Erik Westrum
A versatile American hockey center whose journey through the professional ranks was marked by a prolific scoring touch at every level but the NHL.
Born 1979 (age 47)·American ice hockey player·Birthday: July 26·Generation X
Biography
Erik Westrum's hockey career is a testament to skill, persistence, and the fine margins of the sport. A crafty and intelligent center, he dominated the collegiate game at the University of Minnesota, becoming a Hobey Baker Award finalist. His professional path saw him shuttle between the NHL—with stops in Phoenix, Minnesota, and Toronto—and the American Hockey League, where he was nothing short of a superstar. In the AHL, Westrum was a point-per-game force, winning scoring titles and MVP honors, demonstrating a playmaking brilliance that sometimes struggled to find consistent space in the faster, more physical NHL. His story is a classic hockey narrative: a player of immense talent who became a legend in the minors, leaving an indelible mark on the teams and leagues where his particular genius could fully shine.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Erik was born in 1979, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Erik Was Born
The biggest hits of 1979
#1 Movie
Kramer vs. Kramer
Best Picture
Kramer vs. Kramer
#1 TV Show
Laverne & Shirley
Erik's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1979Born
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1984Started school
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1992Became a teenager
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
1995Could drive
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
1997Could vote
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2000Turned 21
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2009Turned 30
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2019Turned 40
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 47 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the Les Cunningham Award as the AHL's most valuable player for the 2006-07 season with the San Antonio Rampage.
- Led the AHL in scoring during the 2006-07 season, earning the John B. Sollenberger Trophy.
- Was a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award as the top NCAA men's ice hockey player in 2001 while at the University of Minnesota.
Did You Know?
He won an NCAA national championship with the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers in 2002.
After his playing career, he served as an assistant coach for the University of Minnesota women's hockey team.
His younger brother, Ryan Westrum, also played professional hockey, primarily in the minor leagues.
“I played the game the right way, wherever the game took me.”
