John Muckler born (April 13, 1934-January 4, 2021)
Muckler was a professional ice hockey coach and executive employed by six different NHL clubs over the course of more than 50 years in professional hockey. He began his NHL coaching career with the Minnesota North Stars during the 1968-1969 season. After that, he coached in Edmonton, Buffalo, and for the New York Rangers; he had two other stints in the NHL; the first was in 2001 when he was hired to be the general manager of the Ottawa Senators, and the other was when he was hired as a senior advisor with the Phoenix Coyotes in September 2008.
During his fifty-plus years in pro hockey, he wore many different hats. He was director of hockey operations, director of player personnel, general manager, head coach, part owner, assistant coach, and player. He enjoyed success as a member of Stanley Cup championships.
He played 13 seasons in the minor leagues, most of it in the Eastern Hockey League.
Muckler began his professional coaching career in the EHL as a player and coach in 1959 with the New York Rovers. He then spent the next 20 years in managerial positions with the New York Rangers, Minnesota North Stars, and Vancouver Canucks before accepting a position with the Edmonton Oilers in 1981. In 1979 he was named the top coach in minor-league hockey by the Sporting News.
John Muckler was with the Oilers for all five of their championships. He served as an assistant coach under head coach/general manager Glen Sather in 1984 and 1985. After that, Sather began to share coaching duties with Muckler, eventually making him the assistant head coach. When Sather gave up the coaching position in 1989, Muckler was promoted to head coach and led the Oilers to their fifth Stanley Cup in seven years, beating the Boston Bruins in five games in the 1990 Stanley Cup Final.
In 1991 John Muckler left the Oilers to become the director of hockey operations for the Buffalo Sabres. Shortly thereafter, he became the team’s head coach, where he held that position for the next four years. In 1993 he took on the additional role of Sabres’ general manager. In 1994 he was named a finalist for the Jack Adams award for coach of the year, he lost to Jacques Lemaire of the New Jersey Devils. Mucker relinquished his coaching duties in 1995 to concentrate on his front-office duties and consequently was named “NHL Executive of the year” by The Sporting News for the 1996-97 season. Larry Quinn, the Sabres president, fired Muckler in the 1997 offseason. Now that’s gratitude.
John Muckler’s final coaching position was as head coach of the New York Rangers from 1997-2000. Muckler appeared at three NHL ALL-Star Games and two appearances as part of Team Canada’s Canada Cup-winning team (1984 and 1987).
In June of 2001, Muckler joined the Ottawa Senators organization as general manager, where he reached the Stanley Cup final in 2007, losing in five games to the Anaheim Ducks. After that playoff, he was fired by the Senators and replaced by Bryan Murray.
Muckler’s final NHL employment was in 2008 when he was hired as senior advisor with the Phoenix Coyotes in September 2008.
John Muckler died at his home in Buffalo on January 4, 2021 while recovering from heart surgery. He left behind his wife and five children.
Keep You’re Stick on the Ice.
NHL coaching statistics[edit]
| Team | Year | Regular season | Post season | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | L | T | OTL | Pts | Division rank | Result | ||
| MIN | 1968–69 | 35 | 6 | 23 | 6 | – | (51) | 6th in West | Missed playoffs |
| EDM | 1989–90 | 80 | 38 | 28 | 14 | – | 90 | 2nd in Smythe | Won Stanley Cup |
| EDM | 1990–91 | 80 | 37 | 37 | 6 | – | 80 | 3rd in Smythe | Lost in Conference Finals |
| BUF | 1991–92 | 52 | 22 | 22 | 8 | – | (74) | 3rd in Adams | Lost in first round |
| BUF | 1992–93 | 84 | 38 | 36 | 10 | – | 86 | 4th in Adams | Lost in second round |
| BUF | 1993–94 | 84 | 43 | 32 | 9 | – | 95 | 4th in Northeast | Lost in first round |
| BUF | 1994–95 | 48 | 22 | 19 | 7 | – | 51 | 4th in Northeast | Lost in first round |
| NYR | 1997–98 | 25 | 8 | 15 | 2 | – | (68) | 5th in Atlantic | Missed playoffs |
| NYR | 1998–99 | 82 | 33 | 38 | 11 | – | 77 | 4th in Atlantic | Missed playoffs |
| NYR | 1999–2000 | 78 | 29 | 35 | 11 | 3 | 77 | 4th in Atlantic | (fired) |
| Total | 648 | 276 | 285 | 84 | 3 |
