Muzz Patrick
Encyclopedia
Frederick Murray "Muzz" Patrick (June 28, 1915 — July 27, 1998) was a former NHL
player.
Patrick was born in Victoria, British Columbia
. In his youth, Muzz Patrick was one of Canada's most versatile athletes, excelling in track, basketball
, football
, cycling
, boxing
and hockey
. In the ring, he was a Canadian amateur light heavyweight
champion. But having Lester Patrick
, the original coach and GM of the New York Rangers
, for a father, lent a heavy bias towards pursuing hockey as a career. His brother, Lynn Patrick
, was also an NHL player.
Patrick turned pro with the New York Crescents in 1934 and then jumped to the Rovers the next year. There he played with future NHLers Alex Shibicky
and the Colville brothers, Neil and Mac. After a two-year stint with the Philadelphia Ramblers
of the AHL, Patrick finally settled in for full-time NHL action in 1938 with the Rangers. It was there that he used his large frame and boxing skills to keep opponents honest in the Rangers' zone. One night, Patrick's prowess came into full view when Hall of Famer Eddie Shore
massaged the neck of the Rangers' Phil Watson
while against the fence. Patrick intervened by dropping his gloves and, after a vigorous tilt, left Shore with a broken nose among other swollen souvenirs.
At the close of his second full season on Broadway in 1940, Patrick got his ultimate reward with a Stanley Cup
victory, the last the Rangers would enjoy until 1994. With the outbreak of World War II
, Patrick was one of the first NHLers to enlist in the U.S. Army just before the bombing of Pearl Harbor
.
After the war, he returned to the Rangers for 24 games and found he could not regain his form,
and was sent to the minors where he ended his on-ice career with the Tacoma Rockets
in 1949. Patrick then placed his full-time focus on coaching, a career he'd already started with Tacoma in 1947–48. After the Rockets disbanded, he moved over to the WHL's Seattle Bombers where served as the team's manager and coach.
In 1954, he made a return to New York where he coached the Rangers for a season before becoming the club's GM, a post he held until 1964. Muzzy's brother Lynn, his father Lester, his uncle Frank and his nephew Craig also won the Stanley Cup, and are members of hockey hall of hame.
He died in Riverside, Connecticut, of a heart attack on July 27, 1998.
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...
player.
Patrick was born in Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria is the capital city of British Columbia, Canada and is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific coast. The city has a population of about 78,000 within the metropolitan area of Greater Victoria, which has a population of 360,063, the 15th most populous Canadian...
. In his youth, Muzz Patrick was one of Canada's most versatile athletes, excelling in track, basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, football
Canadian football
Canadian football is a form of gridiron football played exclusively in Canada in which two teams of 12 players each compete for territorial control of a field of play long and wide attempting to advance a pointed prolate spheroid ball into the opposing team's scoring area...
, cycling
Cycling
Cycling, also called bicycling or biking, is the use of bicycles for transport, recreation, or for sport. Persons engaged in cycling are cyclists or bicyclists...
, boxing
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
and hockey
Hockey
Hockey is a family of sports in which two teams play against each other by trying to maneuver a ball or a puck into the opponent's goal using a hockey stick.-Etymology:...
. In the ring, he was a Canadian amateur light heavyweight
Light heavyweight
In boxing, the light heavyweight is a weight division above 168 pounds [12 Stone or 76.204 kilograms] and up to 175 pounds [12.5 stone or 79.38 kilograms]), falling between super middleweight and cruiserweight...
champion. But having Lester Patrick
Lester Patrick
Curtis Lester "The Silver Fox" Patrick born in Drummondville, Quebec, Canada, was a professional ice hockey player and coach associated with the Victoria Aristocrats/Cougars of the Pacific Coast Hockey Association , and the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League...
, the original coach and GM of 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...
, for a father, lent a heavy bias towards pursuing hockey as a career. His brother, Lynn Patrick
Lynn Patrick
Joseph Lynn Patrick was a Canadian professional ice hockey player and executive. As a player, Patrick played for the New York Rangers in the National Hockey League. Lynn was an important member of one Stanley Cup title the Rangers won in 1940. After his playing career, he went on to be the general...
, was also an NHL player.
Patrick turned pro with the New York Crescents in 1934 and then jumped to the Rovers the next year. There he played with future NHLers Alex Shibicky
Alex Shibicky
Alex Shibicky was an ice hockey forward who played for the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League from 1935 to 1946....
and the Colville brothers, Neil and Mac. After a two-year stint with the Philadelphia Ramblers
Philadelphia Ramblers
The Philadelphia Ramblers were a minor professional ice hockey team based in the Philadelphia Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Ramblers played for six seasons during the infancy of the American Hockey League from 1935 to 1941.-History:...
of the AHL, Patrick finally settled in for full-time NHL action in 1938 with the Rangers. It was there that he used his large frame and boxing skills to keep opponents honest in the Rangers' zone. One night, Patrick's prowess came into full view when Hall of Famer Eddie Shore
Eddie Shore
Edward William Shore was a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman, principally for the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League, and the longtime owner of the Springfield Indians of the American Hockey League, iconic for his toughness and defensive skill.Shore won the Hart Trophy as the...
massaged the neck of the Rangers' Phil Watson
Phil Watson
Henri Phillip Watson was a professional ice hockey player and coach in the NHL.-Coaching career:Soon after retiring as a player Phil Watson became a coach...
while against the fence. Patrick intervened by dropping his gloves and, after a vigorous tilt, left Shore with a broken nose among other swollen souvenirs.
At the close of his second full season on Broadway in 1940, Patrick got his ultimate reward with a 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...
victory, the last the Rangers would enjoy until 1994. With the outbreak of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Patrick was one of the first NHLers to enlist in the U.S. Army just before the bombing of Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
.
After the war, he returned to the Rangers for 24 games and found he could not regain his form,
and was sent to the minors where he ended his on-ice career with the Tacoma Rockets
Tacoma Rockets
The Tacoma Rockets were a junior ice hockey team in the Western Hockey League from 1991 to 1995. They played at the Tacoma Dome in Tacoma, Washington. The Rockets were granted as an expansion franchise, but low attendance forced the team to move to Kelowna, British Columbia after only four seasons,...
in 1949. Patrick then placed his full-time focus on coaching, a career he'd already started with Tacoma in 1947–48. After the Rockets disbanded, he moved over to the WHL's Seattle Bombers where served as the team's manager and coach.
In 1954, he made a return to New York where he coached the Rangers for a season before becoming the club's GM, a post he held until 1964. Muzzy's brother Lynn, his father Lester, his uncle Frank and his nephew Craig also won the Stanley Cup, and are members of hockey hall of hame.
He died in Riverside, Connecticut, of a heart attack on July 27, 1998.