Al Sims

Last updated

Al Sims
Al Sims Bruins.jpg
Born (1953-04-18) April 18, 1953 (age 70)
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Height 6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight 182 lb (83 kg; 13 st 0 lb)
Position Defence
Shot Left
Played for Boston Bruins
Hartford Whalers
Los Angeles Kings
NHL Draft 47th overall, 1973
Boston Bruins
WHA Draft 16th overall, 1973
New York Golden Blades
Playing career 1973–1989

Allan Eugene Sims (born April 18, 1953) is a Canadian former professional hockey player and head coach in the National Hockey League (NHL). He played ten seasons in the NHL between 1973 and 1983 with the Boston Bruins, Hartford Whalers, Los Angeles Kings. He featured in three Stanley Cup Finals with the Bruins (1974, 1977, 1978).

Contents

After retiring he turned to coaching, and remained in this role from 1988 to 2016 in various minor leagues. Sims also served as the head coach of the San Jose Sharks in the NHL during the 1996-97 season.

Playing career

In 1972, Sims was the second-round (and first-ever) draft pick of the New York Raiders of the World Hockey Association, but chose to sign with the Boston Bruins who had drafted him in the third round. At Cornwall, Ontario, in Junior Hockey he had played with Bob Murray, a rushing defenceman. When he played for Boston he was paired for two years with the greatest rushing defenceman of all time, Bobby Orr. He played for Boston and its American Hockey League affiliate for six seasons, and then for the Hartford Whalers for the next two.

Sims with the Boston Bruins Al Sims Bruins action.jpg
Sims with the Boston Bruins

Coaching career

After Sims' retirement from the NHL, he played and coached hockey with Fife Flyers in Scotland. Later he coached in the International League and won the Turner Cup with the Fort Wayne Komets in 1993. Sims was named assistant coach under Ron Wilson with the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim 1993-1996 [1] before he became head coach of the San Jose Sharks for the 1996–97 NHL season.

Sims then became head coach of the Milwaukee Admirals of the IHL for three years, from 1998 to 2000, moved on to the Central Hockey League for four years and to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins as an assistant coach for a year. In 2007–2008, Sims coached the Fort Wayne Komets of the new IHL to his second Turner Cup championship, beating the Port Huron Icehawks 4 games to 3 after a triple-OT seventh and deciding game. After that, he led them to another Turner Cup in the 2008–09 season. In the following year (2009–10), Sims led the Komets to their third straight (and his personal fourth straight, counting the 1992–93 season) Turner Cup. With the team returning to the CHL after the IHL dissolved, it was eliminated in the second round of the 2010-11 postseason before winning the league in 2011–12. However, the Komets failed to make the postseason in 2012–13, with the team in the ECHL, his final season as their head coach. Sims' final minor league head coaching job came with the Evansville IceMen of the ECHL; he took over during the 2014–15 season and coached them in 2015–16, failing to make the postseason either year. The team was declared dormant in 2016–17 in preparation for moving elsewhere, which turned out to be Jacksonville, Florida in 2017–18, and a new head coach took over.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season TeamLeagueGP G A Pts PIM GPGAPtsPIM
1971–72 Cornwall Royals QMJHL 58624306516291115
1971–72 Cornwall Royals MC —————30002
1972–73 Cornwall RoyalsQMJHL6213627554122578
1973–74 Boston Bruins NHL 763912221600012
1974–75 Boston BruinsNHL75481273—————
1975–76 Boston BruinsNHL484374310000
1975–76 Rochester Americans AHL 2145912714511
1976–77 Boston BruinsNHL1000020000
1976–77 Rochester AmericansAHL801032424212291112
1977–78 Boston BruinsNHL432810680000
1977–78 Rochester AmericansAHL316131912—————
1978–79 Boston BruinsNHL679202928110220
1978–79 Rochester AmericansAHL30114—————
1979–80 Hartford Whalers NHL761031413030002
1980–81 Hartford WhalersNHL8016365268—————
1981–82 Los Angeles Kings NHL811216—————
1981–82 New Haven Nighthawks AHL514273153—————
1982–83 Los Angeles KingsNHL10000—————
1982–83 New Haven NighthawksAHL76185068461233610
1984–85 Genève–Servette HC SUI–2 ——————————
1984–85 EV Landshut GER 168122028404410
1984–85 New Haven NighthawksAHL133692—————
1985–86 BSC Preussen GER–2 45274774106—————
1986–87 Fife Flyers GBR 365286138955611170
1987–88 Fife FlyersGBR30334275516511162
1988–89 Fort Wayne Komets IHL 61730373262242
NHL totals475491161652864102214
AHL totals27545134179171316162233

NHL coaching statistics

TeamYear Regular season Post season
GWLTPtsFinishResult
SJ 1996-97 8227478627th in PacificMissed Playoffs

Personal

Sims' son Tyler was the starting goaltender of the Providence College Friars in Hockey East (2004 to 2008), and a reserve goalie for several minor league teams (2007 to 2011).

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References

  1. ↑ Robyn Norwood (June 7, 2012). "Sims Hopes to Add Heat to Rivalry With Ducks". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 14, 2012.
Preceded by Head coach of the San Jose Sharks
1996-97 		Succeeded by
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