Pens of the Past - Paul Coffey
by FrankD
on Jul 21, 2008 7:00 AM EDT
in Pens of the Past
Paul Coffey spent five years of his 21-year-career with the Penguins, notching his fair share of points, awards and all-star appearances - not to mention a Stanley Cup in the 1990-91 season. In this week's Pens of the Past, we'll take a look at Paul Coffey and all he did in the black and gold.
Join in and share pictures, videos and memories of Paul Coffey with the community.
Paul Coffey joined the staff of the Penguins' defensive core in 1987 after serving time with the Edmonton Oilers team that has often striking comparisons to the modern day Penguins. Fuhr, Messier, Kurri, Coffey, Gretzky - 1987 was the year that Oilers class would begin to fall apart.
All but two of Coffey's record-breaking performance came while manning the blue line for the Oilers. However Pittsburgh gets a nod in one of Coffey's records - most teams played on by a 1000 point scorer (8).
The three-time Norris Trophy winner was just as deadly on the PK as he was with the man advantage. In fact, Coffey holds the record for most shorthanded goals by a defenseman with 9. On a similar note, Coffey came only two goals short in the 1985-86 tour from being the first NHL defenseman to score 50 goals in a season.
Coff could throw it down too. Note: the dead-eye accuracy with the glove throw.
On November 15 of last season, the Penguins inducted Coffey into the team's Hall of Fame. His place in the hallowed halls of the league's Hall of Fames was secured in 2004. Last I read/heard, Paul Coffey is the owner and operator of a car dealership.
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chime in with the red wings perspective again….Coffey came to Detroit on his last legs, but had a couple of good years, including the strike (or was it a lockout? I forget) year of 1994-1995. Problem was, he was ineffective in the playoffs, especially as Detroit got swept by the Devils in the Cup finals…..and then there was the Colorado series in 1996.
Even before Claude Lemieux wrecked Draper’s face and started the 7 year war, the series had turned on a moment involving Coffey, when he knocked the puck past Chris Osgood (I think it was Ozzie in net for that game, but I could be mistaken!) to give the Avalanche a lead in Game 1.
Granted, the Wings tied it up, and went on to lose in ot before losing the series in 6….but there are those in Detroit who still haven’t forgiven Coffey for the own goal.
by ahtrap on Jul 21, 2008 11:18 AM EDT 0 recs
I agree, his best years were long before his trek to Detroit. But in either case he kind of held that same level of acclaim as Chris Chelios now holds with the Wings. Fair assessment?
FrankD from Pensburgh.com
by FrankD on
Jul 21, 2008 2:27 PM EDT
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oh, absolutely true at the time. He was brought on board to be the defensive anchor for a team that was on the rise, and for the most part, he did the job, and got the Red Wings to the brink. I’m pretty sure he won a Norris Trophy with the Wings, but don’t quote me on that….
The way it ended, though, that left a bad taste in the mouths of Red Wings fans….what most of us forget, though, in the game I talk about above, the final score was 3-2, in favor of Colorado in OT, right? Of the regulation goals, Coffey scored both of Detroit’s, as well as the unfortunate redirection that went in our net.
But that redirect did happen, he got blamed for more than he should have, and when Shanahan was on the trading block the next year from Hartford, Jimmy Devellano pulls that trigger, and the rest is history. Funny thing, Coffey ends up on the Flyers and gets to the Cup finals that year, but the Flyers got swept by of all teams, the Red Wings, and he got blamed for that failure as well, and then he bounced around until giving up the ghost.
Had the Wings won in 1995, he would have survived the roller coaster end to his career….but that’s where Chelios has it over Coffey, I think, the Wings keep winning, and he’s along for the ride still, even if he hardly contributed in the playoffs. He’ll go out as a winner, while Coffey’s career ended pretty pathetically, 2 Cup Sweeps when he still mattered and the a journeyman-like outro (see his wikipedia page for details)
Not that he cares, he’s got his rings, the HOF called, and he’s got his rocking car business, that guy’s a winner in any book.
by ahtrap on
Jul 21, 2008 6:00 PM EDT
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Hmmm so Coffey pretty much had a hat trick without the hats.
Funny how you bring up this correlation though. Very similar to the Hossa deal.
Hossa was on the Penguins and got beat by the Red Wings. The next year, he goes to the Red Wings and gets beat by the Penguins? Ya just never know now that Coffey is a consideration.
FrankD from Pensburgh.com
by FrankD on
Jul 21, 2008 6:30 PM EDT
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