Don Hay

Don Hay (born February 13, 1954) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and National Hockey League head coach.

As a player, Hay played shortly in the International Hockey League before becoming a three-time Memorial Cup-winning coach, predominantly in the Western Hockey League with brief stints in National Hockey League.

Playing career He was born in Kamloops, British Columbia. After three years of junior in the BCJHL and WCHL, Hay was drafted by the Minnesota North Stars in the 12th round, 193rd overall, of the 1974 NHL entry draft, as well as by the Houston Aeros in the 18th round, 230th overall, of the 1974 WHA Entry Draft. However, he never made it to either league as a player, and instead played in the minors during two seasons with the Lansing Lancers, Columbus Owls and Flint Generals of the IHL, and one season with the Philadelphia Firebirds of the NAHL.

Coaching career Hay began his coaching career in 1986–87 as an assistant coach with his hometown Kamloops Blazers of the WHL. After six years as an assistant, Hay took over the reins as the Blazers head coach in 1992–93 and immediately distinguished himself, subsequently leading his team to two President's Cup titles (1994, 1995) and two Memorial Cup titles (1994, 1995) in three years.

Hay's success in the major junior ranks caught the attention of the NHL, and after spending a year as an assistant coach with the Calgary Flames, Hay was named the head coach of the Phoenix Coyotes for the 1996–97 NHL season, their first year in Phoenix. Despite posting a respectable 38–37–7 record, Hay was let go by the Coyotes after a single season and after one more season in the NHL as an assistant coach with the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, Hay returned to the WHL.

Immediately upon returning to major junior with the Tri-City Americans in 1998–99, Hay won the Dunc McCallum Memorial Trophy as WHL coach of the year; furthermore, he was prestigiously honoured as the WHL's best coach of all-time by the CHL. This earned him a second chance in the NHL, after two seasons with Tri-City, as the head coach of the Calgary Flames. His second stint in the NHL, however, was even shorter, as he was fired by the Flames just 68 games into the 2000–01 season. Overall, Hay coached 150 games in the NHL, compiling a record of 61–65–20–4.

Moving to the AHL, Hay coached the Utah Grizzlies from 2001 to 2004 before once again returning to the WHL to coach the Vancouver Giants, guiding them to a President's Cup title in 2006 and a Memorial Cup title in 2007. He was nominated once more for the Dunc McCallum Memorial Trophy in 2006, but lost to Willie Desjardins of the Medicine Hat Tigers.

On July 25, 2008, Hay was inducted into the BC Hockey Hall of Fame, along with former NHLers Steve Yzerman and Cliff Ronning. On August 26, 2010, he agreed to a multi-year extension that was to keep him behind the Giants bench through 2015. However, Hay returned to coach the Kamloops Blazers for the 2014-15 season. And on May 27, 2011, Hay was named head coach of the 2012 Canadian World Junior Hockey Championship team. Hay had previously won gold at the tournament with the Canadians in 1995 in Red Deer, Alta. On April 28, 2013, he coached Canada's U-18 men's team to a Gold Medal against the United States, in Sochi, Russia.

In 2014, he returned to Kamloops Blazers as head coach after 19 seasons away from the team. After four more seasons of coaching, Hay retired in 2018 and became an adviser for the Blazers. In August 2018, Hay was hired by the Portland Winterhawks to be an assistant coach.

Awards and achievements At the start of the 2006–07 season, his second with the Giants, Hay became the fourteenth head coach in WHL history to win 300 games. Two seasons later, Hay became the ninth coach to win 400 games, defeating the Brandon Wheat Kings 4–3 on November 1, 2008. On January 27, 2018, Hay became the all-time leader in the WHL coaching victories, with his 743rd regular season win.

President's Cup/Ed Chynoweth Cup – 1994, 1995, 2006 Memorial Cup – 1994, 1995, 2007 Dunc McCallum Memorial Trophy (WHL Coach of the Year) – 1999, 2009 British Columbia Hockey Hall of Fame – 2008

Playing statistics Regular season Playoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 1971–72 Kamloops Rockets BCJHL 46 10 24 34 43 – – – – – 1972–73 Kamloops Rockets BCJHL Incomplete 1972–73 Calgary Centennials WCHL 31 1 1 2 24 1973–74 New Westminster Bruins WCHL 68 19 46 65 174 1974–75 Lansing Lancers/Columbus Owls IHL 71 13 33 46 153 5 1 0 1 29 1975–76 Columbus Owls IHL 13 3 4 7 60 1975–76 Flint Generals IHL 56 9 21 30 138 2 0 0 0 0 1976–77 Philadelphia Firebirds NAHL 74 20 15 35 96 4 0 2 2 4 WCHL totals 99 20 47 67 198 IHL totals 140 25 58 83 491 7 1 0 1 29

Coaching statistics Team Year Regular season Postseason G W L T OTL Pts Finish ResultPHX1996–978238377-833rd in CentralLost in First round (ANA)CGY2000–01682328134(73)4th in Northwest(Fired)NHL Totals 1506165204

Team Year Regular season Postseason G W L T OTL Pts Finish ResultUTA2001–0280402965913rd in WestLost in First round (HOU)UTA2002–0380373445835th in WestLost preliminary (WBS)UTA2003–0480274265657th in WestMissed PlayoffsAHL Totals 2401041051615 Team Year Regular season Postseason G W L T OTL Pts Finish ResultKAM1992–937242282—863rd in WestLost in Third round (POR) KAM 1993–947250166—1061st in WestWon Memorial Cup (LAV) KAM 1994–957252146—1101st in WestWon Memorial Cup (DET)TC1998–997243236—922nd in WestLost in Third round (KAM) TC 1999–0072243972576th in WestLost in First round (SPK)VAN2004–05723430—4763rd in B.C. Lost in Round one (KEL) VAN 2005–06724719—61001st in B.C.Won President's Cup (MJ) VAN 2006–07724517—101001st in B.CWon Memorial Cup (MH) VAN 2007–08724915—81061st in B.C.Lost in Second round (SPK) VAN 2008–09725710—51191st in B.C.Lost in Third round (KEL) VAN 2009–10724125—6881st in B.C.Lost in Third round (TC) VAN 2010–11723532—5752nd in B.C.Lost in First round (TC) VAN 2011–12724026—2862nd in B.C.Lost in First round (SPK) VAN 2012–13722149—2445th in B.C.Out of playoffs VAN 2013–14723229—7753rd in B.C.Lost in First round (POR)KAM2014–15722837—7634th in B.C.Out of playoffsKAM2015–16723825—9853rd in B.C.Lost in First round (KEL)KAM2016–17724224—6903rd in B.C.Lost in First round (KEL)KAM2017–18723037—5654th in B.C.Out of playoffsWHL Totals 1,3687504952784