Lake Placid to Unveil Statue Honoring Herb Brooks, Architect of the Miracle on Ice
Herb Brooks. Photo courtesy Herb Brooks Foundation.
As the global sports world looks ahead to the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan–Cortina, Lake Placid is doing what it does best—pausing to remember a moment that changed sports history forever.
On January 31, the village will unveil a six-foot statue honoring Herb Brooks outside the Olympic Museum at the Lake Placid Olympic Center, a site central to the Miracle on Ice story and a key destination for visitors interested in Olympic history.
The Stanley Rumbough family is donating the statue in collaboration with the Herb Brooks Foundation, the Brooks family, and the state Olympic Regional Development Authority. Several figures from the Miracle on Ice story will be on hand for the unveiling, including assistant coach Craig Patrick and defenseman Jack O’Callahan.
“Our family is very proud of the statue being erected in the arena where the event happened and is named after our father,” said Brooks’ daughter, Kelly Brooks. “The Lake Placid community and all of its visitors have never let the world forget what happened here and the role my dad played in it. For that, we are forever grateful.”
Remembering the Miracle on Ice.
Team USA scores Olympic Gold in the 1980 winter games held in Lake Placid. Photo courtesy ORDA.
The 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid produced what many still consider the greatest moment in American sports history. A team of U.S. college players and amateurs stunned the heavily favored Soviet Union 4–3 in a semifinal matchup that became known simply as the Miracle on Ice. Two days later, the Americans completed their fairy-tale run by defeating Finland to claim the gold medal.
At the center of it all was Brooks—intense, innovative, and famously demanding. He built a team that skated faster, trained harder, and played a style that defied the conventional wisdom of the era. His methods were unorthodox, but the results were unforgettable.
The new statue will depict Brooks in a familiar pose, resting on a 1,800-pound granite base crafted by Cold Spring Granite Company in nearby Au Sable Forks, ensuring visitors recognize his iconic presence and legacy.
“As Herb’s assistant coach, it was eye-opening to watch him work,” said Patrick. “He was well ahead of his time—his system, his motivation, his attention to detail. He was brilliant and absolutely worthy of this honor.”
Herb Brooks Statue at Rivercentre in Saint Paul, MN.
A legacy cast in bronze—and stone.
Brodin Studios of Kimball, Minnesota, created the statue, continuing Lake Placid’s long tradition of preserving Olympic history through public art. The tribute follows the 2005 renaming of the rink to Herb Brooks Arena to mark the 25th anniversary of the Games.
Brooks’ legacy in Lake Placid continues to grow. In February 2030, organizers plan to unveil a second significant monument: a life-sized statue of all 20 members of the 1980 U.S. hockey team standing atop the Olympic podium. That sculpture, created by artist Rob Eccleston, will be installed at the intersection of Main Street and Cummings Road, outside the Olympic Center. More than $500,000 has already been raised toward the project’s $5.2 million goal, inspiring pride and anticipation for this upcoming tribute.
“For visitors walking into the arena, this statue will mean a lot,” said O’Callahan. “Herbie had a way of motivating us and getting everyone pulling in the same direction. I can already picture people lining up to take photos with him.”
The Olympic Center in the heart of downtown Lake Placid. Photo courtesy ORDA.
More than a game.
For many, the Miracle on Ice transcended hockey. Coming at a time of national uncertainty, the victory offered a surge of optimism and pride that resonated far beyond the Olympic ice.
With the unveiling of the Herb Brooks statue, Lake Placid once again affirms its role as a guardian of Olympic history—and as the place where belief, preparation, and one remarkable coach combined to create a miracle that still inspires the world.
More about the life of Herb Brooks.
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