Glen Sonmor
Encyclopedia
Glen Sonmor is a former professional hockey
player, scout and coach.
in basketball, quarterback
in football and left wing
in hockey, as well as pitching in semi-pro baseball. At 5' 10", Sonmor would focus on hockey after graduation and would sign a C form with the Cleveland Barons
of the American Hockey League
, committing him to the team if he ever turned pro. Sonmor would then play junior hockey with the Guelph Bilmores
in the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA)
and the Brandon Wheat Kings
of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League (MJHL)
. The 1948-49 Brandon team would go onto win the MJHL championship, defetaing the Calgary Buffalos for the Abbott Cup
, but would lose in the Memorial Cup
championship to the Montreal Royals
. Sonmor would lead the way for the Wheat Kings with 18 goals and 30 assists in 30 regular season games and 10 goals and 14 assists in 25 playoff games. The 1948-49 team would be named to the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame
in 2006.
in the United States Hockey League
and his play attracted the attention of the parent club. From 1949 to 1954, Sonmore would play predominantly for the Barons, but would spend the 1951-52 season with the St. Louis Flyers
, and would record consecutive 20-goal seasons.
Sonmor spent part of the 1953-54 season with the National Hockey League (NHL)
New York Rangers
before Cleveland officially traded him to the team on 15 November, 1954 for eventual Hall of Famer
Andy Bathgate
and Vic Howe
. In the NHL, Sonmor was considered a highly physical player known for his fighting abilities, as he would record only 2 goals in 30 games over the 1953-54 and 1954-55 seasons. On 27 February, 1955, Sonmor would suffer a career-ending injury to his left eye when he was hit by a slap shot from teammate Steve Kraftcheck
. Sonmor's injury would come four days after the birth of his daughter Kathy, putting both he and his wife in the hospital at the same time. Later stories of Sonmor's glass eye popping out onto the Minnesota North Stars
bench during his coaching career are told by the North Stars' General Manager, Lou Nanne
.
by long time coach, and AHL & USHL teammate, John Mariucci
. He would then coached a number of amateur hockey teams including various levels in Junior hockey, at the Ohio State University
, before return to Minnesota as the vasity coach. Sonmor coached the Golden Gopher Hockey Team from 1966 - 1971, which included a Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA)
regular season championship in the 1969-70 season
and a WCHA playoff championship in the 1970-71 season
.
In 1972, Sonmor moved up to the professional level when he joined the fledgling Minnesota Fighting Saints
of the World Hockey Association (WHA)
as coach and general manager. In the middle of the season, Sonmor gave up his coaching duties, but continued as GM. After the team folded in 1976, the WHA's Cleveland Crusaders
moved to St. Paul and changed their name to the New Minnesota Fighting Saints and Sonmor was hired as the team's coach and general manager. However, the New Saints followed their predecessor and folded in January 1977. Sonmor then went on to coach the WHA's Birmingham Bulls
and stayed there through the end of the 1978-79 season. In 1979, Sonmor was named head coach of the NHL North Stars and would go on to coach the team 3 different times (1979-1983, 1984-1985, and 1986-1987). Sonmor's teams made the playoffs four of six full seasons and he led the team to the 1981 Stanley Cup Finals
where they lost to the heavily favored New York Islanders
(who were in the middle of a four-year run as Stanley Cup champions). However, Sonmor's career with the North Stars was overshadowed by several bar fights, and alcoholism that ultimately led him away time and time again from his coaching duties to enter care unit treatment for alcoholism. He would eventually give up drinking in 1983 after being suspended from the team in January after a particularly bad episode in Pittsburgh. Sonmor stepped down for good two games into the 1986-87 season for health reasons, leaving with a record of 174-161-82 in 417 games during his tenure.
hockey games on the Golden Gopher Radio Network, which includes WCCO-AM. Sonmor is a recipient of an honorary "M" by the University and is an "M Club" Hall of Fame inductee in 2007. From 1994-96, Sonmor was the director of player development for the now defunct Minnesota Moose
of the International Hockey League. In 2000, Sonmor was hired by the Minnesota Wild
, as a scout responsible for looking at high school talent for the club in preparation for the NHL Entry Draft. On 3 February, 2011, the 81 yr old Sonmor announced that he planned to retire from the Gopher broadcast booth following the end of the 2011 season.. During the February 18/19 series against the University of Wisconsin, Wally Shaver was joined in the WCCO broadcast booth by injured Gopher forward Zach Budish in lieu of Sonmor. Shortly following the series, it was announced that Sonmor would retire effective immediately, as opposed to finishing the season.
In 2006, Sonmor was awarded the Lester Patrick Trophy
for outstanding service to hockey in the United States along with Steve Yzerman
, Marcel Dionne
, Reed Larson
, and Red Berenson.
He is the author, with Ross Bernstein, of the autobiographical Old Time Hockey: Memories and Musings of a Lifetime on Ice.
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
player, scout and coach.
Early life
In high school, Sonmor played for Moose Jaw and was a multi-sport star; playing point guardPoint guard
Point guard , also called the play maker or "the ball-handler", is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position – essentially, he is expected to run the team's offense by controlling the ball and making sure that...
in basketball, quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
in football and left wing
Winger (ice hockey)
Winger, in the game of hockey, is a forward position of a player whose primary zone of play on the ice is along the outer playing area. They typically work by flanking the centre forward. Originally the name was given to forward players who went up and down the sides of the rink...
in hockey, as well as pitching in semi-pro baseball. At 5' 10", Sonmor would focus on hockey after graduation and would sign a C form with the Cleveland Barons
Cleveland Barons
The name Cleveland Barons has been used by three professional hockey teams and one junior team.*Cleveland Barons , the National Hockey League team that played between 1976 and 1978...
of the American Hockey League
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
, committing him to the team if he ever turned pro. Sonmor would then play junior hockey with the Guelph Bilmores
Guelph Biltmore Mad Hatters
The Guelph Biltmore Mad Hatters were a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey Association from 1940 to 1942, and 1947 to 1960. The team was often known as the "Biltmores" and sponsored by the Guelph Biltmore Hat Company, and played home games at the Guelph Memorial Gardens.- History :The...
in the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA)
Ontario Hockey League
The Ontario Hockey League is one of the three Major Junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League. The league is for players aged 15-20.The OHL also operates under the Ontario Hockey Federation of Hockey Canada....
and the Brandon Wheat Kings
Brandon Wheat Kings
The Brandon Wheat Kings are a Canadian junior ice hockey team based in Brandon, Manitoba. They compete in the Western Hockey League, and joined the league in the 1967–68 season. Prior to that they played in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League and were known as the Brandon Elks for a short time in the...
of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League (MJHL)
Manitoba Junior Hockey League
The Manitoba Junior Hockey League is a Junior 'A' ice hockey league operating in the Canadian province of Manitoba. The MJHL is one of eleven Junior 'A' Hockey Leagues in Canada and is a member of the Canadian Junior Hockey League ....
. The 1948-49 Brandon team would go onto win the MJHL championship, defetaing the Calgary Buffalos for the Abbott Cup
Abbott Cup
The Abbott Memorial Cup, commonly referred to as the Abbott Cup, was awarded annually from 1919 through 1999 to the Junior "A" ice hockey Champion for Western Canada....
, but would lose in the Memorial Cup
Memorial Cup
The Memorial Cup is a junior ice hockey club championship trophy awarded annually to the Canadian Hockey League champion. It is awarded following a four-team, round robin tournament between a host team and the champions of the CHL's three member leagues: the Ontario Hockey League , Quebec Major...
championship to the Montreal Royals
Montreal Royals
The Montreal Royals were a minor league professional baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec, that existed from 1897–1917 and from 1928–60 as a member of the International League and its progenitor, the original Eastern League...
. Sonmor would lead the way for the Wheat Kings with 18 goals and 30 assists in 30 regular season games and 10 goals and 14 assists in 25 playoff games. The 1948-49 team would be named to the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame
Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame
The Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame and Museum was established in 1985 when the first honoured members were named and plaques were erected in their honour. The first group of inductees was large in order to recognize the accomplishments of Manitoba players, coaches, builders and teams at the...
in 2006.
Professional career
In 1949, Sonmore was sent by Cleveland to the Minneapolis MillersMinneapolis Millers
The Minneapolis Millers were an American professional minor league baseball team that played in Minneapolis, Minnesota, until 1960. In the 19th century a different Minneapolis Millers were part of the Western League.The team played first in Athletic Park and later Nicollet Park.The name Minneapolis...
in the United States Hockey League
United States Hockey League
The United States Hockey League is the top junior ice hockey league in the United States. The USHL has 16 member teams located in the Midwestern United States, consisting of players who are 20 years of age and younger...
and his play attracted the attention of the parent club. From 1949 to 1954, Sonmore would play predominantly for the Barons, but would spend the 1951-52 season with the St. Louis Flyers
St. Louis Flyers
The St. Louis Flyers were a minor league ice hockey team, based in St. Louis, Missouri, playing home games at the St. Louis Arena in the city's Central West End, across from Forest Park....
, and would record consecutive 20-goal seasons.
Sonmor spent part of the 1953-54 season with the National Hockey League (NHL)
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
New York Rangers
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the...
before Cleveland officially traded him to the team on 15 November, 1954 for eventual Hall of Famer
Hockey Hall of Fame
The Hockey Hall of Fame is located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Dedicated to the history of ice hockey, it is both a museum and a hall of fame. It holds exhibits about players, teams, National Hockey League records, memorabilia and NHL trophies, including the Stanley Cup...
Andy Bathgate
Andy Bathgate
Andrew James Bathgate is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey centre who played 17 seasons in the National Hockey League for the New York Rangers, Toronto Maple Leafs, Detroit Red Wings and Pittsburgh Penguins.-Playing career:...
and Vic Howe
Vic Howe
Victor Stanley Howe was a professional ice hockey player who played the right wing position. He is NHL Hall of Famer Gordie Howe's brother, Colleen's brother-in-law and uncle to Mark and Marty Howe....
. In the NHL, Sonmor was considered a highly physical player known for his fighting abilities, as he would record only 2 goals in 30 games over the 1953-54 and 1954-55 seasons. On 27 February, 1955, Sonmor would suffer a career-ending injury to his left eye when he was hit by a slap shot from teammate Steve Kraftcheck
Steve Kraftcheck
Stephen S. Kraftcheck was a Canadian ice hockey defenceman and coach. He played two seasons with the New York Rangers from 1951 - 1953. And played 15 seasons in the AHL, 6 with the Cleveland Barons, 1 with the Indianapolis Capitails, 4 with the Rochester Americans,and two with the Providence...
. Sonmor's injury would come four days after the birth of his daughter Kathy, putting both he and his wife in the hospital at the same time. Later stories of Sonmor's glass eye popping out onto the Minnesota North Stars
Minnesota North Stars
The Minnesota North Stars were a professional ice hockey team in the National Hockey League for 26 seasons, from 1967 to 1993. The North Stars played their home games at the Met Center in Bloomington, and the team's colors for most of its history were green, yellow, gold and white...
bench during his coaching career are told by the North Stars' General Manager, Lou Nanne
Lou Nanne
Louis Vincent Nanne is a retired ice hockey defenceman and general manager who has made significant contributions to hockey in the United States.- Early life :...
.
Coaching career
Following his retirement from the NHL, Sonmor was hired to be the freshman hockey coach at the University of MinnesotaUniversity of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
by long time coach, and AHL & USHL teammate, John Mariucci
John Mariucci
John Mariucci was an American ice hockey player, administrator and coach. Mariucci was born in Eveleth, Minnesota. He attended the University of Minnesota where he played for both the hockey and football teams. He was named an All-American in hockey in 1940...
. He would then coached a number of amateur hockey teams including various levels in Junior hockey, at the Ohio State University
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
, before return to Minnesota as the vasity coach. Sonmor coached the Golden Gopher Hockey Team from 1966 - 1971, which included a Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA)
Western Collegiate Hockey Association
The Western Collegiate Hockey Association is a college athletic conference which operates over a wide area of the Midwestern and Western United States. It participates in the NCAA's Division I as an ice hockey-only conference....
regular season championship in the 1969-70 season
Western Collegiate Hockey Association men's champions
-Championships by season:-Championships by school:* currently members of the CCHAColorado College won its first NCAA national championship in 1950 prior to the founding of the Midwest Collegiate Hockey League. Likewise, Michigan won its 1948 title prior to the start of league play. North Dakota...
and a WCHA playoff championship in the 1970-71 season
Western Collegiate Hockey Association men's champions
-Championships by season:-Championships by school:* currently members of the CCHAColorado College won its first NCAA national championship in 1950 prior to the founding of the Midwest Collegiate Hockey League. Likewise, Michigan won its 1948 title prior to the start of league play. North Dakota...
.
In 1972, Sonmor moved up to the professional level when he joined the fledgling Minnesota Fighting Saints
Minnesota Fighting Saints
The Minnesota Fighting Saints was the name of two professional ice hockey teams based in Saint Paul, Minnesota that played in the World Hockey Association. The first team was one of the WHA's original twelve franchises, playing from 1972–76. The second team was relocated from Cleveland, Ohio, and...
of the World Hockey Association (WHA)
World Hockey Association
The World Hockey Association was a professional ice hockey league that operated in North America from 1972 to 1979. It was the first major competition for the National Hockey League since the collapse of the Western Hockey League in 1926...
as coach and general manager. In the middle of the season, Sonmor gave up his coaching duties, but continued as GM. After the team folded in 1976, the WHA's Cleveland Crusaders
Cleveland Crusaders
The Cleveland Crusaders were a professional ice hockey team from Cleveland, Ohio. The Crusaders were founded by Nick Mileti, and played in the World Hockey Association from 1972 to 1976...
moved to St. Paul and changed their name to the New Minnesota Fighting Saints and Sonmor was hired as the team's coach and general manager. However, the New Saints followed their predecessor and folded in January 1977. Sonmor then went on to coach the WHA's Birmingham Bulls
Birmingham Bulls
The Birmingham Bulls were a professional ice hockey team based in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. They played in the World Hockey Association from 1976 to 1979 and the Central Hockey League from 1979 to 1981. The Bulls played their home games at the Birmingham Jefferson Convention Center.Prior to being...
and stayed there through the end of the 1978-79 season. In 1979, Sonmor was named head coach of the NHL North Stars and would go on to coach the team 3 different times (1979-1983, 1984-1985, and 1986-1987). Sonmor's teams made the playoffs four of six full seasons and he led the team to the 1981 Stanley Cup Finals
1981 Stanley Cup Finals
-References:...
where they lost to the heavily favored New York Islanders
New York Islanders
The New York Islanders are a professional ice hockey team based in Uniondale, New York. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
(who were in the middle of a four-year run as Stanley Cup champions). However, Sonmor's career with the North Stars was overshadowed by several bar fights, and alcoholism that ultimately led him away time and time again from his coaching duties to enter care unit treatment for alcoholism. He would eventually give up drinking in 1983 after being suspended from the team in January after a particularly bad episode in Pittsburgh. Sonmor stepped down for good two games into the 1986-87 season for health reasons, leaving with a record of 174-161-82 in 417 games during his tenure.
Later life
Since retiring as a coach, Sonmor has predominantly worked as a radio analyst for University of MinnesotaUniversity of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
hockey games on the Golden Gopher Radio Network, which includes WCCO-AM. Sonmor is a recipient of an honorary "M" by the University and is an "M Club" Hall of Fame inductee in 2007. From 1994-96, Sonmor was the director of player development for the now defunct Minnesota Moose
Minnesota Moose
The Minnesota Moose was an ice hockey team in the International Hockey League. They played in Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA, at the Saint Paul Civic Center. The team also played some home games at the Target Center in Minneapolis. The Moose were a representative of professional hockey in Minnesota at...
of the International Hockey League. In 2000, Sonmor was hired by the Minnesota Wild
Minnesota Wild
The Minnesota Wild are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League ....
, as a scout responsible for looking at high school talent for the club in preparation for the NHL Entry Draft. On 3 February, 2011, the 81 yr old Sonmor announced that he planned to retire from the Gopher broadcast booth following the end of the 2011 season.. During the February 18/19 series against the University of Wisconsin, Wally Shaver was joined in the WCCO broadcast booth by injured Gopher forward Zach Budish in lieu of Sonmor. Shortly following the series, it was announced that Sonmor would retire effective immediately, as opposed to finishing the season.
In 2006, Sonmor was awarded the Lester Patrick Trophy
Lester Patrick Trophy
The Lester Patrick Trophy has been presented by the National Hockey League and USA Hockey since 1966 to honor a recipient's contribution to ice hockey in the United States. It is considered a non-NHL trophy because it may be awarded to players, coaches, officials, and other personnel outside the NHL...
for outstanding service to hockey in the United States along with Steve Yzerman
Steve Yzerman
Stephen Gregory "Steve" Yzerman is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player and current general manager of the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League...
, Marcel Dionne
Marcel Dionne
Marcel Elphege "Little Beaver" Dionne is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey centre who played 18 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Detroit Red Wings, Los Angeles Kings and New York Rangers...
, Reed Larson
Reed Larson
Reed David Larson is a retired professional ice hockey defenseman and former captain of the Detroit Red Wings who played 904 regular season games in the National Hockey League between 1976 and 1990...
, and Red Berenson.
He is the author, with Ross Bernstein, of the autobiographical Old Time Hockey: Memories and Musings of a Lifetime on Ice.