superleague was a professional ice hockey league in the United Kingdom between 1996 and 2003. Formed in 1995, it replaced the Premier Division of the British Hockey League, it was the highest level of ice hockey competition in the United Kingdom...
(ISL).
Cardiff did not renew Cooper's contract in 1998 and he joined the London Knights
London Knights (UK)
London Knights were an English ice hockey team based in London. They first played in the UK's Ice Hockey Superleague in September 1998 and finally folded in April 2003....
as captain
Captain (ice hockey)
In ice hockey, each team can designate an official captain for each game. The player serving as captain during the game wears a "C" on his or her jersey...
for their inaugural campaign in the 1998–99 season of the ISL. He stayed with the Knights for 18 months until they arranged his move to the Guildford Flames
Guildford Flames
The Guildford Flames are an ice hockey team based in Guildford, Surrey and their home ice is the Guildford Spectrum.Founded in October 1992, the team played for many years in the British National League...
where he finished the 1999–00 season in the British National League
British National League
The British National League is a defunct second-level professional ice hockey league in the United Kingdom. Although no formal promotion and relegation existed during its period of existence, it was considered to have a standard below that of the Ice Hockey Superleague and above that of the...
. The following season after two games for the Basingstoke Bison
Basingstoke Bison
The Basingstoke Bison are an English Ice Hockey club from Basingstoke. They currently compete in the English Premier Ice Hockey League and have previously been members of the Ice Hockey Superleague and its successor the Elite Ice Hockey League- History :...
in the BNL and then 10 games for the Chelmsford Chieftains
Chelmsford Chieftains
The Chelmsford Chieftains are an Ice Hockey team based in Chelmsford, Essex that are currently playing in the English National Ice Hockey League. Since the team was founded in 1987, the Chieftains have played their home games at the Riverside Ice and Leisure Centre.Chelmsford played their first...
in the English Premier Ice Hockey League
English Premier Ice Hockey League
The English Premier Ice Hockey League commonly abbreviated to EPIHL, or simply EPL, is a senior ice hockey league in England, and is run and administered by the English Ice Hockey Association...
, Cooper retired from ice hockey moved into media management as a career.
International
Cooper first appeared for the Great Britain national ice hockey team when he represented his country at the under-18 level in 1985. He has made a total of 80 appearances for the national team in the under-18, under-20 and the senior teams. During his time with the senior team he helped them climb the international ranks from Pool D to Pool AIce Hockey World Championships
The Ice Hockey World Championships are an annual ice hockey tournament organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation . First officially held at the 1920 Summer Olympics, it is the sport's highest profile annual international tournament. The IIHF was created in 1908 while the European...
of the Ice Hockey World Championships
Ice Hockey World Championships
The Ice Hockey World Championships are an annual ice hockey tournament organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation . First officially held at the 1920 Summer Olympics, it is the sport's highest profile annual international tournament. The IIHF was created in 1908 while the European...
before cementing their position in Pool B. Cooper described the Pool B gold medal he won in 1993 as "something special".
Awards and honours
- Named to the BHLBritish Hockey LeagueThe British Hockey League was the top-flight ice hockey league in the United Kingdom from 1982 until 1996, when it was replaced by the Ice Hockey Superleague and the British National League...
British All Stars team in 1988. - Named to the BHL Division 1 British Players all star team in 1989.
- Ahearne Medal for contributions to the sport in 1996.
- Inducted to the British Ice Hockey Hall of Fame in 2002.
Club
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1984–85 | Durham Wasps Durham Wasps The Durham Wasps was an ice hockey team located in Durham and was one of England's most well-known names in ice hockey. The team was bought by Sir John Hall and moved to the neighbouring city of Newcastle Upon Tyne in August 1996... |
BHL British Hockey League The British Hockey League was the top-flight ice hockey league in the United Kingdom from 1982 until 1996, when it was replaced by the Ice Hockey Superleague and the British National League... |
19 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1985–86 | Durham Wasps | BHL | 35 | 29 | 24 | 53 | 42 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 0 | ||
| 1986–87 | Durham Wasps | BHL | 35 | 23 | 25 | 48 | 35 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 6 | ||
| 1987–88 | Durham Wasps | BHL | 33 | 48 | 49 | 97 | 72 | 6 | 7 | 5 | 12 | 18 | ||
| 1988–89 | Cardiff Devils Cardiff Devils The Cardiff Devils are a Welsh ice hockey team who play in the British Elite Ice Hockey League. The team currently plays in the temporary Cardiff Arena... |
BHL | 24 | 64 | 48 | 112 | 113 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 1989–90 | Cardiff Devils | BHL | 32 | 48 | 53 | 101 | 94 | 6 | 8 | 9 | 17 | 14 | ||
| 1990–91 | Durham Wasps | BHL | 33 | 44 | 63 | 107 | 116 | 8 | 11 | 17 | 28 | 34 | ||
| 1991–92 | Durham Wasps | BHL | 36 | 51 | 49 | 100 | 140 | 7 | 12 | 7 | 19 | 28 | ||
| 1992–93 | Cardiff Devils | BHL | 36 | 51 | 55 | 106 | 56 | 8 | 12 | 13 | 25 | 32 | ||
| 1993–94 | Cardiff Devils | BHL | 34 | 54 | 64 | 118 | 58 | 8 | 7 | 14 | 21 | 28 | ||
| 1994–95 | Cardiff Devils | BHL | 44 | 52 | 71 | 123 | 95 | 5 | 7 | 10 | 17 | 6 | ||
| 1995–96 | Cardiff Devils | BHL | 36 | 35 | 40 | 75 | 103 | 6 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 18 | ||
| 1996–97 | Cardiff Devils | ISL Ice Hockey Superleague The Ice Hockey Superleague was a professional ice hockey league in the United Kingdom between 1996 and 2003. Formed in 1995, it replaced the Premier Division of the British Hockey League, it was the highest level of ice hockey competition in the United Kingdom... |
41 | 16 | 17 | 33 | 62 | 7 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 2 | ||
| 1997–98 | Cardiff Devils | ISL | 28 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 78 | 9 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 12 | ||
| 1998–99 | London Knights London Knights (UK) London Knights were an English ice hockey team based in London. They first played in the UK's Ice Hockey Superleague in September 1998 and finally folded in April 2003.... |
ISL | 36 | 4 | 11 | 15 | 28 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 | ||
| 1999–00 | London Knights | ISL | 18 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 51 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 1999–00 | Guildford Flames Guildford Flames The Guildford Flames are an ice hockey team based in Guildford, Surrey and their home ice is the Guildford Spectrum.Founded in October 1992, the team played for many years in the British National League... |
BNL British National League The British National League is a defunct second-level professional ice hockey league in the United Kingdom. Although no formal promotion and relegation existed during its period of existence, it was considered to have a standard below that of the Ice Hockey Superleague and above that of the... |
7 | 1 | 8 | 9 | 14 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 6 | ||
| 2000–01 | Basingstoke Bison Basingstoke Bison The Basingstoke Bison are an English Ice Hockey club from Basingstoke. They currently compete in the English Premier Ice Hockey League and have previously been members of the Ice Hockey Superleague and its successor the Elite Ice Hockey League- History :... |
BNL | 2 | ??? | ??? | ??? | ??? | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 2000–01 | Chelmsford Chieftains Chelmsford Chieftains The Chelmsford Chieftains are an Ice Hockey team based in Chelmsford, Essex that are currently playing in the English National Ice Hockey League. Since the team was founded in 1987, the Chieftains have played their home games at the Riverside Ice and Leisure Centre.Chelmsford played their first... |
EPIHL English Premier Ice Hockey League The English Premier Ice Hockey League commonly abbreviated to EPIHL, or simply EPL, is a senior ice hockey league in England, and is run and administered by the English Ice Hockey Association... |
10 | 5 | 18 | 23 | 16 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
International
| Tournament | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Team | Event | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |
| 1986 | Great Britain | World Junior Championships Pool C | 5 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | |
| 1986 | Great Britain | European Junior Championships Pool C | 4 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 6 | |
| 1991 | Great Britain | World Championships Pool C | 8 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 16 | |
| 1992 | Great Britain | World Championships Pool C | 5 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 8 | |
| 1993 | Great Britain | World Championships Pool B | 7 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 6 | |
| 1994 | Great Britain | World Championships Pool A Ice Hockey World Championships The Ice Hockey World Championships are an annual ice hockey tournament organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation . First officially held at the 1920 Summer Olympics, it is the sport's highest profile annual international tournament. The IIHF was created in 1908 while the European... |
6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | |
| 1995 | Great Britain | World Championships Pool B | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | |
| 1997 | Great Britain | World Championships Pool B | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | |
| 1999 | Great Britain | World Championships Pool B | 7 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | |
| 1999 | Great Britain | World Championships Pool A Qualifiers | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2000 | Great Britain | World Championships Pool B | 7 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 10 | |