Bob Hartley facts for kids

Robert "Bob" Hartley (born September 7, 1960) is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach. He is known for coaching teams in the NHL and the KHL. Bob Hartley won the famous Stanley Cup in 2001 with the Colorado Avalanche. He has also coached the Latvia men's national ice hockey team.

Bob Hartley's Early Life

Bob Hartley never played in the NHL himself. He started his coaching journey with a junior team in his hometown of Hawkesbury, Ontario. He led this team to a championship win. This success caught the attention of bigger teams. While coaching, he also worked full-time at a factory in Hawkesbury.

Coaching Journey

Starting in Junior Leagues

Bob Hartley's first big coaching job was with the Laval Titan in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). He had a great record with them, winning 81 games in two seasons. In 1993, he led the team to play in the Memorial Cup, which is a big championship for junior hockey.

Coaching in the AHL

After the QMJHL, Hartley became an assistant coach for the American Hockey League (AHL)'s Cornwall Aces. When the head coach moved to the NHL, Bob Hartley took over. He led the Aces to win two division titles.

Later, he became the head coach of the Hershey Bears, another AHL team. He guided the Bears to the playoffs four times in a row. In 1997, they won the Calder Cup, which is the championship trophy for the AHL.

Leading the Colorado Avalanche

Bob Hartley's success in the AHL led him to the NHL. On June 2, 1998, he became the head coach of the Colorado Avalanche. In his first season, the team started slowly, but then they got really good. They won their division title. In the playoffs, they beat the San Jose Sharks and the Detroit Red Wings. They made it to the Western Finals but lost to the Dallas Stars.

The next season, the Avalanche won their division again. They made it to the Western Final for the second year in a row, but again lost to the Dallas Stars.

Winning the Stanley Cup

The 2000–01 season was Bob Hartley's most successful. The team was very strong, winning 52 games. They also won their division for the seventh time in a row. In the playoffs, they swept the Vancouver Canucks in the first round. They then had tough series against the Los Angeles Kings and the St. Louis Blues.

The Avalanche reached the Stanley Cup Finals to play against the New Jersey Devils. After being down 3-2 in the series, the Avalanche fought back. They won the last two games to win the Stanley Cup! This was a huge moment for the team and for star player Ray Bourque.

Bob Hartley even brought the Stanley Cup to the factory in Hawkesbury where he used to work. The next season, the Avalanche won their division again. They made it to the conference finals for the fourth time in a row. However, they lost to their rivals, the Detroit Red Wings. Bob Hartley left the Avalanche in December 2002. He had a great record with 193 wins.

Coaching the Atlanta Thrashers

In January 2003, Bob Hartley became the head coach of the Atlanta Thrashers. The team had been struggling, but Hartley helped them improve. In his first full season, the Thrashers set new team records for wins and points. Star player Ilya Kovalchuk also became a top scorer under his guidance.

In the 2006–07 season, the Thrashers had a fantastic year. They won their first division title and made the playoffs for the first time in team history. They played against the New York Rangers in the first round. Bob Hartley is still the winningest coach in Thrashers history. He was fired in October 2007 after a tough start to the season.

Coaching in Switzerland

On March 14, 2011, Bob Hartley signed a contract to coach the ZSC Lions in Switzerland. He led the ZSC Lions to win the Swiss championship in 2012. After this big win, he decided to return to the NHL.

Returning to the NHL with Calgary

On May 31, 2012, Hartley became the head coach of the Calgary Flames. He coached the Flames for four seasons. In 2015, he won the Jack Adams Award, which is given to the NHL's best coach of the year. He was the first Flames coach to win this award. He was fired in May 2016, but he had led the team to one playoff appearance.

Coaching the Latvian National Team

On December 20, 2016, Bob Hartley agreed to coach the Latvia men's national ice hockey team. During the 2021 IIHF World Championship, he led Latvia to a historic 2-0 victory over the strong Canadian men's national ice hockey team. This was the first time Latvia had ever beaten Canada in ice hockey.

Coaching in the KHL with Avangard Omsk

On May 27, 2018, Hartley became the head coach of Avangard Omsk in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). He led the team to the final of the Gagarin Cup, but they lost. However, on April 28, 2021, while still coaching Avangard, he led them to win the Gagarin Cup!

Bob Hartley's Family Life

Bob Hartley is married to Micheline. They have a daughter named Kristine and a son named Steve. Even though his name sounds English, Bob Hartley is a Franco-Ontarian. This means his first language is French, and he speaks English with a French accent.

Championships Bob Hartley Has Won

• Gagarin Cup – 2021
• Stanley Cup – 2001
• Calder Cup – 1997
• NLA champion (Swiss League) – 2012
• President's Cup (QMJHL) – 1993

See also

• List of NHL head coaches