John Muckler, Stanley Cup-winning coach with the Edmonton Oilers, dies at 86 as NHL legend Wayne Gretzky mourns a 'great friend' who helped take his 'career to another level'
John Muckler, who coached four NHL teams and won five Stanley Cup championships with the Edmonton Oilers, has died at 86.
The Oilers confirmed Muckler's death Monday night. No cause was given.
Muckler was part of the staff that put together the Oilers dynasty of the 1980s. He joined Edmonton in 1982 as an assistant coach under Glen Sather and won five Stanley Cups with the organization from 1984-90, the last one as head coach.
'He was tough, strict, but most importantly fair, and he helped lay the groundwork to make our team more accountable to each other which propelled us to become champions,' NHL legend Wayne Gretzky said in a statement released by the Oilers.
Gretzky was not a member of the 1990 Stanley Cup-winning Oilers, having been traded to the Los Angeles Kings in 1988, but did work with Muckler when he was an assistant under Sather.
Coach John Muckler of the Edmonton Oilers alumni watches his team take on the Winnipeg Jets alumni during the 2016 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic alumni hockey game on October 22, 2016 at Investors Group Field in Winnipeg
Muckler was part of the staff that put together the Oilers dynasty of the 1980s. He joined Edmonton in 1982 as an assistant coach under Glen Sather and won five Stanley Cups with the organization from 1984-90, the last one as head coach. Wayne Gretzky (pictured, center, after winning the 1988 Conn Smythe Trophy after beating Boston in the Stanley Cup Finals) was not a member of the 1990 cup-winning Oilers, having been traded to the Los Angeles Kings in 1988, but he did work with Muckler when he was an Oilers assistant
'A wonderful family man and great friend, he personally took my career to another level, and I will always cherish the hours we talked, from breaking down defenses to raising a family,' Gretzky added.
When Muckler native left Edmonton, he served as director of operations and head coach for the Buffalo Sabres from 1991-95.
Muckler also was head coach of the New York Rangers from 1997-2000, and spent 35 games in charge of the 1968-69 Minnesota North Stars.
'The Rangers organization mourns the passing of John Muckler,' read a statement from the team. 'His distinguished career spanned more than 5 decades as a player, coach & executive in professional hockey, including head coach of the Rangers from 1998-2000. Our thoughts are with John's family & friends at this time.
He became general manager of the Ottawa Senators in 2001 and helped build a team that reached the 2007 Stanley Cup final, where the Senators lost to Anaheim.
Muckler (far left, right) reunited with Gretzky (near left) with the Rangers in the late 1990s. The Midland, Ontario native was once a promising defenseman before becoming a coach
A shot of the 1983-84 Stanley Cup-winning Edmonton Oilers. Muckler (front row, second from the left) was an assistant coach on that team, but later replaced head coach Glen Sather (third from left) and won a Stanley Cup in 1990 - a year after Gretzky (second row, center) was traded to the Los Angeles Kings
As a head coach, Muckler worked with many NHL stars such as Mark Messier, Glen Anderson, Jari Kurri, Esa Tikkanen, Adam Graves, and goaltender Grant Fuhr in Edmonton, the latter of whom he coached in Buffalo, along with Pat LaFontaine and Alexander Mogilny. In his final coaching tenure with the Rangers, Muckler reunited with Gretzky, Graves, and LaFontaine while also working with Brian Leetch, Alex Kovalev, and goalie Mike Richter.
Muckler's final NHL role was a senior adviser position with the Phoenix Coyotes in September 2008, working alongside then-coach Gretzky.
The Midland, Ontario native finished with a career coaching record of 276-288-84.
He also served as a coach for three NHL All-Star Games, as well as Canada's 1984 and 1987 Canada Cup-winning teams.
Muckler celebrates with his players Mark Lamb and Kelly Buchberger after the Oilers beat the Boston Bruins in the 1990 Stanley Cup Finals