Mike Milbury
Encyclopedia
Michael Milbury is an American
sportscaster
currently working as an ice hockey
analyst for the New England Sports Network (NESN)
, Hockey Night in Canada
and the NHL on NBC. He played twelve seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL)
, all of them as a defenseman for the Boston Bruins
. He later served as assistant general manager under Harry Sinden
and head coach for Boston, as well as general manager
and head coach for the New York Islanders
.
from 1972 to 1974. A defenseman who wore uniform number 7, he was the team's co-leader in assists
with 19 in his junior year. As senior captain, he had his best season with the Red Raiders with 30 points (4 goals
, 26 assists). He also led the squad in penalty minutes in both campaigns with 68 in 1973 and 85 in 1974. His totals in 76 games played were 6 goals, 55 assists, 61 points and 203 penalty minutes.
, the Bruins' top farm team
, in 1974. He signed with the Bruins as a free agent on November 5, 1974, and spent the next two campaigns with the Rochester Americans
, the team's new American Hockey League (AHL)
affiliate. In both seasons he led the club in penalty minutes with 246 in 1975 and 199 in 1976, finishing fourth and third respectively in the AHL.
He was promoted to the Bruins late in the 1975–76 season, playing in eleven of twelve Stanley Cup
playoff matches. Prior to the following NHL campaign, he was a member of the United States team at the inaugural 1976 Canada Cup
, getting a goal and three assists in five contests.
In his first three full years with the Bruins, his heavily aggressive style of play was a perfect fit for the overachieving team coached by Don Cherry and featuring similar tough players such as Terry O'Reilly
, John Wensink
and Stan Jonathan
. Milbury helped his team reach consecutive Stanley Cup Finals in 1977
and 1978
, with Boston losing both times to the Montreal Canadiens
in four and six games respectively.
In his twelve seasons as a defenseman for the Bruins, he appeared in the postseason eleven times. He accumulated more than 200 penalty minutes in 1981 (222) and 1983 (216) and surpassed 100 six other times. He also served as the club's representative with the NHL Players' Association and was outspoken on several controversial issues.
Milbury gained notoriety for what occurred following a 4–3 Bruins victory over the New York Rangers
at Madison Square Garden
on December 23, 1979. During an on-ice fray between the players from both sides, a Rangers fan cut Jonathan's face with a rolled-up program and grabbed his hockey stick. O'Reilly climbed over the Plexiglas and went into the stands in pursuit of the offender, followed by Peter McNab and other teammates. Milbury, who had actually reached the visitors locker room when his teammates started going into the stands, raced back to join his colleagues in the brawl. He caught the unruly spectator, removed one of his shoes and, while holding the heel end, slapped him hard once with the sole side before being restrained. Subsequently NHL president John Ziegler suspended O'Reilly for eight games and McNab and Milbury for six, with each being fined $500. The offending fan was fined $500 and sentenced to six months in jail. This incident also resulted in the installation of higher glass panels enclosing rinks in hockey arenas.
for his controversial (and often quotable) style, as well as for his penchant for blockbuster trades.
He was the head coach of the Wales Conference team at the 1991 All-Star Game
, where he generated some controversy by including enforcer Chris Nilan
and checker Brian Skrudland
ahead of players such as Kirk Muller
and Guy Lafleur
. However, Nilan and Skrudland both missed the game due to injury. As a result of Milbury's controversial roster picks, the league's board of governors
changed their policy so that future teams would be chosen by committee.
because team owners no longer wanted to pay his multi-million dollar contract.
However, Milbury has also been criticized for the many decisions he made in which payroll or orders for upper management were not factors. Many young players and prospects that Milbury traded away went on to have distinguished careers, often eclipsing those of the players he received in return. He has traded away defensemen Zdeno Chara
, Wade Redden
, Bryan Berard
, Eric Brewer, Darius Kasparaitis
, and Bryan McCabe
; goalies Roberto Luongo
and Tommy Salo
, as well as forwards Olli Jokinen
, Todd Bertuzzi
, Tim Connolly
, and Raffi Torres
. Milbury has also come under fire for his draft day decisions such as choosing Rick DiPietro
first overall in 2000
over Dany Heatley
and Marian Gaborik
; as well as his decision to include the 2001
second overall draft pick (Jason Spezza
) as part of the Alexei Yashin
trade.
In June 2006, Milbury stepped down as Islanders GM to accept a position as Senior Vice President of Charles Wang
's sports holdings. In an appearance on Mike and the Mad Dog
, Wang did not challenge a suggestion from the hosts that he "fired" Milbury. Milbury resigned from his Senior VP job in May 2007. He said that he missed making hockey-related decisions and would be open to a hockey operations job in another organization.
, VERSUS
, and TSN
in Canada
hired Milbury as an analyst for the 2007–08 season. He also does the pre and post game analysis for the Boston Bruins, and for the past two years, he has participated in the broadcast of the Winter Classic. In July 2008, Milbury signed a two-year contract with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
's Hockey Night in Canada
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
sportscaster
Sportscaster
In sports broadcasting, a commentator gives a running commentary of a game or event in real time, usually during a live broadcast. The comments are normally a voiceover, with the sounds of the action and spectators also heard in the background. In the case of television commentary, the commentator...
currently working as an ice hockey
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...
analyst for the New England Sports Network (NESN)
New England Sports Network
The New England Sports Network, or NESN [NESS-en], is a regional cable television network that covers the six New England states except Fairfield County, Connecticut and Southbury, Connecticut, a town in New Haven County, Connecticut which is covered by New York City sports networks...
, Hockey Night in Canada
Hockey Night in Canada
Hockey Night in Canada is the branding used for CBC Sports' presentations of the National Hockey League...
and the NHL on NBC. He played twelve seasons in 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...
, all of them as a defenseman for the Boston Bruins
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the...
. He later served as assistant general manager under Harry Sinden
Harry Sinden
Harry James Sinden was the long-time general manager, coach, and president for the Boston Bruins NHL hockey team, and was the coach of Team Canada during the 1972 Summit Series...
and head coach for Boston, as well as general manager
General manager
General manager is a descriptive term for certain executives in a business operation. It is also a formal title held by some business executives, most commonly in the hospitality industry.-Generic usage:...
and head coach for the 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...
.
Colgate University
Milbury was a three-year letterman at Colgate UniversityColgate University
Colgate University is a private liberal arts college in Hamilton, New York, USA. The school was founded in 1819 as a Baptist seminary and later became non-denominational. It is named for the Colgate family who greatly contributed to the university's endowment in the 19th century.Colgate has 52...
from 1972 to 1974. A defenseman who wore uniform number 7, he was the team's co-leader in assists
Assist (ice hockey)
In ice hockey, an assist is attributed to up to two players of the scoring team who shot, passed or deflected the puck towards the scoring teammate, or touched it in any other way which enabled the goal, meaning that they were "assisting" in the goal. There can be a maximum of two assists per goal...
with 19 in his junior year. As senior captain, he had his best season with the Red Raiders with 30 points (4 goals
Goal (ice hockey)
In ice hockey, a goal is scored when the puck completely crosses the goal line between the two goal posts and below the goal crossbar. A goal awards one point to the team attacking the goal scored upon, regardless of which team the player who actually deflected the puck into the goal belongs to...
, 26 assists). He also led the squad in penalty minutes in both campaigns with 68 in 1973 and 85 in 1974. His totals in 76 games played were 6 goals, 55 assists, 61 points and 203 penalty minutes.
Boston Bruins
Immediately after the conclusion of his college hockey career, Milbury played in five games with the Boston BravesBoston Braves (AHL)
The Boston Braves were a professional ice hockey team in Boston, Massachusetts. They were a member of the American Hockey League from 1971 to 1974....
, the Bruins' top farm team
Farm team
In sports, a farm team, farm system, feeder team or nursery club, is generally a team or club whose role is to provide experience and training for young players, with an agreement that any successful players can move on to a higher level at a given point...
, in 1974. He signed with the Bruins as a free agent on November 5, 1974, and spent the next two campaigns with the Rochester Americans
Rochester Americans
The Rochester Americans are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League, and a top affiliate of the Buffalo Sabres. The team plays its home games in Rochester, New York, at the Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial...
, the team's new American Hockey League (AHL)
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 both seasons he led the club in penalty minutes with 246 in 1975 and 199 in 1976, finishing fourth and third respectively in the AHL.
He was promoted to the Bruins late in the 1975–76 season, playing in eleven of twelve Stanley Cup
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
playoff matches. Prior to the following NHL campaign, he was a member of the United States team at the inaugural 1976 Canada Cup
1976 Canada Cup
The 1976 Canada Cup was an international ice hockey tournament held September 2–15, 1976, in Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal, Winnipeg and Quebec, Canada as well as in Philadelphia, United States. It was the first of five Canada Cup tournaments held between 1976 and 1991...
, getting a goal and three assists in five contests.
In his first three full years with the Bruins, his heavily aggressive style of play was a perfect fit for the overachieving team coached by Don Cherry and featuring similar tough players such as Terry O'Reilly
Terry O'Reilly
Terence Joseph James O'Reilly is a retired ice hockey right winger, who played for the NHL's Boston Bruins, and one of the most effective enforcers in NHL history....
, John Wensink
John Wensink
John Wensink is a retired professional ice hockey player.Growing up in Maxville, Ontario the son of Dutch immigrants, Wensink is best remembered for his time with the Boston Bruins, where he teamed with Terry O'Reilly and Stan Jonathan as the team's enforcers...
and Stan Jonathan
Stan Jonathan
Stanley Carl "Bulldog" Jonathan is a retired native ice hockey left winger.Jonathan started his National Hockey League career with the Boston Bruins with one game in the 1975-76 season. He continued to play for the Bruins from 1976-1983...
. Milbury helped his team reach consecutive Stanley Cup Finals in 1977
1977 Stanley Cup Finals
The 1977 Stanley Cup Final championship series was contested by the Boston Bruins and the defending champion Montreal Canadiens. The Bruins were making their first appearance in the Final series since their loss in the 1974 Final. The Canadiens would win the best-of-seven series four games to none,...
and 1978
1978 Stanley Cup Finals
The 1978 Stanley Cup Final championship series was contested by the Boston Bruins and the defending champion Montreal Canadiens, making their third-straight appearance. The series was a rematch of the 1977 final...
, with Boston losing both times to the Montreal Canadiens
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...
in four and six games respectively.
In his twelve seasons as a defenseman for the Bruins, he appeared in the postseason eleven times. He accumulated more than 200 penalty minutes in 1981 (222) and 1983 (216) and surpassed 100 six other times. He also served as the club's representative with the NHL Players' Association and was outspoken on several controversial issues.
Milbury gained notoriety for what occurred following a 4–3 Bruins victory over the 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...
at Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
on December 23, 1979. During an on-ice fray between the players from both sides, a Rangers fan cut Jonathan's face with a rolled-up program and grabbed his hockey stick. O'Reilly climbed over the Plexiglas and went into the stands in pursuit of the offender, followed by Peter McNab and other teammates. Milbury, who had actually reached the visitors locker room when his teammates started going into the stands, raced back to join his colleagues in the brawl. He caught the unruly spectator, removed one of his shoes and, while holding the heel end, slapped him hard once with the sole side before being restrained. Subsequently NHL president John Ziegler suspended O'Reilly for eight games and McNab and Milbury for six, with each being fined $500. The offending fan was fined $500 and sentenced to six months in jail. This incident also resulted in the installation of higher glass panels enclosing rinks in hockey arenas.
Coaching/Executive career
Milbury is a well-known figure in the National Hockey LeagueNational 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...
for his controversial (and often quotable) style, as well as for his penchant for blockbuster trades.
Boston Bruins
He became head coach of the Boston Bruins in the 1989–90 season, leading the team to the Presidents Trophy and an appearance in the Stanley Cup finals. He was named Executive of the Year by the Sporting News.He was the head coach of the Wales Conference team at the 1991 All-Star Game
42nd National Hockey League All-Star Game
The 42nd National Hockey League All-Star Game took place in Chicago Stadium, home of the Chicago Blackhawks, on January 19, 1991.-Commissioner's Choice:...
, where he generated some controversy by including enforcer Chris Nilan
Chris Nilan
Christopher John Nilan is a retired professional ice hockey player. Nilan played 688 NHL regular season games as a right-wing for the Montreal Canadiens, Boston Bruins, and New York Rangers between 1980 and 1992. He won the Stanley Cup in 1986 with Montreal...
and checker Brian Skrudland
Brian Skrudland
Brian Skrudland is a retired former professional ice hockey player who played for the Montreal Canadiens, Calgary Flames, Florida Panthers, New York Rangers and Dallas Stars.- Junior and minor pro :...
ahead of players such as Kirk Muller
Kirk Muller
Kirk Christopher Muller is a retired professional ice hockey centre who played in the National Hockey League for 19 seasons from 1984–85 until 2002–03...
and Guy Lafleur
Guy Lafleur
Guy Damien "The Flower" / "Le Démon Blond" Lafleur, OC, CQ is a former Canadian professional ice hockey player who is widely regarded as one of the most naturally gifted and popular players ever to play professional ice hockey...
. However, Nilan and Skrudland both missed the game due to injury. As a result of Milbury's controversial roster picks, the league's board of governors
Board of governors
Board of governors is a term sometimes applied to the board of directors of a public entity or non-profit organization.Many public institutions, such as public universities, are government-owned corporations. The British Broadcasting Corporation was managed by a board of governors, though this role...
changed their policy so that future teams would be chosen by committee.
New York Islanders
During several of the years that Milbury served as Islanders GM, the team's ownership mandated that he operate the team on an austere budget. In 1999 he was forced to trade star scorer Zigmund PalffyZigmund Palffy
Žigmund "Ziggy" Pálffy is a Slovak professional ice hockey player of Hungarian origin, who plays for HK 36 Skalica of the Slovak Extraliga....
because team owners no longer wanted to pay his multi-million dollar contract.
However, Milbury has also been criticized for the many decisions he made in which payroll or orders for upper management were not factors. Many young players and prospects that Milbury traded away went on to have distinguished careers, often eclipsing those of the players he received in return. He has traded away defensemen Zdeno Chara
Zdeno Chára
Zdeno Chára is a Slovak professional ice hockey defenseman. He is the captain of the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League and won the Norris Trophy while playing for them in 2008–09. At 6 ft 9 , he is the tallest player ever to play in the NHL...
, Wade Redden
Wade Redden
Wade Redden is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman currently playing in the New York Rangers organization for its American Hockey League affiliate, the Connecticut Whale. He joined the New York Rangers in 2008 after 11 seasons with the Ottawa Senators...
, Bryan Berard
Bryan Berard
Bryan Wallace Berard is a former American professional ice hockey player. He was the first overall pick in the 1995 NHL Entry Draft by the Ottawa Senators. He is most noted for a debilitating eye injury he received early in his career...
, Eric Brewer, Darius Kasparaitis
Darius Kasparaitis
Darius Kasparaitis is a retired professional ice hockey defenseman. Known by the nickname Kaspar, he has dual citizenship in both the United States and Russia, and he has played for the Russian national ice hockey team.- Playing career :Kasparaitis left Lithuania for Russia at age 14 after...
, and Bryan McCabe
Bryan McCabe
Bryan McCabe is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who is a free agent.McCabe moved to Calgary, Alberta at a young age and spent the majority of his minor hockey career playing in the Calgary area....
; goalies Roberto Luongo
Roberto Luongo
Roberto Luongo is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender for the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League . Born in Montreal, Quebec, he is of Italian and Irish ancestry. He employs the butterfly style of goaltending...
and Tommy Salo
Tommy Salo
Tommy Mikael Salo is a Swedish General Manager of Swedish ice hockey club Leksands IF of the HockeyAllsvenskan. He is a retired professional ice hockey goaltender and a former head coach of IK Oskarshamn.-Playing career:...
, as well as forwards Olli Jokinen
Olli Jokinen
Olli Jokinen is a Finnish professional ice hockey player currently playing for the Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League . He was initially drafted by the Los Angeles Kings in 1997, third overall after Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau. He was the captain of the Florida Panthers from 2003...
, Todd Bertuzzi
Todd Bertuzzi
Todd Bertuzzi is a Canadian professional ice hockey winger with the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League...
, Tim Connolly
Tim Connolly
Tim Connolly is an American professional ice hockey player for the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League.-Playing career:...
, and Raffi Torres
Raffi Torres
Raphael "Raffi" Torres is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward who currently plays for the Phoenix Coyotes of the National Hockey League . He was drafted by the New York Islanders fifth overall in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft. He has additionally played in the NHL for the Edmonton Oilers,...
. Milbury has also come under fire for his draft day decisions such as choosing Rick DiPietro
Rick DiPietro
Rick DiPietro, Jr. is an American professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the New York Islanders of the National Hockey League . He was the first overall selection by the Islanders in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft....
first overall in 2000
2000 NHL Entry Draft
The 2000 NHL Entry Draft was held from June 24 to 25 at the Pengrowth Saddledome in Calgary, Alberta, following the 2000 NHL Expansion Draft on June 23 for the Columbus Blue Jackets and Minnesota Wild...
over Dany Heatley
Dany Heatley
Daniel James Heatley is a Canadian professional ice hockey winger, and alternate captain for the Minnesota Wild of the National Hockey League . Originally drafted by the Atlanta Thrashers second overall in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft, he won the Calder Memorial Trophy as the top NHL rookie in 2002...
and Marian Gaborik
Marian Gaborik
Marián Gáborík is a Slovak professional ice hockey right winger currently playing for the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League . He began his career in the Slovak Extraliga with HC Dukla Trenčín for two seasons before being drafted third overall in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft by the...
; as well as his decision to include the 2001
2001 NHL Entry Draft
The 2001 NHL Entry Draft was held on June 23–24, 2001 at the National Car Rental Center in Sunrise, Florida.-Round one:-Round two:-Round three:-Round four:-Round five:-Round six:-Round seven:-Round eight:-Round nine:...
second overall draft pick (Jason Spezza
Jason Spezza
Jason Anthony Rocco Spezza is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre, an alternate captain of the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League...
) as part of the Alexei Yashin
Alexei Yashin
Alexei Valeryevich Yashin is a Russian professional ice hockey player. He is currently a member of CSKA Moscow of the Kontinental Hockey League...
trade.
In June 2006, Milbury stepped down as Islanders GM to accept a position as Senior Vice President of Charles Wang
Charles Wang
Charles B. Wang is the co-founder of Computer Associates International, Inc. and owner of the New York Islanders ice hockey team and their AHL affiliates, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers....
's sports holdings. In an appearance on Mike and the Mad Dog
Mike and the Mad Dog
Mike and the Mad Dog was an afternoon drive sports radio program based out of WFAN in New York City that featured Mike Francesa and Christopher "Mad Dog" Russo talking sports and taking phone calls from listeners. From 2002 onwards the show was simulcasted on the YES Network...
, Wang did not challenge a suggestion from the hosts that he "fired" Milbury. Milbury resigned from his Senior VP job in May 2007. He said that he missed making hockey-related decisions and would be open to a hockey operations job in another organization.
Television work
American networks NESN, NBCNBC Sports
NBC Sports is the sports division of the NBC television network. Formerly "a service of NBC News," it broadcasts a diverse array of programs, including the Olympic Games, the NFL, the NHL, MLS, Notre Dame football, the PGA Tour, the Triple Crown, and the French Open, among others...
, VERSUS
Versus
Versus, often abbreviated v. or v, vs. or vs may refer to:- Media :* Versus , a United States sports channel, to be renamed NBC Sports Network in 2012* Versus , a Japanese action/horror film...
, and TSN
The Sports Network
The Sports Network, commonly abbreviated as TSN, is a Canadian English language Category C specialty channel and is Canada's leading English language sports TV channel. TSN premiered in 1984, in the first group of Canadian specialty cable channels...
in Canada
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...
hired Milbury as an analyst for the 2007–08 season. He also does the pre and post game analysis for the Boston Bruins, and for the past two years, he has participated in the broadcast of the Winter Classic. In July 2008, Milbury signed a two-year contract with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
's Hockey Night in Canada
Hockey Night in Canada
Hockey Night in Canada is the branding used for CBC Sports' presentations of the National Hockey League...
.
Career statistics
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1971–72 | Colgate University Colgate University Colgate University is a private liberal arts college in Hamilton, New York, USA. The school was founded in 1819 as a Baptist seminary and later became non-denominational. It is named for the Colgate family who greatly contributed to the university's endowment in the 19th century.Colgate has 52... |
NCAA | 25 | 0 | 10 | 10 | 50 | |||||
| 1972–73 | 23 | 2 | 19 | 21 | 68 | |||||||
| 1973–74 | 28 | 4 | 26 | 30 | 85 | |||||||
| 1973–74 | Boston Braves Boston Braves Boston Braves may refer to any of the following American professional sports teams:*Boston Braves , the Major League Baseball team now known as the Atlanta Braves... |
AHL AHL AHL is a three-letter abbreviation with multiple meanings, as described below:* American Hockey League, professional ice hockey league in the USA and Canada* Australian Hockey League, Australian national field hockey league* Allianz Hurling League... |
5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1974–75 | Rochester Americans Rochester Americans The Rochester Americans are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League, and a top affiliate of the Buffalo Sabres. The team plays its home games in Rochester, New York, at the Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial... |
71 | 2 | 15 | 17 | 246 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 24 | |
| 1975–76 | 73 | 3 | 15 | 18 | 199 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 13 | ||
| 1975–76 | Boston Bruins Boston Bruins The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the... |
NHL | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 29 |
| 1976–77 | 77 | 6 | 18 | 24 | 166 | 13 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 47 | ||
| 1977–78 | 80 | 8 | 30 | 38 | 151 | 15 | 1 | 8 | 9 | 27 | ||
| 1978–79 | 74 | 1 | 34 | 35 | 149 | 11 | 1 | 7 | 8 | 7 | ||
| 1979–80 | 72 | 10 | 13 | 23 | 59 | 10 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 50 | ||
| 1980–81 | 77 | 0 | 18 | 18 | 222 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 10 | ||
| 1981–82 | 51 | 2 | 10 | 12 | 71 | 11 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 6 | ||
| 1982–83 | 78 | 9 | 15 | 24 | 216 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1983–84 | 74 | 2 | 17 | 19 | 159 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | ||
| 1984–85 | 78 | 3 | 13 | 16 | 152 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | ||
| 1985–86 | 22 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 102 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | ||
| 1986–87 | 68 | 6 | 16 | 22 | 96 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | ||
| NHL totals | 754 | 49 | 189 | 238 | 1552 | 86 | 4 | 24 | 28 | 219 | ||
Coaching record
| Season | Team | League | Type | GP | W | L | T | Pct | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985–86 | Boston Bruins | NHL | Assistant | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1987–88 | Maine Mariners | AHL | Head | 80 | 44 | 25 | 7 | 0.61875 | Lost in round 2 |
| 1988–89 | 80 | 32 | 40 | 8 | 0.45000 | Out of Playoffs | |||
| 1989–90 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 80 | 46 | 25 | 9 | 0.63125 | Lost in Finals | |
| 1990–91 | 80 | 44 | 24 | 12 | 0.62500 | Lost in round 3 | |||
| 1995–96 | New York Islanders | 82 | 22 | 50 | 10 | 0.32927 | Out of Playoffs | ||
| 1996–97 | 45 | 13 | 23 | 9 | 0.38889 | Replaced Midseason | |||
| 1997–98 | 19 | 8 | 9 | 2 | 0.47368 | Out of Playoffs | |||
| 1998–99 | — | — | — | — | — | Replaced Midseason |