RIP Pat Quinn

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/pat-quinn-dead-71-toronto-maple-leafs-vancouver-canucks-atlanta-flames-nhl-edmonton-oilers/

I'll always remember how happy he looked coaching the Canadian World Junior Team. Like being around those kids reminded him why he loved coaching. Big smiles during the medal ceremony, all the hugs he was getting..

That's a great lasting memory.

 

Coached the Kings during their annual romp toward 4th place, though he turned 'em around (by and large) in his first full season (34 wins, 82 points).

After the expulsion from the league he attended Delaware, then San Diego, to get his law degree.

http://kings.nhl.com/club/page.htm?id=40983

 

Before that he coached a Canadian under-18 team to a gold medal at the worlds. Lot of people wondered what Hockey Canada was thinking putting a guy with a reputation of having little use for young players in the NHL in charge of those teams, the results showed that Hockey Canada knew what it was doing. Cody Hodgson, who played on both of those teams, told me Quinn was so calm behind the bench, nothing they'd run in top in those tournies could possibly faze him and he passed that on to the players.

 

OMG! I thought you meant the Illinois Governor.

Can we get an edit to the headline to make it clear?




LOL.

 

I had no idea he was sick, although the release cited 'a lengthy illness.' A hockey man if there ever was one.

 

Some mention was made of an illness when he didn't come to the Hockey Hall of Fame induction ceremony last week.

 

RIP to a hockey legend and someone who always, always struck me as a pro's pro.

First recollection is of him winding down with the Flames, then coaching the Flyers. Of course, there's the 1994 Final but when I think of his time in Vancouver something else quickly comes to mind - how his tenure ended due to the clownish puck bags known as Orca Bay.

Sad news.

 

That Quinn could still get shanked, if he's not out yet.

(I know, it's just a matter of time.)

 

Refresh my memory. Why was he expelled?

 

Exactly this. RIP.

 

It's in the link, Baron.

 

RIP to two legendary hockey coaches.
Viktor Tikhonov died today.
http://espn.go.com/olympics/hockey/story/_/id/11929044/viktor-tikhonov-soviet-hockey-coach-dies-84