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24 | JANUARY 7 • 2021 

E

ric Israel has been knocked down 
but not out a few times in his hock-
ey career.
So, there’s no reason to believe the 
25-year-old from Huntington Woods 
won’t bounce back from his latest adver-
sity.
Israel, a defenseman for the 
Rapid City (S.D.) Rush of the 
ECHL, suffered a torn MCL 
ligament in his left knee Dec. 
12 in the third period of the 
Rush’s second game of the 
season, sidelining him for six 
to eight weeks.
“I avoided a hit on a breakout pass, but 
the guy [from the Utah Grizzlies] clipped 
my knee,” Israel said in a phone interview. 
“It wasn’t a dirty play, but it wasn’t a clean 
play either. I tried wearing a brace on my 
knee so I could play, but my knee kept 
collapsing.”
Earlier in his hockey days, Israel recov-

ered from a broken left leg, broken right 
collarbone and torn right labrum (shoul-
der cartilage).
“I’m frustrated, of course, about getting 
hurt again, but I won’t need surgery, and 
I’ll use the time off to get stronger and 
faster, and come back better than ever,” 
Israel said. “There are many things you 
can’t control in your life. What you can 
control are your attitude and work ethic.”
Attitude and work ethic have carried 
the Berkley High School graduate to a 
height in his hockey career that he con-
siders surreal.
The ECHL is just one step below the 
American Hockey League, the NHL’s top 
feeder league. The Rush is an affiliate of 
the NHL’s Arizona Coyotes.
Larry Knapp, Israel’s former coach in 
the Honey Baked youth travel hockey 
program, said he roots for Israel because 
Israel is a prototypical underdog hockey 
player who always has a smile on his face.

“Nothing has ever been given to Eric in 
hockey, and nothing has come easily for 
him in hockey,” Knapp said.
“We won back-to-back national cham-
pionships the last two seasons I coached 
Eric. At the time, he was good at every-
thing as a player, but not great at one 
thing. What separated him from the rest 
of the guys on our team was his work 
ethic on-ice, off-ice, during drills and in 
the summer.
“When he thought he was being over-
looked on the team, I reminded him 
that he was playing on the best team in 
the country at our level. I told him if he 
played for any other team, he’d be the best 
defenseman on their roster.”
After finishing his stint with Honey 
Baked, Israel played junior hockey for the 
Brockville (Ont.) Braves of the Central 
Canada Hockey League for two seasons 
before achieving a goal to play Division I 
college hockey.

Eric Israel

Eric 
Israel’s 
Journey 
On The Ice

Despite injury, 
defenseman from 
Huntington Woods is 
living a dream playing 
professional hockey.

STEVE STEIN 
CONTRIBUTING WRITER

RAPID CITY RUSH

Eric Israel celebrates with Rapid 

City Rush teammates Dec. 11 after 

a goal against the Utah Grizzlies.

B I R M I N G H A M

 

