Paul MacLean (ice hockey)
Paul A. MacLean is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach and former player, who is currently an assistant coach with the Columbus Blue Jackets of the National Hockey League. He most recently served as an assistant coach for the Anaheim Ducks until his departure from the team on June 1, 2017. He played 11 seasons in the NHL with the St. Louis Blues, Detroit Red Wings and the original Winnipeg Jets. He is the former head coach of the NHL's Ottawa Senators, winning the 2013 Jack Adams Award as the NHL's Coach of the Year.
Playing career
Born in Grostenquin, France, while his father was serving with the Canadian Armed Forces, MacLean moved to Canada at the age of two and grew up in Antigonish, Nova Scotia. As a youth, he played in the 1971 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with a minor ice hockey team from Borden. Once, during a QMJHL game in which he was playing for the Hull Olympiques, a deal was made to send MacLean to the Quebec Remparts, but the trade was called off before the game ended, after he had scored five goals. In the 1978–79 season, MacLean led the Dalhousie University Tigers to the AUHC championship with 12 goals, 17 assists and 71 penalty minutes in 18 games.MacLean was drafted by the NHL's St. Louis Blues. He next represented Team Canada internationally at the 1980 Winter Olympics, held in Lake Placid, New York. The experience helped MacLean to excel when he finally did crack the NHL — he scored 36 goals in his rookie season after being traded to the Winnipeg Jets. He continued to enjoy success in Winnipeg on a line with Dale Hawerchuk, tallying three 30-goal seasons and three 40-goal seasons before being dealt to the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for Brent Ashton.
MacLean was a member of the Campbell Conference All-Star Team in the 1985 NHL All-Star Game. After another 30-goal season for Detroit, he was traded back to St. Louis together with Adam Oates in exchange for Tony McKegney and Bernie Federko. In 1990–91, MacLean suffered a rib injury and retired after ten seasons with 324 goals and 349 assists for 673 points. His best season statistically was the 1984–85 season, where he scored 41 goals and 101 points. MacLean has the distinction of being the highest-scoring NHL player born in France, with 673 points. The second-highest scoring French-born player is Antoine Roussel who moved to Canada as a teenager. Paul MacLean ranks 3rd all time in NHL Shooting percentage at 21.4%
Coaching career
Before becoming an NHL coach, MacLean served as the head coach of the Peoria Rivermen of the International Hockey League from 1993 to 1996. For the 1996–97 season, he served as an assistant coach with the Phoenix Coyotes. From 1997 through 2000, MacLean returned to the IHL to serve as the head coach of the Kansas City Blades. From 2000 to 2002, he served as the head coach of the Quad City Mallards of the United Hockey League. In 2001, MacLean led the Mallards to the Colonial Cup Championship. The Mallards had a record of 112–27–9 in MacLean's two seasons behind the bench. MacLean was then hired as an assistant coach for the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim under Head Coach Mike Babcock. Babcock would bring MacLean with him to the Detroit Red Wings when he was hired to coach the Red Wings. In the 2007–08 NHL season, MacLean won a Stanley Cup as assistant coach of the Red Wings.On June 14, 2011, the Ottawa Senators announced that MacLean had been hired for their head coaching job, his first head coaching job at the NHL level. On October 11, MacLean won his first NHL game as a head coach as the Senators defeated the Minnesota Wild 4–3 in a shootout.
On April 30, 2012, MacLean was named a finalist for the Jack Adams Award for NHL Coach of the Year alongside John Tortorella of the New York Rangers and Ken Hitchcock of the St. Louis Blues; Hitchcock would go on to win the award.
On May 17, 2013, MacLean was again nominated for the Jack Adams Award, his second in a row, alongside Bruce Boudreau of the Anaheim Ducks and Joel Quenneville of the Chicago Blackhawks. On June 14, 2013, MacLean was announced as the winner of the 2013 Jack Adams Award. On July 4, 2013, the Senators announced that MacLean had been signed to a three-year contract extension with the team.
On December 8, 2014, MacLean was fired from his position as head coach of the Senators as the team appeared poised to miss the playoffs. He was succeeded by Dave Cameron.
On June 30, 2015, MacLean was named the assistant coach of the Anaheim Ducks, working under head coach Bruce Boudreau.
On June 1, 2017, MacLean's contract with the Ducks expired, and was not renewed.
On November 21, 2019, the Columbus Blue Jackets announced that he has joined the organization as an Assistant Coach.
Personal life
MacLean and his wife Sharon have three children — A. J., David and Erin. A.J. played professional hockey from 2004 to 2013, including a two year stint as captain and player-coach of the Dundee Stars of the EIHL. He is currently an assistant coach with the Toronto Marlies of the AHL. David is currently a professional scout for the Montreal Canadiens. Paul's brother Jerome lives in Ottawa, as does his sister Karen. He has a summer home in Antigonish, Nova Scotia. MacLean was born at RCAF Station Grostenquin in Grostenquin, France, to Canadian parents while his father was stationed there.Howard Cornfield, the former owner, president and general manager of the Quad City Mallards, said he hired MacLean on the spot after interviewing him in 2000. "He has a look to him and he looks you in the eye," said Cornfield. "It's hard to explain, but we came to call it 'The Grizz Look' as in grizzly bear. He looked you in the eye and you knew he was being very honest. He was speaking from the heart. He had incredible intensity and you walked away saying, 'This guy is serious.' When he came in and told me, 'I'm going to win you a championship,' you walked away knowing that this guy was going to do it."