Ken Hitchcock

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Hired on November 6, 2011, Hitchcock immediately transformed the St. Louis Blues. In his first season, he guided the team to a division championship, their first in twelve years, and was awarded the Jack Adams Trophy on June 20, 2012, as the NHL's best head coach. On February 12, 2015, he earned his 693rd career regular season win in a 6–3 defeat of the Tampa Bay Lightning, passing Dick Irvin for sole possession of fourth place on the all-time coaching wins list. Just a month later, on March 12, he secured his 700th career win in a 1–0 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers. The 2015–16 season saw Hitchcock coach the Blues to the Conference Finals, where they were defeated by the San Jose Sharks in six games despite holding home ice advantage. On May 31, 2016, Hitchcock announced he would retire from coaching at the end of the 2016–17 season. However, he did not finish that season; on February 1, 2017, the Blues fired him and replaced him with Mike Yeo. He was fired one win away from tying Al Arbour's record (782) for third-most wins by an NHL head coach.

In Their Own Story

The arena lights hummed overhead as Hitchcock stood at the bench during a tense third-period timeout. The ice was scarred from forty minutes of grinding play, and the crowd noise vibrated through the boards. He didn't shout; he leaned in close to his forwards, pointing calmly at the opponent's weak side on the whiteboard. His voice cut through the chaos with quiet authority, instructing the line to hold their ground. When they returned to the ice, the defense tightened instantly, a silent testament to years of drilled discipline.

Reader's Guide

Ken Hitchcock's tenure with the St. Louis Blues began on November 6, 2011, when he was hired to replace the fired Davis Payne. He immediately made an impact, leading the team to its first division title in twelve years during the 2011–12 season. For this achievement, he was awarded the Jack Adams Award on June 20, 2012, as the NHL's best head coach. Over his time with the Blues, Hitchcock climbed the all-time coaching wins list. On February 12, 2015, he earned his 693rd career win, passing Dick Irvin for fourth place. He reached the 700-win milestone on March 12, 2015, with a 1–0 win over the Philadelphia Flyers. The pinnacle of his Blues tenure came in the 2015–16 season when he coached the team to the Conference Finals. Despite having home ice advantage, the Blues lost to the San Jose Sharks in six games. On May 31, 2016, Hitchcock announced his intention to retire at the end of the 2016–17 season. However, on February 1, 2017, the Blues fired him, replacing him with Mike Yeo. He was dismissed just one game shy of tying Al Arbour's record for third-most wins by an NHL head coach.

Did You Know?

• Hitchcock was hired by the Blues on November 6, 2011, to replace the fired Davis Payne.
• He won the Jack Adams Award as the NHL's best head coach on June 20, 2012.
• On February 12, 2015, he earned his 693rd career win, passing Dick Irvin for fourth place on the all-time list.
• Hitchcock announced his retirement from coaching on May 31, 2016, but was fired by the Blues on February 1, 2017, before finishing the season.
• He was fired one win away from tying Al Arbour's record (782) for third-most wins by an NHL head coach.