Ron Low

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Lore & Background

Low won the Stanley Cup in 1987 and 1990 as an assistant coach with the Edmonton Oilers. On March 17, 2010, Low was mugged in downtown Calgary. He had just left after meeting with fellow former Oiler Dave Hunter when the attack occurred. Low was able to make it back to his hotel and call an ambulance which brought him to Foothills Hospital where he required surgery for his organs damaged in the attack.

In Their Own Story

After retiring as a player, Low immediately began coaching, starting with six games for the Nova Scotia Oilers in the American Hockey League before becoming an assistant there. He returned to the minors as head coach of the Nova Scotia (later Cape Breton) Oilers from 1988 to 1989 before rejoining Edmonton as an assistant in 1990. Seven years later, he took the helm as Edmonton's head coach for four seasons. His next stop was Houston Aeros for a season, followed by his tenure with the New York Rangers from 2000 to 2002. During the 2001–2002 season, the team's poor performance sparked regular chants of "Low must go!" at home games. General Manager Glen Sather dismissed him after two seasons where the Rangers went 69-81-9-5, finishing fourth in the Atlantic Division both years and missing the playoffs for a fifth consecutive year.

Reader's Guide

Low played for two years with the Dauphin Kings of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League (MJHL) before turning pro, leading the Kings to the Manitoba championship and the Memorial Cup playoffs each year. Originally selected in the 1970 NHL Amateur Draft by the Toronto Maple Leafs, Low only played one season with Toronto before he was left exposed in the 1974 NHL Expansion Draft where he was claimed by the Washington Capitals. He spent three seasons with the Capitals and was the first goalie to get a shutout for the team on February 16, 1975, against the Kansas City Scouts. After being traded to and spending two seasons in the Detroit Red Wings organization, he was claimed by the Quebec Nordiques in the 1979 NHL Expansion Draft. Low was traded to the Edmonton Oilers after playing only 15 games with the Nordiques. He was traded to the New Jersey Devils in 1983, where he completed his NHL career at the end of the 1984–85 NHL season. After playing six games with the Nova Scotia Oilers of the American Hockey League, he became an assistant coach for the team. During the 1987 season, Low was promoted to assistant coach with the Edmonton Oilers. In 1988, became the head coach of the Nova Scotia Oilers and would remain in that position until 1989 when the team was renamed the Cape Breton Oilers. In 1990, Low was named an assistant coach with the Edmonton Oilers. Seven years later he became the head coach of the Oilers, a position he held for four seasons. After coaching the Houston Aeros for a season, he was named the head coach of the New York Rangers; however, his tenure would last for only two seasons as the team's dismal performance led to regular chants of Low must go! at home games as the 2001–2002 season's second half wore on. At the time of his dismissal by general manager Glen Sather, the Rangers under Low had a combined record of 69-81-9-5, finished 4th in the Atlantic Division both years, and failed to qualify for the playoffs either year, marking a fifth consecutive year where the team failed to make the playoffs. After being relieved of his coaching duties with the Rangers, he would remain in the organization as a scout until 2004. During the summer of 2004, he became a scout and goaltender coach for the Ottawa Senators. In August 2007, Low was promoted to the position of assistant coach of the Ottawa Senators. He was fired from this position on February 27,

Did You Know?

• Low was the first goalie to get a shutout for the Washington Capitals, on February 16, 1975, against the Kansas City Scouts.
• He won the Stanley Cup in 1987 and 1990 as an assistant coach with the Edmonton Oilers.
• Low was mugged in downtown Calgary on March 17, 2010, requiring surgery for organ damage.