Ron Anderson (ice hockey, born 1950)
Canadian ice hockey player
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Ronald Henry Anderson (born January 21, 1950) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey right winger. He who played 28 games in the National Hockey League with the Washington Capitals during the 1974–75 season. The rest of his career, which lasted from 1968 to 1978, was mainly spent in the American Hockey League. After his career he coached at the American collegiate level, and later joined NHL management.
| Ron Anderson | |||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Anderson in 1974 photo | |||
| Born |
January 21, 1949 Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada | ||
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (178 cm) | ||
| Weight | 165 lb (75 kg; 11 st 11 lb) | ||
| Position | Right wing | ||
| Shot | Right | ||
| Played for |
Washington Capitals Wiener EV | ||
| NHL draft | Undrafted | ||
| Playing career | 1970–1978 | ||
| Current position | |
|---|---|
| Title | Senior advisor for player recruitment |
| Team | Chicago Blackhawks |
| Playing career | |
| Position | Forward |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1978–1979 | Welland Steelers |
| 1980–1983 | Merrimack (assistant) |
| 1983–1998 | Merrimack |
| 1999–2008 | Chicago Blackhawks (scout) |
| 2008–present | Chicago Blackhawks (Dir. of Player Recruitment) |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 254–253–24 (college) |
| Tournaments | NCAA D2 (2-2) NCAA DI (2-2) |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Championships | |
| 1987 ECAC East regular season 1987 ECAC East Tournament 1988 ECAC East Regular Season 1988 ECAC East Tournament 1989 ECAC East Regular Season 1989 ECAC East Tournament | |
| Awards | |
| |
| Records | |
| All time wins leader at Merrimack (254) | |
Playing career
Anderson played collegiate hockey for two years at Boston University where he registered 87 points in 62 games for the Terriers. Anderson's scoring touch with BU didn't go unnoticed by the Boston Bruins who signed him as a free agent in 1972. He would play 2 seasons with their AHL affiliate the Boston Braves in 1972–73 and 1973–74. During the 1972-73 season he would score 41 goals on top of 29 assist. This would lead to him being named Dudley "Red" Garrett Memorial Award winner. The NHL expanded by two teams in 1974–75, adding teams in Kansas City, Missouri and Washington, D.C. The expansion Washington Capitals selected him 34th from the Boston Bruins in the 1974 NHL Expansion Draft. He played 28 games during their inaugural season, tallying 9 goals and 7 assists for 16 points. He also spent time that year with the Richmond Robins, the AHL affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers. Where he would have 20 goals and 19 assists with the Robins. After one more season in the minors Anderson headed to Europe to play for Villacher SV. During the 1976-77 season he would tally 24 goals and 14 assists and win a league title. Followed by one more season on Wiener EV before retiring as a player in 1978.[1]
Coaching
Anderson continued his hockey career, turning almost immediately to coaching when he became a mid-season replacement for the Welland Steelers.[2] In 1980–81 he joined the staff at Merrimack as an assistant and was picked as the replacement for Bruce Parker on the eve of the Warriors' return to Division I.[3] Taking over the program during the 1983-84 season. In just his first year he took the warriors all the way to the 1984 division II national championship. Beating SNHU on aggregate 9-7 in the frozen four. before untimely becoming runner-up up to Bemidji State in the last Division II championship for 8 years, Anderson led Merrimack as a concurrent D-I independent and ECAC East member for the next five years as it tried to find a permanent home. After a 19-12-2 season in 1985-86. Anderson would lead the warriors to a 3 year streak of dominance. Winning 3 straight ECAC East regular season and conference championships in 1987, 1988 and 1989. During the 1986-87 the warriors would go 25-2 in conference play and 29-7 overall. They would play UConn in the first round and beat them 6-2. They would then beat Norwich 3-2 in the semis. Punching their first ticket to ECAC east championship which they would win 3-0 over babson. Closing out one of the best years in program history. But Anderson would find a way to one up this the following year. During the 1987-1988 season They would go on to have a perfect 25-0 conference record and would once again win the ECAC tournament beating Bowdoin 4-1. Finishing the regular season with a 32-4 record. Their performance couldn't have come at a better time because the NCAA expanded the playoff and Anderson's team became the first independent squad invited to the postseason since 1960. Not satisfied with simply making the cut, Merrimack dropped the first game to Hockey East champion Northeastern before routing them in the second game to take the opening series 10-8 on aggregate. Pulling off a huge upset. In the quarterfinals they defeated eventual champion Lake Superior State 4-3 in the first game before their luck ran out and the Warriors were drubbed 5-0 to lose the series.[4] Anderson and the warriors would finish the season with 34 wins the best in the history of the school (as of 2025). He would also be named to the 1988 New England all star team as the coach.[5] Then once again during the 1988-89 season Anderson would lead Merrimack to another terrific season going 27-7 overall and 16-2 in conference. They would get a first round by in the ECAC tournament and would easily take care Massachusetts–Boston in the semis 12-1. Once again faceing Bowdoin in the championship game and would beat them 9-4. Completing the three peat. Throughout this 3 year stretch. Anderson would go 66-4 in conference and 90-20 overall,
After these 3 stellar season Merrimack was finally accepted into a major conference, joining Hockey East for the 1989–90 season. Their winning ways, however, didn't continue with their new, full-Division-I schedule. Anderson's team won only 10 games that campaign and would improve only marginally over the next few years. For their first nine seasons in Hockey East the Warriors would come close but never achieve a winning season. Between 1990 and 1997 Anderson was unable to get a single postseason series victory, going 1-9 in the Hockey East tournament. Despite this Anderson would be named Clark Hodder Division I Coach of the year in 1997.[6] A year later In 1998, however, they shocked the conference by defeating his top-ranked alma mater Boston University twice. To reach the hockey east semifinals for the first time in program history. Before the second round began Anderson was told that his contract would not be renewed[7] and the 7-2 loss to Boston College turned out to be his last game behind the bench. He would finish his time a Merrimack as the all time wins leader. 25 years later in 2023 Anderson would be honored for his time at Merrimack when he was inducted into the Merrimack athletic hall of fame.[8]
Management
Anderson accepted a position as an amateur scout for the Chicago Blackhawks in 1999 and served in that capacity for 9 seasons before being named Director of Player Recruitment in 2008.[9] Anderson continued to serve in that capacity until 2019 and has seen his name etched on the Stanley Cup three times as a result (2010, 2013 and 2015). Since 2020 he has worked as a senior advisor for player recruitment.[10]
Career statistics
Regular season and playoffs
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1963–64 | Moncton Beavers | MKMHA | 3 | 5 | 0 | 5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1963–64 | Moncton Rovers | MKMHA | 8 | 16 | 7 | 23 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1964–65 | Moncton Aces | NBAHA | 9 | 15 | 7 | 22 | 4 | 2 | 7 | 2 | 9 | 6 | ||
| 1965–66 | Moncton Beavers | MKMHA | 19 | 20 | 21 | 41 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 1966–67 | Moncton Seals | N-NBSHL | 18 | 14 | 21 | 35 | 20 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1966–67 | Moncton Seals | M-Cup | — | — | — | — | — | 13 | 12 | 14 | 26 | 0 | ||
| 1967–68 | Moncton Seals | NBJHL | — | — | — | — | — | 6 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 12 | ||
| 1967–68 | Moncton Hawks | S-NBSHL | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1967–68 | Fredericton Junior Red Wings | S-NBSHL | 19 | 16 | 22 | 38 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 2 | ||
| 1967–68 | Fredericton Junior Red Wings | M-Cup | — | — | — | — | — | 6 | 6 | 4 | 10 | 2 | ||
| 1967–68 | Halifax Junior Canadiens | M-Cup | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 6 | ||
| 1968–69 | Moncton Hawks | NBSHL | 20 | 30 | 36 | 66 | 34 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | ||
| 1969–70 | Moncton Hawks | NBSHL | — | — | — | — | — | 11 | 7 | 6 | 13 | 2 | ||
| 1970–71 | Boston University | ECAC | 31 | 20 | 21 | 41 | 17 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1971–72 | Boston University | ECAC | 31 | 19 | 27 | 46 | 26 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1972–73 | Boston Braves | AHL | 73 | 41 | 29 | 70 | 53 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1973–74 | Boston Braves | AHL | 75 | 24 | 31 | 55 | 28 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1974–75 | Washington Capitals | NHL | 28 | 9 | 7 | 16 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1974–75 | Richmond Robins | AHL | 38 | 20 | 19 | 39 | 19 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1975–76 | Richmond Robins | AHL | 20 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1975–76 | New Haven Nighthawks | AHL | 17 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1976–77 | Villacher SV | AUT-2 | 24 | 26 | 14 | 40 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1977–78 | Wiener EV | AUT | 26 | 28 | 8 | 36 | 14 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| AHL totals | 223 | 88 | 85 | 173 | 114 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| NHL totals | 28 | 9 | 7 | 16 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
Head coaching record
| Season | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Postseason | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Merrimack Warriors (ECAC 2) (1983–1984) | |||||||||
| 1983–84 | Merrimack | 13–19–0 | 10–10–0 | T–12th | NCAA Runner-Up | ||||
| 1984–85 | Merrimack | 16–16–3 | 12–6–3 | 9th | ECAC East Quarterfinals | ||||
| Merrimack: | 29–35–3 | 22–16–3 | |||||||
| Merrimack Warriors (ECAC East) (1985–1989) | |||||||||
| 1985–86 | Merrimack | 19–12–2 | 16–4–2 | 2nd | ECAC East Semifinals | ||||
| 1986–87 | Merrimack | 29–7–0 | 22–2–0 | 1st | ECAC East Champion | ||||
| 1987–88 | Merrimack | 34–6–0 | 22–0–0 | 1st | NCAA Quarterfinals | ||||
| 1988–89 | Merrimack | 27–7–0 | 14–2–0 | 1st | ECAC East Champion | ||||
| Merrimack: | 109–32–2 | 74–8–2 | |||||||
| Merrimack Warriors (Hockey East) (1989–1998) | |||||||||
| 1989–90 | Merrimack | 10–25–1 | 3–18–0 | 8th | Hockey East Quarterfinals | ||||
| 1990–91 | Merrimack | 13–19–1 | 7–14–0 | 6th | Hockey East Quarterfinals | ||||
| 1991–92 | Merrimack | 13–21–0 | 4–17–0 | 8th | Hockey East Quarterfinals | ||||
| 1992–93 | Merrimack | 14–20–2 | 8–16–0 | 6th | Hockey East Quarterfinals | ||||
| 1993–94 | Merrimack | 16–19–2^ | 10–14–2^ | 7th | Hockey East Quarterfinals | ||||
| 1994–95 | Merrimack | 14–18–5 | 7–12–5–3 | 5th | Hockey East Quarterfinals | ||||
| 1995–96 | Merrimack | 10–19–5 | 4–18–2–0 | 9th | |||||
| 1996–97 | Merrimack | 15–19–2 | 11–11–2 | 5th | Hockey East Quarterfinals | ||||
| 1997–98 | Merrimack | 11–26–1 | 4–20–0 | t-8th | Hockey East Semifinals | ||||
| Merrimack: | 116–186–19 | 58–140–11 | |||||||
| Total: | 254–253–24 | ||||||||
|
National champion
Postseason invitational champion
| |||||||||
^ Maine was required to retroactively forfeit two victories against Merrimack which are reflected here. [11]
Awards and achievements
- 1972–73 – Dudley "Red" Garrett Memorial Award (AHL Rookie of the year)
- 1972–73 – AHL Second Team All-Star
- 1977 Austrian National League champion
- 2010 Stanley Cup (Chicago Blackhawks)
- 2013 Stanley Cup (Chicago Blackhawks)
- 2015 Stanley Cup (Chicago Blackhawks)
Transactions
- Signed as a free agent by the Boston Bruins, June, 1972.
- Claimed from the Boston Bruins by the Washington Capitals in the 1974 NHL Expansion Draft, June 12, 1974.
- Traded by the Washington Capitals with Bob Gryp to the New Haven Nighthawks (AHL) for Rich Nantais and Alain Langlais, February 23, 1976.