George "Punch" Imlach (March 15, 1918 – December 1, 1987), was an NHL coach and general manager. Events 44 BC - Julius Caesar, Dictator of the Roman Republic, is stabbed to death by Marcus Junius Brutus, Year 1918 ( MCMXVIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Events 800 - Charlemagne judges the accusations against Pope Leo III in the Vatican Year 1987 ( MCMLXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar) The National Hockey League ( NHL) is a professional Ice hockey league composed of 30 teams in North America He is a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame. The Hockey Hall of Fame ( Temple de la renommée du hockey in French) is located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
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Early career
Born in Toronto, Imlach attended Riverdale Collegiate Institute and played junior hockey in the OHA for the Toronto Young Rangers (1935–38) and senior hockey with the Toronto Goodyears (1938–40) and the Toronto Marlboros (1940–41). Toronto (təˈrɒntoʊ colloquially pronounced or) is the largest city in Canada and is the provincial capital of Ontario Riverdale Collegiate Institute is a High school located at 1094 Gerrard Street East Toronto Ontario, Canada. The Ontario Hockey Association is the governing body for the majority of Junior and Senior level Ice hockey teams in the Province of Ontario. The Toronto Young Rangers were a Junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey Association from the league's early days until 1948. The Toronto Marlborough Athletic Club, commonly known as the Toronto Marlboros, was founded in 1903 He enlisted in the army during World War II, where he coached for the first time, with an army team in Cornwall, Ontario. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including Cornwall is a City in eastern Ontario, Canada and the seat of the United Counties of Stormont Dundas and Glengarry Ontario. He was invited to training camp by the Detroit Red Wings after being discharged, but felt he'd put on too much weight and declined. The Detroit Red Wings are a professional Ice hockey team based in Detroit Michigan, and current Stanley Cup champions
Imlach played for the Quebec Aces of the QSHL from 1945–49 and spent 11 seasons with the team, becoming coach and then general manager, and then vice-president and part-owner of the franchise. The Quebec Aces, also known in French as As de Québec, were an amateur and later a professional men's Ice hockey team from Quebec City, Quebec The Quebec Senior Hockey League (QSHL was an amateur Ice hockey League that operated between 1944 and 1953 in Québec Canada before becoming It was during this time that Imlach came across a blooming young star named Jean Beliveau, and to his death, Imlach maintained Beliveau was the greatest player he had ever coached. Jean Arthur Béliveau CC, CQ (b August 31, 1931 in Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Canada) is a former professional Ice After the 1956–57 season, Imlach moved to professional hockey, hired by the Boston Bruins as general manager of their Springfield Indians farm team. The Boston Bruins are a professional Ice hockey team based in Boston Massachusetts. The Springfield Indians were a minor professional Ice hockey franchise based in West Springfield Massachusetts. Before the season ended, Imlach had made himself head coach as well. After the season, team owner Eddie Shore took back control of the team, leaving Imlach without a job, although he was still under contract to the Bruins. Edward William "Eddie" Shore ( November 25, 1902 – March 16, 1985) was a Canadian professional Ice hockey
Joins the Maple Leafs
In July 1958, at the age of 40, Imlach was hired by the Toronto Maple Leafs as one of the team's two assistant general managers, along with King Clancy. "Leafs" and "Maple Leafs" redirect here For the former American Hockey League team see St Francis Michael "King" Clancy ( February 25, 1903 – November 10, 1986) was a Canadian professional Ice hockey However, the team did not have a general manager. Instead, Imlach reported to a seven-member committee called the "Silver Seven," headed by Stafford Smythe, which oversaw the team's business operations. Conn Stafford Smythe ( March 15 1921 – October 13, 1971) was the son of Conn Smythe and president of Maple Leaf Gardens In November, Imlach was named general manager, and a week later he fired coach Billy Reay. William "Billy" Reay ( August 21, 1918 - September 23, 2004) was a Canadian National Hockey League hockey player Reay had been offered the general manager job before Imlach was hired, but turned it down. Initially, Imlach said he was replacing Reay with Bert Olmstead as player-coach, but almost immediately, he changed his mind and made himself head coach. Murray Bert Olmstead (born September 4, 1926 in Skeptre, Saskatchewan) was a Canadian professional Ice hockey left
Imlach was known as a harsh taskmaster who frequently abused his players verbally and physically. This was a reflection of his military background. He had a preference for older players, many of whom were his strongest supporters as they felt Imlach was giving them their last chance at winning the Stanley Cup. The Stanley Cup (La Coupe Stanley is an Ice hockey club championship Trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League (NHL playoffs champion By contrast, many younger players, such as Frank Mahovlich, chafed at Imlach's autocratic coaching style. Francis William "Frank" Mahovlich (Franjo Mahovlić CM, (born January 10, 1938 in Timmins, Ontario) is a Canadian
Imlach took over a team that had finished last the previous season and was mired in last place again at the time he took over for Reay. The 1957–58 NHL season was the 41st season of the National Hockey League. However, the team staged a strong run late in the season and finished a point ahead of the New York Rangers for fourth place, allowing them to squeeze into the playoffs. The New York Rangers are a professional Ice hockey team based in New York, New York, United States. They defeated the favoured Boston Bruins in the first round before losing to the league-leading Montreal Canadiens in five games in the Stanley Cup Finals. The Boston Bruins are a professional Ice hockey team based in Boston Massachusetts. The Montreal Canadiens (Les Canadiens de Montréal are a professional Ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Three years later, Imlach led the Leafs to their first Stanley Cup in 11 years. He won three more Cups in 1963, 1964 and 1967.
In February 1964, he traded Dick Duff, Bob Nevin and three young prospects—Rod Seiling, Arnie Brown and Bill Collins—to the Rangers for Andy Bathgate and Don McKenney. Richard "Dick" Duff (born February 18 1936 in Kirkland Lake, Ontario) was a Canadian Professional Ice hockey forward who Robert Frank Nevin (born March 18, 1938 in South Porcupine, Ontario, Canada) is a former Professional Ice hockey right Rod Albert Seiling (born November 14, 1944 in Elmira, Ontario) is a retired Canadian Ice hockey defenceman. Arnold "Arnie" Brown (born January 28, 1942 in Oshawa Ontario) was a defenceman in the National Hockey League with the Toronto Andrew James Bathgate (born August 28 1932 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada) is a retired Canadian Professional Ice hockey Don McKenney (born April 30 1934, Smiths Falls Ontario) is a retired Canadian Ice hockey forward. While Bathgate and McKenney played key roles in the Leafs' Cup win that year, Imlach may have traded away the Leafs' future in the process. Nevin played a major role in the Rangers' resurgence in the late 1960s, while Duff won four more Cups with the Canadiens. The players acquired by the Leafs were both gone following the next season. In the 1965 intra-league draft, Imlach left Gerry Cheevers, a young goaltending prospect, unprotected. Gerald Michael "Gerry" Cheevers (born on December 7, 1940 in St He was snapped up by the Boston Bruins and went on to have a hall-of-fame career there. The Boston Bruins are a professional Ice hockey team based in Boston Massachusetts.
Following expansion of the NHL from six teams to 12 for the 1967–68 season, the Leafs struggled and Imlach responded by pulling off another big trade. The National Hockey League ( NHL) is a professional Ice hockey league composed of 30 teams in North America In February 1968, he sent Mahovlich, 20-year-old Garry Unger, Pete Stemkowski and the rights to Carl Brewer to the Detroit Red Wings for Paul Henderson, Norm Ullman and Floyd Smith. Garry Douglas "Iron Man" Unger (born December 7, 1947 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada) is a former Professional Ice hockey Peter "Pete" Stemkowski ( August 25 1943 in Winnipeg, Manitoba) - is a former player in the National Hockey League. Carl Thomas Brewer ( October 21, 1938 in Toronto, Ontario – August 25, 2001 in Toronto, Ontario) The Detroit Red Wings are a professional Ice hockey team based in Detroit Michigan, and current Stanley Cup champions This article is about the Canadian ice hockey player For others with the same name see Paul Henderson (disambiguation. Norman Victor Alexander "Norm" Ullman (born December 26, 1935 in Provost, Alberta, Canada) is a former Ice hockey Floyd Smith (born May 16, 1935 in Perth, Ontario) was a Canadian Professional Ice hockey centre who played 13 Two months later, he sent 28-year-old Jim Pappin to the Chicago Black Hawks, where he would become one of that team's top scorers. James Joseph "Jim" Pappin (born 10 September, 1939 in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada) is a retired professional Ice hockey
In December 1968, Imlach was asked by Stafford Smythe to give the coaching job to John McLellan, but Imlach refused and told Smythe to fire him or leave him alone. Conn Stafford Smythe ( March 15 1921 – October 13, 1971) was the son of Conn Smythe and president of Maple Leaf Gardens John McLellan ( August 6, 1928 – October 27, 1979) was a Canadian professional hockey player and coach in the National During the season, Mike Walton walked out on the team, saying he wouldn't play for Imlach again. Michael Robert "Shakey" Walton (Born January 3 1945 in Kirkland Lake, Ontario) is a former professional Ice hockey He returned about a week later. On April 6, 1969, minutes after an early and embarrassing playoff elimination at the hands of the Boston Bruins, Imlach was fired by the Leafs. Events 46 BC - Julius Caesar defeats Caecilius Metellus Scipio and Marcus Porcius Cato in the Battle of Thapsus Year 1969 ( MCMLXIX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Boston Bruins are a professional Ice hockey team based in Boston Massachusetts. He still had a year remaining on his contract, which paid him about $35,000 a year. In the dressing room after the announcement was made, veteran Leafs Johnny Bower and Tim Horton both said they would leave with Imlach (they both returned the following season, although neither would remain with the Leafs for long). John William "Johnny" Bower (born November 8, 1924) nicknamed "The China Wall" is a Hockey Hall of Fame goalie. Miles Gilbert "Tim" Horton ( January 12, 1930 &ndash February 21, 1974) was a Canadian professional hockey defenceman Imlach's assistant, Clancy, had previously said that he would walk away if Imlach was fired, but he was persuaded to stay with the team. Jim Gregory was immediately announced as Imlach's replacement as general manager.
Builds the Sabres
After being fired by the Leafs, it was expected that Imlach would join the NHL's new Vancouver franchise. Imlach, Joe Crozier, and Foster Hewitt had become partners in the Vancouver Canucks of the Western Hockey League and were in line to become owners of the Vancouver NHL team. Joe Crozier (b February 19, 1929, in Winnipeg, Manitoba) is a former professional Ice hockey defenceman and Foster William Hewitt, OC ( November 21, 1902 – April 21, 1985) was a Canadian Radio pioneer The Vancouver Canucks are a Professional Ice hockey team based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. This article refers to the junior Western Hockey League For other leagues with the same name see Western Hockey League (disambiguation. But they didn't have the financial resources to buy the team, which went to Medical Investment Corporation (Medicor). Medicor bought the WHL Canucks for $2. 8 million, with Imlach making a reported gain of more than $250,000. He was offered a job with the NHL Canucks, but instead accepted an offer from the NHL's other expansion team, the Buffalo Sabres, as their first coach and general manager in 1970. The Buffalo Sabres are a professional Ice hockey team based in Buffalo New York.
Imlach suffered a heart attack on January 7, 1972 and stepped down as Sabres coach in May after being told by doctors that fatigue would put his health at risk. Events 1325 - Alfonso IV becomes King of Portugal. 1558 - France takes Calais, the last continental Year 1972 ( MCMLXXII) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Joe Crozier filled in as interim coach after Imlach's heart attack and was given the job outright for the 1972–1973 season.
During the 1974–75 NHL season, the Sabres, coached by one of Imlach's former players, Floyd Smith, made the Stanley Cup finals in only their fifth year of existence. The 1974–75 NHL season was the 58th season of the National Hockey League. But the team went into decline after that season. With notable exceptions like Gilbert Perreault and Rick Martin, many Sabres players feuded with Imlach, particularly Jim Schoenfeld, Sabres' captain from 1974–77, whom Imlach criticized publicly. Gilbert Perreault (born November 13 1950 in Victoriaville, Quebec) is a retired Canadian professional Ice hockey centre who played Rick Martin (born 26 July, 1951 in Verdun, Quebec, Canada) is a retired Professional Ice hockey winger who played in the Jim Schoenfeld (born September 4, 1952 in Galt Ontario) is a retired professional Ice hockey player and currently assistant general manager After being eliminated in the second round of the playoffs in 1978, Imlach promised sweeping changes to the roster, but the changes never came. With the team off to an 8–10–6 record, Imlach was fired by the Sabres on December 4, 1978, along with coach Marcel Pronovost. "December 4th" redirects here For the song by Jay-Z, see December 4th (song. Year 1978 ( MCMLXXVIII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1978 Gregorian calendar) Marcel Pronovost (born June 15, 1930 in Lac á la Tortue, Quebec) was a Canadian professional Ice hockey defenceman who
Controversy in Toronto
In July 1979, Imlach returned to the Leafs as the right-hand man of owner Harold Ballard, his longtime friend. Harold E Ballard ( July 30, 1903 – April 11, 1990) was an owner of the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League It was a controversial return, one that involved the dismantling of a team that had faced the Montreal Canadiens in the 1978 playoffs and was viewed by many as having a promising future. The Montreal Canadiens (Les Canadiens de Montréal are a professional Ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. On his first day with the team, Imlach told the media that the Leafs only had five or six good players and the rest of the team needed to be improved.
Imlach implemented a dress code which required that all players wear a jacket and tie when in the Leafs' offices. Tiger Williams was fined $250 for not wearing a tie, and the fine would have doubled for a second offence. David James "Tiger" Williams (born 3 February, 1954 in Weyburn, Saskatchewan, Canada) is a former professional Players were no longer allowed to drink beer on plane and bus rides back from road games.
Imlach quickly butted heads with Leafs captain Darryl Sittler, using confrontational tactics to try to undermine Sittler's influence on the team. Darryl Glen Sittler (born September 18, 1950 in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada) is a retired professional Ice hockey player who played Imlach also didn't like Sittler's prominent role in the NHL Players Association; during his first stint with the Leafs he was well known as an ardent foe of the union and its president, Alan Eagleson. Robert Alan Eagleson (born April 24, 1933 in St Catharines Ontario) is a disbarred Canadian lawyer convicted felon
In September, he went to court in an unsuccessful attempt to get an injunction to stop Sittler and teammate Mike Palmateer from appearing on the TV show Showdown. Michael Scott Palmateer (born 13 January 1954 in Toronto, Ontario) is a retired professional Ice hockey goalie Sittler had a no-trade clause in his contract and, through his agent, had insisted on $500,000 to waive it. With Sittler apparently untouchable, Imlach traded Sittler's best friend Lanny McDonald to the moribund Colorado Rockies on December 29, 1979. Lanny King McDonald (born February 16, 1953 in Hanna, Alberta, Canada) is a retired professional Ice hockey player and a member of The Colorado Rockies were a professional Ice hockey team in the National Hockey League (NHL that played in Denver Colorado from 1976 to Events 1170 - Thomas Becket: Thomas Becket Archbishop of Canterbury is assassinated inside Canterbury Cathedral by followers of King Henry II Year 1979 ( MCMLXXIX) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1979 Gregorian calendar) An anonymous player told the Toronto Star that Ballard and Imlach made the trade specifically to undermine Sittler's influence on the team. The Toronto Star is Canada 's highest-circulation newspaper though its print edition is distributed almost entirely within the province of Ontario. Eagleson, who was also Sittler's agent, called the trade "a classless act. "[1]
Imlach offered Sittler to the Sabres in return for Perreault, but was turned down. He rejected an offer from the Philadelphia Flyers who were said to be willing to trade Rick MacLeish and Andre Dupont for Sittler. The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional Ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Rick George MacLeish (born January 3, 1950 in Cannington, Ontario, Canada) is a retired professional Ice hockey player [2] In March 1980, after Floyd Smith was injured in a car accident and acting coach Dick Duff led the team to two lopsided defeats, Imlach named himself as coach. Richard "Dick" Duff (born February 18 1936 in Kirkland Lake, Ontario) was a Canadian Professional Ice hockey forward who Imlach was able to get the Leafs to squeak into the playoffs, albeit with a record five games under . 500--the first of 13 straight seasons without a winning record. Imlach named assistant Joe Crozier as his successor after the season. Joe Crozier (b February 19, 1929, in Winnipeg, Manitoba) is a former professional Ice hockey defenceman and
It looked like the Leafs were ready to accept an offer for Sittler from the Quebec Nordiques when Imlach had another heart attack in August 1980. The Quebec Nordiques (Nordiques de Québec pronounced in Quebec French, in Canadian English; translated into English as "Northerners" were Ballard used the opportunity to name himself acting general manager and hold talks with Sittler, and the two agreed that Sittler would return to the team as captain for the 1980–81 season. Ballard also signed Börje Salming to a new contract with terms that Imlach had refused to offer. Anders Börje Salming (born April 17, 1951 in Kiruna, Sweden) is a retired Swedish Professional Ice hockey Before the end of 1981, Imlach was back running the Leafs as general manager.
During the Leafs' training camp in September 1981, Imlach suffered a third heart attack, which was followed by quadruple bypass surgery at Toronto General Hospital. Coronary artery bypass surgery, also coronary artery bypass graft surgery, and colloquially heart bypass or bypass surgery is a surgical procedure The Toronto General Hospital (TGH is a part of the University Health Network, and a major teaching hospital in downtown Toronto, Ontario. Ballard became interim manager and told the media that Imlach's poor health meant that "he's through as general manager. " Imlach was never officially fired, but when he tried to return to work in November, he found that his parking spot at Maple Leaf Gardens had been reassigned and Gerry McNamara had been made acting general manager. This article is about the arena For the company formerly known as Maple Leaf Gardens Ltd Gerry Lionel McNamara (born September 22, 1934 in Sturgeon Falls, Ontario) is a former scout and General manager with the Toronto Imlach never returned to work and his contract was allowed to expire.
He suffered a fourth heart attack in November 1985 at a casino while on vacation in Las Vegas and died after a fifth heart attack in 1987 at age 69. Over his career, Imlach amassed a coaching record of 423 wins, 373 losses and 163 ties to go along with four Stanley Cups. His 365 wins with the Leafs are still the best in franchise history. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame as a builder in 1984. The Hockey Hall of Fame ( Temple de la renommée du hockey in French) is located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Trivia
In the 1974 entry draft, whilst at Buffalo, Punch Imlach deliberately selected an imaginary Japanese center, Taro Tsujimoto, supposedly of the Tokyo Katanas of the Japanese Ice Hockey League, in the 11th round (183rd overall). Taro Tsujimoto is an imaginary Ice hockey player that was legally drafted by the National Hockey League 's Buffalo Sabres in the 11th round of the 1974 Only after weeks had passed did the league discover that Tsujimoto did not in fact exist. Imlach later revealed that he had played the prank because of his frustration with the excessive tedium and length of that year's draft proceedings. Today, the league officially records the 183rd selection of the 1974 entry draft as an "invalid claim". [3]
References
- ^ "Lanny McDonald trade has Sittler in tears," Jim Kernaghan, Toronto Star, December 29, 1979, p. The Toronto Star is Canada 's highest-circulation newspaper though its print edition is distributed almost entirely within the province of Ontario. Events 1170 - Thomas Becket: Thomas Becket Archbishop of Canterbury is assassinated inside Canterbury Cathedral by followers of King Henry II Year 1979 ( MCMLXXIX) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1979 Gregorian calendar) 1.
- ^ "Leafs seek youth in any exchange for Darryl Sittler," Ken McKee, Toronto Star, February 19, 1980, p. The Toronto Star is Canada 's highest-circulation newspaper though its print edition is distributed almost entirely within the province of Ontario. Events 197 - Roman Emperor Septimius Severus defeats usurper Clodius Albinus in the Battle of Lugdunum Year 1980 ( MCMLXXX) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar) F1.
- ^ More It Happened in Hockey, author Brian McFarlane, ISBN 0773755918 , Publisher: Stoddart, 1984
| Preceded by Hap Day |
General Manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs 1958-69 |
Succeeded by Jim Gregory |
| Preceded by Jim Gregory |
General Manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs 1979-81 |
Succeeded by Gerry McNamara |
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