Craig Coxe
Encyclopedia
Craig R. Coxe is a retired professional ice hockey
player. In addition to playing in the National Hockey League
(NHL) with the Vancouver Canucks
, Calgary Flames
, St. Louis Blues
, and the San Jose Sharks
. Coxe also played two seasons of major league roller hockey
in the RHI
, after having grown up playing the sport in Laguna Beach, California
.
by the Detroit Red Wings
. Unable to come to terms with Detroit, he became an unrestricted free agent after the 1983-84 season
and signed with the Vancouver Canucks
.
Coxe played for four different NHL teams over eights seasons in the NHL. Best known as an enforcer, Coxe played in 235 NHL regular season games, scoring 45 points and racking up 713 minutes in penalties. Coxe was suspended for the first three games of the 1987–88 NHL season for leaving the penalty box to fight Joe Paterson
during a pre-season game against the Los Angeles Kings
.
While perhaps best remembered as a member of the Vancouver Canucks, Coxe was claimed from the Canucks by the San Jose Sharks
in the 1991 NHL Dispersal and Expansion Drafts
and, on October 4, 1991, he scored the first goal in San Jose's franchise history, ironically, against the Canucks. It would be the next to last goal that he would score in the NHL.
have been referred to as "two of the biggest toe to toe slugfests of all time".
in the CHL
. Before the season's end, Coxe was named the assistant coach for the team. The following season Coxe was named head coach of the CHL's Huntsville Tornado. Coxe was also the head coach of the CHL's El Paso Buzzards
for their final season in 2002-03. During this season, the team's owner, Bill Davidson, had declared bankruptcy
. Despite not being paid for over a month, and even though at times he was able to dress only 9 or 10 players, Coxe continued to coach the team to the season's end. He is currently the head hockey coach at Cheboygan Area High School in Cheboygan, Michigan
. He is also the rink manager at the Ralph G. Cantile Arena in Cheboygan.
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. In addition to playing in the National Hockey League
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...
(NHL) with the Vancouver Canucks
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,...
, Calgary Flames
Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is the third major-professional ice hockey team to represent the city of Calgary, following the...
, St. Louis Blues
St. Louis Blues
The St. Louis Blues are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The team is named after the famous W. C. Handy song "St. Louis Blues", and plays in the 19,150-seat Scottrade...
, and 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...
. Coxe also played two seasons of major league 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 RHI
Roller Hockey International
Roller Hockey International was a professional inline hockey league that operated in North America from 1993 to 1999. It was the first major professional league for inline hockey....
, after having grown up playing the sport in Laguna Beach, California
Laguna Beach, California
Laguna Beach is a seaside resort city and artist community located in southern Orange County, California, United States, approximately southwest of the county seat of Santa Ana...
.
Playing career
Coxe was selected in fourth round (66th overall) in the 1982 NHL Entry Draft1982 NHL Entry Draft
The 1982 NHL Entry Draft was held at the Montreal Forum in Montreal, Quebec. The National Hockey League teams selected 252 players eligible for entry into professional ranks, in the reverse order of the 1981–82 NHL season and playoff standings. This is the list of those players...
by the Detroit Red Wings
Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...
. Unable to come to terms with Detroit, he became an unrestricted free agent after the 1983-84 season
1983-84 NHL season
The 1983–84 NHL season was the 67th season of the National Hockey League. The Edmonton Oilers de-throned the four-time defending Stanley Cup champion New York Islanders four games to one in the Cup finals.-League business:...
and signed with the Vancouver Canucks
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,...
.
Coxe played for four different NHL teams over eights seasons in the NHL. Best known as an enforcer, Coxe played in 235 NHL regular season games, scoring 45 points and racking up 713 minutes in penalties. Coxe was suspended for the first three games of the 1987–88 NHL season for leaving the penalty box to fight Joe Paterson
Joe Paterson
Joseph Andrew Paterson is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey left winger who played nine seasons in the National Hockey League for the Detroit Red Wings, Philadelphia Flyers, Los Angeles Kings and New York Rangers. He is currently the head coach of the Adirondack Phantoms of the American...
during a pre-season game against the Los Angeles Kings
Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles, California. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
.
While perhaps best remembered as a member of the Vancouver Canucks, Coxe was claimed from the Canucks by 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...
in the 1991 NHL Dispersal and Expansion Drafts
1991 NHL Dispersal and Expansion Drafts
The 1991 NHL Dispersal and Expansion Drafts were held via telephone conference call on May 30, 1991. The dispersal draft took place to fill the roster of the league's only expansion team for the 1991–92 season, the San Jose Sharks, first from the Minnesota North Stars pool of players. An expansion...
and, on October 4, 1991, he scored the first goal in San Jose's franchise history, ironically, against the Canucks. It would be the next to last goal that he would score in the NHL.
Coxe vs. Probert
While not known as a play-maker, Coxe was known as a willing fighter at the NHL level. Coxe's fights with Bob ProbertBob Probert
Robert Alan Probert was a Canadian professional ice hockey forward. Probert played for the National Hockey League's Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Blackhawks...
have been referred to as "two of the biggest toe to toe slugfests of all time".
Coaching career
During the 1999-00 season, his final year as a player, Coxe was playing with the San Antonio IguanasSan Antonio Iguanas
The San Antonio Iguanas were a minor league professional ice hockey team based in San Antonio, Texas. The first expansion team in the Central Hockey League, they were active for seven seasons from 1994–1997 and 1998-2002. Their home arena was the Freeman Coliseum. Bill Goldsworthy initially...
in the CHL
Central Hockey League
The Central Hockey League is a mid-level professional hockey league, owned by Global Entertainment Corporation. Its current champions are the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs, which defeated the Colorado Eagles four games to three in the 2011 playoffs....
. Before the season's end, Coxe was named the assistant coach for the team. The following season Coxe was named head coach of the CHL's Huntsville Tornado. Coxe was also the head coach of the CHL's El Paso Buzzards
El Paso Buzzards
The El Paso Buzzards were a professional ice hockey team. They were a member of the Central Hockey League. They played their home games at El Paso County Coliseum....
for their final season in 2002-03. During this season, the team's owner, Bill Davidson, had declared bankruptcy
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....
. Despite not being paid for over a month, and even though at times he was able to dress only 9 or 10 players, Coxe continued to coach the team to the season's end. He is currently the head hockey coach at Cheboygan Area High School in Cheboygan, Michigan
Cheboygan, Michigan
Cheboygan is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 5,295. It is the county seat of Cheboygan County....
. He is also the rink manager at the Ralph G. Cantile Arena in Cheboygan.