| Larry Robinson | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Hockey Hall of Fame, 1995 | |||
 Robinson in 2008 | |||
| Born | (1951-06-02)June 2, 1951 (age 74) Winchester, Ontario, Canada | ||
| Height | 6 ft 4 in (193 cm) | ||
| Weight | 225 lb (102 kg; 16 st 1 lb) | ||
| Position | Defence | ||
| Shot | Left | ||
| Played for | Montreal Canadiens Los Angeles Kings | ||
| Coached for | Los Angeles Kings New Jersey Devils | ||
| National team |  Canada | ||
| NHL draft | 20th overall,1971 Montreal Canadiens | ||
| Playing career | 1973–1992 | ||
| Coaching career | 1995–2005 | ||
Larry Clark Robinson (born June 2, 1951) is aCanadian formerice hockey coach, executive and player. His coaching career includes head coaching positions with theNew Jersey Devils (which he held on two occasions), as well as theLos Angeles Kings. For his play in theNational Hockey League (NHL) with theMontreal Canadiens andLos Angeles Kings, Robinson was inducted into theHockey Hall of Fame in 1995. He was also inducted into theOntario Sports Hall of Fame in 2014.[1] In 2017, Robinson was named one of the "100 Greatest NHL Players".[2] Larry is the brother ofMoe Robinson.
Larry Robinson played Junior 'A' hockey with theBrockville Braves of the CJHL and Major Junior in the Ontario Hockey League with theKitchener Rangers then turned professional, spending 1971 to 1973 with theNova Scotia Voyageurs of theAmerican Hockey League before making it to theNational Hockey League with theMontreal Canadiens.
Nicknamed "Big Bird" in part for his size (6'4’’ and 225 pounds), Robinson was a big and strong yet highly mobile defenceman. He played 17 seasons for the Montreal Canadiens and another three seasons for theLos Angeles Kings, until his retirement after the 1991–92 season. He won theJames Norris Memorial Trophy twice (1976–77 and 1979–80) as the league's most outstanding defenceman and won theConn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player of the 1978 playoffs. He was named to the league's first and second all-star teams three times each. His peak years were 1976–77 to 1980–81, although he had a strong comeback season at age 34 in 1985–86 when he was again named to the second all-star team and scored 82 points, just three shy of his career high of 85 (1976–77). Robinson was a dominant player whose talent and leadership helped lead the Canadiens to sixStanley Cups.
Robinson was a member ofTeam Canada in the 1976, 1981 and 1984Canada Cup tournaments and was an international All-Star team selection in the 1981 IIHF World Championships. During his career, he played in ten of the league's All-Star games and ended his 20-year career having scored 208 goals, 750 assists for 958 regular-season points as well as 144 points in 227 playoff game;, a remarkable achievement for a defenceman. He holds an impressive careerplus-minus rating of +730, the NHL career record, including an overwhelming +120 in 1976–77 (second only toBobby Orr's record +124 in 1970–71, and with Orr and Wayne Gretzky (+100 1984–85), is one of only three players to have a plus-minus rating of +100 or greater for a season). He won the Stanley Cup six times with the Canadiens, in 1973, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, and 1986. Together withNicklas Lidstrom, Robinson holds the NHL record for most consecutive playoff seasons with 20, 17 of them with the Canadiens.[3][4]
Robinson has been honoured for his playing career. In 1995, he was inducted into theHockey Hall of Fame. In 1998, he was ranked number 24 onThe Hockey News' list of the 100 Greatest Hockey Players. In 2000, he was inducted into the Ottawa Sports Hall of Fame. On November 19, 2007, the Canadiens retired Robinson's No. 19 jersey before a loss against theOttawa Senators.[3][5] Larry Robinson's name appears on the Stanley Cup ten times, six as a player, three as a coach or assistant coach and once as a scout.
Following his retirement, Robinson was hired as an assistant coach with theNew Jersey Devils in 1993. After winning theStanley Cup in 1995 with the Devils, he was hired as head coach of the Los Angeles Kings, the same year he was inducted into theHockey Hall of Fame. He left the Los Angeles team at the end of the 1998–99 season and signed on as an assistant coach with the New Jersey Devils once again. Named interim head coach of the New Jersey Devils on March 23, 2000, Robinson guided his team to win the2000 Stanley Cup. With the victory, Robinson became the first interim head coach in NHL history to guide a team to the Stanley Cup. The feat would later be accomplished byCraig Berube in2019. Robinson recounted to journalistScott Morrison:[6]
Considering how long I played hockey and how many Cups I got to win as a defenseman with Montreal, it was my first Stanley Cup win as a head coach that is actually my greatest day in hockey.
He stayed on as head coach for the next year and again guided the Devils to theStanley Cup finals, where they lost against theColorado Avalanche in seven games.
Robinson was fired during the 2001–02 season, but returned as an assistant coach in February 2002 and just before the 2002–03 season to win his ninthStanley Cup in 2003.
WhenPat Burns suffered a recurrence of cancer, Robinson again assumed the mantle of head coach on July 14, 2005. This stint came to an end on December 19, 2005, when Robinson resigned, citing stress and other health problems.[7]
Robinson returned to the Devils prior to the 2007–08 season as an assistant coach underBrent Sutter. Prior to the 2008–09 season, Robinson left from behind the Devils' bench to become a special assignment coach between the organization's prospects in Lowell, Mass., and the Devils.[8]
Robinson's contract ended with the New Jersey Devils in the summer of 2012. He indicated he was interested in becoming an assistant coach with the Montreal Canadiens, however that post was filled with former Hab J.J. Daigneault soon after. Robinson then was appointed an associate coach with theSan Jose Sharks on July 10, 2012.[9] On May 23, 2014, the Sharks added director of player development to Robinson's role.[10] In 2017, at the end of his five-year contract with the Sharks, Robinson left the organization.[11] He is currently a Senior Consultant to Hockey Operations for the St. Louis Blues.
With the St. Louis Blues defeating theBoston Bruins in the2019 Stanley Cup Finals, Robinson won his tenth Stanley Cup championship.[12]
Robinson was raised on a Marvelville,Ontario farm and as a boy, he grew up with a love of horses. While living in the rural area ofSaint-Lazare, Quebec west of Montreal, Robinson became a co-founder with former teammateSteve Shutt, Michael Sinclair-Smith and local veterinarian Dr. Gilbert Hallé of the Montreal Polo Club atSainte-Marthe, Quebec.
While playing in Los Angeles, Robinson became involved in the sport ofthoroughbredhorse racing through a partnership with Kings ownerBruce McNall'sSumma Stable.[13] Among their racing successes, Down Again won the 1990Monrovia Handicap atSanta Anita Park.[14]
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1969–70 | Brockville Braves | CJHL | 40 | 22 | 29 | 51 | 74 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1969–70 | Ottawa M&W Rangers | CJHL | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | ||
| 1970–71 | Kitchener Rangers | OHA-Jr. | 61 | 12 | 39 | 51 | 65 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 | ||
| 1971–72 | Nova Scotia Voyageurs | AHL | 74 | 10 | 14 | 24 | 54 | 15 | 2 | 10 | 12 | 31 | ||
| 1972–73 | Nova Scotia Voyageurs | AHL | 38 | 6 | 33 | 39 | 33 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1972–73 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 36 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 20 | 11 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 9 | ||
| 1973–74 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 78 | 6 | 20 | 26 | 66 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 26 | ||
| 1974–75 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 80 | 14 | 47 | 61 | 76 | 11 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 27 | ||
| 1975–76 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 80 | 10 | 30 | 40 | 59 | 13 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 10 | ||
| 1976–77 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 77 | 19 | 66 | 85 | 45 | 14 | 2 | 10 | 12 | 12 | ||
| 1977–78 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 80 | 13 | 52 | 65 | 39 | 15 | 4 | 17 | 21 | 6 | ||
| 1978–79 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 67 | 16 | 45 | 61 | 33 | 16 | 6 | 9 | 15 | 8 | ||
| 1979–80 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 72 | 14 | 61 | 75 | 39 | 10 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 2 | ||
| 1980–81 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 65 | 12 | 38 | 50 | 37 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||
| 1981–82 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 71 | 12 | 47 | 59 | 41 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 8 | ||
| 1982–83 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 71 | 14 | 49 | 63 | 33 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||
| 1983–84 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 74 | 9 | 34 | 43 | 39 | 15 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 22 | ||
| 1984–85 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 76 | 13 | 34 | 47 | 44 | 12 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 8 | ||
| 1985–86 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 78 | 19 | 63 | 82 | 39 | 20 | 0 | 13 | 13 | 22 | ||
| 1986–87 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 70 | 13 | 37 | 50 | 44 | 17 | 3 | 17 | 20 | 6 | ||
| 1987–88 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 53 | 6 | 34 | 40 | 30 | 11 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 4 | ||
| 1988–89 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 74 | 4 | 26 | 30 | 22 | 21 | 2 | 8 | 10 | 12 | ||
| 1989–90 | Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 64 | 7 | 32 | 39 | 34 | 10 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 10 | ||
| 1990–91 | Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 62 | 1 | 22 | 23 | 16 | 12 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 15 | ||
| 1991–92 | Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 56 | 3 | 10 | 13 | 37 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| NHL totals | 1,384 | 207 | 751 | 958 | 793 | 227 | 28 | 116 | 144 | 211 | ||||
| Year | Team | Event | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | Canada | CC | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 1979 | NHL All-Stars | Exhib. | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| 1981 | Canada | WC | 6 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | |
| 1981 | Canada | CC | 7 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | |
| 1984 | Canada | CC | 8 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | |
| Senior totals | 31 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 6 | |||
| Team | Year | Regular season | Post season | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | L | T | OTL | Pts | Finish | W | L | Win % | Result | ||
| LA | 1995–96 | 82 | 24 | 40 | 18 | — | 66 | 6th inPacific | — | — | — | Missed playoffs |
| LA | 1996–97 | 82 | 28 | 43 | 11 | — | 67 | 6th in Pacific | — | — | — | Missed playoffs |
| LA | 1997–98 | 82 | 38 | 33 | 11 | — | 87 | 2nd in Pacific | 0 | 4 | .000 | Lost in Conference Quarterfinals (STL) |
| LA | 1998–99 | 82 | 32 | 45 | 5 | — | 69 | 5th in Pacific | — | — | — | Missed playoffs |
| LA total | 328 | 122 | 161 | 45 | — | .441 | 0 | 4 | .000 | 1 playoff appearance | ||
| NJ | 1999–2000 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | (103) | 2nd inAtlantic | 16 | 7 | .696 | WonStanley Cup (DAL) |
| NJ | 2000–01 | 82 | 48 | 19 | 12 | 3 | 111 | 1st in Atlantic | 15 | 10 | .600 | Lost inStanley Cup Finals (COL) |
| NJ | 2001–02 | 51 | 21 | 20 | 7 | 3 | (95) | (fired) | — | — | — | — |
| NJ | 2005–06 | 32 | 14 | 13 | 0 | 5 | (101) | (resigned) | — | — | — | — |
| NJ total | 173 | 87 | 56 | 19 | 11 | .590 | 31 | 17 | .646 | 2 playoff appearances 1 Stanley Cup | ||
| Total | 501 | 209 | 217 | 64 | 11 | .492 | 31 | 21 | .596 | 3 playoff appearances 1 Stanley Cup | ||
| Preceded by | Winner of theConn Smythe Trophy 1978 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Winner of theNorris Trophy 1980 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Winner of theNorris Trophy 1977 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Head coach of the Los Angeles Kings 1995–99 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Head coach of the New Jersey Devils 2000–02 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Head coach of the New Jersey Devils 2005 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
