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Tom Webster (ice hockey)

Thomas Ronald "Hawkeye" Webster (October 4, 1948 – April 10, 2020) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player and coach.

Tom Webster
Webster in 1969
Born (1948-10-04)October 4, 1948
Kirkland Lake, Ontario, Canada
Died April 10, 2020(2020-04-10) (aged 71)
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Height 5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
Weight 170 lb (77 kg; 12 st 2 lb)
Position Right Wing
Shot Right
Played for Boston Bruins
Detroit Red Wings
California Golden Seals
New England Whalers (WHA)
National team  Canada
NHL draft 19th overall, 1966
Boston Bruins
Playing career 1968–1980

Playing career

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Originally selected by the Boston Bruins in the 1966 NHL Entry Draft, Webster played in a total of 102 National Hockey League (NHL) games with the Bruins and Detroit Red Wings. Webster scored 30 goals for the Red Wings in the 1970-71 season, but only managed 3 goals in 12 games of the 1971-72 season.[1] He also played 352 games for the New England Whalers of the World Hockey Association, scoring 40 or more goals three times. Spinal fusion surgery [1] complicated the end of his career, and Webster retired in 1981 at age 31. [2]

Coaching career

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After retiring as a player, Webster had been the coach for a number of teams at various levels of hockey.[3]

His first head coaching job came in 1986, when he became coach of the New York Rangers following Ted Sator's firing.[4][5] After only five games, Webster fell ill with what was later diagnosed as an inner-ear infection that left him unable to fly.[6] He returned as head coach on January 5 for home games only; general manager Phil Esposito split coaching duties with assistants Eddie Giacomin and Wayne Cashman for road games.[7] He was cleared to fly again in January, but he suffered a relapse during a game against the Edmonton Oilers, and was told to stay off planes for at least three months.[8][9][10] Esposito named himself head coach for the remainder of the season. When it became apparent that Webster would not be able to return to the bench full-time the following season, he resigned on April 30, 1987.[11][12][13][14]

Webster's next head coaching stint was with the Los Angeles Kings, from May 31, 1989, to May 4, 1992.[15][16] He led the Kings to their first and only regular season division title in franchise history, in the 1990-91 season.[17]

While coaching the Kings in a game against Detroit on November 16, 1991, Webster became upset at what he felt was a blown call by referee Kerry Fraser. The Kings were assessed an extra penalty, and Webster took a stick and threw it on the ice, hitting one of Fraser's skates. Webster was suspended for 12 games.[18]

Webster also served as an amateur scout for the Calgary Flames from 2003 to 2014.[3][19]

Honours

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In 2012, he was inducted into the World Hockey Association Hall of Fame.[20]

Death

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Webster died on April 10, 2020, at the age of 71; he had been reported to have brain cancer.[17]

Career statistics

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Regular season and playoffs

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    Regular season   Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1965–66 Niagara Falls Flyers OHA-Jr. 43 16 27 43 16 6 2 3 5 0
1966–67 Niagara Falls Flyers OHA-Jr. 47 19 26 45 26 13 14 8 22 4
1967–68 Niagara Falls Flyers OHA-Jr. 54 50 64 114 55 19 13 13 26 20
1967–68 Niagara Falls Flyers MC — — — — — 10 7 11 18 10
1968–69 Boston Bruins NHL 9 0 2 2 9 1 0 0 0 0
1968–69 Oklahoma City Blazers CHL 44 29 42 71 31 12 10 8 18 19
1969–70 Boston Bruins NHL 2 0 1 1 2 — — — — —
1969–70 Oklahoma City Blazers CHL 49 29 35 64 49 — — — — —
1970–71 Detroit Red Wings NHL 78 30 37 67 40 — — — — —
1971–72 Detroit Red Wings NHL 5 1 1 2 4 — — — — —
1971–72 California Golden Seals NHL 7 2 1 3 6 — — — — —
1972–73 New England Whalers WHA 77 53 50 103 89 15 12 14 26 6
1973–74 New England Whalers WHA 64 43 27 70 28 3 5 0 5 7
1974–75 New England Whalers WHA 66 40 24 64 52 3 0 2 2 0
1975–76 New England Whalers WHA 55 33 50 83 24 17 10 9 19 6
1976–77 New England Whalers WHA 70 36 49 85 43 5 1 1 2 0
1977–78 New England Whalers WHA 20 15 5 20 5 — — — — —
1979–80 Detroit Red Wings NHL 1 0 0 0 0 — — — — —
1979–80 Adirondack Red Wings AHL 12 4 5 9 2 — — — — —
NHL totals 102 33 42 75 61 1 0 0 0 0
WHA totals 352 220 205 425 241 43 28 26 54 19

International

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Year Team Event   GP G A Pts PIM
1974 Canada SS 4 2 0 2 4

Coaching record

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Team Year Regular season Post season
G W L T Pts Finish Result
NYR 1986-87 16 5 7 4 (76) 4th in Patrick (interim; returned to assistant coaching role)
LA 1989-90 80 34 39 7 75 4th in Smythe Lost in Second Round
LA 1990-91 80 46 24 10 102 1st in Smythe Lost in Second Round
LA 1991-92 80 35 31 14 84 2nd in Smythe Lost in First Round
Total 258 120 113 31

References

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  1. ^ Davis, Jefferson (2000). The Three Stars and Other Selections: More Amazing Hockey Lists for Trivia Lovers. Canada: ECW Press. p. 180. ISBN 9781550224276.
  2. ^ "Tom Webster, former hockey player and coach, dies at 71". USA Today. 10 April 2020. Retrieved 11 April 2020.
  3. ^ a b Kepke, Cami (10 April 2020). "Former Calgary Flames scout Tom Webster dead at 71". Global News. Retrieved 11 April 2020.
  4. ^ Wolff, Craig (1986-11-22). "ESPOSITO RUSHES IN, DROPS SATOR AND TAKES OVER". New York Times. Retrieved 2023-08-21.
  5. ^ "The New York Rangers will name Tom Webster head... - UPI Archives". UPI. November 29, 1986. Retrieved 2023-08-21.
  6. ^ "SURGERY FOR WEBSTER (Published 1986)". 1986-12-20. Retrieved 2023-08-21.
  7. ^ Wolff, Craig (1987-01-05). "WEBSTER RETURNS FOR RANGERS (Published 1987)". Retrieved 2023-08-21.
  8. ^ Wolff, Craig (1987-01-23). "WEBSTER'S RELAPSE CAUSES CONCERN (Published 1987)". New York Times. Retrieved 2023-08-21.
  9. ^ Wolff, Craig (1987-01-24). "WEBSTER'S AILMENT CLOUDS HIS FUTURE (Published 1987)". Retrieved 2023-08-21.
  10. ^ "New York Rangers General Manager Phil Esposito Wednesday assumed... - UPI Archives". UPI. Retrieved 2023-08-21.
  11. ^ Wolff, Craig (1987-01-29). "Esposito Names Himself Coach". The New York Times.
  12. ^ Yannis, Alex (1987-01-26). "Pro Hockey; Esposito Will Fill in Again for Webster". The New York Times.
  13. ^ Moran, Malcolm (1987-04-28). "Webster Leaves Ranger Job". The New York Times.
  14. ^ Archives, L. A. Times (1987-04-28). "Rangers' Ailing Coach Webster Resigns". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2023-08-21.
  15. ^ Barnes, Mike (May 31, 1989). "Kings name Webster coach - UPI Archives". UPI. Retrieved 2023-08-21.
  16. ^ Springer, Steve (1992-05-05). "Kings Make Webster Part of Past : Hockey: They fire him as coach with one year left on contract. No replacement expected to be named soon". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2023-08-21.
  17. ^ a b Elliott, Helene (10 April 2020). "Tom Webster, former Kings coach and standout WHA player, dies at 71". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 10 April 2020.
  18. ^ Springer, Steve (November 28, 1991). "NHL Suspends Kings' Webster
    Hockey: Stick-throwing incident will cost him 12 games, the longest penalty ever given a coach by the league"    . Los Angeles Times. Times Staff Writer. Retrieved April 2, 2010.
  19. ^ Gilbertson, Wes (10 April 2020). "Flames mourn death of longtime scout Tom Webster". Calgary Sun. Retrieved 11 April 2020.
  20. ^ WHA Hall of Fame Members
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Preceded by Head coach of the New York Rangers
1986–87 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Head coach of the Los Angeles Kings
1989–92 		Succeeded by
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