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Wheeling's Bingham Named Coach Of The Year

April 7, 2004 - ECHL (ECHL) News Release


PRINCETON, N.J. – The ECHL announced on Wednesday that Pat Bingham of the Wheeling Nailers has been named Coach of the Year and that he will be the inaugural recipient of the John Brophy Award. Named in honor of legendary coach John Brophy, the trophy will be presented annually to the ECHL Coach of the Year as determined in a vote of league coaches.

Bingham was the assistant coach and director of hockey operations for the Nailers in 2001-02 when Brophy was the head coach in Wheeling.

Mike Haviland of Atlantic City finished second in the voting followed by Toby O'Brien of Johnstown, Jeff Pyle of Gwinnett and Scott White of Columbia.

Bingham helped Wheeling return to the postseason for the first time since 1997-98 and for the 10th time in the team's 16-year history. The Nailers will host Reading in Games 1 and 2 of the Northern Division Semifinals on Thursday and Friday.

The Nailers finished first in the Eastern Conference and second overall with 106 points and a 51-17-4 record, becoming only the first team since 2001-02 and only the fifth team in league history to win 50 games. Wheeling tied Trenton for the fourth-most wins in league history and set team records for points (106), wins (50), home wins (28) and road wins (22) while also setting the ECHL record with 11 shutouts. The Nailers finished with 59 points in 2002-03 and the 47-point increase this season is the third-largest single-season point increase in league history.

Bingham coached Adirondack of the United Hockey League in 2002-03 going 44-28-4, setting team records for wins (44) and points (92), and advancing to the Colonial Cup Playoffs. In 2000-01, Bingham led Asheville to the Eastern Conference's best record and a berth in the Colonial Cup Finals. The 35-year-old Bingham coached Huntsville of the Central Hockey League in 1999-2000, finishing with a 37-27-6 record. Bingham is in his fourth season as a professional head coach and his seventh season overall behind the bench. Bingham played four seasons in the ECHL with Nashville, Hampton Roads and Richmond. He scored 104 points (36g-68a) in 143 regular season games and 19 points (8g-11a) in 20 postseason games. Bingham helped Hampton Roads win the ECHL Championship in 1991 scoring 15 points (6g-9a) to lead all ECHL defensemen in the postseason. Bingham also played in the American Hockey League with Binghamton, in the Sunshine Hockey League with Lakeland and Jacksonville and in the Colonial Hockey League with Brantford. He played four seasons in the Western Hockey League with New Westminster and Kamloops, who he helped win the WHL Championship in 1986.

Brophy coached more seasons than any other coach in league history with Hampton Roads from 1989-2000 and Wheeling from 2001-03, compiling a career record of 480-323-79 in the regular season and 55-39 in the postseason. Hampton Roads reached the postseason in each of his 11 seasons behind the bench, winning back-to-back titles in 1991 and 1992 and an ECHL record third title in 1998. His three ECHL titles are the most in league history and he is also the all-time leader among ECHL coaches in regular season games (878) and regular season wins (480) and postseason games (94) and wins (55). Brophy has 1,028 professional wins and ranks second all-time in professional hockey to only the legendary Scotty Bowman (1,244 wins). After a 20-year playing career with several different minor league teams, Brophy began his coaching career with the Long Island Cougars (NAHL) in 1973-74. The following season he moved to Hampton Roads to coach the Hampton Gulls (SHL). He guided the Gulls from 1974-77 and in 1977-78 he was behind the bench when the Gulls moved to the American Hockey League. When the Gulls ceased operations, Brophy moved to the Birmingham Bulls where he garnered WHA Coach of the Year honors. Brophy led the Montreal Canadiens affiliate, the Nova Scotia Voyagers from 1981-84. Brophy served as an assistant coach with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1984-85 and was named head coach of the Maple Leafs minor league club, the St. Catherines Saints the next season. The next year, Brophy took over as head coach of the Maple Leafs until 1988-89.

ECHL John Brophy Award Winners

2003-04
Pat Bingham, Wheeling Nailers

2002-03
Claude Noel, Toledo Storm

2001-02
Dave Farrish, Louisiana IceGators

2000-01
Troy Ward, Trenton Titans

1999-00
Bob Ferguson, Florida Everblades

1998-99
Bob Ferguson, Florida Everblades

1997-98
Chris Nilan, Chesapeake IceBreakers

1996-97
Brian McCutcheon, Columbus Chill

1995-96
Roy Sommer, Richmond Renegades

1994-95
Jim Playfair, Dayton Bombers

1993-94
Barry Smith, Knoxville Cherokees

1992-93
Kurt Kleinendorst, Raleigh IceCaps

1991-92
Doug Sauter, Winston-Salem Thunderbirds

1990-91
Don Jackson, Knoxville Cherokees

1989-90
Dave Allison, Virginia Lancers

1988-89
Ron Hansis, Erie Panthers

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