NHL Hockey Trivia: Fred Shero

Fred Shero is perhaps one of the best hockey coaches to ever stand behind a bench in professional hockey. The fact that the Hockey Hall of Fame took over two decades after his death to finally honour Shero is an enormous injustice. Test and expand your knowledge of “The Fog” with the following four hockey trivia questions and answers.

Q. Long before he was a head coach in the National Hockey League, what NHL team did Fred Shero play for?

A. For the New York Rangers, Shero played a total of 145 regular season and 13 playoffs games between 1947-48 and 1949-50. As a defenseman, Shero totaled 22 points in the combined 158 games. Fred played pro from 1943-44 to 1957-58 in the EHL, AHL, USHL, NHL, PCHL, WHL and QHL. He was a member of consecutive Calder Cup championships in the AHL with the Cleveland Barons in 1952-53 and 1953-54. He exploded offensively with the Barons in 1953-54 with 21 goals and 53 points.

Q. Fred Shero twice coached the Stanley Cup finalists, in the form of the 1975-76 Philadelphia Flyers and the 1978-79 New York Rangers. In both these occasions, what team defeated Shero’s team?

A. The Montreal Canadiens were Stanley Cup champions in four consecutive seasons from 1975-76 to 1978-79. In the first and last years of their dynasty, the Habs met and defeated team’s coached by Fred Shero. In 1975-76, the Flyers were denied their third consecutive championship, swept by the Canadiens in four games. In 1978-79, the Rangers were able to win one game against Montreal.

Q. In what year did Fred Shero win the Jack Adams Award as the top coach in the NHL?

A. Shero was the first ever recipient of the Jack Adams Award, winning in 1973-74. His Philadelphia Flyers became the first of the 1967 expansion teams to win the Stanley Cup. The Flyers were also the first non-Original 6 team to win the Stanley Cup since the Montreal Maroons captured the championship in 1934-35.

Q. Fred Shero coached championship teams in four professional hockey leagues. What team did he lead to a Calder Cup victory in the American Hockey League?

A. Going into the 1969-70 AHL season, it was understood to be a swan-song season for the Buffalo Bisons. There wasn’t enough room at the Auditorium in Buffalo for two professional hockey teams and the Buffalo Sabres were set to start their inaugural NHL season in 1970-71. The Bisons swept the Springfield Kings to capture their fifth and final Calder Cup.