Jim Koleff
Encyclopedia
Jim Koleff was a Canadian
hockey player and coach who spent three decades playing hockey and coaching and managing hockey teams in Europe.
Koleff played for three seasons, from 1971 to 1973, with the junior hockey Hamilton Red Wings
from 1971 to 1973. He was drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks
in 1973, but never played in the National Hockey League
. He followed with four seasons at mid-level minor hockey teams, including the Flint Generals
of the International Hockey League.
Dave Chambers
just hired as coach of the Val Gardena of the Serie A
Italian hockey league, invited Koleff to play for the team, and led the league in scoring that season. He was signed by Hockey Club Lugano
of the Swiss National League A. He played for HC Lugano until 1992 when he took up became the coaching of EV Zug
.
During the 1992 season, he was diagnosed with testicular cancer
, which was in remission for a period until it metastasized two years as a stomach tumor. With chemotherapy, the cancer disappeared. He returned to coaching and led EV Zug to its first-ever league championship series. He returned to coach Lugano to a victory in the 1999 Swiss championship, the team's first win in nine seasons. He later became coach, and later general manager, of the Lausanne Hockey Club, and was a member of the team's board of directors a the time of his death. In 2006, he told The Hamilton Spectator
that "I told Dave
I'd go for one year and 30 years later I'm still here".
He was an assistant coach on Pat Quinn
's Team Canada staff that won the silver medal at the 2006 Spengler Cup
held in Davos
, Switzerland
.
Koleff died at age 55 on November 2, 2008 in Lausanne, Switzerland after a 16-year battle with cancer.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
hockey player and coach who spent three decades playing hockey and coaching and managing hockey teams in Europe.
Koleff played for three seasons, from 1971 to 1973, with the junior hockey Hamilton Red Wings
Hamilton Red Wings
The Hamilton Red Wings were a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey Association from 1960 to 1974. The team was based in Hamilton, Ontario.-History:...
from 1971 to 1973. He was drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks
Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They have won four Stanley Cup championships since their founding in 1926, most recently coming in 2009-10...
in 1973, but never played in the National Hockey League
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...
. He followed with four seasons at mid-level minor hockey teams, including the Flint Generals
Flint Generals (IHL)
The Flint Generals were a professional hockey team in Flint, Michigan from 1969–1985. They were members of the International Hockey League and played their home games at the IMA Sports Arena. Their team colors were originally black and gold, but they were changed to royal blue, gold, and white....
of the International Hockey League.
Dave Chambers
Dave Chambers
Dave Chambers is a former Canadian ice hockey coach. He was head coach of the Quebec Nordiques from 1990 to 1992....
just hired as coach of the Val Gardena of the Serie A
Serie A (hockey)
Serie A is the name of the top tier of professional ice hockey in Italy, which first began play in 1924. They are conducted under the authority of the Federazione Italiana Sport del Ghiaccio...
Italian hockey league, invited Koleff to play for the team, and led the league in scoring that season. He was signed by Hockey Club Lugano
Hockey Club Lugano
Hockey Club Lugano, often abbreviated to HC Lugano or HCL, is a professional ice hockey club based in Lugano, Switzerland. The team competes in the National League A and has won seven Swiss championships. The team is the twelfth most attended team in Switzerland for the 2010/11 season with 4,060...
of the Swiss National League A. He played for HC Lugano until 1992 when he took up became the coaching of EV Zug
EV Zug
EV Zug is a professional men's ice hockey team from Zug, Switzerland. They are a current member of National League A and play their home games at Bossard Arena.-History:EV Zug won its lone championship in the 1997–98 season....
.
During the 1992 season, he was diagnosed with testicular cancer
Testicular cancer
Testicular cancer is cancer that develops in the testicles, a part of the male reproductive system.In the United States, between 7,500 and 8,000 diagnoses of testicular cancer are made each year. In the UK, approximately 2,000 men are diagnosed each year. Over his lifetime, a man's risk of...
, which was in remission for a period until it metastasized two years as a stomach tumor. With chemotherapy, the cancer disappeared. He returned to coaching and led EV Zug to its first-ever league championship series. He returned to coach Lugano to a victory in the 1999 Swiss championship, the team's first win in nine seasons. He later became coach, and later general manager, of the Lausanne Hockey Club, and was a member of the team's board of directors a the time of his death. In 2006, he told The Hamilton Spectator
The Hamilton Spectator
The Hamilton Spectator, founded in 1846, is a newspaper published every day but Sunday in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The paper has a daily circulation of 105,000 and a daily readership of nearly 260,000.-History:...
that "I told Dave
Dave Chambers
Dave Chambers is a former Canadian ice hockey coach. He was head coach of the Quebec Nordiques from 1990 to 1992....
I'd go for one year and 30 years later I'm still here".
He was an assistant coach on Pat Quinn
Pat Quinn (ice hockey)
John Brian Patrick Quinn , is a former head coach in the National Hockey League , most recently with the Edmonton Oilers. Known by the nickname "The Big Irishman",...
's Team Canada staff that won the silver medal at the 2006 Spengler Cup
2006 Spengler Cup
The 2006 Spengler Cup was held in Davos, Switzerland between December 26, 2006 and December 31, 2006. All matches were played at HC Davos' home arena, Vaillant Arena...
held in Davos
Davos
Davos is a municipality in the district of Prättigau/Davos in the canton of Graubünden, Switzerland. It has a permanent population of 11,248 . Davos is located on the Landwasser River, in the Swiss Alps, between the Plessur and Albula Range...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
.
Koleff died at age 55 on November 2, 2008 in Lausanne, Switzerland after a 16-year battle with cancer.