Al MacNeil
First Atlantic Canadian NHL head coach; won Stanley Cup with Canadiens.
Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons
Al MacNeil, a Canadian from Sydney, Nova Scotia, built a long career in hockey as a player, coach, and executive. Over parts of eleven NHL seasons as a defenceman, he suited up for 524 games with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, Chicago Black Hawks, New York Rangers, and Pittsburgh Penguins. He won the Stanley Cup four times in total.
MacNeil was the first person from Atlantic Canada to become an NHL head coach. He took over the Montreal Canadiens 23 games into the 1970–71 season after Claude Ruel resigned, and led them to the Stanley Cup that spring. His key moves included starting rookie goalie Ken Dryden in the playoffs and having rookie Réjean Houle shadow Bobby Hull. The Canadiens beat the Boston Bruins, Minnesota North Stars, and Chicago Black Hawks in seven games each to win the title. MacNeil later won two more Cups with Montreal as Director of Player Personnel, in 1978 and 1979.
After his time in Montreal, he returned to coaching in 1979, becoming the final head coach of the Atlanta Flames and then the first head coach of the Calgary Flames when the team moved in 1980. His overall NHL coaching record was 160 wins, 134 losses, and 55 ties. He won his fourth Stanley Cup as assistant general manager of the Calgary Flames in 1989.
MacNeil also had a successful minor-league career. As general manager and head coach of the Montreal Canadiens’ farm team, the Nova Scotia Voyageurs, he won the Calder Cup three times (1972, 1976, 1977) and was named AHL Coach of the Year twice (1972, 1977). In 2014, he was inducted into the AHL Hall of Fame.
Growing up in the steel town of Sydney, Nova Scotia, MacNeil played junior hockey with the Weston Dukes in Ontario and won back-to-back Memorial Cups with the Toronto Marlboros in 1955 and 1956, captaining the team in the second year. He turned pro with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1956–57, playing 53 games. In 1960–61, he captained and was an all-star defenceman for the Hull-Ottawa Canadiens of the Eastern Professional Hockey League, winning the league championship.
MacNeil began his coaching career as a player-coach in the Canadiens’ farm system, first with the Houston Apollos of the Central Hockey League in 1968–69, then with the Montreal Voyageurs of the AHL in 1969–70. He became an assistant coach for the NHL Canadiens on September 8, 1970, before taking over as head coach later that season.
Quick Facts
- Birth Date
- 1935-09-27
- Birth Place
- Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada
- Death Date
- 5 January 2025 · 1935 · 9 · 27
- Death Place
- Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Height Cm
- 178
- Weight Kg
- 83
- Position
- Defence
- Shoots
- Left
- Prospect League
- Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
- Prospect Team
- Toronto Malboros
- Played For
- Toronto Maple Leafs / Montreal Canadiens / Chicago Black Hawks / New York Rangers / Pittsburgh Penguins
- Career Start
- 1956
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
MacNeil began his NHL playing career with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1956–57, later playing for the Montreal Canadiens, Chicago Black Hawks, New York Rangers, and Pittsburgh Penguins. He became a player-coach in the Canadiens' farm system in 1968, first with the Houston Apollos and then the Montreal Voyageurs. In 1970 he was named assistant coach to Claude Ruel of the NHL Canadiens, and took over as head coach on December 3, 1970, after Ruel resigned 23 games into the season. MacNeil led the Canadiens to a Stanley Cup victory in 1971, famously using rookie goaltender Ken Dryden in the playoffs and having rookie Réjean Houle shadow Bobby Hull. Despite the championship, MacNeil faced tension with francophone players, notably Henri Richard, who called him incompetent after being benched during the finals. MacNeil received death threats and required police protection. He resigned as head coach in early June 1971 and was replaced by Scotty Bowman.
Reader's Guide
MacNeil remained with the Canadiens organization as general manager and head coach of their AHL farm team, the Nova Scotia Voyageurs, from 1971 to 1977. He won three Calder Cup Championships (1972, 1976, 1977) and was twice named AHL Coach of the Year (1972, 1977). His Voyageurs posted four 100-point seasons in six years, and his AHL coaching record of 304–149–78 gave him the highest winning percentage (.646) in league history. He is one of only six coaches to win three Calder Cups and one of six to coach championship teams in both the AHL and NHL. Players he coached in the AHL include Hall of Famers Larry Robinson, Bob Gainey, Steve Shutt, and Guy Lapointe. MacNeil later served as Director of Player Personnel for the Canadiens, winning Stanley Cups in 1978 and 1979, then returned to coaching as the last head coach of the Atlanta Flames and first head coach of the Calgary Flames. He won his final Stanley Cup as assistant general manager of the Calgary Flames in 1989. In 2014 he was inducted into the AHL Hall of Fame.
Did You Know?
- He was the first native of Atlantic Canada to serve as an NHL head coach.
- He received death threats during the 1971 playoffs after benching Henri Richard.
- MacNeil has the highest winning percentage (.646) in AHL history among coaches with at least six seasons.
More in Chicago Blackhawks Players 1-24
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced