Red Sullivan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Red Sullivan |
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| Born | December 24, 1929 Peterborough, Ontario, Canada |
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| Died | January 19, 2019 (aged 89) Peterborough, Ontario, Canada |
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| Height | 5 ft 11 in (180 cm) | ||
| Weight | 160 lb (73 kg; 11 st 6 lb) | ||
| Position | Centre | ||
| Shot | Left | ||
| Played for | Boston Bruins Chicago Black Hawks New York Rangers |
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| Playing career | 1949–1961 | ||
George James "Red" Sullivan (born December 24, 1929 – died January 19, 2019) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player. He played in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1949 to 1961. After his playing days, Red Sullivan became a coach. He coached hockey teams between 1962 and 1975.
Playing Hockey
Red Sullivan started his NHL journey with the Boston Bruins. He played for them from 1949 to 1953. After that, he joined the Chicago Black Hawks for two seasons, from 1954 to 1956. He then played for the New York Rangers from 1956 until 1961.
While playing for the Chicago Black Hawks, Red Sullivan was the top scorer for his team in both years he was there.
During his career, Red Sullivan had a very serious injury. Another player accidentally hit him in the stomach during a game. This caused a severe internal injury, and he needed urgent medical care. Luckily, he recovered and was able to play hockey again! He then continued his career with the New York Rangers.
In his NHL career, he played 556 games. He scored 107 goals and made 239 assists, adding up to 346 points. In a book called 100 Ranger Greats, Red Sullivan was ranked as the 66th best player ever for the New York Rangers. This was out of 901 players who had played for the team in its first 82 seasons.
Coaching Hockey
After his playing career, Red Sullivan became a head coach. He started coaching the New York Rangers during the 1962–63 season. He coached the team until December 1965. At that time, the Rangers' general manager decided to take over as coach.
Later, Sullivan coached the Pittsburgh Penguins in their very first season. He coached them for two seasons, but the team did not make it to the playoffs. Because of this, he was let go on March 31, 1969.
In the 1974-1975 NHL season, Red Sullivan also coached the Washington Capitals. This was a new team in the league. He coached for a short time, with a record of 2 wins and 16 losses. He was later replaced by another coach that same season.
Red Sullivan passed away on January 19, 2019. He had been living with Alzheimer's disease for several years.
Images for kids
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Red Sullivan's hockey card from 1960.
