Peter Laviolette

Fourth coach to lead three teams to the Stanley Cup Final

Peter Philip Laviolette Jr. (born December 7, 1964) is an American professional ice hockey coach and former player who is the head coach for the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League (NHL). Originally undrafted by teams in the NHL, he played a total of 12 games with the Rangers in the 1988–89 season. Following retirement from active play, Laviolette also served as head coach of the New York Islanders, Carolina Hurricanes, Philadelphia Flyers, Nashville Predators, and Washington Capitals. He led the Hurricanes to a Stanley Cup win in 2006, and later coached the Flyers to the Stanley Cup Final in 2010, as well as the Predators in 2017. Laviolette is the fourth coach in NHL history to lead three teams to the Stanley Cup Final.

Quick Facts

Born

7 December 1964

Birthplace

Franklin, Massachusetts, U.S.

Position

Defense

Shoots

Left

Played for

New York Rangers

League coach

NHL

Team coach

Los Angeles Kings

Coached for

New York Islanders
Carolina Hurricanes
Philadelphia Flyers
Nashville Predators
Washington Capitals
New York Rangers

Lore & Background

Laviolette was born in Franklin, Massachusetts, and attended Franklin High School, where he played baseball and ice hockey. He played college ice hockey at Westfield State College in Westfield, Massachusetts. As a player, Laviolette spent the majority of his 10-year career playing for various minor league teams. He played 12 games in the NHL for the New York Rangers during the 1988–89 season, but failed to record a point. Laviolette also played for the United States in the Olympics twice (1988 and 1994).

Reader's Guide

He began his coaching career as head coach of the ECHL's Wheeling Nailers. In one season as coach, he led his team to a 37–24–9 record and a berth in the playoffs, wherein they lost in the third round. He left Wheeling to take over the head coaching job for the Providence Bruins of the American Hockey League (AHL). In 1998–99, he coached the team to a 56–15–4 regular-season record. In the playoffs, Providence won the AHL Calder Cup Championship with a 15–4 playoff record. Laviolette was named the AHL Coach of the Year. Laviolette's success in the AHL earned him a stint as an assistant coach for the Boston Bruins. Having grown up in the Boston suburb of Franklin, Laviolette was disappointed when he did not get the head coaching job in Boston after that season so he left for the head coaching job on Long Island. He became head coach of the New York Islanders in 2001. After taking over the New York Islanders, which had missed the playoffs for seven years before his arrival, he led his team to the playoffs in both seasons he was there. His first season in New York, the Islanders earned 96 points (42–28–8–4 record), nearly winning the Atlantic Division before losing in the first round to the Toronto Maple Leafs in seven games. The Islanders snuck into the playoffs the following season and then lost in five games to the Ottawa Senators in the first round. On June 3, 2003, he was fired by general manager Mike Milbury. Laviolette came to the Carolina Hurricanes as head coach in the 2003–04 season, taking over following the firing of Paul Maurice. In his first season, he coached 52 games during a rebuilding year. Laviolette led the Hurricanes to an excellent regular season during his second year at the helm, winning the Southeast Division with 112 points (52–22–8 record). He also coached the U.S. Olympic men's hockey team at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy. The Hurricanes won their first Stanley Cup championship in franchise history during the 2006 playoffs, after winning two very close seven-game playoff series over the Buffalo Sabres and Edmonton Oilers. Laviolette was the fourth American-born coach to win it. He was also the runner-up for the Jack Adams Award for the NHL's Coach of the Year, which was awarded to Lindy Ruff in the closest vote ever recorded for this award, 155–154.