Peter Laviolette Jr. is an
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
former professional
ice hockeyIce 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...
defenseman and is the current
head coachCoach in ice hockey is the person responsible for directing the team during games and practices, prepares strategy and decides which players will participate in games....
of the
Philadelphia FlyersThe Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
of the
National Hockey LeagueThe 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). He was previously the head coach of the
New York IslandersThe 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...
and
Carolina HurricanesThe Carolina Hurricanes are a professional ice hockey team based in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League , and play their home games at the 18,680-seat RBC Center...
, the latter whom he led to a
Stanley CupThe 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...
championship in
2006The 2006 Stanley Cup Final was a best-of-seven playoff series that determined the National Hockey League champion for the 2005–06 season. As a culmination of the 2006 Stanley Cup playoffs, the Eastern Conference champion Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Western Conference champion Edmonton Oilers...
.
Playing career
As a player, Laviolette spent the majority of his 10-year career playing for various minor league teams. He played twelve games in the NHL for the
New York RangersThe 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...
during the season. Laviolette also played for the United States in the Olympics twice (1988 and 1994). Laviolette played collegiate hockey at Westfield State College,
Westfield, MassachusettsWestfield is a city in Hampden County, in the Pioneer Valley of western Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 41,094 at the 2010 census. The ZIP Code is 01085 for homes and businesses, 01086 for Westfield State...
.
Coaching career
He began his coaching career as head coach of the
ECHLThe ECHL is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Princeton, New Jersey with teams scattered across the United States...
Wheeling NailersThe Wheeling Nailers are an ECHL ice hockey team based in Wheeling, West Virginia. They are the ECHL affiliate of the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Montreal Canadiens of the NHL and the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and the Hamilton Bulldogs of the AHL....
. In one season as coach, he led his team to a 37–24–9 record and a berth in the playoffs, wherein they lost in the third round. He left Wheeling to take over the head coaching job for the
Providence BruinsThe Providence Bruins are an ice hockey team in the American Hockey League, and are the primary development team for the NHL's Boston Bruins. They play in Providence, Rhode Island at the Dunkin' Donuts Center.-History:...
. In 1998–99 he coached the team to a 56–15–4 regular-season record. In the playoffs Providence won the
American Hockey LeagueThe American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
(AHL) Championship with a 15–4 playoff record. Laviolette was named AHL Coach of the Year.
Laviolette's success in the AHL earned him a stint as an assistant coach for the
Boston BruinsThe Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the...
. Having grown up in the
BostonBoston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
suburb of
Franklin, MassachusettsThe Town of Franklin is a city in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 31,635 at the 2010 census.-History:Franklin was first settled by Europeans in 1660 and was officially incorporated during the American Revolution. The town was formed from the western part of the town...
, Laviolette was disappointed when he did not get the head coaching job in Boston after that season so he left for the head coaching job on
Long IslandLong Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
. After taking over the
New York IslandersThe 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...
, which had suffered seven years of post-season futility prior to his arrival, he led his team to the playoffs in both seasons he was there. His first season in New York resulted in a surprisingly consistent season in which the Islanders earned 96 points (42–28–8–4 record), nearly winning the Atlantic division, before losing a close playoff series to the
Toronto Maple LeafsThe Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
. The Islanders sneaked into the playoffs the next season and then lost in 5 games to the
Ottawa SenatorsThe Ottawa Senators are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
in the first round.
Laviolette came to the Carolina Hurricanes in the 2003–04 season. He took over following the firing of
Paul MauricePaul Maurice is a former Canadian professional ice hockey player and twice head coach of the National Hockey League's Carolina Hurricanes. At age 43, Maurice became the youngest coach in NHL history to coach 1,000 games. Maurice reached this milestone on November 28, 2010...
. In his first season, he coached 52 games during a rebuilding year. Laviolette led the Hurricanes to an excellent regular season during his second year at the helm, winning the Southeast Division with 112 points (52–22–8 record). He also coached the U.S. Olympic Men's Hockey Team at the
2006 Winter OlympicsThe 2006 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XX Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in Turin, Italy from February 10, 2006, through February 26, 2006. This marked the second time Italy hosted the Olympic Winter Games, the first being the VII Olympic Winter...
in Turin, Italy. The Hurricanes won their first
Stanley CupThe 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...
championship in franchise history during the
2006 playoffsThe 2006 Stanley Cup playoffs for the National Hockey League championship began on April 21, 2006, following the 2005–06 regular season. The sixteen teams that qualified, seeded one through eight from each conference, played best-of-seven series with re-seeding after the conference quarterfinals...
, after winning two very close seven-game playoff series over the
Buffalo SabresThe Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League .-Founding and early success: 1970-71—1980-81:...
and
Edmonton OilersThe Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division in the Western Conference of the National Hockey League ....
. He was runner-up for the
Jack Adams AwardThe Jack Adams Award is awarded annually to the National Hockey League coach "adjudged to have contributed the most to his team's success." It has been awarded 37 times to 32 different coaches. The winner is selected by a poll of the National Hockey League Broadcasters Association at the end of the...
, which was awarded to
Lindy RuffLindy Cameron Ruff is the head coach of the Buffalo Sabres of the National Hockey League. Ruff played in the NHL for the Sabres and New York Rangers as a left winger/defenceman. Currently, he is the longest-tenured head coach in the NHL.-Playing career:Ruff was chosen in the second round, 32nd...
in the closest vote ever recorded for this award, 155–154.
After winning their first title, Laviolette's Hurricanes suffered through an injury-plagued 2006–07 season that saw the team finish with a disappointing 40–34–8 record. The next season, the team once again got off to a poor start, but held first place in a weak division for most of the season, despite having a sub-.500 record until February. The team then got hot and built what was seen as a solid lead. However, the
Washington CapitalsThe Washington Capitals are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Since their founding in 1974, "The Caps" have won one conference championship to reach the 1998 Stanley Cup...
got red hot in the final weeks, Carolina lost several games down the stretch, and Laviolette's group missed the postseason.
On November 7, 2008, Laviolette moved past
John TortorellaJonathan "John" Tortorella is an American professional ice hockey coach and is now the head coach of the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League . He is perhaps best known for his tenure as head coach of the Tampa Bay Lightning when he led the team to the 2004 Stanley Cup championship...
to become the winningest US-born NHL coach with his 240th victory. Tortorella later eclipsed this record in 2009.
On December 3, 2008, Laviolette was fired as coach of the Hurricanes and replaced by his predecessor
Paul MauricePaul Maurice is a former Canadian professional ice hockey player and twice head coach of the National Hockey League's Carolina Hurricanes. At age 43, Maurice became the youngest coach in NHL history to coach 1,000 games. Maurice reached this milestone on November 28, 2010...
.
Laviolette worked on the panel for the TV network
TSNThe Sports Network, commonly abbreviated as TSN, is a Canadian English language Category C specialty channel and is Canada's leading English language sports TV channel. TSN premiered in 1984, in the first group of Canadian specialty cable channels...
.
On December 4, 2009, Laviolette replaced John Stevens as the head coach of the Philadelphia Flyers. Barely making it into the playoffs thanks to a shootout victory over
rivalThe Philadelphia Flyers–New York Rangers rivalry is one of the most storied and well known rivalries in the National Hockey League...
New York Rangers, Laviolette's Flyers became only the third ever NHL team to come back from a 3-0 series deficit, defeating the Boston Bruins 4-3 in Game 7 to reach the 2010 Eastern Conference Finals. On May 24, 2010, Laviolette led the Philadelphia Flyers to the
Stanley Cup FinalsThe 2010 Stanley Cup Final was the championship series of the National Hockey League season. As the culmination of the 2010 Stanley Cup playoffs, the Eastern Conference champion Philadelphia Flyers faced the Western Conference champion Chicago Blackhawks...
against the
Chicago BlackhawksThe Chicago Blackhawks are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They have won four Stanley Cup championships since their founding in 1926, most recently coming in 2009-10...
. The Finals went six games, with Chicago winning the Cup in overtime on June 9.
Regular season and playoffs
| |
|
Regular season |
|
Playoffs |
| Season In an organized sports league, a season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session. For example, in Major League Baseball, one season lasts approximately from April 1 through October 1; in Association football, it is generally from August until May In an...
|
Team |
League |
GP |
G In ice hockey, a goal is scored when the puck completely crosses the goal line between the two goal posts and below the goal crossbar. A goal awards one point to the team attacking the goal scored upon, regardless of which team the player who actually deflected the puck into the goal belongs to...
|
A -Sports:Several sports have a statistic known as an "assist", generally relating to action by a player leading to a score by another player on their team:*Assist , a pass by a player that facilitates a basket by another...
|
Pts Point in ice hockey has three official meanings:* A point is awarded to a player for each goal scored or assist earned. The total number of goals plus assists equals total points. In some European leagues, a goal counts as two points, and an assist counts as one...
|
PIMA penalty in ice hockey is a punishment for inappropriate behavior. Most penalties are enforced by detaining the offending player within a penalty box for a set number of minutes, during which, the player can not participate in play. The offending team usually may not replace the player on the ice,...
|
GP |
G |
A |
Pts |
PIM |
| 1982–83 |
Westfield State College Westfield State University is a comprehensive, coeducational, four-year public university in Westfield, Massachusetts. It was founded in 1838 by noted educator and social reformer Horace Mann as the first public co-educational college in America without barrier to race, gender and economic class...
|
NCAA-2 |
26 |
3 |
7 |
10 |
14 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
| 1983–84 |
Westfield State College |
NCAA-2 |
25 |
15 |
14 |
29 |
52 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
| 1984–85 |
Westfield State College |
NCAA-2 |
23 |
13 |
15 |
28 |
22 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
| 1985–86 |
Westfield State College |
NCAA-2 |
19 |
12 |
8 |
20 |
44 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
| 1986–87 |
Indianapolis Checkers The Indianapolis Checkers were a minor league professional ice hockey team from Indianapolis, Indiana. The Checkers' home arena was the Pepsi Coliseum. The team originated in the Central Hockey League where they played from 1979 to 1984. The Checkers filled a void left by the departed Indianapolis...
|
IHL |
72 |
10 |
20 |
30 |
146 |
5 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
12 |
| 1987–88 |
U.S. National Team |
— |
54 |
4 |
20 |
24 |
82 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
| 1987–88 |
Colorado Rangers |
IHL |
19 |
2 |
5 |
7 |
27 |
9 |
3 |
5 |
8 |
7 |
| 1988–89 |
New York RangersThe 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...
|
NHLThe 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...
|
12 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
6 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
| 1988–89 |
Denver Rangers The Denver Rangers were a professional hockey team in Denver, Colorado for 1988–1989 season. They were a member of the International Hockey League. The team was originally the Indianapolis Checkers, but after the 1986–1987 season the team moved to Denver. The team was originally known as the...
|
IHL |
57 |
6 |
19 |
25 |
120 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
| 1989–90 |
Flint Spirits The Flint Spirits were a professional hockey team in Flint, Michigan from 1985–1990, and played their home games at the IMA Sports Arena. They were a part of the International Hockey League, and replaced the recently departed Flint Generals team. They compiled an overall record of 162–220–28...
|
IHL |
62 |
6 |
18 |
24 |
82 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
| 1990–91 The 1990–91 AHL season was the 55th season of the American Hockey League. Fifteen teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Rochester Americans finished first overall in the regular season...
|
Binghamton RangersThe Binghamton Rangers were an ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They played in Binghamton, New York, USA at the Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena.-History:The market was previously served by:-Playoffs:-Single Season:...
|
AHLThe American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
|
65 |
12 |
24 |
36 |
72 |
10 |
2 |
7 |
9 |
30 |
| 1991–92 |
Binghamton Rangers |
IHL |
50 |
4 |
10 |
14 |
50 |
11 |
2 |
7 |
9 |
9 |
| 1992–93 The 1992–93 AHL season was the 57th season of the American Hockey League. Sixteen teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Binghamton Rangers finished first overall in the regular season with 124 points, a which holds to this day...
|
Providence Bruins The Providence Bruins are an ice hockey team in the American Hockey League, and are the primary development team for the NHL's Boston Bruins. They play in Providence, Rhode Island at the Dunkin' Donuts Center.-History:...
|
AHL |
74 |
13 |
42 |
55 |
64 |
6 |
0 |
4 |
4 |
10 |
| 1993–94 |
U.S. National Team |
— |
56 |
10 |
25 |
35 |
63 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
| 1993–94 |
San Diego GullsThe second San Diego Gulls team was founded in 1990 as part of the International Hockey League. The Gulls played at the Valley View Casino Center, formerly known as the San Diego Sports Arena....
|
IHL |
17 |
3 |
4 |
7 |
20 |
9 |
3 |
0 |
3 |
6 |
| 1994–95 The 1994–95 AHL season was the 59th season of the American Hockey League. The All-Star Game is revived, with All-Stars grouped into "Team Canada" and "Team USA." Sixteen teams played 80 games each in the schedule...
|
Providence Bruins |
AHL |
65 |
7 |
23 |
30 |
84 |
13 |
2 |
8 |
10 |
17 |
| 1995–96 The 1995–96 AHL season was the 60th season of the American Hockey League. The AHL expands by two teams and realigns into two conferences, and four divisions. The Northern Conference includes the North and Atlantic Divisions...
|
Providence Bruins |
AHL |
72 |
9 |
17 |
26 |
53 |
4 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
8 |
| 1996–97 The 1996–97 AHL season was the 61st season of the American Hockey League. The league renames its divisions due to relocating teams. The Northern Conferences consists of the Atlantic Division becoming the Canadian Division, and the Central Division becoming the Empire State Division...
|
Providence Bruins |
AHL |
41 |
6 |
8 |
14 |
40 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
| NHL totals |
12 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
6 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
International
| Year |
Team |
Event |
|
GP |
G |
A |
Pts |
PIM |
| 1988 |
United States |
Oly At the 1988 Winter Olympics one ice hockey event was held, men's ice hockey. Games were played at the Olympic Saddledome, the Stampede Corral, and Father David Bauer Olympic Arena in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.Source:* Gold - * Silver -...
|
5 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
4 |
| 1994 |
United States |
Oly Ice hockey at the 1994 Winter Olympics was held at the Fjellhallen in Gjøvik and the Håkons Hall in Lillehammer, Norway. The competition, held from February 12 to February 27, was won by Sweden and Canada as runner-up.-Final rankings:Source:* Gold -...
|
8 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
6 |
| Senior int'l totals |
13 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
10 |
Coaching record
| Team | |Regular Season | NYIThe 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...
|
2001–02 |
82 |
42 |
28 |
8 |
4 |
96 |
2nd in Atlantic |
3 |
4 |
.429 |
Lost in First Round |
NYIThe 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...
|
2002–03 |
82 |
35 |
34 |
11 |
2 |
83 |
3rd in Atlantic |
1 |
4 |
.200 |
Lost in First Round |
CARThe Carolina Hurricanes are a professional ice hockey team based in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League , and play their home games at the 18,680-seat RBC Center...
|
2003–04 |
52 |
20 |
22 |
6 |
4 |
(50) |
3rd in Southeast |
-- |
-- |
-- |
Missed Playoffs |
CARThe Carolina Hurricanes are a professional ice hockey team based in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League , and play their home games at the 18,680-seat RBC Center...
|
2005–06 |
82 |
52 |
22 |
| 8 |
112 |
1st in Southeast |
16 |
9 |
.640 |
Won Stanley Cup |
CARThe Carolina Hurricanes are a professional ice hockey team based in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League , and play their home games at the 18,680-seat RBC Center...
|
2006–07 |
82 |
40 |
34 |
| 8 |
88 |
3rd in Southeast |
-- |
-- |
-- |
Missed Playoffs |
CARThe Carolina Hurricanes are a professional ice hockey team based in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League , and play their home games at the 18,680-seat RBC Center...
|
2007–08 |
82 |
43 |
33 |
| 6 |
92 |
2nd in Southeast |
-- |
-- |
-- |
Missed Playoffs |
CARThe Carolina Hurricanes are a professional ice hockey team based in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League , and play their home games at the 18,680-seat RBC Center...
|
2008–09The 2008–09 NHL season was the 92nd season of operation of the National Hockey League . It was the first season since prior to the 2004–05 lockout in which every team played each other at least once during the season, following three seasons where teams only played against two divisions in the...
|
25 |
12 |
11 |
| 2 |
(26) |
2nd in Southeast |
-- |
-- |
-- |
(fired) |
PHIThe Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
|
2009–10The 2009–10 NHL season was the 93rd season of operation of the National Hockey League , and the 100th season since the founding of the predecessor National Hockey Association . It ran from October 1, 2009, including four games in Europe on October 2 and 3—until April 11, 2010, with the 2010...
|
57 |
28 |
24 |
| 5 |
(61) |
3rd in Atlantic |
14 |
9 |
.609 |
Lost in Finals |
PHIThe Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
|
2010-11 |
82 |
47 |
23 |
| 12 |
106 |
1st in Atlantic |
4 |
7 |
.364 |
Lost in Second Round |
| Total |
626 |
319 |
231 |
25 |
51 |
714 |
2 Division Championships |
38 |
33 |
.535 |
1 Stanley Cup
6 Playoff Appearances |
Personal life
Laviolette and his wife Kristen have three children, two sons Peter III and Jack and one daughter, Elisabeth. The Laviolettes reside in South Jersey.
External links