Bob Pulford
Jesse Robert "Bob" Pulford ( born March 31, 1936 in Newton Robinson, Ontario ) is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player and coach, who played from 1956 to 1972 for the Toronto Maple Leafs and Los Angeles Kings in the National Hockey League.
Career
Pulford played during his junior time together with Billy Harris, Bob Baun, Bob Nevin and Carl Brewer for the Toronto Marlboros in the Ontario Hockey Association. The heavily-stocked team won in 1955 and 1956 respectively to the Memorial Cup.
Aged 20, he managed to play in the squad of the Toronto Maple Leafs in the season 1956/57, right off the bat. The Leafs included in these years to the less successful team, but a number of young players they brought to the top of the NHL. Thus, the team was able to bring the Stanley Cup back to Toronto in the 1961/62 season after more than ten years, finally. In the following two years the title was defended. At age 30, he scored in the season 1966/67, the fourth Stanley Cup success even the most experienced players in the squad. Pulford was one of the best Forecheckern the league. Detroit's Gordie Howe described him as one of the most unpleasant opponent, as he very well mind what the opposing offensive intended as an attacker, and was able to prevent this. In 1967, he was also one of the founding members of the players union NHLPA.
After 14 years in Toronto, he joined the 1970/71 season to the Los Angeles Kings, who sent in return, among other things, Garry Monahan to Toronto. Two years he was in the squad of the Kings before he ended his active career.
In seven years, he had completed his degree during his time in the evening classes. Nevertheless, he remained true to the sport. The Los Angeles Kings obliged him immediately after he announced his resignation as coach. In his third season behind the band, he was awarded the Jack Adams Award as coach as second best coach in the NHL. In the season 1977/78 he took over as coach and the same time the position of General Manager for the Chicago Black Hawks. After two years behind the band, he signed a new coach and focused fully on the position of General Manager. In his 13 years in this position he returned twice behind the gang. Meanwhile, Vice President in 1990 he handed over the position of General Manager at the former coach Mike Keenan. After three years, he became the Manager position. By 2005, he handed over this position two more times, but he always returned. In the 1999/2000 season, he returned behind the band and took over the team of Lorne Molleken, which was downgraded to the wizard. Since 2005, shortly before his 70th birthday, he limits himself back on his role as Vice President. His post as general manager of the Blackhawks took over Dale Tallon, who had been an assistant since 2003 Pulfords.
Back in 1991 honored him with induction into the NHL Hockey Hall of Fame.
NHL stats
Sporting successes
- Memorial Cup: 1955 and 1956
- Stanley Cup: 1962, 1963, 1964 and 1967
- Calder Cup: 1982 (as General Manager)
Personal Awards
- Jack Adams Award: 1975
- Participate in the NHL All-Star Game: 1958, 1960, 1962, 1963, 1964 and 1968