Robert Allan Murray (born April 4, 1967) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He is the head coach of the Tulsa Oilers of the ECHL.[1] Murray played much of his career as captain of the American Hockey League's Springfield Falcons. He holds team records in single season penalty minutes (373), career assists (157), penalty minutes (1529), and games (501). His number 23 was retired by the Falcons, and remains honored by the successor team in the market, the Springfield Thunderbirds.

Rob Murray
Born (1967-04-04) April 4, 1967 (age 56)
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Height 6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight 180 lb (82 kg; 12 st 12 lb)
Position Centre
Shot Right
Played for NHL
Washington Capitals
Winnipeg Jets
Phoenix Coyotes
IHL
Fort Wayne Komets
AHL
Baltimore Skipjacks
Moncton Hawks
Springfield Falcons
Hamilton Bulldogs
Philadelphia Phantoms
Saint John Flames
NHL Draft 61st overall, 1985
Washington Capitals
Playing career 1987–2003

Playing career edit

As a youth, Murray played in the 1980 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with the Toronto Marlboros minor ice hockey team.[2]

Selected by the Washington Capitals in the 1985 NHL Entry Draft, Murray played parts of two seasons for the Capitals. At the end of the 1990–91 season, he was claimed by the Minnesota North Stars and was traded the very next day to the Winnipeg Jets. Murray would spend most of his time in the Jets' minor league affiliates; first the Moncton Hawks for three seasons, and then the Springfield Falcons for eight, for which he is the career games leader and longtime captain.[citation needed]

Following the Jets' franchise when it relocated to Phoenix, Murray would spend parts of two seasons until he was traded to the Edmonton Oilers although he would never actually play a game for the franchise. He retired from active play in 2003.[citation needed]

Murray was at one time the career penalty minute leader in the AHL, but has since been surpassed by Dennis Bonvie; he remains in second place in league history with 2940. In 2017, he was named to the AHL Hall of Fame.[3]

Coaching career edit

After retirement, Murray was hired as an assistant coach for the Providence Bruins and was named their head coach in 2008 following Scott Gordon's hiring by the New York Islanders. He was let go following the 2010–11 season. On July 13, 2011, he was named the head coach of the Alaska Aces of the ECHL where he remained for six seasons. His Aces teams won three Brabham Cups for the best regular season records and one Kelly Cup for the playoff championship in 2014. He stayed with the Aces until the team folded following the 2016–17 season. He was then named head coach of the Tulsa Oilers in June 2017.[1]

Career statistics edit

Regular season and playoffs edit

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1983–84 Mississauga Reps U18 AAA GTHL 35 18 36 54 32
1984–85 Peterborough Petes OHL 63 12 9 21 155 17 2 7 9 45
1985–86 Peterborough Petes OHL 52 14 18 32 125 16 1 2 3 50
1986–87 Peterborough Petes OHL 62 17 37 54 204 3 1 4 5 8
1987–88 Fort Wayne Komets IHL 80 12 21 33 139 6 0 2 2 16
1988–89 Baltimore Skipjacks AHL 80 11 23 34 235
1989–90 Washington Capitals NHL 41 2 7 9 58 9 0 0 0 18
1989–90 Baltimore Skipjacks AHL 23 5 4 9 63
1990–91 Washington Capitals NHL 17 0 3 3 19
1990–91 Baltimore Skipjacks AHL 48 6 20 26 177 4 0 0 0 12
1991–92 Winnipeg Jets NHL 9 0 1 1 18
1991–92 Moncton Hawks AHL 60 16 15 31 247 8 0 1 1 56
1992–93 Winnipeg Jets NHL 10 1 0 1 6
1992–93 Moncton Hawks AHL 56 16 21 37 147 3 0 0 0 6
1993–94 Winnipeg Jets NHL 6 0 0 0 2
1993–94 Moncton Hawks AHL 69 25 32 57 280 21 2 3 5 60
1994–95 Winnipeg Jets NHL 10 0 2 2 2
1994–95 Springfield Falcons AHL 78 16 38 54 373
1995–96 Winnipeg Jets NHL 1 0 0 0 2
1995–96 Springfield Falcons AHL 74 10 28 38 263 10 1 6 7 32
1996–97 Springfield Falcons AHL 78 16 27 43 234 17 2 3 5 66
1997–98 Springfield Falcons AHL 80 7 30 37 255 4 0 2 2 2
1998–99 Phoenix Coyotes NHL 13 1 2 3 4
1998–99 Springfield Falcons AHL 68 6 19 25 197 3 0 0 0 4
1999–00 Springfield Falcons AHL 22 1 3 4 70
1999–00 Hamilton Bulldogs AHL 55 11 20 31 100 10 2 3 5 4
2000–01 Philadelphia Phantoms AHL 46 3 6 9 65
2000–01 Springfield Falcons AHL 30 3 2 5 43
2001–02 Saint John Flames AHL 80 7 14 21 97
2002–03 Springfield Falcons AHL 71 2 10 12 94 6 0 2 2 4
AHL totals 1018 161 312 473 2940 86 7 20 27 246
NHL totals 107 4 15 19 111 9 0 0 0 18

References edit

  1. ^ a b "Rob Murray Named Tulsa Head Coach". ECHL. June 2, 2017.
  2. ^ "Pee-Wee players who have reached NHL or WHA" (PDF). Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament. 2018. Retrieved January 16, 2019.
  3. ^ "AHL Hall of Fame Welcomes Class of 2017". AHL. January 30, 2017.

External links edit

Preceded by Providence Bruins Head Coach
2008–2011
Succeeded by