Pat Quinn (ice hockey)

Lore & Background

Quinn began his junior career with the Hamilton Tiger Cubs and Hamilton Kilty B's in the Ontario Hockey Association. After high school, he accepted a scholarship from Michigan Tech but was declared ineligible by the NCAA because he had already signed his rights to the Detroit Red Wings. He instead joined the Edmonton Oil Kings, helping the club win the 1963 Memorial Cup alongside fellow future NHL player, coach, and manager Glen Sather. Quinn turned pro in 1963–64 and played in several minor leagues before making his NHL debut with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1968. He is remembered for an open-ice bodycheck on Bobby Orr in the 1969 playoffs that left Orr unconscious and provoked a bench-clearing brawl. After two seasons with the Maple Leafs, he was claimed by the Vancouver Canucks in the 1970 NHL Expansion Draft, then by the Atlanta Flames in the 1972 NHL Expansion Draft, where he served as team captain. He retired prematurely in 1977 after an ankle injury.

Reader's Guide

Quinn's coaching career began as an assistant with the Philadelphia Flyers in 1977 under Fred Shero. He became head coach of the Flyers' AHL affiliate, the Maine Mariners, then returned to the Flyers as head coach late that season. In his first full season (1979–80), he led the team to a record 35-game unbeaten streak and a trip to the Stanley Cup Final, winning the Jack Adams Award. After a brief hiatus to attend law school, he became head coach of the Los Angeles Kings in 1984, returning them to the playoffs. In 1987, he signed to become President and General Manager of the Vancouver Canucks while still under contract with the Kings, leading to a suspension by NHL President John Ziegler. As Canucks GM, he acquired Kirk McLean and Greg Adams, drafted Trevor Linden second overall in 1988, and controversially selected Pavel Bure 113th overall in 1989. The league initially deemed the Bure pick illegal, but Quinn and the Canucks appealed and the choice was upheld. Quinn coached the Canucks to the 1994 Stanley Cup Final, losing to the New York Rangers in seven games. He later became head coach and general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs, leading them to the conference finals in 1999 and 2002.

Did You Know?

• Quinn won the Jack Adams Award twice: in 1979–80 with the Flyers and in 1991–92 with the Canucks.
• He was appointed Officer of the Order of Canada in the 2012 Canadian honours.
• Quinn won a Memorial Cup as a player with the Edmonton Oil Kings in 1963 and as part-owner of the Vancouver Giants in 2007.
• He attended law school at Widener University and later finished his degree at the University of San Diego.

The Big Irishman's Playing Years

John Brian Patrick Quinn, known affectionately as "the Big Irishman," carved out a nine-season NHL career as a defenceman before an ankle injury cut his playing days short in 1977. His path to the league was anything but straightforward. After high school, a Michigan Tech scholarship fell through when the NCAA ruled him ineligible due to a prior rights agreement with the Detroit Red Wings. He pivoted to the Edmonton Oil Kings of the Central Alberta Hockey League, where he captured the 1963 Memorial Cup alongside a young Glen Sather. Quinn turned professional in 1963–64, grinding through the Eastern, Central, and Western Hockey Leagues before the Toronto Maple Leafs called him up in 1968. His rookie season remains etched in hockey lore: during the 1969 playoffs against Boston, he delivered an open-ice bodycheck on Bobby Orr that left the future legend unconscious and ignited a bench-clearing brawl. After two seasons in Toronto, the Vancouver Canucks claimed him in the 1970 expansion draft, followed by a stint as captain of the Atlanta Flames.

Philadelphia and the 35-Game Streak

Quinn's transition from player to coach was swift. After retiring in 1977, he became an assistant under Fred Shero with the Philadelphia Flyers, then stepped in as head coach of their AHL affiliate, the Maine Mariners. When Bob McCammon returned to Maine, Quinn assumed the NHL helm late in the 1979–80 season. What followed was one of the most dominant runs in league history: a record-breaking 35-game unbeaten streak that carried the Flyers into the 1980 Stanley Cup Final. There, the New York Islanders delivered a stunning six-game upset, robbing Quinn and his squad of the championship. Despite the heartbreak, the league recognized his extraordinary work, awarding him the Jack Adams Award for his effort. Quinn remained in Philadelphia for two additional seasons before being replaced during the 1981–82 campaign. His tenure with the Flyers established him as one of the most electric and fearless coaches in the league, a reputation that would follow him throughout his career.

Vancouver, the Draft Room, and the Bure Controversy

Quinn's most consequential chapter unfolded in Vancouver, where he served as President and General Manager beginning in the 1987–88 season. His first major transaction brought in goaltender Kirk McLean and forward Greg Adams from New Jersey in exchange for Patrik Sundström and a 1988 fourth-round pick. The real fireworks came in the draft room. In 1988, Quinn selected Trevor Linden second overall, a pick that would become the franchise's all-time leading scorer and eventually have his jersey retired. Then came the 1989 selection of Pavel Bure, a move that sent shockwaves through the league. Quinn had apparently targeted Bure a full year before his normal eligibility, exploiting a technicality involving exhibition and international games that made the 18-year-old available in later rounds. Quinn originally planned the eighth round but moved up to the sixth after learning the Edmonton Oilers shared his interest. Team executives reportedly stormed the draft stage in Minnesota to protest. The league launched an investigation into the selection. Bure went on to win the Calder Trophy and record three 50-goal seasons, with his jersey also retired in Vancouver.

International Gold and a Lasting Legacy

Beyond the NHL, Quinn left an indelible mark on Canadian hockey at the international level. As head coach of Team Canada, he guided the national squad to gold at the 2002 Winter Olympics, claimed the 2004 World Cup championship, and led the junior and development programs to titles at the 2008 IIHF World U18 Championships and the 2009 World Junior Championship. His domestic honors were equally impressive: in 2012, he was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada, one of the nation's highest civilian distinctions. In 2016, both the Hockey Hall of Fame and the IIHF Hall of Fame enshrined his name, cementing his status as a transformative figure in the sport. Quinn's connection to junior hockey also extended into ownership; as part-owner of the Vancouver Giants, he won a second Memorial Cup in 2007, bookending a career that began with the 1963 title with the Edmonton Oil Kings. He also coached the Los Angeles Kings, briefly returning them to the playoffs after a two-year drought, and navigated a contentious contract dispute with NHL President John Ziegler that resulted in a suspension and a bar from coaching until the 1990–91 season. Quinn passed away on November 23, 2014.

Gallery