Jackie McLeod

Robert John McLeod (April 30, 1930 – December 8, 2022) was a Canadian athlete, best known as an ice hockey player and coach. He played professionally for the New York Rangers for parts of six seasons from 1949 to 1954. He played eight seasons of senior hockey between 1953 and 1965, where he competed at multiple Ice Hockey World Championships, winning the gold medal in 1961. He served as head coach of the Canada men's national ice hockey team from 1966 to 1969, leading them to two bronze medals at the World Championships and a bronze medal at the 1968 Winter Olympics. He later coached the Saskatoon Blades in the Western Canada Hockey League from 1971 to 1979. He coached the Canada men's national junior team to a silver medal at the 1975 World Junior Championships. McLeod also played baseball in the Western Canada League. He was inducted into the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame in 1984 and inducted as a player into the IIHF Hall of Fame in 1999.

Hockey career Robert John McLeod was born on April 30, 1930, in Regina, Saskatchewan. He played ice hockey as a right winger, had a right-handed shot, and was and . Playing with the Moose Jaw Canucks, he won a Western Canada Junior Hockey League championship during the 1948–49 season. He began the 1949–50 season playing for the Moose Jaw Canucks, then finished the year with the New York Rangers in the National Hockey League (NHL).

At the 1966 World Championships, McLeod led Canada as a player-coach to a third-place finish and a bronze medal. He later coached Canada to a bronze medal at the 1967 World Championships, a bronze medal at the 1968 Winter Olympics, and a fourth-place finish at the 1969 World Championships. The Canada men's national team was disbanded when Canada withdrew from international men's competition in 1970. He also coached the Canada men's national junior team to a silver medal at the 1975 World Junior Championships, held in Canada and the United States. The Gems made up the core of the Canada national baseball team at the 1955 Global World Series, one of the first international baseball tournaments held in North America, where Canada took third place. McLeod was inducted into the Saskatchewan Baseball Hall of Fame in 1989.

Honours and awards McLeod was inducted into the BC Sports Hall of Fame in 1976, as a team member of the 1960–61 Trail Smoke Eaters. He was inducted into the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame in 1984, inducted as a player into the IIHF Hall of Fame in 1999, The Saskatoon Blades recognize McLeod as a team builder, with a banner for him hanging above the rink inside the SaskTel Centre. He also received the Western Hockey League Governors Award in the 2005–06 season.

Personal life McLeod was a recreational pilot and had a twin sister. He was married to Beverly Evans McLeod and had a son and daughter.

McLeod died on December 8, 2022, at St. Paul's Hospital in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, at age 92. Former national team player Morris Mott remembered McLeod by writing, "He was a great teammate and coach on the national hockey team. A great goal scorer despite his low velocity shot."

Career statistics Regular season and playoffs Regular seasonPlayoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 1946–47 Notre Dame Hounds SK U18 24 8 9 17 10 — — — — — 1947–48 Moose Jaw Canucks SJHL 13 5 12 17 4 5 11 5 16 4 1947–48 Moose Jaw Canucks M-Cup — — — — — 6 4 3 7 4 1948–49 Moose Jaw Canucks WCJHL 26 19 20 39 25 7 4 2 6 10 1949–50 New York Rangers NHL 38 6 9 15 2 7 0 0 0 0 1950–51 New York Rangers NHL 41 5 10 15 2 — — — — — 1951–52 New York Rangers NHL 13 2 3 5 2 — — — — — 1951–52 Cincinnati Mohawks AHL 49 14 18 32 38 2 0 1 1 2 1952–53 New York Rangers NHL 3 0 0 0 2 — — — — — 1952–53 Saskatoon Quakers WHL 55 30 47 77 28 13 8 11 19 19 1953–54 Saskatoon Quakers WHL 69 33 38 71 46 6 4 1 5 4 1954–55 New York Rangers NHL 11 1 1 2 2 — — — — — 1954–55 Saskatoon Quakers WHL 51 20 31 51 44 5 2 1 3 14 1955–56 Saskatoon Quakers WHL 70 34 49 83 97 3 1 1 2 14 1956–57 Vancouver Canucks WHL 41 30 19 49 30 — — — — — 1957–58 Vancouver Canucks WHL 68 44 27 71 45 9 14 4 18 8 1958–59 Saskatoon Quakers WHL 63 27 26 53 44 — — — — — 1959–60 Calgary Stampeders WHL 62 28 28 56 50 — — — — — 1960–61 Moose Jaw Pla-Mors SSHL 12 6 6 12 6 — — — — — 1960–61 Trail Smoke Eaters WIHL — — — — — — — — — — 1960–61 Canadian National Team Intl 19 14 13 27 21 — — — — — 1960–61 Moose Jaw Pla-Mors Al-Cup — — — — — 4 1 2 3 2 1961–62 Moose Jaw Pla-Mors SSHL 29 27 25 52 36 — — — — — 1962–63 Saskatoon Quakers SSHL 31 37 51 88 22 1 0 0 0 2 1963–64 Saskatoon Quakers SSHL 40 52 52 104 22 11 7 8 15 6 1963–64 Saskatoon Quakers Al-Cup — — — — — 9 5 13 18 6 1964–65 Moose Jaw Canucks SSHL 2 3 4 7 12 10 12 12 24 10 1965–66 Canadian National Team Intl — — — — — — — — — — WHL totals 479 246 265 511 384 36 29 18 47 59 NHL totals 106 14 23 37 10 7 0 0 0 0

International Year Team Event GP G A Pts PIM 1961 Canada WC 7 10 4 14 6 1962 Canada WC 7 11 6 17 10 1963 Canada WC 7 5 8 13 6 1966 Canada WC 7 4 2 6 4 Senior totals 28 30 20 50 26

Coaching statistics Coaching statistics in junior hockey:

SeasonTeamLeagueGamesWonLostTiedWin %StandingPlayoffs 1964–65 Moose Jaw Canucks SJHL 56 19 34 3 0.366 7th in league did not qualify 1971–72 Saskatoon Blades WCHL 68 37 28 3 0.566 2nd in East division lost in first round 1973–74 Saskatoon Blades WCHL 68 30 29 9 0.507 4th in East division lost in first round 1974–75 Saskatoon Blades WCHL 70 38 22 10 0.614 1st in East division lost in finals 1975–76 Saskatoon Blades WCHL 72 43 19 10 0.667 1st in East division lost in finals 1976–77 Saskatoon Blades WCHL 72 30 30 12 0.500 2nd in East division lost in first round 1977–78 Saskatoon Blades WCHL 72 20 50 2 0.292 4th in East division did not qualify 1978–79 Saskatoon Blades WHL 72 26 32 14 0.458 2nd in East division lost in second roundWCHL/WHL totals550243244630.499