Joe Crozier

Joseph Richard Crozier (February 19, 1929 – October 11, 2022) was a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman and head coach who played and coached primarily in the minor leagues. After playing the better part of 12 seasons in the minor leagues with the Quebec Aces of the Quebec Senior Hockey League, which included a five-game stint in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Crozier retired in 1961 and became a head coach for 22 years, beginning in 1963. He had also previously been a player-coach for the Aces in 1957–58.

As a head coach in several leagues, Crozier was a three-time Calder Cup champion with the Rochester Americans of the American Hockey League, a two-time Lester Patrick Cup championship with the Vancouver Canucks of the Western Hockey League, and a Memorial Cup champion with the Kitchener Rangers of the Ontario Hockey League. During his coaching career, he also made brief appearances in the NHL with the Buffalo Sabres for seasons and the Maple Leafs from the end of 1979–80 to the first half of 1980–81.

In 1985, Crozier was inducted into the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame for his efforts, then once again in 2007 as part of a team induction of the Memorial Cup-runners-up 1948–49 Brandon Wheat Kings. Crozier was the father of the professional hockey player, Greg Crozier.

Playing career A native of Winnipeg, Crozier played junior hockey in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League with the Brandon Wheat Kings. His second and final year in Brandon culminated in an eight-game Memorial Cup final series against the Montreal Royals. The seven-game series was extended an extra game as game three had ended in a 3–3 tie. Although Crozier scored the first goal in the final and deciding eighth game, the Royals scored four times in the third period to defeat the Wheat Kings 6–4. They were later inducted as a team into the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame 58 years later in 2007.

In 1959–60, Crozier joined the Rochester Americans of the American Hockey League (AHL), then earned a break with the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League (NHL). He played five games with the Maple Leafs, his only appearance in the NHL as a player, recording three assists. and one more season with the Rochester Americans in 1960–61.

Coaching career

Crozier made his head coaching debut in 1957–58 with the Quebec Aces of the Quebec Senior Hockey League, while still playing defence with the team. After one season with the Checkers, he rejoined Rochester of the AHL as their coach. The directors of the Vancouver Canucks of the Western Hockey League purchased the Americans after the 1967–68 season, and Crozier assigned Dick Gamble to coach for Rochester while he coached for Vancouver. Crozier won two Lester Patrick Cups as WHL champion in his two seasons with Vancouver. In 1971, he became the coach and general manager of the Cincinnati Swords of the AHL.

After a heart attack to Buffalo Sabres coach "Punch" Imlach, Crozier was given Imlach's position and made his National Hockey League coaching debut in 1972. He coached the final 37 games for the Sabres. Imlach stepped down as coach after the season, and Crozier succeeded him. He coached the Sabres to a playoff berth the following season, where the Sabres lost to the Montreal Canadiens. After finishing his third season with the Sabres out of the playoffs, however, he was replaced by Floyd Smith after the 1973–74 season.

Upon leaving the Sabres, he became the general manager of the Vancouver Blazers in the World Hockey Association in 1974–75. The team relocated in 1975, becoming the Calgary Cowboys, and Crozier signed a new five-year contract as coach and general manager. In 1975–76, Crozier made it to the semi-finals with the Cowboys, but lost to the Winnipeg Jets. In his third and final season with the Blazers-Cowboys franchise, in which Calgary failed to make the playoffs, Crozier dumped the team's spare hockey sticks from the bench onto the ice during a game in protest of a disputed call. Another incident with the Cowboys involves a mishap while trying to return to Calgary after a game against the San Diego Mariners. The pilot had failed to refuel and there was not enough gas to return home. Although Crozier asked the team to collectively pitch in, they still did not have enough money. The team was bailed out by their play-by-play announcer who used his wife's Texaco card to front the $1,500 bill.

After his second NHL stint, Crozier joined the Kitchener Rangers of the major junior Ontario Hockey League in September 1981 as their coach and general manager, replacing Orval Tessier. The Rangers had just come off a Memorial Cup final game loss to the Cornwall Royals the previous season. In his first season with the team, they returned to the Memorial Cup, winning the J. Ross Robertson Cup as the OHL champion.

Coming off their Memorial Cup championship, Crozier and the Rangers finished with a 45–23–2 record in 1982–83, but fell to the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds in the third round. After two seasons with the Rangers, Crozier quit following a contract dispute. He returned to the Rochester Americans for one season, in which they reached the 1984 Calder Cup Final against the Maine Mariners, but lost in five games. Crozier then retired after the 1983–84 season. Crozier was inducted into the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame in 1985 for his efforts.

Coaching record Team Year Regular season Postseason G W L T OTL Pts Finish ResultBUF (NHL)1971–72368199-(51)6th in EastDid not qualifyBUF (NHL)1972–7378372714-884th in EastLost in quarter-finals (2–4 vs. MTL)BUF (NHL)1973–7478323412-765th in EastDid not qualifyVAN (WHA)1974–757837392-764th in CanadianDid not qualifyCGY (WHA)1975–768041354-863rd in CanadianWon in quarter-finals (4–1 vs. QUE) Lost in semi-finals (1–4 vs. WPG)CGY (WHA)1976–778131437-695th in WestDid not qualifyTOR (NHL)1980–814013225-(71)5th in AdamsFiredBUF Total 192778035-1892–4 (0.333)TOR Total 4013225-310–0 (0.000)NHL Total 2329010240-2202–4 (0.333)CGY Total 161727811-1555–5 (0.500)VAN Total 7837392-760–0 (0.000)WHA Total 23910911713-2315–5 (0.500)

Awards and achievements Playing career MJHL Second All-Star Team – 1948 MJHL First All-Star Team – 1949 Memorial Cup (CHL championship; Kitchener Rangers) – 1982 Inducted as part of 1948–49 Brandon Wheat Kings – 2007

Crozier died on October 11, 2022.