Tom Webster | |
Position: | Right Wing |
Shoots: | Right |
Height Ft: | 5 |
Height In: | 10 |
Weight Lb: | 170 |
Played For: | Boston Bruins Detroit Red Wings California Golden Seals New England Whalers (WHA) |
Ntl Team: | CAN |
Birth Date: | October 4, 1948 |
Birth Place: | Kirkland Lake, Ontario, Canada |
Death Place: | Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
Career Start: | 1968 |
Career End: | 1980 |
Draft: | 19th overall |
Draft Year: | 1966 |
Draft Team: | Boston Bruins |
Thomas Ronald "Hawkeye" Webster (October 4, 1948 – April 10, 2020) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player and coach.
Originally selected by the Boston Bruins in the 1966 NHL Entry Draft, Webster played in a total of 102 National Hockey League (NHL) games with the Bruins and Detroit Red Wings. Webster scored 30 goals for the Red Wings in the 1970-71 season, but only managed 3 goals in 12 games of the 1971-72 season.[1] He also played 352 games for the New England Whalers of the World Hockey Association, scoring 40 or more goals three times. Spinal fusion surgery https://www.nhl.com/news/tom-webster-dies-at-71/c-316584320 complicated the end of his career, and Webster retired in 1981 at age 31. [2]
After retiring as a player, Webster had been the coach for a number of teams at various levels of hockey.[3]
His first head coaching job came in 1986, when he became coach of the New York Rangers following Ted Sator's firing.[4] [5] After only five games, Webster fell ill with what was later diagnosed as an inner-ear infection that left him unable to fly.[6] He returned as head coach on January 5 for home games only; general manager Phil Esposito split coaching duties with assistants Eddie Giacomin and Wayne Cashman for road games.[7] He was cleared to fly again in January, but he suffered a relapse during a game against the Edmonton Oilers, and was told to stay off planes for at least three months.[8] [9] [10] Esposito named himself head coach for the remainder of the season. When it became apparent that Webster would not be able to return to the bench full-time the following season, he resigned on April 30, 1987.[11] [12] [13] [14]
Webster's next head coaching stint was with the Los Angeles Kings, from May 31, 1989, to May 4, 1992.[15] [16] He led the Kings to their first and only regular season division title in franchise history, in the 1990-91 season.[17]
While coaching the Kings in a game against Detroit on November 16, 1991, Webster became upset at what he felt was a blown call by referee Kerry Fraser. The Kings were assessed an extra penalty, and Webster took a stick and threw it on the ice, hitting one of Fraser's skates. Webster was suspended for 12 games.[18]
Webster also served as an amateur scout for the Calgary Flames from 2003 to 2014.[19]
In 2012, he was inducted into the World Hockey Association Hall of Fame.[20]
Webster died on April 10, 2020, at the age of 71; he had been reported to have brain cancer.
Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
1965–66 | Niagara Falls Flyers | OHA-Jr. | 43 | 16 | 27 | 43 | 16 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 0 | ||
1966–67 | Niagara Falls Flyers | OHA-Jr. | 47 | 19 | 26 | 45 | 26 | 13 | 14 | 8 | 22 | 4 | ||
1967–68 | Niagara Falls Flyers | OHA-Jr. | 54 | 50 | 64 | 114 | 55 | 19 | 13 | 13 | 26 | 20 | ||
1967–68 | Niagara Falls Flyers | MC | — | — | — | — | — | 10 | 7 | 11 | 18 | 10 | ||
1968–69 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 9 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
1968–69 | Oklahoma City Blazers | CHL | 44 | 29 | 42 | 71 | 31 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 18 | 19 | ||
1969–70 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
1969–70 | Oklahoma City Blazers | CHL | 49 | 29 | 35 | 64 | 49 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
1970–71 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 78 | 30 | 37 | 67 | 40 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
1971–72 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
1971–72 | California Golden Seals | NHL | 7 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
1972–73 | New England Whalers | WHA | 77 | 53 | 50 | 103 | 89 | 15 | 12 | 14 | 26 | 6 | ||
1973–74 | New England Whalers | WHA | 64 | 43 | 27 | 70 | 28 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 7 | ||
1974–75 | New England Whalers | WHA | 66 | 40 | 24 | 64 | 52 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | ||
1975–76 | New England Whalers | WHA | 55 | 33 | 50 | 83 | 24 | 17 | 10 | 9 | 19 | 6 | ||
1976–77 | New England Whalers | WHA | 70 | 36 | 49 | 85 | 43 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | ||
1977–78 | New England Whalers | WHA | 20 | 15 | 5 | 20 | 5 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
1979–80 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
1979–80 | Adirondack Red Wings | AHL | 12 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
NHL totals | 102 | 33 | 42 | 75 | 61 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||
WHA totals | 352 | 220 | 205 | 425 | 241 | 43 | 28 | 26 | 54 | 19 |
Team | Year | Regular season | Post season | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G | W | L | T | Pts | Finish | Result | ||
NYR | 1986-87 | 16 | 5 | 7 | 4 | (76) | 4th in Patrick | (interim; returned to assistant coaching role) |
LA | 1989-90 | 80 | 34 | 39 | 7 | 75 | 4th in Smythe | Lost in Second Round |
LA | 1990-91 | 80 | 46 | 24 | 10 | 102 | 1st in Smythe | Lost in Second Round |
LA | 1991-92 | 80 | 35 | 31 | 14 | 84 | 2nd in Smythe | Lost in First Round |
Total | 258 | 120 | 113 | 31 |