Darren Lowe
Encyclopedia
Darren Craig Lowe is a retired Canadian
professional ice hockey
player and current head coach
of the University of Toronto
Varsity Blues men's ice hockey team
.
, finishing in 4th place
. The Pittsburgh Penguins
signed Lowe as a free agent
, for whom he played eight games and scored one goal during the 1983–84 NHL season. Lowe returned to the Varsity Blues from 1984 to 1986 while earning a Bachelor of Education
degree. In 1986, Lowe's, he received the university's George M. Biggs Trophy for leadership, sportsmanship and performance in athletics, and both the Harry Jerome Award and the U of T Silver "T" for excellence in athletics.
Lowe continued his professional career from 1986 to 1991, playing for Jokerit
Helsinki
, the Flint Spirits
, Maine Mariners
and the San Diego Gulls
. Lowe had career highs of 53 goals and 64 assists playing for Flint during the 1987–88 season.
of Ryerson Polytechnical Institute
as an assistant coach during the 1991–92 season. Lowe returned to the Varsity Blues as an assistant coach for the 1992–93 season,a nd became head coach during the 1995–96 season. For the 2002–03 season Lowe was honoured as the OUA
East Division "Coach of the Year" for the second time in three years, he was also named coach of the year in 2000–01. He has led the Blues to four consecutive first place finishes in the OUA's Mid-East Division.
Lowe was also a guest coach in 1998 with the Toronto Maple Leafs
, and spent time in the summer of 2001 working with some of the Leaf prospects
. In 1999–2000, Lowe was a guest coach with the Canada national ice hockey team.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
professional ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
player and current head coach
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
of the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
Varsity Blues men's ice hockey team
Varsity Blues men's ice hockey team
The Varsity Blues men's ice hockey team is an ice hockey team operated by the Varsity Blues athletics program of the University of Toronto. The Varsity Blues senior team won the Allan Cup in 1921 and 1927, and won the gold medal for Canada at the 1928 Winter Olympics.The Blues play in the Ontario...
.
Playing career
Lowe played for Varsity Blues from 1979 to 1983 as undergraduate student. Lowe was named to the OUAA Second All-star team in 1981–82, and the First All-star team in 1982–83. Lowe was selected as a member of the Canada national men's ice hockey team during 1983–84, playing 67 games, scoring 18 goals, and 15 assists. Lowe competed with the team at the 1984 Winter Olympics1984 Winter Olympics
The 1984 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XIV Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated from 8–19 February 1984 in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia. Other candidate cities were Sapporo, Japan; and Gothenburg, Sweden...
, finishing in 4th place
Ice hockey at the 1984 Winter Olympics
At the 1984 Winter Olympics held in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia, one ice hockey event was held: men's ice hockey. Most of the games were held at the Olympic Hall Zetra and some of the games in Skenderija II olympic hall.-Medalists:Source:* Gold -...
. The Pittsburgh Penguins
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the first expansion teams during the league's original...
signed Lowe as a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
, for whom he played eight games and scored one goal during the 1983–84 NHL season. Lowe returned to the Varsity Blues from 1984 to 1986 while earning a Bachelor of Education
Bachelor of Education
A Bachelor of Education is an undergraduate academic degree which qualifies the graduate as a teacher in schools.-North America:...
degree. In 1986, Lowe's, he received the university's George M. Biggs Trophy for leadership, sportsmanship and performance in athletics, and both the Harry Jerome Award and the U of T Silver "T" for excellence in athletics.
Lowe continued his professional career from 1986 to 1991, playing for Jokerit
Jokerit
Jokerit is an ice-hockey team from Helsinki, Finland, playing in the Finnish Elite League, SM-liiga. The team has won 6 league championships...
Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
, the Flint Spirits
Flint Spirits
The Flint Spirits were a professional hockey team in Flint, Michigan from 1985–1990, and played their home games at the IMA Sports Arena. They were a part of the International Hockey League, and replaced the recently departed Flint Generals team. They compiled an overall record of 162–220–28...
, Maine Mariners
Maine Mariners
The Maine Mariners were an ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They played in Portland, Maine, USA at the Cumberland County Civic Center.-History:...
and the San Diego Gulls
San Diego Gulls (1990–1995)
The second San Diego Gulls team was founded in 1990 as part of the International Hockey League. The Gulls played at the Valley View Casino Center, formerly known as the San Diego Sports Arena....
. Lowe had career highs of 53 goals and 64 assists playing for Flint during the 1987–88 season.
Coaching career
Lowe retired in 1991, and immediately went into coaching. Lowe joined the Ryerson RamsRyerson Rams
The Ryerson Rams are the athletic teams that represent Ryerson University in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.-Teams:Ryerson operates 14 men's and women's interuniversity sports teams that compete nationally through Ontario University Athletics and Canadian Interuniversity Sport...
of Ryerson Polytechnical Institute
Ryerson University
Ryerson University is a public research university located in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its urban campus is adjacent to Yonge-Dundas Square located at the busiest intersection in Downtown Toronto. The majority of its buildings are in the blocks northeast of the square in Toronto's Garden...
as an assistant coach during the 1991–92 season. Lowe returned to the Varsity Blues as an assistant coach for the 1992–93 season,a nd became head coach during the 1995–96 season. For the 2002–03 season Lowe was honoured as the OUA
Ontario University Athletics
Ontario University Athletics is a regional membership association for Canadian universities which assists in co-ordinating competition between their university level athletic programs and providing contact information, schedules, results, and releases about those programs and events to the public...
East Division "Coach of the Year" for the second time in three years, he was also named coach of the year in 2000–01. He has led the Blues to four consecutive first place finishes in the OUA's Mid-East Division.
Lowe was also a guest coach in 1998 with the Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
, and spent time in the summer of 2001 working with some of the Leaf prospects
Prospect (sports)
In sports, a prospect is any player whose rights are owned by a professional team, but who has yet to play a game for the team, or isn't established with the team yet. Prospects can sometimes be assigned to farm teams...
. In 1999–2000, Lowe was a guest coach with the Canada national ice hockey team.