Early on in the history of the Icehouse Hockey League, teams gravitated to a player coach model. Today we will be taking a look at the worst example of the player coach movement and the best. From 1929 until 1940, at least 2 teams in the league had a player/coach each season. The most infamous of these occurred right at the start of the Great Depression, with the, Montreal Reds dynasty.
Up until the 1929 season, the Reds had been coached by Tommy Creglorn. Creglorn, a legendary no-nonsense disciplinarian, often had conflicts with the players, but his track record in the playoffs and ability to get results kept him off the hot seat. That is, until he ran afoul of Reds star forward, Jacques Le’Lain. Right before the start of the Icebucket Championship in the 1928/1929 season. Le’Lain and Creglorn had a blowout over control of the locker room which lead to Creglorn being terminated and Le’Lain guiding the team through the playoffs to their fourth consecutive Icebucket Championship.
The following season, with Le’Lain officially installed as the Reds’ coach, did not go as well. The Reds suffered through their worst season ever; both in terms of injuries as well as losses. Many believe that Le’Lain’s lackadaisically training style lead the all time record in man game lost for the IHHL. This surge in injuries quickly depleted the depth of the Reds’ bench. Le’Lain’s frustrations were on full display during games, screaming at his players and breaking sticks over the goal posts. He quickly lost the locker room and after posting the worst record in Reds history, was removed as head coach.
The best example of the player coach era was the Washington Winter Warriors. The Warriors were a perennial fixture of the Icebucket Championships, making appearances in the final round more often than any other team from 1921 through 1950. From their inception, the Warriors operated under a player/coach model.
The Warriors were unique in that their owner, was the player/coach. The patriarch of the team, William Cannon, was a solid stay-at-home defenseman, who was comfortable coaching from the bench or on the ice. Cannon coached the Warriors from 1921 until 1939, where he retired from playing, but still acted as the coach of the team.
Cannon’s retirement and transition to an owner-coach marked the end of the player coach era for the IHHL. Many of the IHHL teams still have owners who coach the team as well. The most prominent examples being the IHHL Commissioner and Milwaukee Monarchs Owner, Derek Heilmann and the Denver Donkeys, Cody Wright. Many in the IHHL feel that this level of involvement by the owners with the team creates a stronger bond and results in a more engaging game play.
Up until the 1929 season, the Reds had been coached by Tommy Creglorn. Creglorn, a legendary no-nonsense disciplinarian, often had conflicts with the players, but his track record in the playoffs and ability to get results kept him off the hot seat. That is, until he ran afoul of Reds star forward, Jacques Le’Lain. Right before the start of the Icebucket Championship in the 1928/1929 season. Le’Lain and Creglorn had a blowout over control of the locker room which lead to Creglorn being terminated and Le’Lain guiding the team through the playoffs to their fourth consecutive Icebucket Championship.
The following season, with Le’Lain officially installed as the Reds’ coach, did not go as well. The Reds suffered through their worst season ever; both in terms of injuries as well as losses. Many believe that Le’Lain’s lackadaisically training style lead the all time record in man game lost for the IHHL. This surge in injuries quickly depleted the depth of the Reds’ bench. Le’Lain’s frustrations were on full display during games, screaming at his players and breaking sticks over the goal posts. He quickly lost the locker room and after posting the worst record in Reds history, was removed as head coach.
The best example of the player coach era was the Washington Winter Warriors. The Warriors were a perennial fixture of the Icebucket Championships, making appearances in the final round more often than any other team from 1921 through 1950. From their inception, the Warriors operated under a player/coach model.
The Warriors were unique in that their owner, was the player/coach. The patriarch of the team, William Cannon, was a solid stay-at-home defenseman, who was comfortable coaching from the bench or on the ice. Cannon coached the Warriors from 1921 until 1939, where he retired from playing, but still acted as the coach of the team.
Cannon’s retirement and transition to an owner-coach marked the end of the player coach era for the IHHL. Many of the IHHL teams still have owners who coach the team as well. The most prominent examples being the IHHL Commissioner and Milwaukee Monarchs Owner, Derek Heilmann and the Denver Donkeys, Cody Wright. Many in the IHHL feel that this level of involvement by the owners with the team creates a stronger bond and results in a more engaging game play.
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