- Bobby Kromm
Bobby Kromm (born
June 8 ,1928 inCalgary, Alberta ,Canada ) is a former NHLhead coach who won theJack Adams Award in 1978, turning theDetroit Red Wings around by 37 more points in the standings than the team's previous year's record. They finished second in the standings that year behind theMontreal Canadiens . The Red Wings made the playoffs for the first time in eight years, and even played in the second round before losing to theScotty Bowman -led Canadiens. Kromm and the Red Wings managed to win one game of the series (game two), but Montreal went on to win the series in five games and then advanced to win theStanley Cup .Prior to coaching the Wings, Kromm had been a successful coach in the
World Hockey Association , where he had guided the high-flyingWinnipeg Jets to the 1976Avco Cup championship. That fall, he was as an assistant coach for Canada at the inaugural Canada Cup.In 1961 Kromm took an underdog team from
Trail, British Columbia to a World Championship win over the Russians. TheTrail Smoke Eaters represented Canada that year.Kromm's son, Richard, played ten years in the NHL for the
Calgary Flames andNew York Islanders .
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