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John MacInnes

BIRTHPLACE: Toronto, Ontario

BORN: July 1, 1925

DIED: March 6, 1983

TEAMS/ASSOCIATIONS: University of Michigan, Detroit Red Wings, Ann Arbor Amateur Hockey League, Michigan Tech University

 

Bio

The late John MacInnes is one of the most renowned college hockey coaches in U.S. history. After playing two seasons (1945-46/1949-50) at the University of Michigan in goal and three years (1946-49) in the Detroit Red Wings system in the International Hockey League, he became the league director of the Ann Arbor (Mich.) Amateur Hockey League. There, he initiated the first Bantam classification. After four years in Ann Arbor, he headed to Michigan Tech University, where he began a historic 26-year (1956-82) head-coaching career.

While at Tech, MacInnes led the Huskies to three NCAA championships and seven WCHA championships, and was named the NCAA Coach of the Year twice and the WCHA Coach of the Year six times. He has already been inducted into the University Michigan Hall of Honor, Michigan Tech University Sports Hall of Fame, State of Michigan Sports Hall of Fame and Upper Peninsula Sports Hall of Fame. He was honored with the NHL’s prestigious Lester Patrick Award in 1986 and the Legend of College Hockey Award in 1999.