Bud Poile facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bud Poile |
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| Hockey Hall of Fame, 1990 (Builder) | |||
Poile with the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 1940s
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| Born | February 10, 1924 Fort William, Ontario, Canada |
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| Died | January 4, 2005 (aged 80) Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada |
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| Height | 6 ft 0 in (183 cm) | ||
| Weight | 185 lb (84 kg; 13 st 3 lb) | ||
| Position | Right Wing | ||
| Shot | Right | ||
| Played for | Toronto Maple Leafs Chicago Black Hawks Detroit Red Wings New York Rangers Boston Bruins |
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| Playing career | 1942–1954 | ||
Norman Robert "Bud" Poile (February 10, 1924 – January 4, 2005) was a very important person in the world of ice hockey. He was a player, a coach, a general manager, and even led entire hockey leagues! Bud came from a family of hockey lovers. He was the brother of Don Poile and the father of David Poile, who also became a famous hockey manager.
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Bud Poile's Amazing Hockey Journey
Playing Days
Bud Poile was born in Fort William, Ontario, Canada. He started playing junior hockey for the Fort William Rangers. At just 18 years old, he began his professional career in 1942. He played as a right winger for the Toronto Maple Leafs.
His hockey career took a short break when he served in the Second World War. After the war, he returned to the Maple Leafs. He was part of the team that won the famous Stanley Cup in 1947. The Stanley Cup is one of the oldest and most important trophies in sports!
After winning the Cup, Bud played for several other NHL teams. He joined the Chicago Black Hawks, then the Detroit Red Wings. Later, he played for the New York Rangers and the Boston Bruins. These were his final stops in the NHL, the top hockey league in North America.
Coaching and Managing Teams
After his time in the NHL, Bud spent five more years playing in smaller professional leagues. During this time, he also started coaching. He was a player-coach for the Tulsa Oilers and the Glace Bay Miners.
In 1952, he moved up to coach the Edmonton Flyers. He coached the Flyers until 1962, helping many young players. After that, he became the head coach of the San Francisco Seals from 1962 to 1966.
When the NHL added new teams in 1967, Bud became the general manager for the Philadelphia Flyers. A general manager is like the boss of the team. They choose the players and make big decisions. Bud helped build the Flyers team that would later win the Stanley Cup in the 1970s.
In 1970, Bud became the general manager for another new NHL team, the Vancouver Canucks. He worked hard to build that team too.
Leading Hockey Leagues
In 1973, Bud left the Canucks to join the World Hockey Association (WHA). This was another major hockey league at the time. He worked as an executive vice-president, helping to run the entire league. He stayed with the WHA until 1976.
Later in 1976, Bud became the president of the Central Hockey League. He also became the commissioner of the International Hockey League in 1983. A commissioner is the main leader of a sports league. The Central Hockey League closed down in 1984. Bud continued to lead the International Hockey League until he retired in 1989.
A Hall of Fame Career
Bud Poile had an amazing hockey career that lasted for six decades! Because of his huge impact on the sport, he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1990. He was honored as a "builder," which means he helped grow and improve the game of hockey, not just as a player, but also as a coach, manager, and league leader.
Bud passed away in Vancouver on January 4, 2005. He had Parkinson's disease. His son, David Poile, has also had a very successful career as a general manager in the NHL. David was the first general manager for the Nashville Predators.
Two professional hockey trophies are named after Bud Poile. The first was the N.R. "Bud" Poile Trophy of the International Hockey League. It was given to the most valuable player in the playoffs from 1989 to 2001. The second is the Norman R. "Bud" Poile Trophy of the American Hockey League. This trophy goes to the team with the best record in the Western Conference during the regular season.
Awards and Honors
- Named to the 2nd team NHL All-Star in the 1948 season.
- Received the Lester Patrick Trophy in 1989. This award honors people who have made great contributions to hockey in the United States.
- Inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1990.
See also
- Norman R. "Bud" Poile Trophy (AHL)
- Norman R. "Bud" Poile Trophy (IHL)
