| Don Blackburn | |
|---|---|
| Born | May 14, 1938 Kirkland Lake, ON, CAN |
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) |
| Weight | 175 lb (79 kg; 12 st 7 lb) |
| Position | Left Wing |
| Shot | Left |
| Played for | NHL Boston Bruins Philadelphia Flyers New York Rangers New York Islanders Minnesota North Stars WHA New England Whalers |
| Playing career | 1959–1976 |
John Donald Blackburn (born May 14, 1938 in Kirkland Lake, Ontario) is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey left winger who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Boston Bruins, Philadelphia Flyers, New York Rangers, New York Islanders and Minnesota North Stars. He also played in the World Hockey Association (WHA) with the New England Whalers. He later became the Whalers first coach when they moved to the NHL.
Blackburn was the first ever Hartford Whalers coach. He led them to a 27–34–19 record in the 1979–80 NHL season. In the playoffs, the Whalers were swept by Montreal in three games. Blackburn was fired midway through the 1980–81 season after the Whalers sat with a record of 15–29–16. He was replaced by interim coach Larry Pleau.
| Preceded by Jack Kelley |
Head coach of the Hartford Whalers 1975-76 |
Succeeded by Harry Neale |
| Preceded by Bill Dineen |
Head coach of the New England/Hartford Whalers 1979-80 |
Succeeded by Larry Pleau |
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