Pats GM, former Sens and Jets coach Paddock announces retirement
Published
After five decades in the game of hockey, John Paddock is calling time on his career.
The 69-year-old Paddock stepped down as general manager of the Regina Pats on Monday, officially retiring.
A native of Oak River, Man., Paddock spent the past nine years with the Pats, winning the Western Hockey League's Coach of the Year Award in 2015 and 2017. He stepped down as coach following the 2018 season to focus on his GM role.
Allan Millar, formerly of the Moose Jaw Warriors, joins the Pats in his stead as GM and vice-president.
A winger in his playing days, Paddock was the 37th overall selection of the 1974 NHL Entry Draft by the Washington Capitals. He would go on to appear in 87 NHL games over five seasons with the Capitals, Philadelphia Flyers and Quebec Nordiques.
After his playing days ended, Paddock took over the American Hockey League's Maine Mariners midway through the 1983-1984 season and led them to a Calder Cup triumph.
He would go on to coach or manage in 38 more years with stints in both the pro and minor levels.
In 1991, Paddock was named head coach of the Winnipeg Jets and would spend parts of four years in the role before resigning to focus on his role as the team's general manager. Paddock would go on to be fired by the Phoenix Coyotes, following the franchise's relocation from Winnipeg, midway through the 1996-1997 season. Returning to the AHL as the head coach of the New York Rangers' affiliate Hartford Wolf Pack, Paddock won a third Calder Cup in 2000.
He would get another crack at the NHL in 2007 when he was named head coach of the Ottawa Senators after Bryan Murray was promoted to GM following the team's appearance in the Stanley Cup Final. Paddock would win 15 of his first 17 games in charge of the team and was the Eastern Conference head coach at the 2008 All-Star Game, but after a poor run of results, he was fired by the Senators in February of 2008.
In his five NHL seasons with the Jets and Senators, Paddock amassed a record of 142-160-37-6.
The Pats say Paddock will remain as a senior advisor to the team.