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- For the Lieutenant Governor of Illinois see Pat Quinn (politician)
Pat Quinn (born January 29, 1943) in Hamilton, Ontario, is head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs since the 1998 NHL Season and former National Hockey League defenceman.
He did not have a particularly distinguished playing career, known more for his toughness than his skill. He is probably best-known for a thundering bodycheck against Bobby Orr in the 1969 playoffs that left Orr unconscious and provoked a bench-clearing brawl and a suspension for Quinn. After several years in the minor leagues in the EHL, CPHL, WHL he was called up by the Maple Leafs in 1968. In 1970 the Vancouver Canucks claimed him in the expansion draft. After two years in Vancouver he played five seasons with the Atlanta Flames before retiring in 1977.
In that same year he became an assistant coach for the Philadelphia Flyers, but briefly left hockey to attend law school at Widener University. Soon after his graduation he was made head coach of the Flyers. In the 1979-80 NHL Season, his first full season with the Flyers, he led the team to a record breaking 35 game unbeaten streak that culminated in a trip to the Stanley Cup finals, but they were upset by the New York Islanders. Quinn won the Jack Adams Award for his effort. Quinn stayed with the Flyers two more years, but was replaced lat ine the season during his fourth year.
Two years later he was hired by the Los Angeles Kings, and was head coach there until 1987 when he moved to the Vancouver Canucks as general manager. In 1991 he also took over the coaching duties with the Canucks, and in that season, won his second Jack Adams Award as a dramatically improved Canucks succeeded in winning their division. In 1994 Quinn led the Canucks to the Stanley Cup final, out coaching the Maple Leafs Pat Burns in the conference finals, but then losing to the Mike Keenan lead New York Rangers in a thrilling seven game series. After this success Quinn gave up his coaching duties to focus on serving solely as Vancouver's general manager until 1998.
In that year he moved to Toronto to become head coach of the perennially downtrodden Toronto Maple Leafs. In his first season as coach the Maple Leafs improved dramatically, transitioning from a plodding checking team to a speedy scoring team. As a result of Quinn's coaching the Leafs reached the conference finals but lost to the Buffalo Sabres. After the season Quinn was given the additional duties of General Manager as a reward for his outstanding season. Pat Quinn was also a finalist for the Jack Adams Award but failed to win because the sports media outside Toronto diskike the Maple Leafs media and their fans. Under Quinn, the Toronto Maple Leafs have consistently been contenders, but have failed to make the Stanley Cup finals during his tenure.
Quinn is the winningist active coach in the NHL and 4th all time with 616 wins and is recognized by the hockey community as one of the top if not the top coach in the NHL. Quinn's NHL coaching record includes 11 first round playoff wins in 16 seasons. An astounding winning percentage of 69%, surpassed only by coaching legend Scotty Bowman, 71%, and ahead of New York Islanders legend Al Arbour, 66%. Quinn is known for promoting a rugged puck possession oriented style of offensive hockey.
At the 2002 Olympic Winter Games Quinn coached Team Canada to their first Olympic Gold Medal in ice hockey since the 1952 and received a standing ovation from the fans in Montreal for his efforts. In 2004 Pat Quinn coached Team Canada to a World Cup Gold Medal, its first in over 10 years. In their quest for Olympic gold Hockey Canada, the umbrella organization that overseas Canadian Hockey, has turned to its best coach once again to lead Team Canada's effort for a second consecutive Olympic Gold Medal at the 2006 Winter Olympics held in Turin, Italy.
Quinn is also a member of the Hall of Fame Committee that determines who is inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. An honour bestowed only upon the best players, coaches and builders of the game. Quinn himself is certain future Hockey Hall of Fame inductee in the coaches category.
External links
| Preceded byBob McCammon | Head Coaches of the Philadelphia Flyers 1979–1982 |
Succeeded byBob McCammon |
| Preceded byRoger Neilson | Head Coaches of the Los Angeles Kings 1984–1987 |
Succeeded byMike Murphy |
| Preceded byBob McCammon | Head Coaches of the Vancouver Canucks 1991–1994 |
Succeeded byRick Ley |
| Preceded byRick Ley | Head Coaches of the Vancouver Canucks 1996 |
Succeeded byTom Renney |
| Preceded byMike Murphy | Head Coaches of the Toronto Maple Leafs 1998–present |
Succeeded bynone |
| Preceded byKeith McCreary | Atlanta Flames captains 1975-77 |
Succeeded byTom Lysiak |