Joel Quenneville passes Al Arbour in total wins

[yave1964]

Joel Quennevilleafter a solid career in Juniors with the Windsor Spitfires \ got the most out of average talent as a player, watching some of the worst hockey of most any player ever during his 13 year career playing with some awful Leaf, Colorado Rockies, New Jersey Devils, Hartford Whalers and a brief moment with the Capitals before hanging up his skates in 1991.

As Quenneville was nearing the end of his 803-game NHL playing career with the Hartford Whalers, he began working as a retail broker.

"Getting ready for the real job," Quenneville said.

Slight change of plans. The ordinary stay at home defenseman who played 803 games and only scored 54 goals in those 13 seasons, mostly with dreadful teams is now the second winningest coach in NHL history behind only Scotty Bowman after his Hawks nipped Montreal last night 2-1.

  He began his NHL head coaching duties in 1997 with the St. Louis Blueswearing his signature mustache (a bit darker back then) making the playoffs every year he coached the team. From there he went to the Avalanche who were struggling, he got them to the playoffs twice in three years making it to the second round both times with ordinary teams.

  From there on to Chicago where he has won three cups and has secured his plaque in the Hall of Fame when he calls it a career. In 19 seasons as a head coach he has made the playoffs 18 times, won three cups, made it to the conference finals three other times and into the second round 5 additional times.

  In short, his teams have won 23 of 36 postseason series, a wonderful winning percentage.

  I always will rate Scotty Bowman number one on the list of greatest coaches ever, in fact, Q is still over 460 wins behind Scotty all time and says he does not plan on coaching long enough to catch him. It would take another decade if he had elite teams just to get close.

  That is not denigrating Quenneville at all, I think he is a sure fire hall of famer and has mastered the art of coaching in the modern game as well or better than anyone around, period. Congrats Coach on passing the beloved and well respected Arbour. well deserved sir.

 

[WordsOfWisdom]

And prior to St. Louis, I think he was an assistant coach in Colorado when they won the Stanley Cup in 1996. 

[yave1964]

1 hour ago, WordsOfWisdom said:

And prior to St. Louis, I think he was an assistant coach in Colorado when they won the Stanley Cup in 1996. 

Yup, he cut his coaching teeth under Marc Crawford first in Quebec and then in Colorado. As a Wings fan I cannot hold that against him.