NHL teams tap winning AHL coaches

by AHL Press Release
Published on November 5, 2001 under American Hockey League (AHL)

AHL Press Release

SPRINGFIELD, MA ... Half of the 30 head coaches in the National Hockey League today have AHL head coaching experience on their resumes, including the bench bosses of many of the NHL's elite teams.

Rookie head coach Peter Laviolette's New York Islanders are the biggest story of the season in the NHL, off to a league-best 10-1-1-1 start. Laviolette spent two seasons as head coach of the Providence Bruins, leading the B's to the Calder Cup championship in 1999, and to within one game of a return to the Finals in 2000. Laviolette, who participated in two Olympics and the 1995 AHL All-Star Game, was an assistant coach in Boston in 2000-01.

Bob Hartley duplicated his AHL success in Denver last season when he led the Colorado Avalanche to a Stanley Cup title. Hartley took over behind the Avalanche bench in 1998 after four seasons as the head coach of Colorado's AHL affiliates, including the Hershey Bears' Calder Cup championship team of 1996-97. The Avalanche franchise is looking for its eighth straight division title in 2001-02.

In Philadelphia, Bill Barber is hoping to match Hartley's success. Barber also spent four seasons as an AHL head coach (1996-2000), leading the Philadelphia Phantoms to the Calder Cup in 1998. The former Broad Street Bully began last season as an assistant with the Flyers before being promoted to head coach on December 10, 2000.

Aside from Laviolette, Hartley, and Barber, Boston's Robbie Ftorek, Nashville's Barry Trotz, Tampa Bay's John Tortorella, and Toronto's Pat Quinn also guided AHL teams to Calder Cup championships.

The Western Conference's surprise team is the Calgary Flames, guided by Greg Gilbert in his first full season as an NHL head coach. Gilbert guided the Worcester IceCats for four seasons, earning the Louis A.R. Pieri Award as the AHL's outstanding coach in his rookie year of 1996-97. A three-time Stanley Cup champion as a player, Gilbert began the 2000-01 season as an assistant in Calgary before assuming the head coaching duties on March 14, 2001. The Flames currently lead the Northwest Division with 22 points (10-2-0-2).

The other NHL head coaches who have experience behind AHL benches are Anaheim's Bryan Murray, Montreal's Michel Therrien, the New York Rangers' Ron Low, Ottawa's Jacques Martin, Phoenix's Bobby Francis, St. Louis's Joel Quenneville, and Vancouver's Marc Crawford. (Buffalo's Lindy Ruff and Los Angeles's Andy Murray served as assistant coaches in the AHL.)

NHL DEBUTS FOR AHL CALL-UPS ... Several AHL players earned their first big breaks last week, making their first marks on the National Hockey League.

Justin Kurtz, who made his NHL debut with the Vancouver Canucks a week earlier, recorded his first NHL goal against Columbus on Tuesday. Also that day, Chris Corrinet, who leads AHL rookies with seven goals this season, made his first NHL appearance with the Capitals against Philadelphia, and on Wednesday, Flyers defenseman Bruno St. Jacques skated in his first NHL game against Pittsburgh.

Matt Davidson, recalled by the Blue Jackets from Syracuse, beat Edmonton's Tommy Salo for his first NHL goal on Friday.

Rookie Michael Leighton, who was named the ITECH AHL Goaltender of the Month for October, got his first call to the NHL on Sunday, backing up Jocelyn Thibault in Chicago's 5-4 victory over Detroit.

UNWELCOME VISITORS ... Teams around the AHL haven't been too excited to see West Division clubs come to town this season.

Utah, Grand Rapids, Houston, Chicago, and Milwaukee have a combined 32 victories overall, and while home teams own a .592 winning percentage in the league this season, the five clubs in the West have been road warriors, posting a 16-6-1 mark away from home. There are just seven teams in the entire AHL with winning records on the road, and four reside in the West Division. At 3-0-0, the Griffins are the only club in the league with a perfect mark in opponents' rinks.

The West Division will have nine chances to improve on their road success this week, beginning Tuesday when Grand Rapids visits Utah.

PIRATES EARN COMMUNITY AWARD ... The Portland Pirates organization received the "Leading the Way" award from the United Way of Greater Portland last week, recognizing their commitment to the United Way's mission by rallying staff and players with the most innovative and creative campaign effort.

Through their "Face Off for a Better Community" program, the Pirates contributed more than $15,000 to the United Way's 2001 Annual Campaign, raising money through on-ice promotions, ticket sales from a United Way Night at the Cumberland County Civic Center, and a skate-a-thon in which players, staff, and fans pledged money for each lap skated.

ETC. ... Norfolk's Peter White hit the 200-goal and 600-point milestones for his AHL career on the same goal, his second of two in Saturday's 5-2 win over Chicago; he added his 401st assist for a three-point night... Scott Clemmensen, who helped Boston College to the 2001 NCAA championship, made 25 stops for Albany in his AHL debut on Friday night, and returned to New Jersey after the game... Hamilton's 10-0 win over Syracuse on Friday was the highest-scoring shutout in the AHL since St. John's was blanked 10-0 by current Hershey Bear Frederic Cassivi on March 22, 1996... Bridgeport's Rick DiPietro made 22 saves in Saturday's 4-2 win over Lowell, ending the Lock Monsters' 11-game unbeaten streak and a personal seven-game winless skid (0-3-4)... Veteran NHL referee Paul Stewart worked Friday night's game in Albany, Saturday's contest in Syracuse, and Sunday's game in Rochester on a rehabilitation stint... Cincinnati, 14-5-2 all-time against Syracuse, has posted three of its four victories this season against the Crunch.

American Hockey League Stories from November 5, 2001

• NHL teams tap winning AHL coaches - OSC Original by AHL Press Release

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