IMAGE INFORMATION
EditJohn "Jackie" Gordon - Born March 3, 1928 in Winnipeg, Manitoba is a former Canadian ice Hockey player, coach and manager.
Gordon played his junior Hockey with his hometown Winnipeg Rangers before joining the Eastern Hockey League / EHL New York Rovers, and scoring 37 goals and 40 assists for the Rovers in 1946-47 season.
Gordon then joined the New Haven Ramblers of the American hockey League / AHL and was called up to the National Hockey League / NHL three times by the New York Rangers. Gordon played 36 games with the Rangers, between 1948 and 1950. He also got into nine Stanley Cup playoff games in 1950, helping the Rangers reach the Stanley Cup final only to lose to the Detroit Red Wings. Gordon's only extended stay in the league came in 1948-49 when he registered 12 points in 31 games for New York. Gordon's best season for the Ramblers came during the 1949-50 season, when he scored 23 goals and 60 assists, good for second in the league in scoring.
Gordon was acquired by the AHL Cincinnati Mohawks in 1951 and was the leading scorer in his one season with the club, scoring 23 goals and 42 assists. Gordon then spent eight years as a major contributor with the AHL Cleveland Barons. Gordon scored 78 points for the the Barons in the 1952-53 season, and 11 points in the playoffs, helping the team win the 1953 Calder Cup. He then scored 102 points in 1953-54 season, which was good for second in the AHL, and he tied what was then the league record with 18 points in the playoffs, as his team won the Calder Cup again. Still producing at a point-per-game pace, Gordon transitioned into the role of player/coach in 1956, succeeding the legendary Bun Cook in running the Barons’ bench. In the first season under Gordon’s guidance, the Barons didn’t skip a beat, roaring to another Calder Cup championship in 1957, and the highly respected Gordon was named the league’s coach of the year.. Gordon played his final game in 1960-61 and continued as Cleveland’s head coach through 1962, qualifying for the playoffs in each of his six campaigns. He remained the Barons’ general manager – winning his fourth Calder Cup in the 1963-64 season – until accepting a position as assistant GM of the New York Rangers in 1965.
Gordon rejoined the Barons as head coach in November 1968 and spent two more seasons on the bench. Gordon was a consistent scoring threat over his 14-year AHL career, and in 602 games played in the AHL, Gordon totaled 181 goals and 434 assists for 615 points. His career coaching record stands at 267-234-48.
Gordon was also head coach of the Minnesota North Stars from 1970 to 1972, general manager of the North Stars from 1974 to 1978, and Gordon then spent 11 years with the Vancouver Canucks; as Assistant General Manager from 1979 to 1984, General Manager and Director of Hockey Operations in 1985 and 1986, Senior Vice-President 1987 and Senior Advisor from 1987 to 1991.
Jackie Gordon was inducted into the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame in 1986.
Jack Gordon was inducted into the American Hockey League Hall of Fame in 2012