Page 20 - Sports Energy News, Cornwall, Issue No 26

20 sportsenergynews.com

Pat Quinn: He’ll always be remembered

intensely loyal “player’s coach”
By Terry Tinkess
while serving stints with the

t is safe to say that in the case of Philadelphia Flyers, Los Angeles
IPat Quinn, you could love the Kings, Vancouver Canucks,
man and hate the man, sometime Toronto Maple Leafs and the
both at the same time. He was a Edmonton Oilers. He twice won
person who left an impression the Jack Adams award (coach of
every time he entered a room. the year, 1979-1980, Philadelphia,
John Brian Patrick “Pat” Quinn, and 1991-1992, Vancouver).
O.C., O.B.C., JD., LL.D. Pat His teams twice made it to

Quinn, passed away peacefully the Stanley Cup fi nals, the
in the arms of Sandra, his loving Philadelphia Flyers in 1979-
wife of 51 years on Sunday, 1980 and the Vancouver Canucks
November 23, 2014. He was 71. in 1993-1994, but fell short of

As a player, Quinn had a having a chance to raise the
reputation as a hard-nosed Stanley Cup.
defenseman, and he played He led Team Canada to the
for the Toronto Maple Leafs, gold medal at the 2002 Olympics
Vancouver Canucks and Atlanta in Salt Lake City, the country’s
Flames between 1968 and 1977. fi rst men’s hockey gold medal
He scored 18 goals and added 113 in 50 years. He was also behind
assists for a total of 131 points the bench when Canada won the
along with 950 penalty minutes. World Cup of Hockey in 2004.

His legacy, however, was built In his later years, Quinn was
in the coaching ranks where thought to be out-of-touch

he had a reputation of being an with the game’s young players,

Former NHL coach Pat Quinn at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia just
prior to coaching a team of retired players of the Philadelphia Flyers
against a team of retired New York Rangers for the 2012 NHL Winter
Classic Alumni Game on December 31, 2011.
Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

something he disproved by with Toronto, second only to
guiding Canada to a gold medal Punch Imlach on the franchise’s
in 2009 as the head coach of the all-time list. He is second behind
national junior squad. Imlach in total games coached at

Quinn was a willing and active 574 and is fifth on the NHL’s all-
participant in the “Battle of time list in both wins and games
coached.
Ontario” rivalry that developed
between the Toronto Maple Leafs Quinn led the Leafs to the
and the Ottawa Senators. Always playoffs in six of his seven seasons

one to deflect negative attention behind the bench, including two
from his players, Quinn could be trips to the conference fi nal.
counted on to say something of A big man, who cast a large
substance following any game
shadow, he, like so many of
between the two teams. He didn’t
the games tough guys had a big
suffer fools gladly, but was always heart and was notorious for his
willing to answer any question, generosity away from the game
providing an insight that otherwise
and in the community. Born in
might have gone unnoticed.

Hamilton, he exemplified the
Quinn coached the Leafs from personality of the city: blue collar,
1998 to 2006 and served as both hard working, family oriented and
general manager and coach from caring. His presence will be sadly
1999 to 2003. He won 300 games missed.