Former NHL player and coach Pat Quinn, who led Canada to their first Olympic Gold Medal in 50 years, along with leading them to a perfect World Cup in 2004, has died in Vancouver at the age of 71.
Quinn, who had an illustrious career both as a player with Vancouver, Toronto and Atlanta, found a new chance to flourish behind the bench after his playing career, coaching for Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Vancouver, Toronto and Edmonton for a total of 20 seasons, making two Stanley Cup Finals with the Flyers and Canucks. But perhaps his highest coaching achievement was bringing Olympic Gold back to Canada at the 2002 Salt Lake City Games, defying all odds and winning the tournament. Quinn followed up with a perfect 6-0 at the 2004 World Cup Of Hockey, winning Canada’s fifth Cup, and returning behind the bench for Canada at the 2006 Olympics.
Our condolences go out to the Quinn family, and the hockey world at large, in mourning now for the loss of two coaching giants in one day, with Viktor Tikhonov passing away earlier in the same day in Moscow.
