Nick Polano

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Nick Polano
Born (1941-03-25)March 25, 1941
Sudbury, Ontario, Canada
Died September 26, 2019(2019-09-26) (aged 78)
Height 6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight 187 lb (85 kg; 13 st 5 lb)
Position Defence
Shot Left
Played for Philadelphia Blazers
Playing career 1959–1974

Nick Polano (March 25, 1941 – September 26, 2019)[1] was a Canadian ice hockey player, coach, and scout. Polano was the Detroit Red Wings' head coach when owner Mike Ilitch first bought the team in 1982, and later served as the team's assistant general manager. As head coach, his overall record in the NHL was 79–127–34.

Playing career

Polano was born in

defenceman
.

Coaching career

Polano began his coaching career in 1975–76 with the Erie Blades of the North American Hockey League (NAHL) and led that team to three consecutive regular season and playoff championships. Staying with the Blades as they changed leagues, Polano was twice named Eastern Hockey League coach of the year and in 1981 was named minor league executive of the year by The Sporting News.

Detroit Red Wings

Polano spent ten seasons in the

Slava Kozlov, and Sergei Fedorov
.

Polano had scouted Klima during the 1983 World Championships where he was competing as a member of

Detroit Metro Airport
on September 22, 1985.

Before joining Detroit, Polano served as an assistant coach with the Buffalo Sabres for one season under Scotty Bowman in 1981–82.

Calgary Flames

From 1992 to 2000 Polano worked for the Calgary Flames, first as their director of pro scouting and later as their director of player personnel and general manager and alternate governor for the Saint John Flames.

Ottawa Senators

In August 2002, Polano joined the Ottawa Senators as part-time professional scout.

Death

Polano died from Alzheimer's disease at age 78; he was diagnosed four years before his death.

NHL coaching record

Team Year Regular season Post season
G W L T Pts Finish Result
Detroit Red Wings 1982–83 80 21 44 15 57 5th in Norris Missed playoffs
Detroit Red Wings 1983–84 80 31 42 7 69 3rd in Norris Lost in Division Semi-Finals
Detroit Red Wings 1984–85 80 27 41 12 66 3rd in Norris Lost in Division Semi-Finals
Total 240 79 127 34

References

  1. ^ "Nick Polano — who coached Steve Yzerman, helped build Russian Five — dies at age 78".
  2. ^ "Billy Gardner Fired as Manager of the Twins". 22 June 1985 – via LA Times.
  3. ^ a b Greenberg, Jay (23 January 1986). "Seeing The Light After Flight To Freedom, Detroit's Petr Klima Showing There Are Few Defects In His Game". articles.philly.com. The Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 30 November 2018.
  4. ^ "PLAYERS; DEFECTOR MAKES QUICK JUMP TO N.H.L." The New York Times. 24 September 1985.

External links

Preceded by Head coach of the Detroit Red Wings
1982–85
Succeeded by