Lester Patrick
Curtis Lester "The Silver Fox " Patrick ( born December 30, 1883 in Drummondville, Quebec, † June 1, 1960 ) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player and coach and general manager of one of the founding fathers of the New York Rangers. Many still current rules in hockey go back to Lester Patrick.
Career
Youth and time in Eastern Canada (1883-1907)
As the eldest son of a Protestant wood manufacturers Lester Patrick was born in 1883 in the province of Quebec. The ice hockey games, he learned with his younger brother Frank. In his early days Hockey has been played with seven players and Lester played in an offensive role, which was excluded from defense tasks, and later he became one of the first offensive defenseman hockey history. He played in Brandon, reaching the finals with the team to the Stanley Cup, but it lost to the Ottawa Silver Seven.
In 1906 he won with the Montreal Wanderers its first Stanley Cup in 1907 and he repeated the Wanderers success. After winning the title, he set out with his brother in order to follow the father, who moved to the West Coast, according to Nelson, British Columbia and now was there in the timber trade successfully active.
In western Canada / foundation of the PCHA (1907-1926)
The brothers remained next to the timber trade their great passion, true to the Hockey. They had made artificial ice and had with her team to gain the advantages of year-round train. 1908 Patrick played with other players from the Western Canada some friendlies in New York's St. Nicholas Arena. Here Lester discovered his love for New York.
1910 was founded in eastern Canada, the National Hockey Association. Lester Patrick got from the Renfrew Creamery Kings and the Ottawa Silver Seven. He preferred Ottawa in Ottawa and called a content request $ 1,500 while in Renfrew $ 3,000 demanded. At that time, $ 400 a rather ordinary salary. When they agreed to provide in Renfrew to pay the $ 3000 and also his brother Frank was offering $ 2000, the brothers switched to the Creamery Kings.
1911 sold the father of his company. The brothers returned to the West and were instrumental in the founding of the Pacific Coast Hockey Association ( PCHA ). They formed teams in Vancouver and Victoria, built stadiums with around 10,000 seats and attracted stars from the east as Fred "Cyclone" Taylor, Newsy Lalonde and Moose Johnson in their league.
In addition to her activities around the league, the brothers were also very concerned about the development of the game. On their own initiative, the rules of the PCHA were changed. Among other things, the blue lines for the subdivision of the pitch, counting Assists, the flying changes, penalties for tape checks and delay of game, but even then existing prohibitions, such as the offensive pass and the goalie rule that the goalie to the defense was not allowed to fall on my knees, were repealed.
Lester was five years Topstar and captain of the Victoria Aristocrats. The team did not reach the expected audience and moved in 1916 to Spokane. Lester moved to the current Stanley Cup Winner, the Seattle Metropolitans
1918 took under Lester's guide back a team in Victoria, the Victoria Cougars in the game operation part. Until 1922, he was still active, after which he worked there as general manager. In the 1924/25 season Patricks Cougars were the last team that won the Stanley Cup and not playing in the NHL.
The years in New York (1926-1960)
George "Tex " Rickard, owner of Madison Square Garden wanted to bring a second NHL team to New York, which received the nickname assigned in advance Texas Rangers. Conn Smythe was traveling as General Manager and undertook numerous players with high potential, but even before the first game of the New York Rangers, as the final Team name, was replaced Smythe by Lester Patrick, because it was feared the committed player would not be competitive. Patrick served as coach and general manager. He benefited from Conn Smythe's player selection, as the team with a number of future Hall of Famern like Bill and Bun Cook, Ching Johnson and Frank Boucher was brilliantly cast.
In the second season of Rangers 1927/28, it came in the finals against the Montreal Maroons to a memorable event. Nels Stewart had a shot so badly injured the goalkeeper of the Rangers, Lorne Chabot with the score at 0-0, that this could not continue playing. A goalkeeper had at that time not yet on the bench. Patrick had seen in the audience the goalie of the Boston Bruins, Alex Connell and inquired of the Maroons whether they would agree to a use Connells, the Maroons refused the proposal. He brought his team the bad news. It is not certain known whether the proposal came from the team of Patrick or myself, but Patrick, who had never been in goal pulled himself the goalie equipment and ran on. The surprise in the audience was great when the now 45 year old and gray-haired coach came on the ice as a goalkeeper. The question was really just how high the victory of the Maroons would fail, but the defense of the Rangers was very compact and Patrick kept almost everything that came to his gate. A 1-0 lead the Rangers could Nels Stewart compensate, but the Rangers won by an overtime goal from Frank Boucher. This year, the Rangers picked up their second Stanley Cup.
1939 Lester Patrick gave the place behind the gang at Frank Boucher and served until 1946 as General Manager. Again, Boucher was his successor. By 1950, he was Vice - President of Madison Square Garden.
Honors
In 1947 he was honored with induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame. In the Western Hockey League, the best team won the end of season 1960-1974 the Lester Patrick Cup. Since 1966, the NHL awards for special achievements to the American Hockey Lester Patrick Trophy, also a group of NHL was named after him. From 1974 to 1993, the group was called in, among others, the New York Rangers played Patrick Division.
The family
In addition to his brother Frank various relatives have emerged from it in important roles in the NHL again. His son Patrick Lynn played for the Rangers, where he was also briefly worked as a coach. He was general manager of the Boston Bruins and the St. Louis Blues. His brother Muzz Patrick was also coach and general manager of the Rangers.
His grandson and Lynn's son Craig Patrick played for different teams, was an assistant coach for the Miracle on Ice, as well as coach and general manager of the Rangers and the Pittsburgh Penguins. His brother Glenn Patrick played in the NHL. Muzzs son Dick Patrick is President and co-owner of the Washington Capitals.
Lester Patrick was 1960 already ill with cancer when he died of a heart attack.