Pat Quinn's never-quit
attitude has helped him carve a name for himself as an NHL player, coach
and executive for almost 35 years.
After breaking into the NHL with the Toronto Maple Leafs in the late
1960s, Quinn enjoyed a nine-year playing career, with the Leafs, Vancouver
Canucks and Atlanta Flames.
Quinn's playing career ended in 1977, but he didn't miss a step, being
named an assistant coach with the Philadelphia Flyers for the 1977-78
season.
After one season as a Flyers' assistant, Quinn took over the head-coaching
duties with the Flyers' top farm team in Maine. Just 50 games into that
campaign, Quinn was promoted to the Flyers, replacing Bob McCammon as
Philly's head coach. In his first full season behind the Flyers' bench,
Quinn guided the team to an NHL record 35-game undefeated streak and was
named the NHL's Coach of the Year.
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Quinn left the Flyers in 1984
to assume the head coaching duties with the Los Angeles Kings.
After four years in L.A., Quinn ventured north to Vancouver, where he
joined the Canucks as the team's president and general manager. Quinn also
spend several seasons as coach in Vancouver, before leaving the West Coast
in 1998, to become the head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Adding
general manager to his list of Leafs' duties in 1999.
Pat also coached another group of players who proudly wore the maple leafs
on their jersey's as he coached Team Canada to the gold medal in the 2002
Winter Olympics in Salt Lake. |
