Kevin Dineen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Kevin Dineen |
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Dineen in 2006
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| Born | October 28, 1963 Quebec City, Quebec, Canada |
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| Height | 5 ft 11 in (180 cm) | ||
| Weight | 190 lb (86 kg; 13 st 8 lb) | ||
| Position | Right wing | ||
| Shot | Right | ||
| Played for | Hartford Whalers Philadelphia Flyers Carolina Hurricanes Ottawa Senators Columbus Blue Jackets |
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| Current AHL coach | Utica Comets | ||
| Coached for | Florida Panthers (Head Coach) Portland Pirates (Head Coach) San Diego Gulls (Head Coach) Chicago Blackhawks (Assistant) |
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| National team | .svg){kind=small} Canada |
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| NHL Draft | 56th overall, 1982 Hartford Whalers |
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| Playing career | 1984–2002 | ||
| Coaching career | 2005–Present | ||
Kevin William Dineen (born October 28, 1963) is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach and former player. He was the head coach of the Utica Comets in the American Hockey League (AHL) from 2021 to 2024. Before that, Dineen was the head coach for the Florida Panthers and an assistant coach for the Chicago Blackhawks. He was born in Quebec City, Quebec.
Contents
Playing Career: Kevin Dineen's Hockey Journey
Early Days: College and National Team
Kevin Dineen started his hockey journey playing Junior "B" hockey with the St. Michael's Buzzers when he was 17. He scored 15 goals and had 43 points in 40 games during the 1980–81 season.
He then went to college, playing for the University of Denver Pioneers. In his first year (1981–82), he scored 10 goals and 20 points. The Hartford Whalers picked him in the third round of the 1982 NHL Entry Draft. The next season, he was named captain and improved his scores to 16 goals and 29 points. He played both forward and defense for the Pioneers.
Before joining the NHL, Dineen played for the Canadian national hockey team in 1983–84. He scored five goals and 16 points in 52 games. He also played in the 1984 Winter Olympics but didn't score any points in seven games.
NHL Debut: Hartford Whalers Star
Dineen started the 1984–85 season in the AHL with the Binghamton Whalers, where he had 15 goals and 23 points in 25 games. He then moved up to the Hartford Whalers in the NHL, making his debut on December 3, 1984. He finished his rookie NHL season with 25 goals and 41 points in 57 games.
In the 1985–86 season, Dineen became a key player for the Whalers, scoring 33 goals and 68 points. In the playoffs, he led the team with six goals and 13 points as Hartford made a good run.
The 1986–87 season was a big one for Dineen. He scored a team-high 40 goals and had 79 points, helping Hartford finish first in their division. He continued to be a strong scorer, reaching a career-high 45 goals and 89 points in 1988–89. He was also chosen to play in the NHL All-Star Game in both 1988 and 1989.
On November 13, 1991, the Whalers traded Dineen to the Philadelphia Flyers. This was special because his father, Bill Dineen, was the Flyers' head coach at the time.
Philadelphia Flyers: Captaincy and Playoff Runs
After joining the Philadelphia Flyers, Dineen's scoring picked up again. He scored 26 goals and 56 points in 64 games during the 1991–92 season. In his first full season with the Flyers (1992–93), he scored 35 goals, his highest total since his time with the Whalers.
Dineen was named the Flyers' captain for the 1993–94 season. During the 1994–95 NHL lockout, he played briefly for the Houston Aeros in the IHL. When the NHL season restarted, he rejoined the Flyers. Even though he struggled in the regular season, he stepped up in the playoffs, scoring six goals and ten points to help the Flyers reach the Eastern Conference finals.
In December 1995, Dineen was traded back to the Hartford Whalers.
Return to Hartford and Carolina Hurricanes Era
Back with the Hartford Whalers, Dineen was named team captain for the 1996–97 season. He had a strong season with 19 goals and 48 points. On April 13, 1997, he scored the very last goal in Whalers history. After the game, he thanked the fans for their support. The team then moved to North Carolina and became the Carolina Hurricanes.
Dineen remained the Hurricanes' captain for the 1997–98 season and scored the first goal in Carolina's history. He continued to play for the Hurricanes until 1999, helping them make the playoffs for the first time.
Later Years: Senators and Blue Jackets
In 1999, Dineen signed with the Ottawa Senators. He played one season there before being picked by the new Columbus Blue Jackets team in the 2000 NHL Expansion Draft. He played two full seasons with the Blue Jackets.
On November 5, 2002, Kevin Dineen retired from playing hockey. He played in 1188 career games, scoring 355 goals and 760 points. His number 11 was honored by the AHL's Hartford Wolf Pack in 2006.
International Hockey: Representing Canada
Kevin Dineen proudly represented Team Canada many times. Besides the 1984 Winter Olympics, he played in several World Ice Hockey Championships:
- 1985: 3 goals, 5 points in 10 games.
- 1987: 4 goals, 6 points in 9 games.
- 1989: 3 goals, 10 points in 10 games.
- 1993: 1 goal, 3 points in 8 games.
He also played for the NHL All-Stars against the Soviet Union in Rendez-vous '87, scoring one goal.
Coaching Career: Leading Teams to Success
Portland Pirates: AHL Coaching Start
In 2005, Kevin Dineen became the head coach of the Portland Pirates, an AHL team. In his first season (2005–06), he led the Pirates to an amazing 53–19–5–3 record, earning 114 points and finishing first in their conference. He won the Louis A. R. Pieri Memorial Award as the AHL's best coach. The Pirates had strong playoff runs under his leadership, reaching the conference finals twice. He coached the Pirates until 2011.
Florida Panthers: NHL Head Coach
On May 31, 2011, Dineen became the head coach of the Florida Panthers in the NHL. In his first season, he led the team to its first division title in franchise history and their first playoff appearance in 12 years. The Panthers lost in the first round of the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs. He was fired early in the 2013–14 season.
Team Canada: Olympic Gold Medal
In December 2013, Kevin Dineen was named head coach of Team Canada's women's national ice hockey team. On February 20, 2014, he led the team to their fourth straight Olympic gold medal at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. He also coached Canada's National Men's Under-18 Team to a bronze medal at the 2014 IIHF World U18 Championships.
Chicago Blackhawks: Stanley Cup Champion
On July 14, 2014, Dineen joined the Chicago Blackhawks as an assistant coach. He worked with Joel Quenneville, who was his teammate back in Hartford. As an assistant coach, Dineen won his first Stanley Cup on June 15, 2015, when the Blackhawks won the championship. He stayed with the Blackhawks until November 2018.
San Diego Gulls and Utica Comets
From 2019 to 2021, Dineen was the head coach of the San Diego Gulls, an AHL team. He then became the head coach of the Utica Comets in August 2021. In November 2021, the Comets set a new AHL record for the longest win streak to start a season, with thirteen straight wins.
Personal Life: Beyond the Rink
Outside of hockey, Kevin Dineen is a spokesperson for the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America.
He comes from a hockey family. His father, Bill Dineen, was also an NHL player and coach. Kevin has four brothers (Gord, Peter, Shawn, and Jerry) and one sister (Rose). Even though he was born in Canada, he grew up mostly in the United States because of his father's hockey career.
Kevin Dineen and his wife, Annie, have four children: two daughters and two sons.
Career statistics
Regular season and playoffs
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1980–81 | St. Michael's Buzzers | MetJHL | 40 | 15 | 28 | 43 | 167 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1981–82 | University of Denver | WCHA | 26 | 10 | 10 | 20 | 70 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1982–83 | University of Denver | WCHA | 36 | 16 | 13 | 29 | 108 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1983–84 | Canada | Intl | 52 | 5 | 11 | 16 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1984–85 | Binghamton Whalers | AHL | 25 | 15 | 8 | 23 | 41 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1984–85 | Hartford Whalers | NHL | 57 | 25 | 16 | 41 | 120 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1985–86 | Hartford Whalers | NHL | 57 | 33 | 35 | 68 | 124 | 10 | 6 | 7 | 13 | 8 | ||
| 1986–87 | Hartford Whalers | NHL | 78 | 40 | 39 | 79 | 110 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 31 | ||
| 1987–88 | Hartford Whalers | NHL | 74 | 25 | 25 | 50 | 217 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 8 | ||
| 1988–89 | Hartford Whalers | NHL | 79 | 45 | 44 | 89 | 167 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 10 | ||
| 1989–90 | Hartford Whalers | NHL | 67 | 25 | 41 | 66 | 164 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 18 | ||
| 1990–91 | Hartford Whalers | NHL | 61 | 17 | 30 | 47 | 104 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 16 | ||
| 1991–92 | Hartford Whalers | NHL | 16 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 23 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1991–92 | Philadelphia Flyers | NHL | 64 | 26 | 30 | 56 | 130 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1992–93 | Philadelphia Flyers | NHL | 83 | 35 | 28 | 63 | 201 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1993–94 | Philadelphia Flyers | NHL | 71 | 19 | 23 | 42 | 113 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1994–95 | Philadelphia Flyers | NHL | 40 | 8 | 5 | 13 | 39 | 15 | 6 | 4 | 10 | 18 | ||
| 1994–95 | Houston Aeros | IHL | 17 | 6 | 4 | 10 | 42 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1995–96 | Philadelphia Flyers | NHL | 26 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 50 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1995–96 | Hartford Whalers | NHL | 20 | 2 | 7 | 9 | 67 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1996–97 | Hartford Whalers | NHL | 78 | 19 | 29 | 48 | 141 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1997–98 | Carolina Hurricanes | NHL | 54 | 7 | 16 | 23 | 105 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1998–99 | Carolina Hurricanes | NHL | 67 | 8 | 10 | 18 | 97 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | ||
| 1999–2000 | Ottawa Senators | NHL | 67 | 4 | 8 | 12 | 67 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2000–01 | Columbus Blue Jackets | NHL | 66 | 8 | 7 | 15 | 126 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2001–02 | Columbus Blue Jackets | NHL | 59 | 5 | 8 | 13 | 62 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2002–03 | Columbus Blue Jackets | NHL | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| NHL totals | 1,188 | 355 | 405 | 760 | 2,229 | 59 | 23 | 18 | 41 | 127 | ||||
International
| Year | Team | Event | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | Canada | OG | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | |
| 1985 | Canada | WC | 10 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 10 | |
| 1987 | Canada | WC | 9 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 20 | |
| 1987 | Canada | CC | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | |
| 1989 | Canada | WC | 10 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 12 | |
| 1993 | Canada | WC | 8 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 8 | |
| Senior totals | 47 | 12 | 15 | 27 | 58 | |||
Coaching record
NHL coaching record
| Team | Year | Regular season | Postseason | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Games | Won | Lost | OTL/ SOL |
Points | Finish | Won | Lost | Result | |||
| FLA | 2011–12 | 82 | 38 | 26 | 18 | 94 | 1st in Southeast Division | 3 | 4 | Lost in First Round (NJD) | |
| FLA | 2012–13 | 48 | 15 | 27 | 6 | 36 | 5th in Southeast Division | — | — | Did not qualify | |
| FLA | 2013–14 | 16 | 3 | 9 | 4 | (10) | 7th in Atlantic Division | — | — | Fired mid-season | |
| Total | 146 | 56 | 62 | 28 | .474 | 1 Division championship |
3 | 4 | 0 Stanley Cups | ||
Minor league coaching record
| Team | Year | Regular season | Postseason | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | L | OTL | SOL | Pts | Finish | Result | ||
| POR | 2005–06 | 80 | 53 | 19 | 5 | 3 | 114 | 1st in Atlantic | Won in division semi-finals (4-2 vs. PRO) Won in division finals (4-2 vs. HFD) Lost in conference finals (3-4 vs. HER) |
| POR | 2006–07 | 80 | 37 | 31 | 3 | 9 | 86 | 6th in Atlantic | Did not qualify |
| POR | 2007–08 | 80 | 45 | 26 | 5 | 4 | 99 | 3rd in Atlantic | Won in division semi-finals (4-1 vs. HFD) Won in division finals (4-2 vs. PRO) Lost in conference finals (3-4 vs. WBS) |
| POR | 2008–09 | 80 | 39 | 31 | 3 | 7 | 88 | 3rd in Atlantic | Lost in division semi-finals (1-4 vs. PRO) |
| POR | 2009–10 | 80 | 45 | 24 | 7 | 4 | 101 | 2nd in Atlantic | Lost in division semi-finals (0-4 vs. MAN |
| POR | 2010–11 | 80 | 47 | 24 | 7 | 2 | 103 | 1st in Atlantic | Won in division semi-finals (4-2 vs. CT) Lost in division finals (2-4 vs. BNG) |
| POR totals | 2005–2011 | 480 | 266 | 155 | 30 | 29 | 591 | 1 division title | 29-29 (0.500) - 0 Calder Cups |
| SD | 2019–20 | 57 | 30 | 19 | 6 | 2 | 68 | 4th in Pacific | Playoffs cancelled |
| SD | 2020–21 | 44 | 26 | 17 | 1 | 0 | 53 | 3rd in Pacific | Lost in division semi-finals (1-2 vs. BAK) |
| SD totals | 2019–2021 | 101 | 56 | 36 | 7 | 2 | 121 | 0 division titles | 1-2 (0.333) - 0 Calder Cups |
| AHL totals | 2005–2021 | 581 | 322 | 191 | 37 | 31 | 712 | 1 division title | 30-31 (0.492) - 0 Calder Cups |
See also
- Notable families in the NHL
- List of NHL players with 2000 career penalty minutes
