John McLellan
Encyclopedia
Daniel John McLellan was a Canadian professional hockey
player and coach
in the National Hockey League
. He was a member of teams that won the Memorial Cup
, the Allan Cup
and the world championships
.
Born in South Porcupine, Ontario (now part of Timmins
), McLellan was signed by the Toronto Maple Leafs
and brought to Toronto to play for the St. Michael's Buzzers
(1945–46) and then the St. Michael's Majors
, playing on the team that won the Memorial Cup
in 1947. As a senior, McLellan played three seasons with the Toronto Marlboros, winning the Allan Cup
in 1950. Both of McLellan's cup victories came under coach Joe Primeau
.
McLellan turned professional in 1950, and would play most of the next four seasons with the Pittsburgh Hornets, the Maple Leafs' American Hockey League
affiliate. In 1950–51, he also played for the Tulsa Oilers of the United States Hockey League
. McLellan was called up to the Maple Leafs for two games in 1951–52, and they would be his only games as a player in the NHL.
He was traded by the Leafs to the AHL Cleveland Barons in September 1954, and played there for four years. In May 1958, the Barons told him he could make his own deal to join another team. For the 1958–59 season, McLellan was reinstated as an amateur and played for the Belleville McFarlands
. The team represented Canada at the 1959 Ice Hockey World Championships
, winning gold.
McLellan played in other minor professional leagues through the rest of his career, playing for the Milwaukee Falcons
of the International Hockey League in 1959–60 and the Timmins Flyers of the Northern Ontario Hockey League in 1960–61. In 1962, he joined the Nashville Dixie Flyers
of the Eastern Hockey League
and played there for two seasons, before retiring as a player and becoming coach of the Nashville team.
After two years coaching in Nashville–winning the league championship both seasons—McLellan rejoined the Maple Leafs organization in 1967 as the head coach of their top minor league affiliate, the Tulsa Oilers of the Central Hockey League. He spent two years in Tulsa and was then brought back to the NHL in 1969 to succeed the fired Punch Imlach
as head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs. McLellan was coach of the Leafs for four seasons—missing 15 games in 1971–72 due to a duodenal ulcer
. He was voted NHL coach of the year in 1971. McLellan resigned as coach in 1973 to become the Leafs' assistant general manager.
In 1977, Imlach offered him the head coaching job with the Buffalo Sabres
, but McLellan declined. The two were briefly reunited in Toronto when Imlach rejoined the Maple Leafs in 1979. Just a few months later, the 51-year-old McLellan died from an apparent heart attack after raking leaves at his home in Agincourt, Toronto
.
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 and coach
Coach (ice hockey)
Coach in ice hockey is the person responsible for directing the team during games and practices, prepares strategy and decides which players will participate in games....
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 was a member of teams that won 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...
, the Allan Cup
Allan Cup
The Allan Cup is the trophy awarded annually to the national senior amateur men’s ice hockey champions of Canada. It has been competed for since 1909. The current champion is the Clarenville Caribous hockey club of Newfoundland and Labrador.-History:...
and the world championships
Ice Hockey World Championships
The Ice Hockey World Championships are an annual ice hockey tournament organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation . First officially held at the 1920 Summer Olympics, it is the sport's highest profile annual international tournament. The IIHF was created in 1908 while the European...
.
Born in South Porcupine, Ontario (now part of Timmins
Timmins
Timmins is a city in northeastern Ontario, Canada on the Mattagami River. At the time of the Canada 2006 Census, Timmins' population was 42,997...
), McLellan was signed by the Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
and brought to Toronto to play for the St. Michael's Buzzers
St. Michael's Buzzers
The St. Michael's Buzzers are a Junior "A" ice hockey team from Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are a part of Central Canadian Hockey League.-History:...
(1945–46) and then the St. Michael's Majors
Toronto St. Michael's Majors
The Toronto St. Michael's Majors, was a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League, based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The hockey program was founded and operated by St. Michael's College School in 1906, and adopted the name "Majors" in 1934, and was commonly referred to as St. Mike's...
, playing on the team that won 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...
in 1947. As a senior, McLellan played three seasons with the Toronto Marlboros, winning the Allan Cup
Allan Cup
The Allan Cup is the trophy awarded annually to the national senior amateur men’s ice hockey champions of Canada. It has been competed for since 1909. The current champion is the Clarenville Caribous hockey club of Newfoundland and Labrador.-History:...
in 1950. Both of McLellan's cup victories came under coach Joe Primeau
Joe Primeau
Alfred Joseph Francis "Gentleman Joe" Primeau , was a Canadian professional ice hockey player.-Playing career:...
.
McLellan turned professional in 1950, and would play most of the next four seasons with the Pittsburgh Hornets, the Maple Leafs' 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...
affiliate. In 1950–51, he also played for the Tulsa Oilers of 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...
. McLellan was called up to the Maple Leafs for two games in 1951–52, and they would be his only games as a player in the NHL.
He was traded by the Leafs to the AHL Cleveland Barons in September 1954, and played there for four years. In May 1958, the Barons told him he could make his own deal to join another team. For the 1958–59 season, McLellan was reinstated as an amateur and played for the Belleville McFarlands
Belleville McFarlands
The Belleville McFarlands were a men's senior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey Association Senior division from 1956 to 1961. The McFarlands were based out of Belleville, Ontario, playing home games at the Belleville Memorial Arena....
. The team represented Canada at the 1959 Ice Hockey World Championships
Ice Hockey World Championships
The Ice Hockey World Championships are an annual ice hockey tournament organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation . First officially held at the 1920 Summer Olympics, it is the sport's highest profile annual international tournament. The IIHF was created in 1908 while the European...
, winning gold.
McLellan played in other minor professional leagues through the rest of his career, playing for the Milwaukee Falcons
Milwaukee Falcons
The Milwaukee Falcons were a minor league professional ice hockey team, based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, that played in the International Hockey League from 1959 to 1960. Milwaukee placed third in the west division during their only complete season. The Falcons played 17 games into the 1960–61...
of the International Hockey League in 1959–60 and the Timmins Flyers of the Northern Ontario Hockey League in 1960–61. In 1962, he joined the Nashville Dixie Flyers
Nashville Dixie Flyers
The Nashville Dixie Flyers were a professional minor league ice hockey team in Nashville, Tennessee. They played in the Eastern Hockey League from 1962 until the franchise folded in 1971. Their home games were held at the Nashville Municipal Auditorium....
of the Eastern Hockey League
Eastern Hockey League
-Eastern Amateur Hockey League :The league was founded in 1933 as the Eastern Amateur Hockey League . The league was founded by Thomas Lockhart, who served as its commissioner from 1933 to 1972...
and played there for two seasons, before retiring as a player and becoming coach of the Nashville team.
After two years coaching in Nashville–winning the league championship both seasons—McLellan rejoined the Maple Leafs organization in 1967 as the head coach of their top minor league affiliate, the Tulsa Oilers of the Central Hockey League. He spent two years in Tulsa and was then brought back to the NHL in 1969 to succeed the fired Punch Imlach
Punch Imlach
George "Punch" Imlach , was an NHL coach and general manager. He is a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame.-Early career:...
as head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs. McLellan was coach of the Leafs for four seasons—missing 15 games in 1971–72 due to a duodenal ulcer
Peptic ulcer
A peptic ulcer, also known as PUD or peptic ulcer disease, is the most common ulcer of an area of the gastrointestinal tract that is usually acidic and thus extremely painful. It is defined as mucosal erosions equal to or greater than 0.5 cm...
. He was voted NHL coach of the year in 1971. McLellan resigned as coach in 1973 to become the Leafs' assistant general manager.
In 1977, Imlach offered him the head coaching job with the Buffalo Sabres
Buffalo Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League .-Founding and early success: 1970-71—1980-81:...
, but McLellan declined. The two were briefly reunited in Toronto when Imlach rejoined the Maple Leafs in 1979. Just a few months later, the 51-year-old McLellan died from an apparent heart attack after raking leaves at his home in Agincourt, Toronto
Agincourt, Toronto
Agincourt is a very diverse neighbourhood in the Scarborough district of the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is centred along Sheppard Avenue between Kennedy and Markham Roads...
.
Coaching record
| Team | |Regular Season | TOR Toronto Maple Leafs The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League... |
1969–70 | 76 | 29 | 34 | 13 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 71 | 6th in East | Did Not Qualify | |||||
| TOR Toronto Maple Leafs The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League... |
1970–71 | 78 | 37 | 33 | 8 | ||
| 82 | 4th in East | Lost in First round | |||||
| TOR Toronto Maple Leafs The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League... |
1971–72 | 78 | 33 | 31 | 14 | ||
| 80 | 4th in East | Lost in First round | |||||
| TOR Toronto Maple Leafs The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League... |
1972–73 | 78 | 27 | 41 | 10 | ||
| 64 | 6th in East | Did Not Qualify |