Gregg Pilling

Gregg Pilling (born September 25, 1943) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and coach.

Gregg Pilling was born on September 25, 1943, in Lethbridge, Alberta.

He began his playing career with the Lethbridge Native Sons, and then played in the Big 6 Hockey League, before joining the Edmonton Oil Kings.

Prior to coaching, he had a brief playing career, including a 1963 Memorial Cup championship with the Edmonton Oil Kings, and was voted the most valuable player in his final full season as a player.

He was a member of the 1963 Memorial Cup champion Edmonton team coached by Russ Brayshaw, that included future NHL coaches Glen Sather, Pat Quinn, and Bert Marshall.

Pilling admits that he had a reputation as a vicious junior player.

He was also described as hard, tough, fiery, and creating fireworks on ice.

Pilling began playing professional hockey when he signed with Detroit Red Wings organization, and was assigned to the Memphis Wings.

He later played with the Buffalo Bisons, and the Omaha Knights, before returning to Alberta after four seasons.

He then played two seasons in the Alberta Senior Hockey League, one each with Medicine Hat Blades, followed by the Drumheller Miners.

He earned the nickname Zorro in senior hockey due to his reputation for stickwork.

Pilling moved up to the Eastern Hockey League in 1970–71, playing with the Charlotte Checkers.

He scored 25 goals, 63 points, and earned 142 penalty minutes, for the regular season Walker Cup champions.

Charlotte were also playoff champions, winning the Atlantic City Boardwalk Trophy.

He briefly spent time coaching in Switzerland, then returned to play with the St. Petersburg Suns for the 1971–72 season.

Pilling was named the team's first captain, and received the most valuable player award from the Charlotte Observer, as voted by members of opposing teams.

Pilling began his full-time coaching career at age 28, when offered a one-year contract with the Roanoke Valley Rebels for the 1972–73 season.

He played eight games during the season, and led the Rebels to 40 wins, and a first-place finish in the south division.

Roanoke reached the playoff finals, but lost to the Syracuse Blazers.

Roanoke switched to the Southern Hockey League for the 1973–74 season, and Pilling stayed with the team.

The team's roster that season included eleven French Canadians, and a young Mike Keenan.

The Rebels finished first place in the regular season with 53 wins.

In the playoffs, Pilling's team trailed 3 games to 1 versus the Winston-Salem Polar Twins, but rallied to win the series in seven games, then defeated the Charlotte Checkers in seven games to win the Crockett Cup.

Pilling was named the SHL Coach of the Year.

He resigned on July 29, 1974.

Pilling was named the coach and general manager of Philadelphia's expansion team in the North American Hockey League.

The Philadelphia Firebirds were announced in August 1974, resulting from a name-the-team contest.

During the 1974–75 NAHL season, Pilling was fined $1000, and suspended five games due to forfeiting a game by pulling his team off the ice when a referee refused to allow a warm-up for the substitute goaltender, when the starter was injured.

Pilling led the Firebirds to forty wins, and second place during the regular season.

His team faced the seventh place Long Island Cougars in the first round of the playoffs, but were upset in four games.

Pilling was named NAHL coach of the year, his second such award in two seasons.

He was considered for Edmonton Oilers coaching vacancy in 1975.

In the 1975–76 NAHL season, Piling led the Firebirds to 45 wins, and a second-place finished in the west division.

He even played one game that year, accumulating 17 penalty minutes.

In the playoffs, Pilling led Philadelphia past the Mohawk Valley Comets three games to one, then defeated the defending champion Johnstown Jets four games to one to reach the finals.

Pilling won his second playoffs championship as a coach, as Philadelphia captured the Lockhart Cup in six games over the Beauce Jaros.

He was named the league's general manager of the year.

He was named coach of the year by the International Hockey League in 1977–78 season, after he led the Fort Wayne Komets to the Fred A. Huber Trophy as the regular season champions.

He also won coach of the year awards in Southern Hockey League, and North American Hockey League, while guiding the Roanoke Valley Rebels and the Philadelphia Firebirds to league championships.

Pilling made headlines as a coach for his colourful in-game protests and multiple ejections.