2014-15 is Bob Hartley's third season as head coach of
the Calgary Flames in the National Hockey League. While behind the Calgary bench, the Flames have yet to qualify for the Stanley Cup playoffs. However, if anyone is going to turn this NHL franchise around, it’s
Hartley. Since 1992-93, in four different leagues, Bob has led four different
teams to playoff championships.
1992-93 Laval Titan – QMJHL
In his second of two years coaching Laval, Hartley led the
team to a second overall placing with 43 wins and 88 points over the 70 game
regular season schedule. The Titan led the QMJHL with 367 goals scored.
In the playoffs, Laval lost just one game. In the opening
round, they swept Verdun College-Francais. In the semi-finals, they swept the
Drummondville Voltigeurs. In the finals against the Sherbrooke Faucons, Laval
let one get away but won the series in five games to capture the President’s
Cup.
The 1993 Memorial Cup tournament was held in Sault Ste.
Marie, Ontario. The Titan went 1-2 in the round robin. Laval beat the Swift
Current Broncos 4-3 in the tie-breaker game before losing 3-1 to the
Peterborough Petes in the semi-final matchup.
1996-97 Hershey Bears – AHL
In his first year coaching Hershey, Bob Hartley led the team
to a second place finish in the Mid-Atlantic Division and second place overall
in the American Hockey League. The Bears won 43 games and totalled 101 points
over 80 games. Hershey had the least goals against in the AHL with 220.
In the opening round of the playoffs, the Bears ousted the
Kentucky Thoroughblades, three games to one. The next two best of seven series
both went the distance with Hershey beating the Philadelphia Phantoms 4-3
followed by a 4-3 victory over the Springfield Falcons to earn a place in the
finals. The Bears met the Hamilton Bulldogs and dispatched their opponents in
five games to capture the Calder Cup
championship.
2000-01 Colorado Avalanche – NHL
In his third of five years as head coach of the Avalanche,
it was now or never for Hartley to win a Stanley Cup championship. Colorado was
led by Joe Sakic, Ray Bourque and Patrick Roy, all now in the Hockey Hall of
Fame and, at the time, nearing the end of their playing careers.
The Avalanche finished first overall in the NHL with 52 wins
and 118 points in 82 games. Joe Sakic scored 54 goals and finished second to
Pavel Bure’s 59 goals with the Florida Panthers. Sakic’s 118 points placed him
second in the race for the Art Ross Trophy, behind Jaromir Jagr of the
Pittsburgh Penguins with 121 points.
In the opening round, Colorado swept the Vancouver Canucks
in four games. In the Western Conference semi-finals, the Los Angeles Kings
took Colorado to the seven game limit before allowing them to advance. In the
Conference finals, the Avalanche eliminated the St. Louis Blues in five games.
In the finals, Colorado met the New Jersey Devils and won their second Stanley
Cup championship, winning four games to three.
2011-12 ZSC Lions – NLA
Bob coached in Switzerland for the 2011-12 season with the
ZSC (Zurich) Lions of the elite National League A. The team finished the
regular season in seventh place in the twelve team league with just eight
playoff spots up for grabs. In a post season of upsets in Switzerland, the
Lions defeated the fifth place SC Bern in the finals. It was Hartley’s only
year coaching in Europe.
