Brian Mullen
Encyclopedia
Brian Patrick Mullen is a former professional ice hockey
player who spent eleven seasons in the NHL
playing for the Winnipeg Jets
, New York Rangers
, San Jose Sharks
, and New York Islanders
. Mullen appeared in 832 career NHL games, recording 260 goals and 622 points, along with 30 playoff points in 62 post-season games.
neighborhood of New York. He and older brother Joe Mullen
played roller hockey
in the streets of Manhattan
as children. After landing a job as a stick boy for the New York Rangers
, he and Joe were offered a spot on a junior league team coached by Ranger head coach Emile Francis.
Brian won an athletic scholarship to the University of Wisconsin–Madison
where he played under legendary college hockey coach "Badger" Bob Johnson.
by the Winnipeg Jets. Two years later, he signed with the Jets and scored an impressive 24 goals and recorded 50 points during his rookie season. He spent five seasons with Winnipeg before joining his hometown New York Rangers where he spent four seasons. Mullen also represented the United States in the 1989 and 1991 Ice Hockey World Championship tournaments after the Rangers were knocked out in the first round of the Stanley Cup
playoffs (he was also a member of the 1984 Canada Cup
team). Mullen spent the 1991–1992 season with the Sharks and the following season with the Islanders.
On August 9, 1993, Brian suffered a small stroke
caused by a blood clot in his brain. The stroke severely impacted his motor skills and he required open heart surgery. Mullen was recovering well and his reflexes largely returned to normal. He hoped to one day return to action in the NHL but a subsequent seizure
in 1994 ended his dreams of a comeback and he was forced to retire from hockey.
alongside play-by-play announcer Kenny Albert
for the 2002-2003 and 2003–2004 seasons. He is currently an assistant coach for the New Jersey Rockets
.
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
player who spent eleven seasons in the NHL
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
playing for the Winnipeg Jets
Winnipeg Jets
The Winnipeg Jets were a professional ice hockey team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. They began play in the World Hockey Association in 1972, moving to the National Hockey League in 1979 following the collapse of the WHA...
, New York Rangers
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the...
, San Jose Sharks
San Jose Sharks
The San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California, United States. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
, and New York Islanders
New York Islanders
The New York Islanders are a professional ice hockey team based in Uniondale, New York. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
. Mullen appeared in 832 career NHL games, recording 260 goals and 622 points, along with 30 playoff points in 62 post-season games.
Amateur career
Mullen grew up in an Irish-American family in the Hell's KitchenHell's Kitchen, Manhattan
Hell's Kitchen, also known as Clinton and Midtown West, is a neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City between 34th Street and 59th Street, from 8th Avenue to the Hudson River....
neighborhood of New York. He and older brother Joe Mullen
Joe Mullen
Joseph Patrick Mullen is a retired American professional ice hockey player who played 17 seasons in the National Hockey League with the St. Louis Blues, Calgary Flames, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Boston Bruins from 1980–1997. He won three Stanley Cups in 1989 with Calgary, and in 1991 and 1992 with...
played roller hockey
Roller hockey
Roller Hockey is a form of hockey played on a dry surface using skates with wheels. The term "Roller Hockey" is often used interchangeably to refer to two variant forms chiefly differentiated by the type of skate used. There is traditional "Roller Hockey," played with quad roller skates, and...
in the streets of Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
as children. After landing a job as a stick boy for the New York Rangers
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the...
, he and Joe were offered a spot on a junior league team coached by Ranger head coach Emile Francis.
Brian won an athletic scholarship to the University of Wisconsin–Madison
University of Wisconsin–Madison
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1848, UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. It became a land-grant institution in 1866...
where he played under legendary college hockey coach "Badger" Bob Johnson.
Professional career
Mullen was selected in the seventh round of the 1980 NHL Entry DraftNHL Entry Draft
The NHL Entry Draft is an annual meeting in which every franchise of the National Hockey League systematically select the rights to available amateur ice hockey players who meet draft eligibility requirements...
by the Winnipeg Jets. Two years later, he signed with the Jets and scored an impressive 24 goals and recorded 50 points during his rookie season. He spent five seasons with Winnipeg before joining his hometown New York Rangers where he spent four seasons. Mullen also represented the United States in the 1989 and 1991 Ice Hockey World Championship tournaments after the Rangers were knocked out in the first round of the Stanley Cup
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
playoffs (he was also a member of the 1984 Canada Cup
1984 Canada Cup
The 1984 Canada Cup was a professional international ice hockey tournament played during the first three weeks of September 1984. The best-of-three final took place between Canada and Sweden, with Canada winning two games to nil...
team). Mullen spent the 1991–1992 season with the Sharks and the following season with the Islanders.
On August 9, 1993, Brian suffered a small stroke
Stroke
A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...
caused by a blood clot in his brain. The stroke severely impacted his motor skills and he required open heart surgery. Mullen was recovering well and his reflexes largely returned to normal. He hoped to one day return to action in the NHL but a subsequent seizure
Seizure
An epileptic seizure, occasionally referred to as a fit, is defined as a transient symptom of "abnormal excessive or synchronous neuronal activity in the brain". The outward effect can be as dramatic as a wild thrashing movement or as mild as a brief loss of awareness...
in 1994 ended his dreams of a comeback and he was forced to retire from hockey.
Post career
After his retirement, he worked for the NHL front office for eight years. He also worked as a radio color analyst for the New York RangersNew York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the...
alongside play-by-play announcer Kenny Albert
Kenny Albert
Kenny Albert , is an American sportscaster, and the son of sportscaster Marv Albert and the nephew of sportscasters Al Albert and Steve Albert...
for the 2002-2003 and 2003–2004 seasons. He is currently an assistant coach for the New Jersey Rockets
New Jersey Rockets
The New Jersey Rockets were an indoor soccer team based out of East Rutherford, New Jersey that played in the Major Soccer League for the 1981 season. Their home arena was the Brendan Byrne Arena, now known as the Izod Center...
.
Awards and Accomplishments
- Played in NHL All-Star Game (1989)
- Lester Patrick TrophyLester Patrick TrophyThe Lester Patrick Trophy has been presented by the National Hockey League and USA Hockey since 1966 to honor a recipient's contribution to ice hockey in the United States. It is considered a non-NHL trophy because it may be awarded to players, coaches, officials, and other personnel outside the NHL...
(1995) - Ranked No. 89 on the all-time list of New York Rangers in the book 100 Ranger Greats (John Wiley & SonsJohn Wiley & SonsJohn Wiley & Sons, Inc., also referred to as Wiley, is a global publishing company that specializes in academic publishing and markets its products to professionals and consumers, students and instructors in higher education, and researchers and practitioners in scientific, technical, medical, and...
, 2009).