Marc Crawford

Marc Joseph John Crawford (born February 13, 1961) is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach and former player.

He is currently the head coach of the ZSC Lions of the National League (NL).

He played as a forward for the Vancouver Canucks in the National Hockey League (NHL).

Crawford was drafted by the Vancouver Canucks in the 1980 NHL Entry Draft in the fourth round, 70th overall.

He joined the Canucks in 1981–82.

As a rookie, Crawford was a part of Vancouver's 1982 run to the Stanley Cup finals, in which the Canucks were defeated by the New York Islanders.

During his six seasons in the NHL, Crawford would split time between Vancouver and their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Fredericton Express.

As a result of constantly flying between the two cities, which are over 5000 km apart, he earned the nickname "747", though most contemporary Canucks fans know him as "Crow", a nickname coined during his tenure as a head coach with the team.

In total, Crawford tallied 19 goals, 31 assists and 50 points in 176 games during his NHL career, all of it with Vancouver.

After a season in the International Hockey League with the Milwaukee Admirals, Crawford retired as a professional player.

Crawford was named a playing assistant coach with Fredericton during the 1987–88 season.

During the 1988–89 season Crawford joined the Milwaukee Admirals as an assistant coach.

He became a head coach in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) with the Cornwall Royals, for whom he had previously played in the QMJHL.

After two seasons with Cornwall, Crawford moved to the AHL, and in his first season with the St. John's Maple Leafs, he took his team to the 1992 Calder Cup finals, losing to the Adirondack Red Wings.

The following season, Crawford was awarded the Louis A. R. Pieri Memorial Award as the AHL's coach of the year.

In 1994–95, Crawford broke into the NHL with the Quebec Nordiques and as a result of the Nordiques' improved play, he won the NHL's Jack Adams Award as coach of the year.

He is the youngest NHL coach and first rookie coach in history to win the Jack Adams.

Crawford won the Stanley Cup in 1996 as head coach of the Colorado Avalanche in the NHL.

He has also been the head coach of the Quebec Nordiques, Vancouver Canucks, Los Angeles Kings, Dallas Stars, and interim head coach of the Ottawa Senators.

The next season, the Nordiques franchise was relocated to Colorado as the Avalanche, and Crawford won his first and only Stanley Cup as a coach in 1996, defeating the Florida Panthers in four games in the finals.

He has also coached at the international level, as head coach of Team Canada at the 1998 Winter Olympics.

Crawford has won the Louis A. R. Pieri Memorial Award as coach of the year in the American Hockey League and the Jack Adams Award as coach of the year in the NHL.

Crawford was born in Belleville, Ontario.

He is the son of professional hockey player Floyd Crawford.

He is the brother of National Hockey League (NHL) hockey players Bob Crawford and Lou Crawford.

Crawford played three seasons of major junior in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) with the Cornwall Royals.

During this time, the team won back-to-back Memorial Cups and was named the team's captain.

Crawford continued to post successful regular seasons with the Avalanche in the next two seasons, but after an early first-round exit in the 1998 playoffs, he resigned on May 27, 1998.

Despite reportedly being offered a one-year contract extension by general manager Pierre Lacroix, Crawford decided to "move on and accept a new challenge".

Before his resignation with the Avalanche, Crawford was also the head coach of the Canadian Olympic hockey team at the 1998 Olympics, where they finished a disappointing fourth.

Many questioned his choice of players to take part in the semi-final shootout with the Czech Republic, in which they lost, electing not to use future Hall of Famers Wayne Gretzky or Steve Yzerman.

After a brief stint as a colour commentator on Hockey Night in Canada, Crawford replaced Mike Keenan as head coach of the Vancouver Canucks midway through the 1998–99 season.

Joining Vancouver in the midst of a rebuilding period for the franchise, Crawford slowly developed the Canucks into a successful regular season team, playing a fast-paced and offensively emphasized style of play.

After one-and-a-half seasons, he led Vancouver back to the playoffs.

However, the Canucks were defeated in the first round by his former team, Colorado.

In 2002–03, Vancouver continued to improve under Crawford and posted a franchise record (since surpassed) of 104 points.

The following season, they took the Northwest Division title from the Avalanche, who had finished first in their division every season since they won the Northeast Division during their last season playing in Quebec.

Despite Vancouver's regular season success, they only managed to win one playoff series during Crawford's tenure.

After the Canucks' failure to make the playoffs in the 2005–06 season, Crawford's position as head coach was terminated by management on April 25, 2006.

He was replaced by Alain Vigneault.