Don Hay

Don Hay (born February 13, 1954) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and National Hockey League head coach.

Don Hay
Hay as head coach of Team Canada at the 2012 World Junior Hockey Championship
Born (1954-02-13) February 13, 1954
Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada
Height 6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight 190 lb (86 kg; 13 st 8 lb)
Position Right Wing
Shot Right
Played for Lansing Lancers
Columbus Owls
Flint Generals
Philadelphia Firebirds
NHL Draft 193rd overall, 1974
Minnesota North Stars
WHA Draft 230th overall, 1974
Houston Aeros
Playing career 19741977

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.

Playing career

He was born in Kamloops, British Columbia. 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.

Coaching career

Hay began his coaching career 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.

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 38–37–7 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 Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, 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 prestigiously 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. He was nominated once more for the Dunc McCallum Memorial Trophy in 2006,[2] but lost to Willie Desjardins of the Medicine Hat Tigers.

On July 25, 2008, Hay was inducted into the BC Hockey Hall of Fame, along with former NHLers Steve Yzerman and Cliff Ronning.[1] Leading the Giants to within 3 points of the Calgary Hitmen for their first WHL regular season title, he won his second Dunc McCallum Trophy for the 2008–09 season.[3] On August 26, 2010, he agreed to a multi-year extension that was to keep him behind the Giants bench through 2015. However, Hay returned to coach the Kamloops Blazers for the 2014-15 season.[4] And on May 27, 2011, Hay was named head coach of the 2012 Canadian World Junior Hockey Championship team. Hay had previously won gold at the tournament with the Canadians in 1995 in Red Deer, Alta. On April 28, 2013, he coached Canada's U-18 men's team to a Gold Medal against the United States, in Sochi, Russia.

In 2014, he returned to Kamloops Blazers as head coach after 19 seasons away from the team. After four more seasons of coaching, Hay retired in 2018 and became an adviser for the Blazers.[5]

Awards and achievements

At the start of the 2006–07 season, his second with the Giants, Hay became the fourteenth head coach in WHL history to win 300 games.[6] Two seasons later, Hay became the ninth coach to win 400 games, defeating the Brandon Wheat Kings 4–3 on November 1, 2008.[7] On January 27, 2018, Hay became the all-time leader in the WHL coaching victories, with his 743rd regular season win.[8]

Playing 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
1972–73 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
1975–76 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

Coaching statistics

TeamYearRegular seasonPost season
GWLTOTLPtsFinishResult
PHX1996–97 8238377-833rd in CentralLost in First round (ANA)
CGY2000–01 682328134(73)4th in Northwest(Fired)
NHL Totals1506165204
TeamYearRegular seasonPost season
GWLTOTLPtsFinishResult
UTA2001–02 80402965913rd in WestLost in First round (HOU)
UTA2002–03 80373445835th in WestLost Preliminary (WBS)
UTA2003–04 80274265657th in WestMissed Playoffs
AHL Totals2401041051615
TeamYearRegular seasonPost season
GWLTOTLPtsFinishResult
KAM1992–93 7242282863rd in WestLost in Third round (POR)
KAM1993–94 72501661061st in WestWon Memorial Cup (LAV)
KAM1994–95 72521461101st in WestWon Memorial Cup (DET)
TC1998–99 7243236922nd in WestLost in Third round (KAM)
TC1999–00 72243972576th in WestLost in First round (SPK)
VAN2004–05 7234304763rd in B.C.Lost in Round one (KEL)
VAN2005–06 72471961001st in B.C.Won President's Cup (MJ)
VAN2006–07 724517101001st in B.CWon Memorial Cup (MH)
VAN2007–08 72491581061st in B.C.Lost in Second round (SPK)
VAN2008–09 72571051191st in B.C.Lost in Third round (KEL)
VAN2009–10 7241256881st in B.C.Lost in Third round (TC)
VAN2010–11 7235325752nd in B.C.Lost in First round (TC)
VAN2011–12 7240262862nd in B.C.Lost in First round (SPK)
VAN2012–13 7221492445th in B.C.Out of playoffs
VAN2013–14 7232297753rd in B.C.Lost in First round (POR)
KAM2014–15 7228377634th in B.C.Out of playoffs
KAM2015–16 7238259853rd in B.C.Lost in First round (KEL)
KAM2016–17 7242246903rd in B.C.Lost in First round (KEL)
KAM2017–18 7230375654th in B.C.Out of playoffs
WHL Totals1,3687504952784

References

  1. "BC Hockey Hall of Fame inducts five". BC Hockey. 2008. Retrieved March 31, 2008.
  2. "WHL Announces 2005–06 Award Finalists and Conference All-Star Teams". Western Hockey League. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved March 19, 2009.
  3. "WHL Announces 2008–09 Award Finalists". Western Hockey League. April 30, 2009. Archived from the original on May 3, 2009. Retrieved April 30, 2009.
  4. "Don Hay named as Head Coach". Retrieved June 7, 2015.
  5. "KAMLOOPS BLAZERS ANNOUNCE ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGES". Kamloops Blazers. May 10, 2018.
  6. Watts, Jesse (2006). "Hay joins 300-win club". WHL.ca. Retrieved March 31, 2008.
  7. "Saturday's WHL Roundup". Western Hockey League. November 2, 2008. Retrieved November 2, 2008.
  8. "Don Hay surpasses Ken Hodge for most WHL wins at 743". Sportsnet.ca. Canadian Press. January 28, 2018. Retrieved January 28, 2018.
Preceded by
Pierre Page
Head coach of the Calgary Flames
2000–01
Succeeded by
Greg Gilbert
Preceded by
Winnipeg Jets coaches
Terry Simpson
Head coach of the Phoenix Coyotes
1996–97
Succeeded by
Jim Schoenfeld
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