Paul Baxter

Paul Gordon Baxter (born October 28, 1955) is a Canadian former ice hockey defenceman who played in the World Hockey Association from 1974 to 1979 and the National Hockey League from 1979 to 1987. He played in two league championship finals with the 1976 Avco Cup Final with the Quebec Nordiques and the 1986 Stanley Cup Final with the Calgary Flames, winning with the former team. He is the all-time leader in penalty minutes in WHA history with 962. After retiring as a player, he worked as an assistant coach for eleven seasons.

Playing career

Before his major league career, Baxter played junior ice hockey for Winnipeg in the Western Canada Hockey League (WCHL). The Cleveland Crusaders of the World Hockey Association (WHA) drafted the Winnipeg-born Baxter in the first round as the 11th overall pick of the 1974 WHA Amateur Draft, and signed him that July. The following year he was drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League (NHL) in the third round as the 49th overall pick of the 1975 NHL Amateur Draft. Baxter joined the Quebec Nordiques of the WHA in 1976, and when the Nordiques joined the NHL, Baxter was made a priority selection by Quebec, preventing Pittsburgh from reclaiming him. He played a year in the NHL with the Nordiques, and later spent three years with the Penguins and another four with the Calgary Flames. He retired from the NHL after 470 games, recording a total of 48 goals, 121 assists, 169 points, and 1564 penalty minutes. Baxter is the all-time leader in penalty minutes for the WHA with 962, and is also the single-season leader for the Pittsburgh Penguins with 409 during the 1981–82 season.

Coaching career Baxter continued his career as a coach, joining the Salt Lake Golden Eagles of the International Hockey League (IHL) to the Turner Cup title in 1987-88. He went on to become the assistant coach of multiple NHL clubs,

Baxter coached the Wenatchee Wild of the North American Hockey League (NAHL) from 2008 until November 2010, leading the team to two division titles and a berth in the Robertson Cup in 2009. He then went to the Wichita Falls Wildcats of the NAHL as head coach, general manager, and part owner in May 2011. He left his operational positions with the Wildcats in October 2016 while remaining part owner. The team ceased operations at the end of the season.

Coaching history 1987–1989: Salt Lake Golden Eagles (IHL) head coach 1989–1992: Calgary Flames (NHL) assistant coach 1992–1995: Chicago Blackhawks (NHL) assistant coach 1995–1997: Saint John Flames (AHL) head coach 1997–2000: San Jose Sharks (NHL) assistant coach 2001–2003: Florida Panthers (NHL) assistant coach 2006-2008: HIFK SM-liiga (Finland) head coach 2008-2010: Wenatchee Wild (NAHL) head coach 2011–2014: Wichita Falls Wildcats (NAHL) head coach

Personal life Baxter and his wife currently live in Tennessee. Baxter has four children.

Career statistics Regular season and playoffs Bold indicates led league Regular seasonPlayoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 1972–73 Winnipeg Monarchs MJHL 44 9 22 31 359 — — — — — 1973–74 Winnipeg Clubs WCHL 63 10 30 40 384 — — — — — 1974–75 Cleveland Crusaders WHA 5 0 0 0 37 — — — — — 1974–75 Cape Codders NAHL 2 1 0 1 11 — — — — — 1975–76 Cleveland Crusaders WHA 67 3 7 10 201 3 0 0 0 10 1975–76 Syracuse Blazers NAHL 3 1 2 3 9 — — — — — 1976–77 Quebec Nordiques WHA 66 6 17 23 244 12 2 2 4 35 1976–77 Maine Nordiques NAHL 6 1 4 5 52 — — — — — 1977–78 Quebec Nordiques WHA 76 6 29 35 240 11 4 7 11 42 1978–79 Quebec Nordiques WHA 76 10 36 46 240 4 0 2 2 7 1979–80 Quebec Nordiques NHL 61 7 13 20 145 — — — — — 1980–81 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 51 5 14 19 204 5 0 1 1 28 1981–82 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 76 9 34 43 409 5 0 0 0 14 1982–83 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 75 11 21 32 238 — — — — — 1983–84 Calgary Flames NHL 74 7 20 27 182 11 0 2 2 37 1984–85 Calgary Flames NHL 70 5 14 19 126 4 0 1 1 18 1985–86 Calgary Flames NHL 47 4 3 7 194 13 0 1 1 55 1986–87 Calgary Flames NHL 18 0 2 2 66 2 0 0 0 10 WHA totals 290 25 89 114 962 30 6 11 17 94 NHL totals 472 48 121 169 1564 40 0 5 5 162

Awards and achievements Honoured Member of the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame