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The Greatest Coaches of All-Time

Re: The Greatest Coaches of All-Time

css228 said:
Really no Ned Harkness?
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Too short-lived.

He has the highest career winning percentage (.740) for his career and 3 NCAA titles at 2 different schools, but with only 526 games coached, I can see where he'd be outside of a group that includes Armstrong (5 titles), Heygler (6 titles), MacInnes (3 titles and nearly 900 games coached), York (3 titles, and 1500 games coached), and Berenson (2 titles, 1100 games).

Of course, I could also see the argument that Harkness won a title per every 175 games games coached, while it seems to take York over 500 games to figure it out and win the thing... ;)
 
Re: The Greatest Coaches of All-Time

LynahFan said:
Too short-lived.

He has the highest career winning percentage (.740) for his career and 3 NCAA titles at 2 different schools, but with only 526 games coached, I can see where he'd be outside of a group that includes Armstrong (5 titles), Heygler (6 titles), MacInnes (3 titles and nearly 900 games coached), York (3 titles, and 1500 games coached), and Berenson (2 titles, 1100 games).

Of course, I could also see the argument that Harkness won a title per every 175 games games coached, while it seems to take York over 500 games to figure it out and win the thing... ;)
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You probably should put Parker in that club with 3 titles and 1400 games.
 
Re: The Greatest Coaches of All-Time

Shirtless Guy said:
You probably should put Parker in that club with 3 titles and 1400 games.
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Certainly. I was only comparing Harkness to the top 5 that bigblue_dl threw out - I didn't mean to imply that I would definitely put Harkness at #6 behind just those 5.
 
Re: The Greatest Coaches of All-Time

#14 - Herb Brooks
Coached at Minnesota from 1972-1979
Herb Brooks comes in at #14. While perhaps the greatest American coach of his time period (and if we included success at the international, D-2 and professional levels would be significantly higher up this list), Brooks only spent 7 seasons as a D-1 coach. However, in that short time frame, he accomplished quite a bit. Herb Brooks led the Gophers to their first National Championship in 1974 beating Michigan Tech in the title game. In 1975, Brooks led the Gophers back to the title game, again against Michigan Tech, but this time the Huskies came out on top. In 1976, Herb brought Minnesota back to the top again, beating Michigan Tech (BTW, this is the only instance in D-1 where the same teams met three years in a row for the title) for the Gophers second title. '77 and '78 saw the Gophers miss the NCAA Tournament, but in 1979, in Brooks' last season, he led Minnesota to the National Title game against rival North Dakota. The Gophers defeated the Sioux 4-3, and Herb Brooks left the D-1 game on top of the mountain. All together, Brooks had 5 winning seasons, 4 Title game appearances, and 3 National Titles. Among coaches that have coached at least 5 games+ at the Frozen Four, Brooks is the leader in winning percentage (.875).

Points: 137.83
 
Re: The Greatest Coaches of All-Time

#14 Herb Brooks
#15 Dean Blais
#16 Len Ceglarski
#17 George Gwozdecky
#18 Jeff Sauer
#19 Rick Comley
#20 Jack Kelley
#21 Doug Woog
#22 Dick Umile
#23 Bill Cleary
#24 Cheddy Thompson
#25 Barry Thorndycraft

Honorable Mention:
Mike Eaves
Dave Hakstol
Scott Sandelin
Tim Whitehead
Enrico Blasi
Joe Marsh
Mike Schafer
Scotty Owens
 
Re: The Greatest Coaches of All-Time

#13 - Don Lucia
Coached at Alaska from 1987-1993
Coached at Colorado College from 1993-1999
Coached at Minnesota from 1999-present
Don Lucia comes in at #13. tDon began his D-1 coaching career at Alaska. In six seasons with the Nanooks, Lucia had three 20+ win seasons, and only two losing seasons. In 1993 Lucia was called upon by CC to restore their program back to the national scene. Lucia not only restored the program back to its great status, but did it extremely quickly. In his first season with the Tigers, Lucia led CC to the MacNaughton Cup. The next two years he did the same, and in 1996 led the Tigers to the Frozen Four for the first time in decades. Lucia came within one bounce of a National Title, losing to Michigan in Overtime. CC made another trip to the Frozen Four in 1997, but lost to eventual champion North Dakota. tDon made two more trips to the NCAAs with CC, but was unable to match the success of the 1996 season. In 1999, Minnesota hired Lucia to take over a title starved program. Lucia got things going quickly, and finally, in his 15th season as a coach, Lucia led the Gophers to the promised land in 2002. In 2003, tDon led Minnesota to back-to-back titles, becoming the first program in 30 years to accomplish the feat. Since the '03 season, Lucia has taken Minnesota to the NCAAs five times, but has struggled recently, posting three straight years without a trip to the NCAAs. All together, Lucia has an amazing resume. He has coached 24 seasons, only three were losing seasons, 17 20+ win seasons, 13 NCAAs, 5 Frozen Fours, and 2 NCAA Titles. Time will tell if Lucia will be able to rise further on this list, but for now, he comes in at #13.

Points: 145.54
 
Re: The Greatest Coaches of All-Time

#12 - Bob Johnson
Coached at Colorado College from 1963-1966
Coached at Wisconsin from 1966-1982
Badger Bob Johnson comes in at #12. Badger Bob started his D-1 Career at Colorado College, leading the Tigers for three seasons. They were relatively quiet seasons from the Tigers, as they failed to register a winning season under Badger Bob. That would change when Badger Bob went to Wisconsin. He would lead Wisconsin to the highest of heights, and would leave the program in great hands. Badger Bob started off strong, and led Wisconsin to 20+ wins (something he would do 12 times in 15 seasons at Wisconsin) in only his second year in Madison. He had the Badgers in the Frozen Four by 1970, and again in 1972, but in 1973, he lead Wisconsin to their first ever NCAA Hockey Title. It would not be his last at Wisconsin either. In 1977, Johnson led Wisconsin back to the Frozen Four, and beat Michigan 6-5 in OT. This Wisconsin team was one of the greatest that he coached, as they went 37-7-1 on the season. Wisconsin would make it back to the Frozen Four in '78, but were unable to hoist the hardware. A few lean years in '79 and '80 (Johnson's only losing season at Wisconsin) were follwed up by the "Backdoor Badgers" in 1981. Wisconsin barely made the tournament, and faced a difficult opponent in Clarkson, the ECAC's top squad. Johnson led the Badgers past Clarkson and to the Frozen Four, where they dispatched the previous year's runner up Northern Michigan (also the top CCHA squad) to set up a tilt with the Badger's archrival, Minnesota. Minnesota was the #1 team in the WCHA, but the Badgers cruised to a 6-3 victory. It was Johnson's third, and final NCAA Title. He would lead Wisconsin back to the title game in '82, but was unable to get past North Dakota. Johnson left for the NHL after this season, and would lead Calgary to a Stanley Cup finals, and led Pittsburgh to their first Stanley Cup (over Minnesota). All together, at the D-1 level, Johnson made 7 Frozen Fours, appeared in 4 title games, and won 3 National Championships. If success at other levels were accounted for, Johnson would be significantly higher on the list, but as for his record in D-1 college hockey, Badger Bob comes in at #12.

Points: 153.42
 
Re: The Greatest Coaches of All-Time

Fighting Sioux 23 said:
They were relatively quiet seasons from the Tigers, as they failed to register a winning season under Badger Bob. That would change when Badger Bob went to Wisconsin.
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Hence why he is known as Badger Bob and not Tiger Bob :p
 
Re: The Greatest Coaches of All-Time

Priceless said:
Hence why he is known as Badger Bob and not Tiger Bob :p
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Plus, it just doesn't work well alliteration-wise. Perhaps Tim Whitehead needs to coach CC so he can be Tiger Tim. Maybe Tony Lucia will follow in his father's footsteps and coach at CC. He could be Tony the Tiger.
 
Re: The Greatest Coaches of All-Time

Farce Poobah said:
Startling that Badger Bob was never honored with the AHCA Coach of the Year award.
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Agreed. In my opinion, Bob Johnson and Herb Brooks are the two greatest American-born coaches ever when you look at what they did at professional and international levels.
 
Re: The Greatest Coaches of All-Time

Farce Poobah said:
Startling that Badger Bob was never honored with the AHCA Coach of the Year award.
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Well, maybe if he'd actually accomplished something, you know - like for example this year how Leaman very nearly got his program to the conference semi-finals...
 
Re: The Greatest Coaches of All-Time

Fighting Sioux 23 said:
Plus, it just doesn't work well alliteration-wise. Perhaps Tim Whitehead needs to coach CC so he can be Tiger Tim. Maybe Tony Lucia will follow in his father's footsteps and coach at CC. He could be Tony the Tiger.
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Would he do CC promos where he says "theyyyyyyy're great!"? :p
 
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