Bob Hartley facts for kids

Robert "Bob" Hartley (born September 7, 1960) is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach. He recently coached Avangard Omsk in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). He has also coached the Latvia men's national ice hockey team. Bob Hartley led the Colorado Avalanche to win the famous Stanley Cup in 2001. He also coached the Atlanta Thrashers and the Calgary Flames.

Early Years: How Bob Hartley Started Coaching

Bob Hartley never played in the NHL, which is the top ice hockey league. Instead, he began his coaching journey with a junior team in his hometown of Hawkesbury, Ontario. He led this team to a championship win.

His success caught the attention of the Laval Titan, a team in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). While coaching, Hartley also worked full-time at a factory called PPG Industries in Hawkesbury.

Bob Hartley's Coaching Career Highlights

Coaching the Laval Titan

Bob Hartley was a very successful coach for the Laval Titan. He won 81 games, lost 52, and had 7 ties in his two seasons there. In his second year, he guided the team to play in the Memorial Cup in 1993. This is a big tournament for junior hockey teams.

Success in the American Hockey League

Hartley then became an assistant coach for the American Hockey League (AHL)'s Cornwall Aces. When their head coach moved to the NHL, 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. Hartley's time with the Bears was very successful. He led them to the playoffs four times in a row. In 1997, they won the Calder Cup, which is the championship trophy for the AHL.

Winning the Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche

Hartley's success with the Bears got him noticed by the Colorado Avalanche. He became their head coach on June 2, 1998. In his first season, the team started slowly, but then they played much better. They won their division title. In the playoffs, they beat the San Jose Sharks and the Detroit Red Wings. They eventually lost to the Dallas Stars in the Western Finals.

His third season was his best. The team was very motivated to win the Stanley Cup for their star player, Ray Bourque. The Avalanche had an amazing season, winning 52 games. They also won their division for the seventh time in a row.

In the 2001 playoffs, they swept the Vancouver Canucks. They then had tough seven-game series against the Los Angeles Kings. After beating the St. Louis Blues, they faced the New Jersey Devils in the Stanley Cup Finals. The Avalanche came back from being behind in the series. They won the Stanley Cup, making Ray Bourque's dream come true!

During the 2000–01 season, Hartley also coached the North American All-Star team to a big win. He even brought the Stanley Cup trophy back to his hometown. He took it to the factory where he used to work!

Hartley coached the Avalanche to four straight conference finals. His time with the Avalanche ended on December 17, 2002. He had a great record of 193 wins. He was the only coach in the team's history to win 40 or more games in his first four seasons.

Coaching the Atlanta Thrashers

After leaving the Avalanche, Hartley became the head coach of the Atlanta Thrashers in January 2003. He quickly helped the team improve. They started winning more games and even got into the playoff race.

In his first full season, the team faced a sad event with the death of player Dan Snyder. Despite this, the team set new records for wins and points. Under Hartley, young star Ilya Kovalchuk became a top scorer.

In the 2006–07 season, the Thrashers had many achievements. They won their first division title. They also set new records for wins and points, earning 97 points. This allowed them to make the playoffs for the first time in team history! They played against the New York Rangers in the first round. Hartley was the winningest coach in Thrashers history. He was fired on October 17, 2007, after the team had a tough start to the season.

Coaching in Switzerland: ZSC Lions

On March 14, 2011, Hartley signed a two-year contract to coach the ZSC Lions in Switzerland. On April 17, 2012, Hartley led the ZSC Lions to win the Swiss championship in a thrilling Game 7. After this win, he decided to return to the NHL.

Returning to the NHL with the Calgary Flames

On May 31, 2012, Bob Hartley became the head coach of the Calgary Flames. On June 24, 2015, Hartley won the Jack Adams Award. This award is given to the NHL's best coach of the year. He was the first coach in Flames history to win it. He coached the Flames for four seasons, leading them to one playoff appearance.

Coaching the Latvian National Team

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

Coaching in Russia: Avangard Omsk

On May 27, 2018, Hartley was named head coach of Avangard Omsk in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). He signed a two-year contract. He led the team to the final of the Gagarin Cup, which is the KHL championship.

On April 28, 2021, while still coaching Avangard, he finally won the Gagarin Cup!

Bob Hartley's Personal Life

Bob Hartley is married to Micheline. They have one daughter, Kristine, and one son, Steve.

Even though his name sounds English, Bob Hartley is a Franco-Ontarian. This means his first language is French. He speaks English with a noticeable French accent.

Championships Bob Hartley Has Won

• Gagarin Cup (KHL championship) – 2021
• Stanley Cup (NHL championship) – 2001
• Calder Cup (AHL championship) – 1997
• NLA (Swiss championship) – 2012
• President's Cup (QMJHL championship) – 1993

See also

• List of NHL head coaches