Bob Murdoch (ice hockey, born 1946)
Bob Murdoch | |||
---|---|---|---|
Born |
Kirkland Lake, Ontario, Canada | November 20, 1946||
Died | August 2023 (aged 76) | ||
Height | 6 ft 0 in (183 cm) | ||
Weight | 211 lb (96 kg; 15 st 1 lb) | ||
Position | Defence | ||
Shot | Right | ||
Played for |
Montreal Canadiens Los Angeles Kings Atlanta Flames Calgary Flames | ||
Coached for |
Chicago Blackhawks Winnipeg Jets Maddogs München Kölner Haie Nürnberg Ice Tigers | ||
National team | Canada | ||
NHL draft | Undrafted | ||
Playing career | 1970–1982 | ||
Coaching career | 1982–2002 |
Robert John Murdoch (November 20, 1946 – August 2023)[1] was a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman and coach. Murdoch played 12 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Montreal Canadiens, Los Angeles Kings, Atlanta Flames and Calgary Flames and coached 10 seasons in the NHL serving as head coach for Chicago Blackhawks and Winnipeg Jets, and also serving as assistant coach for the Calgary Flames and San Jose Sharks.[2] He won the Stanley Cup in 1971 and 1973 while with Montreal.
International play
Murdoch played for Canada national team in 1968–69 and in 1969–70, was one of many players affected by the withdrawal of the National Team from participating in the 1970 Ice Hockey World Championships.
Coaching career
Murdoch coached 80 games with the Chicago Blackhawks during the 1987–88 season, compiling a record of 30–41–9. He was succeeded as Blackhawks head coach by Mike Keenan the following season.[3]
During the 1989–90 season, Murdoch was named the head coach of the Winnipeg Jets. After missing the playoffs the previous season, the Jets went 37–32–11 for 85 points and third in the Smythe Division, making the 1990 Stanley Cup playoffs but losing to the eventual Stanley Cup champion, the Edmonton Oilers, in seven games. Murdoch was seen as an important part of the Jets quick turn around, winning the Jack Adams Award as the NHL's coach of the year.
Despite the success of the previous season, however, the Jets struggled in the 1990–91 season, finishing last in the Smythe Division with a 26–43–11 record, and missing the playoffs. Murdoch was fired at the end of the season and was replaced by John Paddock.
Murdoch would become an associate coach for the San Jose Sharks during the 1991–92 and 1992–93 seasons. Afterwards, he departed for Europe, and has coached several teams in Germany's Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL).
Career statistics
Regular season and playoffs
Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
1968–69 | Winnipeg Nationals | WCSHL | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
1969–70 | Montreal Voyageurs | AHL | 6 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
1970–71 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
1970–71 | Montreal Voyageurs | AHL | 66 | 8 | 20 | 28 | 69 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | ||
1971–72 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 11 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
1971–72 | Nova Scotia Voyageurs | AHL | 53 | 7 | 32 | 39 | 53 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
1972–73 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 69 | 2 | 22 | 24 | 55 | 13 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 10 | ||
1973–74 | Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 76 | 8 | 20 | 28 | 85 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||
1974–75 | Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 80 | 13 | 29 | 42 | 116 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | ||
1975–76 | Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 80 | 6 | 29 | 35 | 103 | 9 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 15 | ||
1976–77 | Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 70 | 9 | 23 | 32 | 79 | 9 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 14 | ||
1977–78 | Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 76 | 2 | 17 | 19 | 68 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 | ||
1978–79 | Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 32 | 3 | 12 | 15 | 46 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
1978–79 | Atlanta Flames | NHL | 35 | 5 | 11 | 16 | 24 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | ||
1979–80 | Atlanta Flames | NHL | 80 | 5 | 16 | 21 | 48 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | ||
1980–81 | Calgary Flames | NHL | 74 | 3 | 19 | 22 | 54 | 16 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 36 | ||
1981–82 | Calgary Flames | NHL | 73 | 3 | 17 | 20 | 76 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
NHL totals | 757 | 60 | 218 | 278 | 764 | 69 | 4 | 18 | 22 | 92 |
International
Year | Team | Event | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1969 | Canada | WC | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | |
Senior totals | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Head coaching record
Team | Year | Regular season | Postseason | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G | W | L | T | Pts | Finish | W | L | Win % | Result | ||
CHI | 1987–88 | 80 | 30 | 41 | 9 | 69 | 3rd in Norris | 1 | 4 | .200 | Lost in Division Semifinals (STL) |
WIN | 1989–90 | 80 | 37 | 32 | 11 | 85 | 3rd in Smythe | 3 | 4 | .429 | Lost in Division Semifinals (EDM) |
WIN | 1990–91 | 80 | 26 | 43 | 11 | 63 | 5th in Smythe | — | — | — | Missed playoffs |
Total | 240 | 93 | 116 | 31 | 4 | 8 | .333 | 2 playoff appearances |
Awards and achievements
- Stanley Cup champion – 1971
- Played in NHL All-Star Game – 1975
- Jack Adams Award winner – 1990
References
External links
- Biographical information and career statistics from NHL.com, or Eliteprospects.com, or Hockey-Reference.com, or The Internet Hockey Database
- Hockey Le Magazine profile
- 1946 births
- 2023 deaths
- Atlanta Flames players
- Calgary Flames coaches
- Calgary Flames players
- Canadian ice hockey coaches
- Canadian ice hockey defencemen
- Chicago Blackhawks coaches
- Jack Adams Award winners
- Los Angeles Kings players
- Montreal Canadiens players
- National Hockey League All-Stars
- San Jose Sharks coaches
- Ice hockey people from Kirkland Lake
- Stanley Cup champions
- Undrafted National Hockey League players
- Winnipeg Jets (1972–1996) coaches