John Dzikowski (1966-2006)

Philadelphia Flyers 1984 draft pick John Dzikowski played a single season with the Hershey Bears in 1986-87. In 61 games he registered 13 goals and the same number of assists. The forward played both left wing and center coming out of junior hockey with the Brandon Wheat Kings (junior home of current Bears star Eric Fehr).
After additional stops in the IHL with the Kalamazoo K-Wings and then in the feldgling ECHL, Dzikowski retired from professional hockey. The Manitoba native worked as an engineer for McCains Food Canada and remained in the game by playing weekly and coaching.
On May 17, 2006 Dzikowski passed away as a result of diabetic shock.

Pierre Larouche

Pierre Larouche was on of the most talented players ever to pass through Hershey. His NHL profile says it all. Two Stanley Cups with the Montreal Canadiens. Fifty goal scorer with the Canadiens and the Pittsburgh Penguins. Twoshort of 50 goals while with the New York Rangers.

When it was all said and done, Larouche scored 395 NHL goals.

Before Sidney Crosby, Larouche was the first 18 year old to take off in Pittsburgh. Also arriving from the QMJHL, the Quebec native scored 68 points as a rookie and followed with 111 points as a sophomore with the Pens.

In 1985-86, Larouche played 32 games and picked up 39 points. The performance earned Larouche a trip back to the Big Apple and the Rangers.

Today, Larouche and his wife live in the South Hills section of Pittsburgh. Larouche is employed by the Penguins in Corporate Sales and is an accomplished golfer.

Troy Crowder

By the time Troy Crowder made his way to Hershey it seemed he had lost his desire to fight. In 1998, the Sudbury, Ontario native arrived in Hershey and played 25 games. Crowder picked up a single assist and registered 44 penalty minutes. The stay in Hershey was short, his hockey career almost over.

Crowder did make it the the NHL playing for the Jersey Devils, Detroit Red Wings, Los Angeles Kings and Vancouver Canucks. The right wing played 150 games in the NHL and managed 9 goals to go along with his 433 penalty minutes. There were also stops overseas. Crowder played in Germany and England in the late 1990's.

Today, Crowder runs a hockey camp out of his native Sudbury. Camp Adventure North is located on Lake Penage in Ontario.