Tommy Ivan
Encyclopedia
Thomas Nathaniel Ivan was a NHL
head coach for the Detroit Red Wings
and Chicago Black Hawks
. With the Red Wings from 1947 to 1954, he won three Stanley Cup
s, and would win another while serving as the Black Hawks' GM. Ivan, born in Toronto
, Ontario
, Canada
to Macedonian
immigrant parents, had an overall record of 288–174–111.
Tommy Ivan was a well-respected coach and general manager in the NHL. His junior hockey days in Ontario on up to his first pro coaching job with Omaha, in the Central League, were merely the first steps in a distinguished Hall of Fame Career. Ivan was a keen judge of talent that helped discover young prospects like Gordie Howe
and several other NHL
players that would go on to Hall of Fame careers.
Ivan won 3 Stanley Cup while coaching Detroit 1950, 1952, 1954. He took the reins of Chicago Black Hawks
coach/general manager in 1954, after winning six straight Regular season championships with Detroit. At the time the Hawks were a franchise in trouble. Ivan would lead a tremendous rebuilding effort, adding farm teams and stocking the Hawk farm system with good prospects. He also made key trades that would help fortify the Hawks into a contending team for the next several seasons. Rudy Pilous
was hired to coach the Hawks by Tommy Ivan and he would eventually guide the team to the 1961 Stanley Cup
. The 1961 Hawks team finally produced the results that Ivan's rebuilding process began back in 1954. The Chicago Black Hawks
would also reach the Stanley Cup Finals
in 1962, 1965, 1971, and 1973. Ivan served 25 years as Black Hawks GM. He then served as Chicago Black Hawks
Vice President and Alternate Governor (NHL Board of Governors) in the years following his GM tenure.
Ivan is listed in Stan Fischler
's book, "Hockey's 100," as one of the ten best coaches and ten best general managers in the history of the NHL
.
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
head coach for the Detroit Red Wings
Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...
and Chicago Black Hawks
Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They have won four Stanley Cup championships since their founding in 1926, most recently coming in 2009-10...
. With the Red Wings from 1947 to 1954, he won three Stanley Cup
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
s, and would win another while serving as the Black Hawks' GM. Ivan, born in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
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...
to Macedonian
Macedonians (ethnic group)
The Macedonians also referred to as Macedonian Slavs: "... the term Slavomacedonian was introduced and was accepted by the community itself, which at the time had a much more widespread non-Greek Macedonian ethnic consciousness...
immigrant parents, had an overall record of 288–174–111.
Tommy Ivan was a well-respected coach and general manager in the NHL. His junior hockey days in Ontario on up to his first pro coaching job with Omaha, in the Central League, were merely the first steps in a distinguished Hall of Fame Career. Ivan was a keen judge of talent that helped discover young prospects like Gordie Howe
Gordie Howe
Gordon "Gordie" Howe, OC is a Canadian retired professional ice hockey player who played for the Detroit Red Wings and Hartford Whalers of the National Hockey League , and the Houston Aeros and New England Whalers in the World Hockey Association . Howe is often referred to as Mr...
and several other NHL
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
players that would go on to Hall of Fame careers.
Ivan won 3 Stanley Cup while coaching Detroit 1950, 1952, 1954. He took the reins of Chicago Black Hawks
Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They have won four Stanley Cup championships since their founding in 1926, most recently coming in 2009-10...
coach/general manager in 1954, after winning six straight Regular season championships with Detroit. At the time the Hawks were a franchise in trouble. Ivan would lead a tremendous rebuilding effort, adding farm teams and stocking the Hawk farm system with good prospects. He also made key trades that would help fortify the Hawks into a contending team for the next several seasons. Rudy Pilous
Rudy Pilous
Rudy Pilous was a Canadian ice hockey player and coach, born in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Pilous won a Stanley Cup coaching the Chicago Black Hawks in 1960–61, and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1985 in the builder category.-Playing career:Pilous played junior ice hockey in the Manitoba...
was hired to coach the Hawks by Tommy Ivan and he would eventually guide the team to the 1961 Stanley Cup
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
. The 1961 Hawks team finally produced the results that Ivan's rebuilding process began back in 1954. The Chicago Black Hawks
Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They have won four Stanley Cup championships since their founding in 1926, most recently coming in 2009-10...
would also reach the Stanley Cup Finals
Stanley Cup Finals
The Stanley Cup Finals is the championship series to determine the winner of the Stanley Cup, emblematic of the professional club championship of ice hockey. Although the Cup itself has existed since 1893, an annual championship series between professional teams was not established until 1913...
in 1962, 1965, 1971, and 1973. Ivan served 25 years as Black Hawks GM. He then served as Chicago Black Hawks
Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They have won four Stanley Cup championships since their founding in 1926, most recently coming in 2009-10...
Vice President and Alternate Governor (NHL Board of Governors) in the years following his GM tenure.
Ivan is listed in Stan Fischler
Stan Fischler
Stan Fischler is a hockey and New York City Subway historian, broadcaster, author and professor.For his hockey knowledge, Fischler promotes himself as “The Hockey Maven” in both local and national circles...
's book, "Hockey's 100," as one of the ten best coaches and ten best general managers in the history of the NHL
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
.
- Ivan was inducted into the Hockey Hall of FameHockey Hall of FameThe Hockey Hall of Fame is located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Dedicated to the history of ice hockey, it is both a museum and a hall of fame. It holds exhibits about players, teams, National Hockey League records, memorabilia and NHL trophies, including the Stanley Cup...
in 1974. - Ivan received the Lester Patrick TrophyLester Patrick TrophyThe Lester Patrick Trophy has been presented by the National Hockey League and USA Hockey since 1966 to honor a recipient's contribution to ice hockey in the United States. It is considered a non-NHL trophy because it may be awarded to players, coaches, officials, and other personnel outside the NHL...
in 1975 for "outstanding service to hockey in the United States. - Ivan also served as Chairman of the United States Hockey Hall of Fame, and on the selection committee of the Hockey Hall of Fame.
- Ivan played a key role as Chairman of the organizing committee for the 1979–80 Olympic Hockey Festival, helping bring more than 90 players together for Coach Herb Brooks and his staff to pick from. Eventually that team became the 1980 U.S. Men's Ice Hockey team ("Miracle on Ice") that went on to win the Gold Medal at the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York.