NHL Wraparound Hall of Fame Edition - Craig Patrick

Professional hockey has a long lineage of families who have had a prominent impact on the game. From the Staal's and Sutter's to the Hull's and Bentley's and beyond, each has left it's mark.

However, if one is looking for the true first family of hockey, you'd have to go back well over a century to the name Patrick...one which continues to influence hockey today.

IN THIS EPISODE:

[01:53] - Neil's and Craig's first meeting.

[02:58] - Rules that Patrick's great uncle, Frank and grandfather Lester introduced into hockey over a century ago. Vic adds some historical perspective to underscoring their place in hockey history.

[06:20] - Craig's early years growing up with hockey including a vision he had of his recently passed grandfather while skating in the Montreal Forum.

[11:07] - Stories from the sixties where Patrick's route to the pros took a detour attending - and winning a pair of championships at the University of Denver - before spending two years in the service.

[14:02] - How playing on weaker NHL clubs played a role in how Patrick approached building teams in a managerial role.

[15:34] - The 1980 U.S. Olympic Gold Medal Hockey team experience with head coach Herb Brooks. Patrick cites perhaps the single biggest key to one of sports greatest stories.

[18:23] - How Patrick ended up with the Rangers, first working under Fred Shero and then taking over for him as general manager in 1980. After coaching New York to the semi-finals in '80, he gets his man to run the team.

[21:55] - After six successful year in New York where the Rangers made the playoffs each year, the draft pick in '86 which Patrick believes got him fired.

[23:35] - The construction of the Penguins championship teams with the main piece already in place and watching that player evolve as a leader and Conn Smythe Trophy winner in 1991 and 1992.

[27:25] - The second Cup which came after dealing with heavy hearts early in the season.

[30:49] - Perhaps even better than the two Cup winners, the missed opportunity for a three-peat and a true place in hockey history.

[32:23] -As a former GM of the Rangers himself, Neil takes Craig on the nostalgic path back to the significance of being part of a franchise which is synonymous with his family's name.

[33:28] - Despite winning in Pittsburgh, there was also reality of dealing with tight purse strings in a smaller market.

[35:35] - Patrick's legacy carries on today with some of the players he drafted in Pittsburgh prior to leaving the organization.

[37:54] - Craig talks about his current venture as commissioner of 3Ice, a summer league of three-on-three hockey with legends of the game coaching the squads in the eight team league.

[42:34] - Summing up the true first family of hockey: The Patrick's.

X: https://twitter.com/NHLWraparound

Neil Smith: https://twitter.com/NYCNeil

Vic Morren: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vic-morren-7038737/

NHL Wraparound Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/nhlwraparound/

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