Lynn Patrick

{{short description|Canadian ice hockey player}}

{{Infobox ice hockey player

| played_for = New York Rangers

| image = File:Lynn Patrick 1939.jpg

| position = Left wing

| shoots = Left

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 1

| weight_lb = 205

| birth_date = {{birth date|1912|2|3|mf=y}}

| birth_place = Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

| death_date = {{death date and age|1980|1|26|1912|2|3}}

| death_place = St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.

| career_start = 1934

| career_end = 1947

| halloffame = 1980

}}

Joseph Lynn Patrick (February 3, 1912 – January 26, 1980) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player and executive. As a player, Patrick played ten seasons in the National Hockey League for the New York Rangers. He was twice named to the NHL All-Star team and was a member of the Rangers' 1940 Stanley Cup championship team. Patrick turned to coaching following his playing career, serving first with the Rangers, then the Boston Bruins – where he was also general manager – and finally as the first head coach of the St. Louis Blues.

Patrick was part of one of hockey's most famous families. His brother Muzz and son Glenn were also NHL players, while his father Lester, uncle Frank Patrick and son Craig are all members of the Hockey Hall of Fame. Lynn was himself posthumously inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1980 and was a recipient of the Lester Patrick Trophy in 1989 for his contributions to the sport in the United States.

Early life

Patrick was born February 3, 1912, in Victoria, British Columbia.{{cite book |last1=Duplacey |first1=James |last2=Zweig |first2=Eric |title=Official Guide to the Players of the Hockey Hall of Fame |publisher=Firefly Books |year=2010 |isbn=978-1-55407-662-8 |page=[https://archive.org/details/officialguidetop00/page/383 383] |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/officialguidetop00/page/383 }} His father Lester and uncle Frank were founders and operators of the Pacific Coast Hockey Association (PCHA). Lynn also played hockey growing up, until Victoria's Patrick Arena burned down in 1929.{{cite book |last=Podnieks |first=Andrew |title=Players: The ultimate A–Z guide of everyone who has ever played in the NHL |publisher=Doubleday Canada |year=2003 |location=Toronto |pages=661–662 |isbn=0-385-25999-9}} Lynn played several sports in addition to hockey; he was a member of the Vancouver Blue Ribbons basketball team that won the Canadian national championship in 1933. After his father sent he and his brother Muzz to Montreal to study at McGill University, Patrick resumed his hockey career with the Royal Montreal Hockey Club in 1933. He also played basketball and football at the same time.

Playing career

Lester Patrick was managing the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League (NHL) in 1934 when his assistants convinced him to sign Lynn to a contract. Lester was hesitant, fearing that such a move would be labeled as nepotism. Nonetheless, the Rangers signed Lynn to a contract on November 4, 1934. He made his NHL debut on November 10, 1934, against the St. Louis Eagles.{{cite web |url=http://rangers.nhl.com/club/atrplayer.htm?id=8448096 |title=Lynn Patrick profile |publisher=New York Rangers Hockey Club |access-date=2013-12-09 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131214053408/http://rangers.nhl.com/club/atrplayer.htm?id=8448096 |archive-date=2013-12-14 }} Lynn struggled in his rookie season of 1934–35, resulting in the criticism Lester feared. Lynn was often maligned by fans and the press,{{cite web |url=http://www.legendsofhockey.net/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/LegendsMember.jsp?mem=p198002&type=Player&page=bio&list= |title=Lynn Patrick biography |publisher=Hockey Hall of Fame |access-date=2013-12-09}} but was a steady presence for the Rangers over the next several seasons as he scored between 25 and 34 points in 48-game seasons between 1935–36 and 1939–40. His brother Muzz joined the team in 1938, and the pair were members of New York's 1940 Stanley Cup championship team.

Playing on a line by Bryan Hextall and Phil Watson, Patrick developed into a leading offensive player for the Rangers. He recorded 44 points in 1940–41, then led the NHL with 32 goals in 1941–42. He was named to the NHL's first All-Star team, and to the second team in 1942–43. That season, Patrick set a career high with 61 points. Patrick then left the NHL for two years to serve with the United States military in the Second World War. He returned to the league for one final NHL season in 1945–46, but found that he lost his skating speed during his time off and switched from left wing to defence.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=8fwuAAAAIBAJ&sjid=GdwFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5811,1728082 |title=Lynn Patrick will pilot New Haven club |work=Ottawa Citizen |date=1946-10-09 |access-date=2013-12-09 |page=16}} In 455 games over ten seasons, Patrick scored 145 goals and 335 points.

Coaching career

The Rangers named Patrick the head coach of their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the New Haven Ramblers for the 1946–47 season. He was also listed as a utility player for the team, but hoped he would play only if necessary. Nonetheless, he appeared in 16 games for the Ramblers; he recorded two goals and six assists. He remained with New Haven for the following two seasons, and was promoted to head coach of the Rangers midway through the 1948–49 NHL season.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=QGpIAAAAIBAJ&sjid=i1UDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5642,3286263 |title=Lynn Patrick named new Ranger mentor |work=The Evening Independent |location=St. Petersburg, FL |date=1948-12-22 |access-date=2013-12-09 |page=19}} He served as Rangers coach until 1950. After leading the Rangers to the Stanley Cup Finals, he was offered the coaching position with the Boston Bruins, with a raise to $12,000 per year. When the Rangers refused to pay Patrick more than $9,000 he resigned and joined the Bruins.{{harvnb|Cohen|Halligan|Raider|2009|p=159}}

Patrick coached the Bruins between 1950 and 1955. He was also named the team's general manager in 1954, a position he held until 1964. Patrick had three short stints as head coach of the St. Louis Blues and two as general manager. He was as the first general manager and head coach of the Blues in 1967–68, but quickly surrendered the coaching role to Scotty Bowman, who led the team to an appearance in the 1968 Stanley Cup Finals.{{Cite web |last=Cross |first=Wally |date=2020-11-22 |title=The day the Blues launched the career of an NHL coaching legend |url=https://www.stltoday.com/sports/professional/nhl/blues/the-day-the-blues-launched-the-career-of-an-nhl-coaching-legend/article_4cf5963e-2cd4-11eb-b1b7-1be1035b8930.html |access-date=2023-09-19 |website=St. Louis Post Dispatch |language=en}}{{cite news |last=Winkler |first=Hal |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=82ZkAAAAIBAJ&sjid=rXwNAAAAIBAJ&pg=1375,2480943 |title=Let's hear it for St. Louis Blues |work=Calgary Herald |date=1968-05-08 |access-date=2013-12-09 |page=43}} He ultimately became the Blues' senior vice president, a position he held until his retirement in 1977.{{Cite news |date=1980-01-28 |title=Lynn Patrick of the Rangers, 67, Was All-Star and Former Coach; Team Advanced to Finals |language=en-US |page=B9 |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1980/01/28/archives/lynn-patrick-of-the-rangers-67-was-allstar-and-former-coach-team.html |access-date=2023-09-20 |issn=0362-4331}}

In 1958, Patrick and journalist Leo Monahan co-published the book Let's Play Hockey! as an instructional guide for coaching ice hockey.{{cite book|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/3297605|title=Let's play hockey! (Book, 1958)|via=WorldCat|oclc=3297605|access-date=December 28, 2020}}{{cite news|title=D. Leo Monahan, 86; Boston sports reporter, columnist|last=Marquard|first=Bryan|date=April 2, 2013|newspaper=The Boston Globe|location=Boston, Massachusetts|url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/obituaries/2013/04/01/leo-monahan-boston-sports-reporter-and-columnist-dies/IaRiDjeliLSeCPhM2JLEBN/story.html}}

Personal life

Patrick was married to Dorothea Davis, a model and actress, between 1939 and 1941.{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1939/04/09/archives/lynn-patrick-is-wed-ranger-forward-married-to-miss-dorothea-davis.html |title=Lynn Patrick is wed |work=New York Times |date=1939-04-09 |access-date=2013-12-09}}{{subscription required}} He and Dorothea had one son, Lester Lee Patrick. Lynn then married Bernice Lang. They had four children together, Craig Patrick, Karen Patrick, Glenn Patrick, and Dean Patrick.

Lynn Patrick died on January 26, 1980. He left a Blues game that night due to illness but crashed his car near the arena after suffering a heart attack.

Lynn was a member of one of hockey's most famous families.{{cite magazine |url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/hockey/news/2003/05/02/patrick_fired_st/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131213021611/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/hockey/news/2003/05/02/patrick_fired_st/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 13, 2013 |title=Sibling rivalry? |magazine=Sports Illustrated |date=2003-05-02 |access-date=2013-12-09}} His father Lester and uncle Frank were both inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. His brother Muzz was an NHL player, as were his sons Craig and Glenn.{{cite book |last=Podnieks |first=Andrew |title=Players: The ultimate A–Z guide of everyone who has ever played in the NHL |publisher=Doubleday Canada |year=2003 |location=Toronto |pages=660–662 |isbn=0-385-25999-9}} Lynn was posthumously inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1980, months after his death. Craig became the fourth member of the Patrick family so honoured in 2001.{{cite web |url=http://www.hhof.com/htmlInduct../ind01patrick.shtml |title=Induction showcase: Craig Patrick |publisher=Hockey Hall of Fame |access-date=2013-12-09}} USA Hockey recognized Lynn's contributions to hockey in the United States by naming him a recipient of the Lester Patrick Trophy in 1989.

Career statistics

=Regular season and playoffs=

border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" style="text-align:center; width:60em"
bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! colspan="3" bgcolor="#ffffff"|

! rowspan="100" bgcolor="#ffffff"|

! colspan="5"|Regular season

! rowspan="100" bgcolor="#ffffff"|

! colspan="5"|Playoffs

bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! Season

! Team

! League

! GP !! G !! A !! Pts !! PIM

! GP !! G !! A !! Pts !! PIM

style="background:#f0f0f0;"

| 1933–34

| Montreal Royals

| MCHL

| 15

5384

| 2

0000
1934–35

| New York Rangers

| NHL

| 48

9132217

| 4

2240
style="background:#f0f0f0;"

| 1935–36

| New York Rangers

| NHL

| 48

11142529

| —

1936–37

| New York Rangers

| NHL

| 45

8162423

| 9

3032
style="background:#f0f0f0;"

| 1937–38

| New York Rangers

| NHL

| 48

15193424

| 3

0112
1938–39

| New York Rangers

| NHL

| 35

8212925

| 7

1120
style="background:#f0f0f0;"

| 1939–40

| New York Rangers

| NHL

| 48

12162834

| 12

2244
1940–41

| New York Rangers

| NHL

| 48

20244412

| 3

10114
style="background:#f0f0f0;"

| 1941–42

| New York Rangers

| NHL

| 47

32225418

| 6

1010
1942–43

| New York Rangers

| NHL

| 50

22396128

| —

style="background:#f0f0f0;"

| 1945–46

| New York Rangers

| NHL

| 38

861430

| —

1946–47

| New Haven Ramblers

| AHL

| 16

26816

| 3

1012
bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! colspan="3" | NHL totals

! 455 !! 145 !! 190 !! 335 !! 240

! 44 !! 10 !! 6 !! 16 !! 22

=Coaching record=

class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%; text-align:center; width:70em;"
rowspan="2"|Seasonrowspan="2"|Teamrowspan="2"|Leaguecolspan="7"|Regular seasoncolspan="1"|Post season
GWLTPtsDivision rankResult
1948–49

| New York Rangers

| NHL

| 37

1220529

| 6th overall

| Did not qualify

1949–50

| New York Rangers

| NHL

| 70

28311167

| 4th overall

| Lost Stanley Cup Finals

1950–51

| Boston Bruins

| NHL

| 70

22381862

| 4th overall

| Lost in semi-finals

1951–52

| Boston Bruins

| NHL

| 70

25291666

| 4th overall

| Lost in semi-finals

1952–53

| Boston Bruins

| NHL

| 70

28291369

| 3rd overall

| Lost Stanley Cup Finals

1953–54

| Boston Bruins

| NHL

| 70

| 32

281074

| 4th overall

| Lost in semi-finals

1954–55

| Boston Bruins

| NHL

| 30

1014626

| 4th overall

| Fired

1967–68

| St. Louis Blues

| NHL

| 16

410210

| 3rd in West

| Resigned

1974–75

| St. Louis Blues

| NHL

| 2

1013

| 2nd in Smythe

| Resigned

1975–76

| St. Louis Blues

| NHL

| 8

3506

| 3rd in Smythe

| Resigned

bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! colspan="3"|Total

! 443 !! 165 !! 196 !! 82 !! 412

Awards and honours

class="wikitable"

|+ style="text-align:center; background:#e0e0e0" |NHL

scope="col" style="width:20em" | Award

! scope="col" | Year

! scope="col" | Ref.

First team All-Star

| 1941–42

| {{cite web |url=http://www.legendsofhockey.net/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/LegendsMember.jsp?mem=p198002&type=Player&page=statsawards&list= |title=Lynn Patrick statistics |publisher=Hockey Hall of Fame |access-date=2013-12-09}}

Second team all-star

| 1942–43

|

Lester Patrick Trophy
Contributions to the sport in the United States

| 1989

|

See also

References

{{reflist|2}}

=Bibliography=

{{refbegin}}

  • {{Citation|last1=Cohen|first1=Russ|last2=Halligan|first2=John|last3=Raider|first3=Adam|title=100 Ranger Greats: Superstars, Unsung Heroes and Colorful Characters|year=2009|publisher=John Wiley & Sons|location=Hoboken, New Jersey|isbn=978-0470736197}}
  • {{Citation|last=Whitehead|first=Eric|title=The Patricks: Hockey's Royal Family|publisher=Doubleday|location=New York City|year=1980|isbn=0-385-15662-6}}

{{refend}}