Ken Hitchcock facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ken Hitchcock
Hockey Hall of Fame, 2023 (Builder)
Hitchcock in 2014
Born	(1951-12-17) December 17, 1951 (age 73) Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Coached for	Dallas Stars Philadelphia Flyers Columbus Blue Jackets St. Louis Blues Edmonton Oilers
Coaching career	1984–2019

Kenneth S. Hitchcock, born on December 17, 1951, is a famous Canadian ice hockey coach who is now retired. He coached several teams in the National Hockey League (NHL), including the Dallas Stars, Philadelphia Flyers, Columbus Blue Jackets, St. Louis Blues, and Edmonton Oilers. He also helped coach the Canadian national team at the 2014 Winter Olympics.

Ken became a head coach in the NHL in January 1996, when the Dallas Stars hired him. This started a great five-year period for the team. They won five division championships in a row and reached the Conference Finals three times.

The Stars won the Stanley Cup in 1999, beating the Buffalo Sabres. They also made it to the 2000 Stanley Cup Finals but lost to the New Jersey Devils. Ken was later fired by the Stars in 2002.

He then coached the Philadelphia Flyers and led them to the playoffs three times. After that, he coached the Columbus Blue Jackets and helped them reach the playoffs for the first time ever in 2009.

In 2011, Ken became the coach for the St. Louis Blues. In his first year, they won their division for the first time in twelve years. He led them to the Conference Finals in 2016.

Ken Hitchcock is one of the winningest coaches in NHL history, with 849 victories. He was honored with the Order of Hockey in Canada in 2019. In 2023, he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame for his contributions to the sport.

Ken's Early Coaching Days

When Ken Hitchcock was growing up in western Canada, he loved playing hockey. He discovered he was good at helping and motivating other players. This led him to become a coach.

He started coaching different levels of hockey in the Edmonton area. For ten years, he coached a team called the Sherwood Park Chain Gang. His team had an amazing record of 575 wins and only 69 losses. In his free time, he also taught young girls how to play hockey.

In 1984, Ken became the coach for the Kamloops Blazers in the Western Hockey League (WHL). He quickly made a big difference for the team. He led them to win four division titles in a row. They also won the league championship twice, in 1986 and 1990.

For his great coaching, Ken was named the WHL Coach of the Year twice. In 1990, he was even named the best coach in Canadian major junior hockey. His team played in the Memorial Cup tournament twice, which is a big championship for junior hockey teams.

Coaching in the NHL

Dallas Stars Success

In 1990, Ken Hitchcock joined the Philadelphia Flyers as an assistant coach. After three seasons, he became the head coach for the Kalamazoo Wings, a team linked to the Dallas Stars.

In January 1996, Ken was chosen to be the head coach of the Dallas Stars. In his first full season, he led the team to win their division. This was the first time the team had won a division title since 1984.

In the 1997–98 NHL season, Ken led the Stars to the playoffs again. They made it to the Conference Finals but lost to the Detroit Red Wings. Ken was also chosen to coach in the NHL All-Star Game three times in a row.

During the 1998–99 NHL season, Ken led the Stars to an amazing record of 51 wins, 19 losses, and 12 ties. In the playoffs, he guided the team to win their first-ever Stanley Cup by beating the Buffalo Sabres.

The very next season, Ken led the Stars back to the 2000 Stanley Cup Finals. However, they lost to the New Jersey Devils. In the 2000–01 NHL season, the Stars made the playoffs again but were eliminated earlier. Ken was fired midway through the 2001–02 NHL season.

Philadelphia Flyers and Columbus Blue Jackets

After leaving the Stars, Ken Hitchcock quickly joined his old team, the Philadelphia Flyers, in 2002. He brought new discipline to the team. In his first season, he led them to a strong record and they reached the Conference Semifinals.

In his second season with the Flyers, they won their division and made it to the Conference Finals. They lost a close series to the Tampa Bay Lightning. Ken was fired early in the 2006–07 NHL season after a tough start for the team.

Soon after, in November 2006, Ken signed a contract to coach the Columbus Blue Jackets. He helped the Blue Jackets make their first-ever playoff appearance in 2009. However, they were swept in the first round by the Detroit Red Wings. Ken was later fired by the Blue Jackets in 2010.

St. Louis Blues and Retirement

In November 2011, Ken Hitchcock became the head coach of the St. Louis Blues. In his first season, he won the Jack Adams Award, which is given to the NHL's best head coach.

On February 12, 2015, Ken earned his 693rd career NHL win, moving him to fourth place on the all-time coaching wins list. A month later, he reached his 700th career win.

In the 2015–16 NHL season, Ken coached the Blues to the Conference Finals. They lost to the San Jose Sharks. Ken announced he would retire after the 2016–17 NHL season. However, he was fired by the Blues in February 2017, just before he could tie for third-most wins by an NHL coach.

Return to Dallas and Edmonton

On April 13, 2017, Ken Hitchcock returned to coach the Dallas Stars for a second time. In December, he earned his 800th win as an NHL head coach. He announced his retirement again in April 2018.

But Ken came out of retirement on November 20, 2018, to coach the Edmonton Oilers. He coached the team for the rest of the 2018–19 NHL season before leaving the team in May 2019.

Coaching Record