Word from the San Jose Sharks today that former Washington Capitals goaltender coach Warren Strelow passed at the age of 73. Strelow had served as the Sharks’ goaltender coach for the past 10 years. With Strelow, the Caps made league history in 1983 by being the first NHL team to hire a full-time goaltending coach.
And it isn’t just Caps’ and Sharks’ fans that are saddened today by the news — fans of American hockey lost a remarkable friend. Strelow served as goaltending coach for the Miracle on Ice Gold Medal winning Americans of 1980 in Lake Placid. He was inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame in 2004.
From the Sharks’ press release:
“Jim Craig, who backstopped Team USA to those impressive victories, credited Strelow as one of the main reasons for his success in the tournament. Strelow reprised his role with the U.S. Men’s Team at the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City where the team captured the silver medal.
He was hired by the Washington Capitals as the first full-time goalie coach in the NHL, where he coached from 1983-1989. During a five-year period as an NHL coach, Strelow’s goaltenders with the Capitals posted the lowest composite goals-against average in the League, including winning one Jennings Trophy, emblematic of the goaltending tandem with the lowest goals-against average in a season. They also finished second in the League three times. Two of his goaltenders (Al Jensen and Pat Riggin) were named to the NHL All-Star Team and the Capitals won the 1988-89 Patrick Division Championship. Strelow also spent two seasons as a scout for the Capitals.”
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More on Warren Strewlow’s career on TSN’s site:
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=203737&hubname=
Longtime reader, first time poster.
My favorite Warren Strelow memory is on the video I have of the Dale Hunter v. Flyers goal in Game 7 (’88). If you watch that tape, from the original HTS feed - you will see him. Right after the goal, HTS goes around the Cap Centre for reaction shots. The camera up in the press box catches Warren standing up and pumping his fists. It’s kind of hard to see - but it is fantastic.
Thanks for the headsup guys. Great work on the blog all season…
John Buccigross on Warren Strelow in his April 16 post on ESPN:
Warren Strelow, goaltending coach of both the 1980 and 2002 U.S. Olympic men’s hockey teams, passed away peacefully last Wednesday morning in Worcester, Mass., after a series of illnesses.
“He’s an American treasure,” Ron DeGregorio, president of USA Hockey, said of Strelow. “He could work with the youngest amateur and the best professional equally well. He had a special gift that only the great have.”
Strelow, under coach Herb Brooks, helped the 1980 U.S. Olympic team to an improbable gold medal in Lake Placid, N.Y. He again joined Brooks for the 2002 Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City, where the team captured the silver medal.
“Warren was a true expert on goalkeeping,” said Lou Vairo, director of special projects for USA Hockey and coach of the 1984 U.S. Olympic team. “He was a man that not only trained his pupils, but also loved them. He is someone that American hockey will truly miss.”
In addition to his work with USA Hockey, Strelow spent many years working in the National Hockey League. He was hired by the Washington Capitals in 1983 as the first full-time goalie coach in the NHL and spent six years with the organization before moving on to a similar role with the New Jersey Devils (1990-93). Strelow had spent the past 10 years coaching the goaltenders in the San Jose Sharks organization.
Strelow was inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame in 2004.
Warren was one of my High School teachers and hockey coach at Mahtomedi High MN.
We will all miss him
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