Brian Conacher

Brian Kennedy Conacher (born August 31, 1941) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player, coach, executive and broadcaster. Conacher played on Canadian Olympic hockey team, then became a professional player in the National Hockey League with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Conacher was a member of the 1967 Stanley Cup championship team. After playing, Conacher took up coaching and broadcasting. He later joined the Indianapolis Racers and Edmonton Oilers as general manager. He was the manager of Maple Leaf Gardens until 1998. Conacher also held the position of Chief Executive Officer of the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair.

Brian Conacher
Born (1941-08-31) August 31, 1941
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Height 6 ft 3 in (191 cm)
Weight 187 lb (85 kg; 13 st 5 lb)
Position Centre
Shot Left
Played for Canadian Olympic team
Toronto Maple Leafs
Detroit Red Wings
Ottawa Nationals
Playing career 1958–1977

Personal information

Conacher is the son of Lionel Conacher, who was voted Canada's top athlete for the first half of the century.[1] He was educated at Toronto's Upper Canada College.

His brother, Lionel Jr., was a professional Canadian football player.

Charlie Conacher and Roy Conacher are Brian's uncles.

He is the cousin of Murray Henderson and Pete Conacher.

Playing career

Conacher played on the Canadian Olympic hockey team coached by Father David Bauer at the 1964 Winter Olympics at Innsbruck, Austria.[2] He was also a player for the Toronto Maple Leafs, playing full seasons during the 1967 and 1968 campaigns. He won the Stanley Cup with the Maple Leafs in 1967. In 1968, he played in the NHL All-Star Game, though not as an All-Star but as a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs (in those years, the current Stanley Cup Champion played the All-Star team). Brian was notable in that game as one of only two players to wear a helmet. After 1968, he was relegated, once again, to the minor leagues, until he finally finished his NHL career with a final season with the Detroit Red Wings in 1971–72. He then decided to try out the new World Hockey Association, joining the Ottawa Nationals for a season.

Coaching career

After retiring as a player, Conacher had a few small coaching stints in the minor leagues before becoming the general manager of the WHA Indianapolis Racers, and then the same position in 1977–78 with the WHA Edmonton Oilers.

Conacher was also a part-time coach with Upper Canada College. Some of the students he coached became collegiate and/or professional hockey players: Syl Apps III, Jason Cipolla (played with the St. John's Maple Leafs), Andre Faust (Philadelphia Flyers), Mike McKee (Quebec Nordiques), and NHL first round pick Daniel Tkaczuk.[3]

Broadcasting career

As a broadcaster, Conacher was most notable as fellow UCC graduate Foster Hewitt's colour man during the 1972 Summit Series. He also teamed with Curt Gowdy to call hockey for the U.S. coverage of the 1976 Winter Olympics on ABC.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs
    Regular season   Playoffs
SeasonTeamLeague GPGAPtsPIM GPGAPtsPIM
1961–62 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 1 0 0 0 0 — — — — —
1963–64 Canadian Olympic Hockey Team Olympics 7 7 1 8 6 — — — — —
1965–66 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 2 0 0 0 2 — — — — —
1966–67 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 66 14 13 27 47 12 3 2 5 21
1967–68 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 64 11 14 25 31 — — — — —
1971–72 Detroit Red Wings NHL 22 3 1 4 4 — — — — —
NHL totals 155 28 28 56 84 12 3 2 5 21

References
  2. Shea, Kevin (March 13, 2009). "Spotlight - One on One with Father David Bauer". Legends of Hockey. Retrieved September 21, 2020.
  3. As the Puck Turns: A Personal Journey Through the World of Hockey, by Brian Conacher, p. 206, John Wiley and Sons, Mississauga, ON, 2007, ISBN 978-0-470-15295-9
Preceded by
Bep Guidolin		 General Manager of the Edmonton Oilers
1977–78		 Succeeded by
Larry Gordon
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