Jack Evans

William John Trevor "Jack" Evans (April 21, 1928 – November 10, 1996) was a Welsh professional ice hockey defenceman and coach who played 14 seasons in the National Hockey League for the New York Rangers and Chicago Black Hawks between 1949 and 1963. With Chicago, he won the Stanley Cup in 1961. After his playing career, he worked as a coach, and coached the California Golden Seals, Cleveland Barons, and Hartford Whalers between 1975 and 1988.

Early life Evans was born in Morriston, Wales, but emigrated with his parents to Drumheller, Alberta, in his youth. He spoke only the Welsh Language and no English until he entered school, and later spoke the language with an elongated drawl; the similarities between Evans' manner of speaking and the traditional American Southern accent led to him earning the nickname of "Tex" from teammates. Although he did not begin playing hockey until age 14, by age 20, Evans was a leading junior league defenceman and participated in the 1948 Memorial Cup. That same year, he signed a minor league contract with the Rangers.

Career Evans played five games over the next two seasons while gaining experience in the American Hockey League. He would then spend the next four years as the Rangers' seventh defenceman, moving in and out of the lineup as needed and serving as a valuable defensive reserve. During the 1954–55 NHL season, Evans finally cracked the regular lineup and worked significant minutes for the next three years on the blue line. In 1958, he was claimed by Chicago, where he would play in a similar role for his final four seasons. He was a member of the 1961 Stanley Cup winning team making him the first Welsh born Stanley Cup Champion. Jack Evans played in the 1962 NHL All-Star game in Toronto also making him the first NHL All-Star player originating from Wales. In 1964, the Black Hawks released Evans, but the veteran continued to play in a variety of minor leagues until he finally retired in 1972 at the age of 44.

In 1974, Evans was hired to coach the Salt Lake Golden Eagles of the WHL. After one season that included coach of the year honours, he was promoted to the parent club California Golden Seals. He coached the anemic franchise in its final year in the San Francisco Bay Area and its two seasons as the Cleveland Barons before the financially-troubled organization merged with the Minnesota North Stars in 1978.

Evans returned to the ECHL bench before being hired by the Hartford Whalers in 1983. In his third season with the club, he earned a playoff berth, and in 1987, he led the club to a division title. A poor performance the following year resulted in Evans being fired mid-season.

Personal life Evans died of prostate cancer at his Manchester, Connecticut, home in 1996 at the age of 68.

Career statistics Regular season and playoffs Regular seasonPlayoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 1947–48 Lethbridge Native Sons AJHL 23 10 21 31 58 6 5 3 8 8 1947–48 Lethbridge Native Sons WCSHL 1 0 0 0 0 — — — — — 1947–48 Lethbridge Native Sons M-Cup — — — — — 12 4 4 8 26 1948–49 New York Rangers NHL 3 0 0 0 4 — — — — — 1948–49 Lethbridge Native Sons WCSHL 48 7 10 17 124 3 0 0 0 8 1949–50 New York Rangers NHL 3 0 0 0 2 — — — — — 1949–50 New Haven Ramblers AHL 69 3 12 15 150 — — — — — 1950–51 New York Rangers NHL 49 1 0 1 95 — — — — — 1950–51 Cincinnati Mohawks AHL 16 3 3 6 56 — — — — — 1951–52 New York Rangers NHL 52 1 6 7 83 — — — — — 1952–53 Saskatoon Quakers WHL 68 9 22 31 179 13 0 3 3 16 1953–54 New York Rangers NHL 44 4 4 8 73 — — — — — 1953–54 Saskatoon Quakers WHL 27 2 3 5 49 — — — — — 1954–55 New York Rangers NHL 47 0 5 5 91 — — — — — 1954–55 Saskatoon Quakers WHL 22 2 4 6 16 — — — — — 1954–55 Vancouver Canucks WHL — — — — — 1 0 0 0 2 1955–56 New York Rangers NHL 70 2 9 11 99 5 1 0 1 18 1956–57 New York Rangers NHL 70 3 6 9 116 — — — — — 1957–58 New York Rangers NHL 70 4 8 12 108 6 0 0 0 17 1958–59 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 70 1 8 9 75 6 0 0 0 10 1959–60 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 68 0 4 4 60 4 0 0 0 4 1960–61 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 47 0 5 5 91 12 1 1 2 14 1961–62 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 70 3 14 17 80 12 0 0 0 26 1962–63 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 69 0 8 8 46 6 0 0 0 4 1963–64 Buffalo Bisons AHL 72 0 17 17 87 — — — — — 1964–65 Los Angeles Blades WHL 69 2 13 15 91 — — — — — 1965–66 Vancouver Canucks WHL 72 2 31 33 103 7 0 1 1 20 1966–67 California Seals WHL 71 3 18 21 52 6 0 2 2 4 1967–68 San Diego Gulls WHL 65 1 15 16 36 7 0 3 3 8 1968–69 San Diego Gulls WHL 73 1 11 12 50 7 0 0 0 0 1969–70 San Diego Gulls WHL 67 0 8 8 46 6 0 0 0 2 1970–71 San Diego Gulls WHL 69 1 10 11 82 6 0 2 2 12 1971–72 San Diego Gulls WHL 72 0 20 20 87 4 0 0 0 4 WHL totals 675 23 155 178 791 57 0 11 11 68 NHL totals 754 19 80 99 990 56 2 4 6 97

NHL Coaching record Team Year Regular season Postseason G W L T Pts Finish Result California Golden Seals 1975–76 80 27 42 11 65 4th in Adams Missed playoffs Cleveland Barons 1976–77 80 25 42 13 63 4th in Adams Missed playoffs Cleveland Barons 1977–78 80 22 45 13 57 4th in Adams Missed playoffs Hartford Whalers 1983–84 80 28 42 10 66 5th in Adams Missed playoffs Hartford Whalers 1984–85 80 30 41 9 69 5th in Adams Missed playoffs Hartford Whalers 1985–86 80 40 36 4 84 4th in Adams Lost in 2nd Round Hartford Whalers 1986–87 80 43 30 7 93 1st in Adams Lost in 1st Round Hartford Whalers 1987–88 54 22 25 7 51 4th in Adams Fired NHL totals 614 237 303 74