Lester Patrick
Co-founder of the PCHA and architect of Rangers' early dynasty.
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Curtis Lester Patrick (December 31, 1883 – June 1, 1960) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player, coach, and executive. He co-founded the Pacific Coast Hockey Association (PCHA) with his brother Frank and father Joseph, and later managed and coached the New York Rangers to multiple Stanley Cup victories. Patrick is noted for introducing several enduring hockey innovations, including the blue line, penalty shot, and tracking assists.
Background
Patrick first played top-level hockey in 1904 with the Brandon Hockey Club in Manitoba, then won the Stanley Cup with the Montreal Wanderers in 1906 and 1907. After moving to British Columbia in 1907, he played for a local team in Nelson and joined the Edmonton Hockey Club for a Cup challenge in 1908. In 1909, he and his brother Frank were lured east to play for the Renfrew Creamery Kings of the National Hockey Association, but both returned to Nelson after one season.
In 1911, the brothers formed the PCHA, and Patrick owned, managed, coached, and played for the Victoria team. He led Victoria to a Cup challenge in 1914 and won the Cup again in 1925, the last team outside the NHL to do so.
When the Western Hockey League (which absorbed the PCHA in 1924) was sold to the NHL in 1926, Patrick was hired by the expansion New York Rangers as coach and manager. He led the Rangers to Stanley Cup wins in 1928 and 1933, and three further Finals appearances. He resigned as coach in 1939 but remained manager, winning the Cup again in 1940, before resigning in 1946.
Career statistics and honours
Regular season and playoffs
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| 1903–04 | Brandon HC | MNWHA | 12 | 4 | 2 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1903–04 | Brandon HC | St-Cup | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1904–05 | Montreal Westmount | CAHL | 8 | 4 | 0 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1905–06 | Montreal Wanderers | ECAHA | 9 | 17 | 0 | 17 | 26 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| 1906–07 | Montreal Wanderers | ECAHA | 9 | 11 | 0 | 11 | 11 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1906–07 | Montreal Wanderers | St-Cup | — | — | — | — | — | 6 | 10 | 0 | 10 | 32 |
| 1907–08 | Nelson Seniors | BCHL | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | — |
| 1908–09 | Edmonton HC | Exhib | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1908–09 | Nelson Pros | Exhib | 2 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1908–09 | Edmonton HC | St-Cup | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 1909–10 | Renfrew Creamery Kings | NHA | 12 | 24 | 0 | 24 | 25 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1911–12 | Victoria Senators | PCHA | 16 | 10 | 0 | 10 | 9 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1912–13 | Victoria Senators | PCHA | 15 | 14 | 5 | 19 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1913–14 | Victoria Aristocrats | PCHA | 9 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1913–14 | Victoria Aristocrats | St-Cup | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2 | — |
| 1914–15 | Victoria Aristocrats | PCHA | 17 | 12 | 5 | 17 | 15 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1915–16 | Victoria Aristocrats | PCHA | 18 | 13 | 11 | 24 | 27 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1916–17 | Spokane Canaries | PCHA | 23 | 10 | 11 | 21 | 15 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1917–18 | PCHA | 17 | 2 | 8 | 10 | 15 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | |
| 1918–19 | Victoria Aristocrats | PCHA | 9 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1919–20 | Victoria Aristocrats | PCHA | 11 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1920–21 | Victoria Aristocrats | PCHA | 5 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 13 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1921–22 | Victoria Aristocrats | PCHA | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1925–26 | Victoria Cougars | WHL | 23 | 5 | 8 | 13 | 20 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 1926–27 | New York Rangers | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | |
| New York Rangers | NHL | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| PCHA totals | 142 | 72 | 55 | 127 | 109 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | ||
| NHL totals | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| St-Cup totals | — | — | — | — | — | 13 | 13 | 1 | 14 | — | ||
Coaching record
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GC | W | L | T | Finish | GC | W | L | T | Result |
| 1912 | Victoria Senators | PCHA | 16 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 3rd | – | — | — | — | – |
| 1912–13 | Victoria Senators | PCHA | 15 | 10 | 5 | 0 | 1st | – | — | — | — | – |
| 1913–14 | Victoria Aristocrats | PCHA | 15 | 10 | 5 | 0 | 1st | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | Lost Stanley Cup series |
| 1914–15 | Victoria Aristocrats | PCHA | 17 | 4 | 13 | 0 | 3rd | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1915–16 | Victoria Aristocrats | PCHA | 18 | 5 | 13 | 0 | 4th | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1916–17 | Spokane Canaries | PCHA | 23 | 8 | 15 | 0 | 4th | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1917–18 | PCHA | 18 | 11 | 7 | 0 | 1st | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | Lost in Final | |
| 1918–19 | Victoria Aristocrats | PCHA | 20 | 7 | 13 | 0 | 3rd | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1919–20 | Victoria Aristocrats | PCHA | 22 | 10 | 12 | 0 | 3rd | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1920–21 | Victoria Aristocrats | PCHA | 24 | 10 | 13 | 1 | 3rd | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1921–22 | Victoria Aristocrats | PCHA | 24 | 11 | 12 | 1 | 3rd | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1922–23 | Victoria Cougars | PCHA | 30 | 16 | 14 | 0 | 2nd | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | Lost in Final |
| 1923–24 | Victoria Cougars | PCHA | 30 | 11 | 18 | 1 | 3rd | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1924–25 | Victoria Cougars | WCHL | 28 | 16 | 12 | 0 | 3rd | 8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | Won Stanley Cup |
| 1925–26 | Victoria Cougars | WHL | 30 | 15 | 11 | 4 | 3rd | 7 | 2 | 3 | 2 | Lost in Stanley Cup Finals |
| 1926–27 | New York Rangers | 44 | 25 | 13 | 6 | 1st, American | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | Lost in semi-final | |
| New York Rangers | NHL | 44 | 19 | 16 | 9 | 2nd, American | 9 | 5 | 3 | 1 | Won Stanley Cup | |
| 1928–29 | New York Rangers | NHL | 44 | 21 | 13 | 10 | 2nd, American | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | Lost in Final |
| 1929–30 | New York Rangers | NHL | 44 | 17 | 17 | 10 | 3rd, American | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | Lost semi-final |
| 1930–31 | New York Rangers | NHL | 44 | 19 | 16 | 9 | 3rd, American | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | Lost in semi-final |
| New York Rangers | NHL | 48 | 23 | 17 | 8 | 1st, American | 7 | 3 | 4 | — | Lost in Final | |
| New York Rangers | NHL | 48 | 23 | 17 | 8 | 3rd, American | 8 | 6 | 1 | 1 | Won Stanley Cup | |
| New York Rangers | NHL | 48 | 21 | 19 | 8 | 3rd, American | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | Lost in quarter-final | |
| New York Rangers | NHL | 48 | 22 | 20 | 6 | 3rd, American | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | Lost in semi-final | |
| 1935–36 | New York Rangers | NHL | 48 | 19 | 17 | 12 | 4th, American | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1936–37 | New York Rangers | NHL | 48 | 19 | 20 | 9 | 3rd, American | 9 | 6 | 3 | — | Lost in Final |
| 1937–38 | New York Rangers | NHL | 48 | 27 | 15 | 6 | 2nd, American | 3 | 1 | 2 | — | Lost in quarter-final |
| 1938–39 | New York Rangers | NHL | 48 | 26 | 16 | 6 | 2nd, NHL | 7 | 3 | 4 | — | Lost in semi-final |
| PCHA totals | 272 | 120 | 149 | 3 | — | 7 | 1 | 5 | 1 | |||
| WCHL/WHL totals | 58 | 31 | 23 | 4 | — | 15 | 7 | 4 | 4 | One Stanley Cup Win | ||
| NHL totals | 604 | 281 | 216 | 107 | — | 65 | 31 | 26 | 8 | Two Stanley Cup Wins | ||
Tables copied from the source article, totals included as the source gives them: Wikipedia: Lester Patrick (CC BY-SA 4.0). Wide tables scroll sideways.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Stanley Cups did Lester Patrick win in total?
Across his combined roles as a player, a coach, and a team manager, Patrick collected six Stanley Cup championships. His most celebrated run came with the New York Rangers, where he served as both head coach and general manager during their early dynasty years.
What was the PCHA and what role did Lester Patrick play in it?
The Pacific Coast Hockey Association was a professional league that began play in 1911, and Lester Patrick helped establish it together with his brother Frank and their father Joseph. The league served as an important stepping stone in the sport's early professional era before Patrick moved on to build the Rangers' championship program.
When was Lester Patrick inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame?
Patrick received his Hall of Fame induction in 1947, nearly two decades before his death in 1960. His recognition came for his multifaceted contributions as a player, coach, executive, and rule-maker in the sport's formative years.
More in Hockey Hall of Fame Builders and Executives
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Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Lester Patrick (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Statistics, medals and awards: the tables of the source article.
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