| Red Sullivan | |
| Position: | Centre |
| Played For: | Boston Bruins Chicago Black Hawks New York Rangers |
| Shoots: | Left |
| Height Ft: | 5 |
| Height In: | 11 |
| Weight Lb: | 160 |
| Birth Date: | December 24, 1929 |
| Birth Place: | Peterborough, Ontario, Canada |
| Death Place: | Peterborough, Ontario, Canada |
| Career Start: | 1949 |
| Career End: | 1961 |
George James "Red" Sullivan (December 24, 1929 – January 19, 2019) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1949 to 1961. After finishing his playing career Sullivan became a coach, serving in that role between 1962 and 1975.
George "Red" Sullivan began his NHL career with the Boston Bruins (1949–1953). He also played for the Chicago Black Hawks (1954–1956) and the New York Rangers (1956–1961).
Sullivan led the Chicago Black Hawks in scoring for his two years in Chicago before being traded to the New York Rangers prior to the start of the 1956-57 season. Sullivan played in the NHL All-Star game five times (1955, 1956, 1958, 1959, 1960) and was named the New York Rangers captain for the 1957-58 season. He remained the Rangers captain through the 1960-61 season, his last as an NHL player.
Sullivan was severely injured, and very nearly killed, on November 26, 1956, when defenceman Doug Harvey of the Montreal Canadiens speared him in the stomach, rupturing his spleen, where a Catholic priest was even brought to the hospital to deliver his last rites, however Sullivan survived and resumed his career with the New York Rangers.[1]
During 556 NHL games, he scored 107 goals with 239 assists for 346 points.
In the 2009 book 100 Ranger Greats, the authors ranked Sullivan at No. 66 all-time of the 901 New York Rangers who had played during the team's first 82 seasons.[2]
Sullivan became the head coach of the Rangers during the 1962–63 season when fans began to demand Muzz Patrick resign. He coached a rather bad team until December 1965 when the Rangers' general manager, Emile Francis decided he himself would take over as head coach.
Sullivan then coached the Pittsburgh Penguins in their first season. He was dismissed on March 31, 1969 after two consecutive seasons of the Penguins failing to qualify for the playoffs due to a pair of fifth-place finishes.[3]
During the 1974-1975 NHL season, Sullivan replaced Jim Anderson as head coach of the expansion Washington Capitals. Sullivan posted a 2-16 record as head coach and was replaced later that season by Milt Schmidt.[4]
He died on January 19, 2019, after suffering for a number of years with Alzheimer's / dementia.
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |||||
| 1947–48 | St. Catharines Teepees | OHA | 26 | 10 | 12 | 22 | 34 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 0 | ||
| 1948–49 | St. Catharines Teepees | OHA | 46 | 32 | 48 | 80 | 53 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 10 | 6 | ||
| 1949–50 | St. Catharines Teepees | OHA | 13 | 14 | 15 | 29 | 19 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1949–50 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1949–50 | Hershey Bears | AHL | 51 | 10 | 30 | 40 | 36 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1950–51 | Hershey Bears | AHL | 70 | 28 | 56 | 84 | 36 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | ||
| 1950–51 | Boston Bruins | NHL | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||
| 1951–52 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 67 | 12 | 12 | 24 | 24 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1952–53 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 32 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1952–53 | Hershey Bears | AHL | 36 | 10 | 40 | 50 | 18 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1953–54 | Hershey Bears | AHL | 69 | 30 | 89 | 119 | 54 | 11 | 2 | 7 | 9 | 4 | ||
| 1954–55 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 70 | 19 | 42 | 61 | 51 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1955–56 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 63 | 14 | 26 | 40 | 58 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1956–57 | New York Rangers | NHL | 42 | 6 | 17 | 23 | 36 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | ||
| 1957–58 | New York Rangers | NHL | 70 | 11 | 35 | 46 | 61 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1958–59 | New York Rangers | NHL | 70 | 21 | 42 | 63 | 56 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1959–60 | New York Rangers | NHL | 70 | 12 | 25 | 37 | 81 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1960–61 | New York Rangers | NHL | 70 | 9 | 31 | 40 | 66 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1961–62 | Kitchener-Waterloo Beavers | EPHL | 61 | 16 | 46 | 62 | 81 | 7 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 4 | ||
| 1962–63 | Baltimore Clippers | AHL | 31 | 14 | 22 | 36 | 25 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| NHL totals | 557 | 107 | 239 | 346 | 441 | 18 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 | ||||
| Team | Year | Post season | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | L | T | Pts | Finish | Result | ||
| New York Rangers | 1962–63 | 36 | 11 | 18 | 8 | (56) | 5th in NHL | Missed playoffs |
| New York Rangers | 1963–64 | 70 | 22 | 38 | 10 | 54 | 5th in NHL | Missed playoffs |
| New York Rangers | 1964–65 | 70 | 20 | 38 | 12 | 52 | 5th in NHL | Missed playoffs |
| New York Rangers | 1965–66 | 20 | 5 | 10 | 5 | (47) | 6th in NHL | (fired) |
| Pittsburgh Penguins | 1967–68 | 74 | 27 | 34 | 13 | (67) | 5th in West | Missed playoffs |
| Pittsburgh Penguins | 1968–69 | 76 | 20 | 45 | 11 | 51 | 5th in West | Missed playoffs |
| Washington Capitals | 1974–75 | 18 | 2 | 16 | 0 | (21) | 5th in Norris | (fired) |
| NHL Total | 364 | 107 | 199 | 59 | ||||