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John Muckler
John Muckler
	Muckler in 1971
Born	April 13, 1934; Midland, Ontario, Canada
Died	January 4, 2021 (aged 86); Buffalo, New York, U.S.
Coached for	Minnesota North Stars; Edmonton Oilers; Buffalo Sabres; New York Rangers; Ottawa Senators; Phoenix Coyotes
Playing career	1949–1963
Coaching career	1962–2000

John Muckler (April 13, 1934 – January 4, 2021) was a professional hockey coach and executive, who last served as the general manager of the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League (NHL). Muckler had over 50 years of professional hockey experience as a part owner, general manager, director of player personnel, director of hockey operations, head coach, assistant coach, and player. He had been a part of five Stanley Cup championships in various roles with the Edmonton Oilers.

Bio

Born in Midland, Ontario in 1934,^[1] and raised in Paris, Ontario, Muckler was a defenceman in the minor leagues for 13 seasons, playing the bulk of his career in the Eastern Hockey League (EHL).

Muckler began his professional coaching career as a player/coach in 1959 with the EHL's New York Rovers. He then spent the next 20 years in off-ice positions with the New York Rangers, Minnesota North Stars, and Vancouver Canucks before joining the Edmonton Oilers organization in 1981. During those 20 years, Muckler served briefly as head coach of the North Stars in 1968–69 and won multiple regular-season titles, playoff championships, and league coach-of-the-year honours in the minor leagues.^[2] For his successes, The Sporting News named him the top coach in minor-league hockey in 1979.

While with the Oilers, Muckler served as an assistant coach with the Stanley Cup winners under head coach/general manager Glen Sather in 1984 and 1985. After the 1984-85 season, Sather began splitting most coaching duties with Muckler, who was named assistant head coach. He won two more Cups in 1987 and 1988. When Sather relinquished his coaching duties in 1989, Muckler was promoted to head coach and led the club to its fifth Stanley Cup in seven years in 1990.

In 1991, Muckler left the Oilers organization and was hired by the Buffalo Sabres. Initially the club's director of hockey operations, he soon accepted the team's head coaching position and guided the Sabres for the next four seasons. He also assumed the role of Sabres' general manager in 1993. A finalist for the Jack Adams Award as NHL coach of the year in 1994, Muckler stepped down from coaching in 1995 to focus on his front-office duties and was named "NHL Executive of the Year" by The Sporting News for the 1996–97 season.^[3] Sabres President Larry Quinn fired Muckler in the 1997 offseason.

Muckler's last coaching position was as head coach of the New York Rangers from 1998 to 2000.^[2] His career coaching record is 276–288–84, combined with a 233–167–53–7 career record as an NHL general manager, and he has been involved in more than 2,000 professional games in varying roles. His résumé also includes three appearances at the National Hockey League All-Star Game and two appearances (1984 and 1987) on the coaching staff of the Canada Cup-winning Team Canada.

Muckler joined the Ottawa Senators as general manager in June 2002 and presided over what was arguably the team's most successful period. The team ultimately reached the Stanley Cup finals in 2007 but lost to the Anaheim Ducks in a five-game series. Despite this success, the Senators announced that Muckler had been fired on June 18, 2007.^[2] Head coach Bryan Murray was promoted to replace him.

Muckler was hired as a senior advisor with the NHL's Phoenix Coyotes in September 2008.^[4]

In addition to his many years coaching and managing in the NHL, Muckler was also an assistant coach for the Canadian teams that won the 1984 and 1987 Canadian Cup tournaments.^[2]

Death

Muckler died in Buffalo on January 4, 2021.^[5]^[6]^[7]^[2]

Muckler was survived by his wife, Audrey until her death on February 9, 2024 and both are now survived by four children and nine grandchildren.

Career statistics

Playing statistics

			Regular season					Playoffs
Season	Team	League	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1949–50	Detroit Hettche	IHL	32	3	4	7	24	3	0	0	0	6
1950–51	Detroit Hettche	IHL	14	0	0	0	28	--	--	--	--	--
1951–52	Windsor Spitfires	OHA	48	2	3	5	0
1952–53	Galt Black Hawks	OHA	54	6	16	22	0
1953–54	Galt Black Hawks	OHA	statistics unavailable
1954–55	Chatham Maroons	OHASr	7	0	1	1	0
1955–56	Vancouver Canucks	WHL	1	0	0	0	0	--	--	--	--	--
1955–56	Baltimore Clippers/Charlotte Rebels	EHL	62	11	34	45	82	--	--	--	--	--
1956–57	Charlotte Checkers	EHL	62	7	45	52	126	13	1	3	4	8
1957–58	Charlotte Clippers	EHL	61	9	35	44	51	14	1	3	4	10
1958–59	Charlotte Clippers	EHL	64	9	23	32	64	--	--	--	--	--
1959–60	New York Rovers	EHL	64	8	25	33	105	--	--	--	--	--
1960–61	New York Rovers	EHL	64	7	23	30	128	--	--	--	--	--
1961–62	Long Island Ducks	EHL	68	10	26	36	99
1962–63	Long Island Ducks	EHL	50	3	21	24	93

NHL coaching statistics

Team	Year	Regular season							Post season
Team	Year	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

References

^ National Hockey League (2006). National Hockey League Official Guide & Record Book 2006. Dan Diamond & Associates, Inc. p. 102.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Goldstein, Richard (January 7, 2021). "John Muckler, Coach of an N.H.L. Dynasty, Dies at 86". The New York Times.
^ "www.oilersheritage.com". www.oilersheritage.com. Archived from the original on December 8, 2010. Retrieved November 30, 2013.
^ [1] Archived June 21, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
^ "John Muckler's lasting legacy with the Ottawa Senators will be the success he brought". Ottawa Sun. January 5, 2021. Retrieved January 5, 2021.
^ "RELEASE: Oilers mourn the passing of John Muckler". Edmonton Oilers. January 4, 2021. Retrieved January 4, 2021.
^ "Former Edmonton Oilers coach John Muckler dies". Edmonton Sun. January 5, 2021. Retrieved January 5, 2021.

External links

Biographical information and career statistics from Eliteprospects.com, or The Internet Hockey Database

Preceded by Wren Blair	Head coach of the Minnesota North Stars 1968	Succeeded by Wren Blair
Preceded by Glen Sather	Head coach of the Edmonton Oilers 1989–91	Succeeded by Ted Green
Preceded by Rick Dudley	Head coach of the Buffalo Sabres 1991–95	Succeeded by Ted Nolan
Preceded by Colin Campbell	Head coach of the New York Rangers 1997–2000	Succeeded by Ron Low
Preceded by Marshall Johnston	General Manager of the Ottawa Senators 2002–2007	Succeeded by Bryan Murray
Preceded by Gerry Meehan	General Manager of the Buffalo Sabres 1993–97	Succeeded by Darcy Regier