Lynn Patrick
NHL player, coach, and executive from hockey's Patrick family.
Last updated
Maryland GovPics · CC BY 2.0
Lynn Patrick was a Canadian professional ice hockey player and executive who played ten seasons in the National Hockey League for the New York Rangers, winning the Stanley Cup in 1940. He later became a coach and general manager for the Rangers, Boston Bruins, and St. Louis Blues, and was posthumously inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1980.
Background
Lynn Patrick was born into one of hockey's most famous families. His father Lester and uncle Frank were founders and operators of the Pacific Coast Hockey Association, and both are Hall of Fame members. Lynn's brother Muzz and son Glenn also played in the NHL, while his son Craig was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2001. Lynn played multiple sports growing up, including basketball for the Vancouver Blue Ribbons, which won the Canadian national championship in 1933.
He also played basketball and football while studying at McGill University. His father Lester, then managing the New York Rangers, was initially hesitant to sign Lynn due to fears of nepotism, but Lynn was signed on November 4, 1934. He struggled in his rookie season and faced criticism from fans and press, but became a steady presence and leading offensive player, leading the NHL with 32 goals in 1941–42 and earning two All-Star team selections.
After serving in the U.S. military during World War II, he returned for one final season, switching from left wing to defence after losing skating speed.
Career statistics and honours
Regular season and playoffs
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| 1933–34 | Montreal Royals | MCHL | 15 | 5 | 3 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| New York Rangers | NHL | 48 | 9 | 13 | 22 | 17 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 0 | |
| New York Rangers | NHL | 48 | 11 | 14 | 25 | 29 | — | — | — | — | — | |
| New York Rangers | NHL | 45 | 8 | 16 | 24 | 23 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 2 | |
| New York Rangers | NHL | 48 | 15 | 19 | 34 | 24 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| 1938–39 | New York Rangers | NHL | 35 | 8 | 21 | 29 | 25 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 1939–40 | New York Rangers | NHL | 48 | 12 | 16 | 28 | 34 | 12 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 |
| 1940–41 | New York Rangers | NHL | 48 | 20 | 24 | 44 | 12 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 14 |
| New York Rangers | NHL | 47 | 32 | 22 | 54 | 18 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| New York Rangers | NHL | 50 | 22 | 39 | 61 | 28 | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1945–46 | New York Rangers | NHL | 38 | 8 | 6 | 14 | 30 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1946–47 | New Haven Ramblers | AHL | 16 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 16 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| NHL totals | 455 | 145 | 190 | 335 | 240 | 44 | 10 | 6 | 16 | 22 | ||
Coaching record
| Season | Team | League | Regular season | Post season | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | L | T | Pts | Division rank | Result | ||||
| 1948–49 | New York Rangers | NHL | 37 | 12 | 20 | 5 | 29 | 6th overall | Did not qualify | |
| New York Rangers | NHL | 70 | 28 | 31 | 11 | 67 | 4th overall | Lost Stanley Cup Finals | ||
| Boston Bruins | NHL | 70 | 22 | 38 | 18 | 62 | 4th overall | Lost in semi-finals | ||
| Boston Bruins | NHL | 70 | 25 | 29 | 16 | 66 | 4th overall | Lost in semi-finals | ||
| 1952–53 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 70 | 28 | 29 | 13 | 69 | 3rd overall | Lost Stanley Cup Finals | |
| Boston Bruins | NHL | 70 | 32 | 28 | 10 | 74 | 4th overall | Lost in semi-finals | ||
| Boston Bruins | NHL | 30 | 10 | 14 | 6 | 26 | 4th overall | Fired | ||
| 1967–68 | St. Louis Blues | NHL | 16 | 4 | 10 | 2 | 10 | 3rd in West | Resigned | |
| 1974–75 | St. Louis Blues | NHL | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2nd in Smythe | Resigned | |
| 1975–76 | St. Louis Blues | NHL | 8 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 6 | 3rd in Smythe | Resigned | |
| Total | 443 | 165 | 196 | 82 | 412 | |||||
Awards and honours
NHL
| Award | Year | Ref. |
|---|---|---|
| First team All-Star | 1941–42 | |
| Second team all-star | 1942–43 | |
| Lester Patrick Trophy / Contributions to the sport in the United States | 1989 |
Tables copied from the source article, totals included as the source gives them: Wikipedia: Lynn Patrick (CC BY-SA 4.0). Wide tables scroll sideways.
Did You Know?
- He died after suffering a heart attack and crashing his car near the arena after leaving a Blues game in 1980.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Lynn Patrick?
Lynn Patrick was a Canadian ice hockey figure born in Victoria, British Columbia in 1912, best known for a decade-long NHL playing career with the New York Rangers followed by a long stretch in coaching and front-office leadership. He was a member of hockey's well-known Patrick family and passed away in January 1980.
What were Lynn Patrick's NHL playing stats?
Across ten seasons with the Rangers, Patrick tallied 145 goals and 335 total points as a forward. He was also a member of New York's 1940 Stanley Cup championship squad.
What coaching and general manager roles did Lynn Patrick hold?
After hanging up his skates, Patrick moved into the front office and served as both coach and general manager for the New York Rangers, the Boston Bruins, and the St. Louis Blues. Those three stints made him one of the more widely traveled executives of his era.
When was Lynn Patrick inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame?
Patrick was enshrined posthumously in 1980, only a few weeks after his death on January 26 of that year. His induction recognized the full span of his contributions as a player, coach, and executive.
More in Hockey Hall of Fame Builders and Executives
Test yourself
Three questions drawn from this entry’s sources. Pick an answer to check it.
Answers checked against the source article
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: Lynn Patrick (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Statistics, medals and awards: the tables of the source article.
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced