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| (above) DU Alum Kevin Dineen engineered a historic turnaround in Florida this season |
Rookie head coach Kevin Dineen, who played college hockey at the University of Denver in the early '80s, led the Florida Panthers to a division crown. They went from 15th place in the Eastern Conference a year ago to a #3 seed this season. It was the greatest turnaround since the league went to 32 teams.
The Panthers waited 12 years to make it back to the playoff, which was the longest drought in NHL history.
They’ll have to wait a little longer for their taste of postseason action.
While all other series open Wednesday or Thursday, the Panthers’ series against the New Jersey Devils will start on Friday.
The Panthers last made the playoffs in 2000.
5 comments:
BC wins NCAA in a knockout fashion.
Just in case you relied on little college hockey news on this blog.
BC is the first team to win 3 titles in the last 5 years since DU did it in 1958, 1960 and 1961.
Jerry York (5) has joined DU legend Murray Armstrong (5) as the third coach to win 5 or more NCAA titles, along with Michigan's Vic Heyliger, who won 7.
And Kevin Dineen has done a great job in FLorida this year. Gotta be one of the top cnadidates for NHL Coach of the Year.
Its not often that a great player turns out to be a great coach, but coaching is in his bloodlines.
His father coached DU alums Rich Preston, Ron Grahame & Kevin Dineen.
Kevin Dinees was the hardest-working Pioneer I've ever seen play - a born leader who became captain of DU as a sophomore!
He left DU after that sophomore year to become a Canadian Olympian and then joined pro hockey after that.
Great job!Good luck Dino!
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