James Playfair (born May 22, 1964) is a Canadian former ice hockey coach and defenceman. He was drafted in the first round, 20th overall, by the Edmonton Oilers in the 1982 NHL entry draft. Following his retirement due to an injury, Playfair coached the Calgary Flames, Arizona Coyotes, and Oilers.
Following the draft, Playfair trained at the University of Alberta with former Oilers power-skating instructor Audrey Bakewell and Alberta Golden Bears ice hockey team coach Clare Drake.[2] He signed a multiyear contract with the Oilers before attending their 1982 training camp.[13] During training camp and preseason competitions, he competed against John Blum and Randy Gregg for the sixth spot on the Oilers blueline.[14] Playfair spent a month with the Oilers before being returned to the Winter Hawks for the 1982–83 season.[15] As an alternate captain, Playfair helped the Winter Hawks win seven consecutive games to start the season.[16] However, he suffered a knee injury in November and missed 19 games to recover from the surgery.[17] By January, Playfair had recorded five goals and 15 assists for 20 points and a team-leading 146 penalty minutes.[18] He served a one-game suspension in February after earning six game misconduct penalties.[19] Playfair finished the regular season with eight goals and 27 assists through 63 games.[1]
Coaching career
Playfair coaching the Calgary Flames.
Playfair became the head coach of the Calgary Flames on July 12, 2006, a promotion from his role as an assistant coach and replacing Darryl Sutter who previously had been both head coach and general manager. Sutter continued as general manager of the Flames. Playfair was also previously the head coach of the Saint John Flames of the American Hockey League, where he coached them to a Calder Cup championship in 2001.[20][21]
On June 14, 2007, Playfair was replaced as head coach of the Calgary Flames by Mike Keenan and demoted to associate coach. In his first and only season as head coach of the Flames, the team went 43–29–10 which was good enough for the eighth and final playoff spot. The team went on to be eliminated by the Detroit Red Wings in the first round.[22]
On June 5, 2009, Playfair began his second stint as a head coach in the American Hockey League after being named the head coach of the Abbotsford Heat (Calgary Flames affiliate).[23] In his two seasons at the helm, Playfair led the Heat to a 77–61–9–13 record (176 points). In 2009–10, he guided the Heat to the North Division finals, falling to the Hamilton Bulldogs in six games. On March 27, 2010, during one of the division final games against the Bulldogs, Playfair lost his temper and broke two hockey sticks due to penalty calls. Following the fame, Playfair called the owner of the Heat, the president of the Flames, and the president of the AHL to explain his actions. The league also fined him an undisclosed amount.[24]
He was hired as the associate coach of the Arizona Coyotes on June 13, 2011.[25] On June 27, 2017 the Coyotes and Playfair mutually parted ways. In June 2019, he was hired as an associate coach for the Edmonton Oilers. Playfair was fired by the Oilers in February 2022, along with head coach Dave Tippett.[26] While serving as an associate coach for the Prince George Cougars, Playfair was named an assistant coach for Team Canada at the 2023 Spengler Cup.[27]
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