Brad McCrimmon facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Brad McCrimmon
McCrimmon with the Boston Bruins in 1979
Born	(1959-03-29)March 29, 1959 Dodsland, Saskatchewan, Canada
Died	September 7, 2011(2011-09-07) (aged 52) Yaroslavl, Russia
Height	5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
Weight	193 lb (88 kg; 13 st 11 lb)
Position	Defence
Shot	Left
Played for	Boston Bruins Philadelphia Flyers Calgary Flames Detroit Red Wings Hartford Whalers Phoenix Coyotes
National team	Canada
NHL Draft	15th overall, 1979 Boston Bruins
Playing career	1979–1997
Medal record Representing  Canada Men's ice hockey World Junior Championships Bronze 1978 Canada

Byron Brad McCrimmon (born March 29, 1959 – died September 7, 2011) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player and coach. He played as a defenceman for many years in the National Hockey League (NHL). He played over 1,200 games for teams like the Boston Bruins, Philadelphia Flyers, Calgary Flames, and Detroit Red Wings.

Brad McCrimmon had his biggest success with the Calgary Flames. He was named a top player in 1988 and won an award for being the best at staying on the ice when his team scored (called the Plus-Minus Award). In 1989, he helped the Flames win their only Stanley Cup championship. His career plus-minus score of +444 is one of the highest ever in the NHL.

After his playing career, McCrimmon became a coach. He worked as an assistant coach for NHL teams and as a head coach in junior hockey. In 2011, he became the head coach for a team in Russia called Lokomotiv Yaroslavl. Sadly, he passed away in a plane crash with most of his team, on their way to their first game.

Playing Career

Junior Hockey Years

Brad McCrimmon started playing junior hockey at age 15. He played for the Prince Albert Raiders in Saskatchewan for two seasons. In his second year (1975–76), he was named the best defenceman in his league.

For the 1976–77 season, he joined the Brandon Wheat Kings in the Western Hockey League (WHL). He scored many points and helped his team reach the league championship. He was named the best defenceman in the WHL in 1978. He was also chosen for the league's all-star team in 1978 and 1979.

McCrimmon also played for the Canadian junior team at the World Junior Championship. He helped Canada win a bronze medal in 1978.

In 1979, McCrimmon was the captain of the Wheat Kings. He led them to win the league championship, called the President's Cup. The team then went to the 1979 Memorial Cup tournament. McCrimmon was known for his amazing stamina and played almost every minute of the final game. Even though his team lost in overtime, he was named an all-star defenceman for the tournament.

Professional Hockey Years

In the 1979 NHL Entry Draft, Brad McCrimmon was picked 15th overall by the Boston Bruins. He played his first NHL game on October 11, 1979. He scored 5 goals and 16 points in his first season.

In 1982, the Bruins traded McCrimmon to the Philadelphia Flyers. His new coach believed he could become a better defenceman. With the Flyers, McCrimmon became known as a top "shutdown defenceman." This means he was great at stopping the other team from scoring. In the 1984–85 season, he had a very high plus-minus rating of +52.

During the 1985 Stanley Cup Playoffs, McCrimmon got a serious shoulder injury. The Flyers made it to the final without him but lost to the Edmonton Oilers. He returned for the 1985–86 season and had his best year, scoring 13 goals and 43 assists. He also had an amazing plus-minus rating of +83, which was second best in the NHL. He won the Barry Ashbee Trophy as the Flyers' best defenceman.

Before the 1986–87 season, McCrimmon had a disagreement with the Flyers about his contract. He didn't play at first, but they eventually agreed on a deal. He returned and helped the Flyers reach the Stanley Cup Final again in 1987. They played a tough seven-game series against the Oilers but lost.

After that season, McCrimmon was traded to the Calgary Flames in 1987. With the Flames, he joined a strong group of defencemen. He scored 42 points and won the NHL Plus-Minus Award for leading the league with a +48 rating. He was also named a second-team All-Star and played in the 1988 All-Star Game.

In the 1988–89 season, McCrimmon helped the Flames win their first-ever Stanley Cup championship. He was named the 10th captain in Flames history in 1989. After the 1989–90 season, he was traded to the Detroit Red Wings.

In Detroit, McCrimmon played with a young star named Nicklas Lidström. McCrimmon focused on playing strong defence, which allowed Lidström to be more creative. He played one more season in Detroit before being traded to the Hartford Whalers in 1993. In Hartford, he helped guide younger players like Chris Pronger. He played three seasons with the Whalers.

McCrimmon signed with the Phoenix Coyotes for the 1996–97 season. He played 37 games that year before announcing his retirement.

Brad McCrimmon was known as a "stay-at-home" defenceman. This means he focused on stopping the other team from scoring and playing tough in front of his own net. He played with many future Hockey Hall of Fame players like Ray Bourque, Mark Howe, and Paul Coffey. His career plus-minus rating of +444 is one of the highest in NHL history. Many people felt he was one of the most underrated defencemen of his time.

Joe Mullen, a Hall of Famer who played with McCrimmon on the 1989 Stanley Cup-winning Flames, said McCrimmon was the toughest player he ever played against.

Coaching Career

After retiring as a player, Brad McCrimmon quickly became a coach. He started as an assistant coach for the New York Islanders in 1997. After two years, he became the head coach for the Saskatoon Blades in the Western Hockey League (WHL). He coached the Blades for two seasons, leading them to a good finish in 1999–2000.

In 2000, McCrimmon returned to the NHL as an assistant coach for the Calgary Flames. He later became an assistant for the Atlanta Thrashers and then the Detroit Red Wings.

In 2011, he decided to become the head coach for Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, a team in Russia's Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). He hoped this would help him become an NHL head coach in the future. However, he never got to coach a regular season game for Lokomotiv. He was killed in a plane crash on the way to the team's first game of the season. Most of the team also passed away in the accident.

The Calgary Flames wore special uniforms to honor McCrimmon before an NHL game in 2011–12.

Personal Life

Brad McCrimmon was born in Dodsland, Saskatchewan, and grew up on his family's farm nearby. He often went back home during the summers to train on the farm. In 1989, after winning the Stanley Cup with the Flames, he brought the Cup back to his hometown, keeping a promise he made to his grandfather.

Hockey was a big part of McCrimmon's life from a young age. His father, Byron, was also a hockey player and coach. Brad and his younger brother, Kelly, even played together for the Wheat Kings. Kelly is now the general manager for the Vegas Golden Knights.

People sometimes called McCrimmon "Beast" or "Sarge." He was known for being tough and direct, but also very respected. His former teammate, Lanny McDonald, said that even though he seemed tough, he was a "big teddy bear" inside. McCrimmon was very dedicated to his family. He had two children, a daughter named Carlin and a son named Liam, with his wife Maureen.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

International

Coaching

Awards and Honours

See also

• List of NHL players with 1000 games played