Pat Kelly
Born
Patrick J. Kelly

(1935-09-08) September 8, 1935
Known for
HonoursMember of the ECHL Hall of Fame

Patrick J. "Pat" Kelly (born September 8, 1935) is an American retired ice hockey coach who co-founded and served as the first commissioner of the East Coast Hockey League. He is the namesake of the Kelly Cup. Kelly also coached the Colorado Rockies for two years and the Birmingham Bulls in the late-1970s.

Early life

Kelly was born in Sioux Lookout, Ontario. He played junior hockey with the St. Catharines Teepees of the Ontario Junior Hockey League in 1952.

Career

He played professionally for the Springfield Indians of the American Hockey League, the Trois-Rivières Lions in the Quebec Hockey League, Troy Bruins of the International Hockey League and the Greensboro Generals of the Eastern Hockey League. He helped Crowland capture the 1948–1949 Bantam B Championship of Ontario, beating Peterborough in the finals.

Coaching and management

Kelly began his coaching career in the Eastern Hockey League with the Jersey Devils and later the Clinton Comets. Clinton was 151–39–28 and won three straight regular season and postseason titles from 1967 to 1970. In the 1967–1968 season, the Comets finished with a 57–5–10 record, making them the only professional team in history to lose only five games or less in a season. In the 1969–1970 season, Kelly was named Minor League Coach of the Year by The Hockey News. Kelly served as head coach and general manager for Charlotte in the Southern Hockey League from 1973–76 guiding the Checkers to a 136–68–12 record, two regular season titles and two postseason titles while earning Coach of the Year honors in the SHL twice.

He coached the Colorado Rockies in the National Hockey League in 1977–78 and is the only coach in history to lead the Rockies into the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Following coaching stops in the AHL, Kelly went to Peoria in the IHL where he led the Rivermen to the Turner Cup in his first season behind the bench in 1984–85. He recorded his 800th career win on January 4, 1987 and was inducted into the Peoria Sports Hall of Fame in February 1990. Kelly was inducted into the Roanoke Hall of Fame and the Sports Hall of Fame in his hometown of Welland, Ontario in 1998, and in March 2002 he became the first inductee into the Greensboro Hockey Hall of Fame when the Generals retired his uniform number (5).

Kelly was named commissioner emeritus of the ECHL following the 1995–1996 season, after serving as commissioner for the first eight seasons of the ECHL. He celebrated his 50th season in hockey in 2002–2003.

In 2008, he was inducted into the ECHL Hall of Fame.[1]

Coaching record

National Hockey League

TeamYearRegular SeasonPost Season
GWLTPtsFinishResult
Colorado Rockies1977–78 80194021592nd in SmytheLost in preliminary round (0-2 vs. PHI)
Colorado Rockies1978–79 213144104th in SmytheFired.
NHL totals1977-1979101225425690-2 (0.000)

World Hockey Association

TeamYearRegular SeasonPost Season
GWLTPtsFinishResult
Birmingham Bulls1976–77 5724303(66)5th in EasternDid not qualify.
WHA totals1976-19775724303510-0 (0.000)

Eastern Hockey League (1954-1973)

TeamYearRegular SeasonPost Season
GWLTPtsFinishResult
Jersey Devils1964–65 7234344724th in NorthernLost in division semi-finals (1-3 vs. LI)
Clinton Comets1965–66 7241283852nd in NorthernWon in division semi-finals (3-0 vs. JON)
Lost in division finals (1-4 vs. LI)
Clinton Comets1966–67 7244262901st in NorthernWon in division semi-finals (3-0 vs. LI)
Lost in division finals (2-4 vs. JER)
Clinton Comets1967–68 72575101141st in NorthernWon in division semi-finals (3-0 vs. LI)
Won in division finals (4-3 vs. NH)
Won Walker Cup (4-0 vs. CHA)
Clinton Comets1968–69 72441810981st in NorthernWon in division semi-finals (3-0 vs. LI)
Won in division finals (4-3 vs. NH)
Won Walker Cup (4-0 vs. NSH)
Clinton Comets1969–70 74501681081st in NorthernWon in division semi-finals (4-0 vs. SYR)
Won in division finals (4-3 vs. NH)
Won Walker Cup (4-2 vs. GBO)
Clinton Comets1970–71 74313211734th in NorthernLost in division semi-finals (1-4 vs. NH)
Clinton Comets1971–72 75303213733rd in NorthernLost in division semi-finals (1-4 vs. JON)
Clinton Comets1972–73 7618517433rd in NorthernDid not qualify.
EHL totals1964-1973659349242687664 division titles46-30 (0.605 - 3 Walker Cups)

Southern Hockey League

TeamYearRegular SeasonPost Season
GWLTPtsFinishResult
Charlotte Checkers1973-74 7244271892nd in SHLWon in league semi-finals (4-2 vs. GRE)
Lost in James Crockett Cup finals (3-4 vs. RV)
Charlotte Checkers1974-75 72502111011st in SHLWon in league semi-finals (4-0 vs. RV)
Won James Crockett Cup (4-2 vs. HAM)
Charlotte Checkers1975-76 72422010941st in SHLWon in league semi-finals (4-2 vs. RV)
Won James Crockett Cup (4-1 vs. HAM)
Charlotte Checkers1976-77 171070203rd in SHLPromoted to Head Coach of Birmingham Bulls
SHL totals1973-197723314675122942 titles23-11 (0.676 - 2 James Crockett Cups)

American Hockey League

TeamYearRegular SeasonPost Season
GWLTPtsFinishResult
Rochester Americans1978-79 5216279(64)4th in SouthDid not qualify.
Binghamton Dusters1979-80 308193195th in SouthFired.
AHL totals1978-198082244612620-0 (0.000)

Eastern Hockey League (1978-1981)

TeamYearRegular SeasonPost Season
GWLTPtsFinishResult
Salem Raiders1980-81 7232319733rd in EHLLost in league semi-finals (2-4 vs. RIC)
EHL totals1980-19817232319732-4 (0.333)

Atlantic Coast Hockey League

TeamYearRegular SeasonPost Season
GWLTPtsFinishResult
Salem Raiders1981-82 4732150641st in ACHLWon in league semi-finals (4-1 vs. WS)
Lost in Payne Trophy finals (2-4 vs. MV)
Virginia Raiders1982-83 6520369494th in ACHLLost in league semi-finals (0-4 vs. CAR)
ACHL totals1981-1983112525191136-9 (0.400)

International Hockey League

TeamYearRegular SeasonPost Season
GWLTOTLPtsFinishResult
Peoria Prancers1983-84 8229485-636th in IHLDid not qualify.
Peoria Rivermen1984-85 8248295-1051st in EastWon in league quarter-finals (4-3 vs. IND)
Won in league semi-finals (4-2 vs. FW)
Won Turner Cup (4-3 vs. MUS)
Peoria Rivermen1985-86 824631-5973rd in WestWon in league quarter-finals (4-1 vs. MIL
Lost in league semi-finals (3-4 vs. FW)
Peoria Rivermen1986-87 823142-9715th in WestDid not qualify.
Peoria Rivermen1987-88 823441-7754th in WestLost in league quarter-finals (3-4 vs. SL)
IHL totals1983-198841018819110214071 division title21-17 (0.553 - 1 Turner Cup)

References

  1. "The ECHL - Premier 'AA' Hockey League | ECHL announces 2014 Hall of Fame inductees". Archived from the original on 2014-04-02. Retrieved 2014-04-11.
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