Other than being great hockey players, what do Dit Clapper, Doug Harvey, Bobby Hull and Andy Bathgate have in common with the Reds’ Art Lesieur, Terry Reardon, Fernie Flaman and Dave Creighton? At one time they were all player-coaches at the highest levels of the game.

It would surprise many that the Reds were led by a player-coach in 27 of their 51 seasons, beginning as far back as 1933 when head coach and former Montreal Canadiens star, Billy Coutu, laced them up for the team on defense. The following season, he even donned the pads to fill in in goal. Billy would then lead the Reds to the Fontaine Cup championship in that 1934 season.

In addition to Coutu, the Reds were led by eight more player-coaches over their storied history, including Albert “Battleship” Leduc, Bun Cook, Art Lesieur, Yank Boyd, Terry Reardon, Pat Egan, Fernie Flaman, and Dave Creighton. In total, they accounted for a number of division and regular season titles and four league championships.

The reasons why the Reds, and other teams, as well, favored player-coaches were several. For the Reds, all were outstanding players, although several were obviously well past their prime. But, in most cases, they were still highly productive. Indeed, Dave Creighton captured the AHL’s Les Cunningham Trophy in 1968 as the league MVP while also behind the Reds bench.

Perhaps the main reason for hiring a player-coach, however, was the fact that ownership got “2 for 1” – one paycheck, that is, for a highly capable coach and a talented player, as well. In the earliest days of the game, team rosters were trim and budgets tight. For example, teams had only one goalie. There were no reserves cashing a paycheck while lounging around in the wings waiting for their rotation on the ice.

Among the most successful and productive Reds player-coaches were Bun Cook and Terry Reardon.

Bun, a 2-time Stanley Cup champion with the NY Rangers, served as player-coach in all six of his years with the Reds, capturing both the 1938 crown in his first year and them the 1940 Calder Cup, the latter with co-coach and team All-Star captain, Art Lesieur. Interestingly, after hanging up his skates with the Reds for good following the 1953 season, Bun hoisted the Cup five more times behind the bench of the Cleveland Barons.

Pennsylvania-born former Boston Bruin, “Yank” Boyd, followed Cook at the Reds’ helm in 1944 with World War II still raging and many players still overseas fighting for their respective countries. As a result, the roster was a turnstile at times and Yank took his turn on the ice when the lines needed to be filled.

Like Bun Cook, Terry Reardon assumed the dual role of player and coach over six seasons, starting in 1948 and capturing the Calder Cup a season later. After retirement as a player and coach, Terry took over the GM reigns of the team for eight more campaigns, 1954 through 1962. His work in assembling the Reds’ famous Calder Cup-winning 1956 team, featuring multiple future Hall of Famers, was since singled out by the Society of International Hockey Research for producing the greatest minor league team and season of all time.

Former Boston Bruins and NHL great, Fernie Flaman, joined the Reds as player-coach in 1962 and served in that capacity for a total of three seasons. In 1964, owner Lou Pieri added a third title to his resume by also naming him General Manager.

After arriving in Providence at the start if the 1966 season and leading the team in points, Dave Creighton became the ninth player-coach in team history the following season. In 1969, he repeated Fernie’s “hat trick” of duties when Buster Clegg retired as GM and Creighton was tabbed to replace him.

Here are the years the Reds coaches also patrolled the ice for their teams:

Billy Coutu – 1933 & 1934

Albert “Battleship” Leduc – 1936 & 1937

Fred “Bun” Cook – 1938*, 1939, 1940*, 1941, 1942 & 1943

Art Lesieur – 1940* & 1947

Irwin “Yank” Boyd – 1944 & 1945

Terry Reardon – 1948, 1949*, 1950, 1951, 1952 & 1954

Pat Egan – 1954 & 1955

Fernie Flaman – 1962, 1963 & 1964**

Dave Creighton – 1967, 1968** & 1969

*Won the League Championship

**  Also served as General Manager

Posted by Vin Cimini