Don Hay

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Don Hay (born February 13, 1954 in Kamloops, British Columbia) is an ice hockey coach at the major junior level and a former professional ice hockey player. As a player, Hay played shortly in the International Hockey League before becoming a three-time Memorial Cup-winning coach, predominantly in the Western Hockey League with brief stints in National Hockey League. He is the current head coach of the Vancouver Giants of the WHL.

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[edit] Playing career

After three years of junior in the BCJHL and WCHL, Hay was drafted by the Minnesota North Stars in the 12th round, 193rd overall, of the 1974 NHL Entry Draft, as well as by the Houston Aeros in the 18th round, 230th overall, of the 1974 WHA Entry Draft. However, he never made it to either league as a player, and instead played in the minors during two seasons with the Lansing Lancers, Columbus Owls and Flint Generals of the IHL, and one season with the Philadelphia Firebirds of the NAHL.

[edit] Career statistics

    Regular Season   Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1971-72 Kamloops Rockets BCJHL 46 10 24 34 43 - - - - -
1972-73 Kamloops Rockets BCJHL Incomplete
Calgary Centennials WCHL 31 1 1 2 24
1973-74 New Westminster Bruins WCHL 68 19 46 65 174
1974-75 Lansing Lancers/Columbus Owls IHL 71 13 33 46 153 5 1 0 1 29
1975-76 Columbus Owls IHL 13 3 4 7 60
Flint Generals IHL 56 9 21 30 138 2 0 0 0 0
1976-77 Philadelphia Firebirds NAHL 74 20 15 35 96 4 0 2 2 4
WCHL totals 99 20 47 67 198
IHL totals 140 25 58 83 491 7 1 0 1 29

[edit] Coaching career

Hay began his coaching career in in 1986-87 as an assistant coach with his hometown Kamloops Blazers of the WHL. After six years as an assistant, Hay took over the reins as the Blazers head coach in 1992-93 and immediately distinguished himself, subsequently leading his team to two President's Cup titles (1994, 1995) and two Memorial Cup titles (1994, 1995) in three years. In 1995, Hay was also chosen to coach the Canadian junior team and successfully won gold.

Hay's success in the major junior ranks caught the attention of the NHL, and after spending a year as an assistant coach with the Calgary Flames, Hay was named the head coach of the Phoenix Coyotes for the 1996-97 NHL season, their first year in Phoenix. Despite posting a respectable 37-36-7 record, Hay was let go by the Coyotes after a single season and after one more season in the NHL as an assistant coach with the Anaheim Mighty Ducks, Hay returned to the WHL.

Immediately upon returning to major junior with the Tri-City Americans in 1998-99, Hay won the Dunc McCallum Memorial Trophy as WHL coach of the year; furthermore, he was pretigiously honoured as the WHL's best coach of all-time by the CHL.[1] This earned him a second chance in the NHL, after two seasons with Tri-City, as the head coach of the Calgary Flames. His second stint in the NHL, however, was even shorter, as he was fired by the Flames just 68 games into the 2000-01 season. Overall, Hay coached 150 games in the NHL, compiling a record of 61-65-20-4.

Moving to the AHL, Hay coached the Utah Grizzlies from 2001 to 2004 before once again returning to the WHL to coach the Vancouver Giants, guiding them to a President's Cup title in 2006 and a Memorial Cup title in 2007.

At the start of the 2006-07 season, his second with the Giants, Hay became just the fourteenth head coach in WHL history to win 300 games.[2] A couple years later, on July 25, 2008, he was also inducted into the BC Hockey Hall of Fame, along with former NHLers Steve Yzerman and Cliff Ronning.[3]

[edit] Coaching record

Team Year Regular Season Post Season
G W L T OTL Pts Finish Result
KAM 1992–93 72 42 28 2 - 86 3rd in West Lost in Third Round
KAM 1993–94 72 50 16 6 - 106 1st in West Won Memorial Cup
KAM 1994–95 72 52 14 6 - 110 1st in West Won Memorial Cup
PHX 1996–97 82 38 37 7 - 83 3rd in Central Lost in First Round
TRI 1998–99 72 43 23 6 - 92 2nd in West Lost in Third Round
TRI 1999–00 72 24 39 7 2 57 6th in West Lost in First Round
CGY 2000–01 68 23 28 13 4 (73) 4th in Northwest (Fired)
UTA 2001–02 80 40 29 6 5 91 3rd in West Lost in First Round
UTA 2002–03 80 37 34 4 5 83 5th in West Lost Preliminary
UTA 2003–04 80 27 42 6 5 65 7th in West Missed Playoffs
VAN 2005–06 72 47 19 - 6 100 1st in B.C. Won President's Cup
VAN 2006–07 72 45 17 - 10 100 1st in B.C Won Memorial Cup
VAN 2007–08 72 49 15 - 8 106 1st in B.C. Lost in Second Round

[edit] Awards & achievements

[edit] External links

[edit] References

  1. ^ BC Hockey Hall of Fame inducts five. BC Hockey (2008). Retrieved on 2008-03-31.
  2. ^ Watts, Jesse (2006). Hay joins 300-win club. WHL.ca. Retrieved on 2008-03-31.
  3. ^ BC Hockey Hall of Fame inducts five. BC Hockey (2008). Retrieved on 2008-03-31.
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Phoenix Coyotes Head Coaches
Hay • Schoenfeld • Francis • Bowness • Gretzky
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