| Birth Date: | 22 May 1952 |
| Birth Place: | Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada |
| Height Ft: | 6 |
| Height In: | 0 |
| Weight Lb: | 185 |
| Position: | Right Wing |
| Shoots: | Right |
| Played For: | Houston Aeros (WHA) Winnipeg Jets (WHA) Chicago Black Hawks New Jersey Devils |
| Draft: | Undrafted |
| Career Start: | 1974 |
| Career End: | 1987 |
Richard John "Rich" Preston (born May 22, 1952) is a Canadian ice hockey coach and former forward.
Born in Regina, Saskatchewan, Preston began his professional career in the World Hockey Association in the 1974-75 season with the Avco World Trophy champion Houston Aeros. He then played three more years with the Aeros before joining the Winnipeg Jets in 1978-79. The Jets won the Avco World Trophy in 1979 (the league's final year) and Preston was named Most Valuable Player of the WHA playoffs.
Preston started his National Hockey League career with the Chicago Black Hawks in 1980. He also played for the New Jersey Devils. He left the NHL after the 1987 season. Preston was an assistant coach for the Calgary Flames from the 2003-2004 NHL season until just after the 2008-2009 NHL season. Shortly after his dismissal from the Flames, Preston was hired as the WHL's Lethbridge Hurricanes head coach and general manager. After four years in Lethbridge without a single playoff game, Preston was fired from both roles before any team advanced past the first round of the 2013 WHL playoffs.[1]
Prior to his NHL career, Preston played for the University of Denver Pioneers.
He currently is serving as a scout for the Anaheim Ducks.
He is the son of Ken Preston, general manager of the Saskatchewan Roughriders from 1958–1977 and a member of the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.[2]
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1969–70 | Regina Pats | SJHL | 36 | 15 | 15 | 30 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1970–71 | University of Denver | WCHA | 17 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1971–72 | University of Denver | WCHA | 33 | 3 | 11 | 14 | 18 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1972–73 | University of Denver | WCHA | 39 | 23 | 25 | 48 | 24 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1973–74 | University of Denver | WCHA | 38 | 20 | 25 | 45 | 36 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1974–75 | Houston Aeros | WHA | 78 | 20 | 21 | 41 | 10 | 13 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 6 | ||
| 1975–76 | Houston Aeros | WHA | 77 | 22 | 33 | 55 | 33 | 17 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 8 | ||
| 1976–77 | Houston Aeros | WHA | 80 | 38 | 41 | 79 | 54 | 11 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 10 | ||
| 1977–78 | Houston Aeros | WHA | 73 | 25 | 25 | 50 | 52 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1978–79 | Winnipeg Jets | WHA | 80 | 28 | 32 | 60 | 88 | 10 | 8 | 5 | 13 | 15 | ||
| 1979–80 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 80 | 31 | 30 | 61 | 70 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 2 | ||
| 1980–81 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 47 | 7 | 14 | 21 | 24 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 1981–82 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 75 | 15 | 28 | 43 | 30 | 15 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 21 | ||
| 1982–83 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 79 | 25 | 28 | 53 | 64 | 13 | 2 | 7 | 9 | 25 | ||
| 1983–84 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 75 | 10 | 18 | 28 | 50 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | ||
| 1984–85 | New Jersey Devils | NHL | 75 | 12 | 15 | 27 | 26 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1985–86 | New Jersey Devils | NHL | 76 | 19 | 22 | 41 | 65 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1986–87 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 73 | 8 | 9 | 17 | 19 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | ||
| NHL totals | 580 | 127 | 164 | 291 | 348 | 47 | 4 | 18 | 22 | 56 | ||||
| WHA totals | 388 | 133 | 152 | 285 | 237 | 51 | 16 | 22 | 38 | 39 | ||||