Phil Russell named Falcons' assistant coach
August 19, 2004 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Springfield Falcons News Release
Springfield, MA â The Tampa Bay Lightning, National Hockey League affiliate of the Springfield Falcons, today announced that Phil Russell has been named assistant coach of the Falcons. Lightning Executive Vice President and General Manager Jay Feaster made the announcement today. Russell will assist new Falcons head coach Dirk Graham.
After retiring as a player, Russell began his coaching career as an assistant with Pittsburgh Penguins' affiliate the Muskegon Lumberjacks of the International Hockey League (IHL) in the 1988-89 season and immediately helped lead the team to a Turner Cup championship. Russell was honored as co-winner of the Commissioner's Trophy as the IHL's Coach of the Year along with Muskegon head coach Blair MacDonald that season. Russell took over the reigns as head coach of the club in 1991-92 and guided the Lumberjacks to a 41-28-0-13 record and a Turner Cup Finals appearance in his first campaign as bench boss. After the Lumberjacks moved to Cleveland, he coached the club to a record of 39-34-0-9 in 1992-93.
Russell became Cleveland's assistant general manager for the 1993-94 and 1994-95 campaigns and served as a pro scout for Pittsburgh during the following two seasons. He returned to the Chicago Blackhawks, for whom he began his playing career, as director of scouting from 1997 to 1999. He resumed coaching as an assistant with Cleveland in 1999-00 and Frankfurt of the German Elite League in 2000-01.
"Phil Russell is an âold school' hockey guy who played the game with passion, heart, character and grit," Feaster said. "Those are the same qualities we look for in our prospects, and we are confident Phil will help fine-tune and develop those traits in our future NHLers. The fact he and Dirk Graham have such a solid relationship built on trust and mutual respect, coupled with Phil's desire to win in Springfield, made this a very easy decision for our organization."
In 1,016 NHL games as a player, Russell registered 424 points (99g, 325a) and 2,038 penalty minutes with Chicago, Atlanta/Calgary, New Jersey and Buffalo from 1972-73 to 1986-87. A hard-nosed defenseman, he played an average of 75 games per regular season during the first 13 years of his career and skated in three NHL All-Star Games (1976, 1977, 1985).
Russell was Chicago's first-round selection (13th overall) in the 1972 NHL Draft and skated in the 1973 Stanley Cup Finals against Montreal as a rookie. In a multi-player deal that sent Tom Lysiak to Chicago, Russell was traded to Atlanta on March 13, 1979. He spent the following four seasons with the Flames and served as the team's captain in 1981-82 and 1982-83. The Edmonton native split his final five NHL campaigns as a player with New Jersey and Buffalo. He also played 27 games with Kalamazoo of the IHL in 1987-88.
Full and partial season ticket packages for the Falcons' 2004-2005 campaign are currently on sale. Flex Packs are also available. To order or for more information, please contact the Falcons' team office at (413) 739-3344.
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