One of the most prolific forwards in Clarkson Hockey’s lengthy history, Bob Empie was a dynamic center for the Golden Knights for three seasons in the late 1960s. In Clarkson’s renowned tradition, there have been several players who have accumulated more career points than Empie, but few have been able to match the North Bay, Ontario native’s consistent production. In 71 contests from 1965-68, Empie averaged 2.10 points per game, tallying 149 points on 70 goals and 79 assists. He led the team in goals and points in his first two seasons, and in assists in his last.
During his three-year career wearing the Green and Gold, Empie helped to lead head coach Len Ceglarski’s teams to a 54-18-2 overall record.
In his first year of varsity eligibility, Empie, as a sophomore, played a leading role in one of Clarkson’s best seasons ever. Centering Tech’s top line, Empie paced the Knights’ potent offense, scoring a team-high 49 points on 27 goals and 22 assists as Clarkson came within one game of claiming college hockey’s national title.
Clarkson finished the 1965-66 campaign with a 24-3 overall record, including an 11-1 first-place mark in the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC). The Knights, with Empie scoring a goal early in the third period, won the school’s first ever tournament championship that winter with a 6-2 victory over Cornell in the title game at the old Boston Arena.
With Empie continuing in top form, Ceglarski’s squad also finished as runner-up in the 1966 NCAA Championship. After a 4-3 semifinal victory over pre-tournament favorite Denver, the Green and Gold battled Michigan State in the title game, where the Spartans prevailed 6-1.
After the previous year’s success, Clarkson was a marked team in 1966-67, and despite an outstanding effort by Empie in his junior campaign, the Knights were unable to reach their goals of another league title and a second consecutive berth in the NCAA Tournament.
Empie reached the coveted mark of 50 points in a season, tallying 24 goals and 26 assists as Clarkson skated to a 14-8-1 overall record.
In his senior season of 1967-68, Empie once again reached the 50-point milestone, which included a team-high 31 assists. The Knights finished that season with a 16-7-1 overall record and placed second in the ECAC with an 11-5 conference mark. Empie opened his final collegiate campaign by scoring his 100th and 101st career points, on a pair of assists, in an 11-2 victory over Laval. He went on to gain Clarkson’s Paul J. Pilon Award in 1968, which is presented to the senior who has excelled both as a student and hockey player.
After graduating with a B.S and M.S. in Industrial Management, he was very successful in the business world, with a career of over 30 years with Procter & Gamble.
Empie once stated, "There is an old phrase my grandfather repeated many times: ‘An honest day’s work.’ Clarkson made these words come alive for me. The honesty was epitomized by what it took to even participate as a member of the athletic scholarship process, and work exemplified by the determination needed to succeed. What I learned as a student and hockey player at Clarkson set the stage for what I have been able to accomplish since then."
The 14th recipient of the Arnold H. Barben Award, Empie was bestowed the distinguished Clarkson honor in 1994. The award is presented to a hockey alumnus who has demonstrated outstanding professional achievement, has contributed to the betterment of his community, and has worked unselfishly for his alma mater.
