When Patrick Roy returned to behind the NHL bench last February, he was reminded of just how many big-name stars he's coached in the league. I think it's probably a mirror of the NBA and not a reflection of MLB or the NFL at all.
A total of 19 of the 2017 NHL's Greatest 100 were head coaches. The other three coached in the WHA. Of these 22 Hall of Famers, only three have won either the Stanley Cup or the Avco Cup.
This is a reverse ranking of Slapshot, which combines star power and influence behind the bench.
Oh, standard disclaimer: Don't blame me, blame the model.
22. Alex Delvecchio: He slipped into the middle between Ted Lindsay and Gordie Howe in the '50s, but neither linemate was benched in Fats' 245 games (82 wins) as Detroit's head coach in the mid-'70s.
21: Andy Bathgate: Rangers Fable No. 9 includes life after Broadway, including a Stanley Cup in Toronto and, yes, a 59-game stint behind the bench for the 1973-74 WHA Vancouver Blazers. It was included.
20. Brad Park: The No. 2, who was never admired at the Garden, ended his playing career after a few seasons in Detroit, but unfortunately he played in 45 games as head coach in his first year as head coach, leading the club to a 9-34 record. He achieved a score of 2 minutes.
19. Jacques Plante: Anyone who remembers the absolute shock when goaltending's original showman found the back of the Bruins' net at age 44 in the first two games of the 1973 playoffs against the Rangers, actually remembers Is there anyone there? Snake spent the next season as head coach of the WHA Quebec Nordiques, compiling a record of 38-36-4.
18. King Clancy: Hockey's defensive king at the time led his beloved Leafs for three unremarkable seasons in the '50s after spinning out in the late '30s.
17. Denis Savard: The charismatic number 18 picked up a ring in Montreal before returning to his home city of Chicago. When he was replaced by Joel Quenneville in the 2008-09 season, he was benched for the Blackhawks after four games (1 win, 2 losses, 1 draw) into his second full season.
16. Brian Trottier: When the first-year NHL head coach, who played for Al Arbor, Bob Johnson and Scotty Bowman, said he didn't necessarily believe that his writing talent earned him the job in Manhattan. The writing was on the wall on the first day of training camp. line matching. Trottier played 54 games (21-26-6-1) from 2002 to 2003 before GM Glenn Sather typed his walking papers.
15. Adam Oates: As an ailing passer, he spent two seasons on the bench on a mediocre Capitals team that suffered back-to-back shutout losses to Henrik Lundqvist in Games 6 and 7 of the 2013 first round.
14. Ted Lindsay: When No. 7, perhaps the bravest player in NHL history, took over the Detroit operation, there were T-shirts that said Aggressive Hockey is Back in Town — if you have the time, check out NHPA History Good read — in the late 70s. 29 games off the bench over parts of three seasons equates to a 5-21-3 record.
13. Phil Esposito: Have you ever heard the story of the GM who fired his coach with two games left in the season, benched himself, then lost the last two games and then lost four straight in the playoffs?
12. Bernie Geoffrion: Boomer came out of retirement and was instrumental in the Rangers' return to the playoffs in 1966-67, but when Catt decided to step back from coaching and focus on general manager duties, Emile Francis replaced him. This player was my first choice. 1968-69 season. Geoffrion played 43 games (22-18-3) before Francis returned.
11. Bob Gainey: Also known as Mr. Zelke, he led North Stars to the Cup Final in his first season off the bench in 1990-91. But the club's 27-39-14 record was more indicative of No. 23's 194-211-60 overall coaching career, which included several partial seasons in Montreal.
10. Milt Schmidt: A Kraut Line center between Bobby Bauer and Woody Dumart, his coaching career in Boston ended a year before Bobby Orr came to town, but he was a center between Esposito, Ken Hodge and Fred. – He was the GM who finalized the contract with Stanfield (Jill Marotte, Pitt Martin). and Jack Norris), that kind of thing happens.
9. Doug Harvey: Harvey, who was a player and coach for the Rangers in 1961-62 after Montreal relinquished the hockey crown in exchange for Lou Fontinato, was the only player with the Blueshirts for eight years in 1958-59 and 1965-66. led them to the playoffs. He resigned as coach after the season.
8. Red Kelly: The immortality of Kelly, an All-Star defenseman with Detroit who became a senior center with Toronto on his way to Congress, was captured behind the Maple Leafs bench at the Garden on November 27, 1974, with a bullwhip in his hand. When I went, it was sealed. After being criticized for being too kind to the players, he reached out to them.
7. Wayne Gretzky: The Great One elevated his profession while spending 328 games on the Coyotes' bench as an ambassador for the desert.
6. Patrick Roy: The once-flamboyant now working for Lou Lamoriello, perhaps the best goaltender in NHL history, revolutionized the practice of pulling goaltenders for extra attackers during rounds against the Avalanche. brought.
5. Sid Abel: The former center of Detroit's production line skates between Lindsay and Howe led the Red Wings to four Cup Finals in the '60s as head coach, losing all of them.
4. Maurice Richard: I understand, I understand. Lockett resigned as head coach of the WHA Quebec Nordiques in the 1973-74 season, citing stress after serving just the first two games of the season (1 win, 1 loss). But when Maurice Richard is on the bench, I don't care how many games there are. Richard is at the top of the list because of his greatness.
3. Jacques Lemaire: While walking on the St. Lawrence in 1993 and winning Cup Year 2, he basically created the template for the Devils' success, but the Devils failed to achieve in each of the next three seasons, losing to Steve Shutt and Guy LaFleur. That led to the centerman leaving New Jersey after just two years. 5 years.
2. Larry Robinson: Respected throughout the industry and a six-time Cup winner playing with Montreal, he won the Devils Cup in 1995 as an assistant defense professor, as head coach in 2000, and as an assistant in 2000. He was part of the coaching staff for all three championships. In 2003, as NHL head coach, his team won 209 of 501 games.
1. Toe brake: He was the left wing of the legendary Montreal Punchline with Elmer Luck in center and Lockett in right, then won eight Cup championships off the bench for the Habs from 1956 to 1968.
