| Rudy Pilous | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Hockey Hall of Fame, 1985 (Builder) | |||
| Born | (1914-08-11)August 11, 1914 Winnipeg,Manitoba | ||
| Died | December 5, 1994(1994-12-05) (aged 80) St. Catharines, Ontario | ||
| Coached for | Chicago Black Hawks Winnipeg Jets | ||
Rudolph Pilous (August 11, 1914 – December 5, 1994) was a Canadianice hockey player and coach, born inWinnipeg,Manitoba. Pilous won theStanley Cup coaching theChicago Black Hawks in1960–61, and was inducted into theHockey Hall of Fame in 1985 in the builder category. He is credited with initiating the action of pulling the goalie for an extra forward when there is a delayed penalty or when a team is losing by a goal in the last few minutes of play.
Pilous playedjunior ice hockey in theManitoba Junior Hockey League before becoming aNew York Rangers prospect. During 1937–38, Pilous played minor professional hockey with the New York Rovers of theEastern Hockey League. Unable to reach theNational Hockey League, Pilous transferred to the St. Catharines Saints, asenior ice hockey in theOntario Hockey Association Senior division from 1938 to 1941.
In 1943, Pilous cofounded theSt. Catharines Falcons, a junior ice hockey team in theOntario Hockey Association. Pilous left the Falcons in 1946, spending the 1946–47 season as a scout for the nearbyBuffalo Bisons. Pilous spent the 1947–48 season in Houston, Texas, winning theUSHL Championship. In 1948–49, Pilous led theSan Diego Skyhawks to thePacific Coast Hockey League title.
After the PCHL, Pilous returned to the team he founded in St. Catharines, now known as theSt. Catharines Teepees. He coached the team to aMemorial Cup championship in the1954 Memorial Cup. He was its general manager for the1960 Memorial Cup victory.
Pilous coached the Chicago Black Hawks from1958 to1963. In the1961 Stanley Cup Finals, he led the Hawks to Stanley Cup victory. Between 1956 and 1968, he was the only coach to win the Stanley Cup other thanToe Blake andPunch Imlach.
Pilous coached theDenver Invaders in 1963–64 to theWestern Hockey League's Governor's Trophy. After a brief stint with theHamilton Red Wings, Pilous was hired to be the initial general manager of the expansionOakland Seals in 1967. Pilous was quickly dismissed by team owners, and joined theDenver Spurs of the WHL, building them into a first place team by 1972.
Pilous returned to his childhood home in Manitoba, with theBrandon Wheat Kings and subsequently coaching theWinnipeg Jets. Pilous later became general manager, and led the Jets toAvco World Trophy championships in 1976, 1978 and 1979.
Pilous' coaching career ended where it started in St. Catharines 43 years earlier, at the helm of theSt. Catharines Saints from 1983 to 1986.
Pilous died at his home of a heart attack on December 5, 1994. He was survived by his wife Margaret and his two daughters, Rosemarie and Mary Lou.[1][2]
| Team | Year | Regular season | Post season | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | L | T | Pts | Division rank | Result | ||
| Chicago Black Hawks | 1957–58 | 37 | 14 | 22 | 1 | 29 | 5th inNHL | Did not qualify |
| Chicago Black Hawks | 1958–59 | 70 | 28 | 29 | 13 | 69 | 3rd in NHL | Lost in semi-finals |
| Chicago Black Hawks | 1959–60 | 70 | 28 | 29 | 13 | 69 | 3rd in NHL | Lost in semi-finals |
| Chicago Black Hawks | 1960–61 | 70 | 29 | 24 | 17 | 75 | 3rd in NHL | WonStanley Cup |
| Chicago Black Hawks | 1961–62 | 70 | 31 | 26 | 13 | 75 | 3rd in NHL | LostStanley Cup Finals |
| Chicago Black Hawks | 1962–63 | 70 | 32 | 21 | 17 | 81 | 2nd in NHL | Lost in semi-finals |
| Winnipeg Jets | 1974–75 | 65 | 34 | 26 | 5 | 73 | 3rd in Canadian | Did not qualify |
| NHL Totals | 387 | 162 | 151 | 74 | 398 | 18–22, .450 1 Stanley Cup | ||
| WHA Totals | 65 | 34 | 26 | 5 | 73 | |||
| Preceded by | Head coach of the Chicago Black Hawks 1957–63 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by Position created | General manager of the California Seals 1967 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | General Manager of the original Winnipeg Jets 1974–78 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Head coach of the original Winnipeg Jets 1974–75 | Succeeded by Bobby Hull |