Glen Sather

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Lore & Background

Sather played three junior seasons starting in 1961 with the Edmonton Oil Kings. His professional career started in 1964 with the CPHL Memphis Wings and Oklahoma City Blazers, joining the Bruins at the end of the 1966–67 season and playing in 5 games. Sather played parts of ten seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) and two with the Edmonton Oilers of the World Hockey Association (WHA). He played 739 regular season games as a pro, scoring 99–146–245 and earning 801 minutes in penalties. In the playoffs, he added 77 games played and scored 2–6–8 with 88PIM. His career as a player ended after the 1977–78 season. Sather was named player-coach of the Oilers with 18 games remaining in the 1976-77 World Hockey Association season. In his first game as player-coach, the Oilers defeated the Winnipeg Jets 5–4, with Sather himself scoring a goal 1:11 into the game. He played the full 1977-78 season as a player-coach before retiring as a player, but remained as head coach and was the face of the organization for the next quarter-century. Sather stayed on as head coach when the Oilers joined the NHL in 1979–80. In 1978, then-Oilers owner Peter Pocklington came to Sather and asked him whether he s

In Their Own Story

The turning point for the franchise arrived in 1978 when Peter Pocklington called Sather with an opportunity to acquire Wayne Gretzky. Many scouts, including Howie Meeker, dismissed Gretzky as too small for professional hockey, but Sather replied, "Whatever you have to do, get him." That decision set the stage for a dynasty. In 1981–82, the Oilers scored an NHL-record 417 goals, driven by Gretzky's 92 goals and 212 points. By 1983, they reached the Final, losing to the Islanders, only to win their first Cup in 1984. The team swept the heavily favored Canadiens that year, signaling a shift in power. Sather split coaching duties with John Muckler by 1985 but took sole credit for winning the Jack Adams Trophy that season. When Gretzky was traded in 1988, Sather stepped back from head coaching to focus on management, yet still guided the team to a fifth Stanley Cup in 1990 against Boston. The era ended with the departure of key veterans like Mark Messier and Jari Kurri due to financial constraints, leaving the Oilers without depth until they returned to the playoffs in 1997.

Reader's Guide

Glen Sather is a Canadian ice hockey executive, former coach, and former player. He is best known for coaching the Edmonton Oilers to four Stanley Cup championships in the 1980s and for his role in building the team around Wayne Gretzky. He later served as general manager and president of the New York Rangers. Sather was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1997.

Did You Know?

• Sather's nickname is 'Slats'.
• He was born in High River, Alberta but grew up in Wainwright, Alberta.
• Sather scored a goal 1:11 into his first game as player-coach of the Oilers in 1976-77.
• He won the Jack Adams Trophy as NHL coach of the year in 1985–86.
• Sather, Brian Burke, and Darryl Porter owned the Tri-City Americans and later the Chilliwack Bruins of the WHL.

Building a Dynasty: The Edmonton Era

Sather's tenure began as player-coach in the WHA, where he scored a goal in his first game as a coach against Winnipeg. In 1978, he convinced owner Peter Pocklington to acquire Wayne Gretzky, dismissing concerns about the player's size with the instruction: "Whatever you have to do, get him." Sather allowed Gretzky to live with his family and built a roster around him, drafting Paul Coffey, Jari Kurri, and Andy Moog. After a poor start in 1980–81 (4–9–5), Sather took over as head coach, leading the team to sweep Montreal. The 1981–82 season saw an NHL-record 417 goals scored, paced by Gretzky's 212 points. The Oilers won five Stanley Cups between 1984 and 1990, including a fifth title in 1990 after trading Gretzky. Sather served as head coach from 1979–80 until 1985, then split duties with John Muckler before relinquishing the role in 1988 to focus on management.

International Leadership and National Pride

Sather's influence extended beyond the NHL. He was instrumental in building Canadian national teams for three major tournaments: the 1984 Canada Cup, which they won as champions; the 1994 Ice Hockey World Championship, where they secured a gold medal; and the 1996 World Cup of Hockey, reaching the finals. These successes showcased his ability to assemble competitive rosters on the international stage, leveraging his deep understanding of player dynamics and team chemistry.

Executive Tenure with the New York Rangers

Sather joined the New York Rangers in 2000 as president and general manager after Neil Smith was fired. His initial tenure saw the team miss the playoffs for four consecutive seasons, extending a franchise-record seven-year drought from 1998 to 2005. He acquired aging veterans like Mark Messier, Theoren Fleury, and Eric Lindros but failed to secure playoff spots. Sather traded away key players like Brian Leetch and Pavel Bure towards the end of the 2003–04 season. He served as GM until July 1, 2015, then became president until April 4, 2019. He remained as senior advisor and alternate governor until June 26, 2024.

Life Beyond the Rink and Hall of Fame Legacy

Sather was born in High River, Alberta, and raised in Wainwright. He played professionally for ten seasons in the NHL and one in the WHA, scoring 99 goals and 146 assists in 739 regular-season games. In retirement, he co-owned the Tri-City Americans (WHL) until 2005 and later owned the Chilliwack Bruins before they became the Victoria Royals in 2011. He resides in Rye, New York; Palm Springs, California; and Banff, Alberta. Inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1997, he is remembered as a mentor to Wayne Gretzky, who credited him alongside his father as his most important mentors.