Gene Ubriaco

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Forward Gene Ubriaco played four NHL seasons for the Pittsburgh Penguins, Oakland Seals, and Chicago Blackhawks, as well as a number of WHL, EPHL, and AHL seasons. Ubriaco retired from playing in 1970.

Ubriaco turned to coaching and was in charge of the Lake Superior state hockey program by 1972-1973. After coaching in a number of leagues, Ubriaco was named Pittsburgh Penguins coach in 1988, replacing Pierre Creamer. Ubriaco's 1988-1989 Penguins, lead by Mario Lemieux's 85 goals and 199 points, as well as Rob Brown's 115 points, finished second in the Patrick Division and qualified for the playoffs for the first time in seven seasons. In the 1989 playoffs, the Penguins swept the New York Rangers before losing to the Philadelphia Flyers in 7 games in the Patrick Division Finals. Ubriaco's Penguins then got off to a slow start in the 1989-1990 season. Ubriaco as well as the man who hired him, Penguins General Manager Tony Esposito, were both fired and replaced by Craig Patrick in December 1989.

Ubriaco coached the Italian Olympic ice hockey team during the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, France. His coaching career then brought him to the then IHL's Chicago Wolves, where he coached their inaugural 1994-1995 team. He currently holds the positions of Assistant General Manager and Director of Hockey Operations with the Wolves, now in the AHL.

External Links

[1] : Chicago Wolves official website
[2] : Legends of Hockey Gene Ubriaco's player page