LARRY POPEIN: 1930-2020

Like many young hockey players in Yorkton, Saskatchewan, Larry Popein looked up to Stan Obodiac, who was a local star playing juvenile hockey. As former New York Rangers' coach and general manager, Emile Francis, once said of Obodiac, "He was a very fine hockey player but he always enjoyed writing and he probably had the job he desired all his life." That job was working as the publicity director for Maple Leaf Gardens.

And Popein never forgot Obodiac. Prior to getting his dream job with the Leafs, Obodiac made a trip to Toronto in January 1959 to watch the Rangers and Leafs in action. Popein, a member of the visiting New York Rangers, made sure there was a ticket to the game waiting for Obodiac at the box office.

Popein died earlier this month at the age of 89.

Larry Popein made his National Hockey League debut in 1954 with the New York Rangers. Rangers' coach, Muzz Patrick, placed his rookie on a line with Andy Bathgate and Ron Murphy. "Popein is light but fast and can take a bodycheck if he has to. He's a good scorer ...," said Patrick of Popein.

In the Calder Trophy voting for the top NHL rookie, Popein finished fourth in the balloting behind Eddie Litzenberger of Chicago, Don McKenney of Boston, and Montreal goalie Jacques Plante.

Popein was a 5'10" left-shooting centre, who weighed only 165 pounds.

Emile Francis was an astute judge of assessing hockey talent and he provided the following description of Larry Popein the hockey player: "As a player his long suit was skating. He was a smart hockey player, a good penalty killer."

After seven seasons with the Rangers, Popein returned to the WHL Vancouver Canucks where he began his pro career in 1951. His time on Broadway ran from 1954-55 to 1960-61. His best season in New York was in 1959-60, when he scored 14 goals and 22 assists for 39 points in 66 games. In April 1960, Popein requested a trade away from New York. A series of player transactions left him disillusioned.

"[The] Rangers are going to have to spend more money than they have been if they want to build a playoff contender," Popein told the Canadian Press. He only played in four contests with the Rangers in 1960-61.

When the NHL expanded to 12 teams for the 1967-68 season, Popein joined the Oakland Seals for one last skate in the big-show. He produced 19 points in 47 games. He was called up to the Seals from the Canucks.

Popein was a Vancouver Canuck from 1960-61 to 1967-68.

Late in his career, Popein served as a minor league playing coach and eventually went behind the bench with the Omaha Knights (CHL), and Seattle Totems (WHL). By 1972, Popein back in the Rangers' fold, held the position of coach and general manager of New York's AHL farm team, the Providence Reds.

His shot at a coaching job in the National Hockey League materialized in June 1973. It came about when Emile Francis stepped down as the Rangers' coach, but retained his title of general manager.

"Larry is the perfect man for this job," said Francis at the press conference to introduce Popein as his replacement. "I have known him for 20 years and he knows our system perfectly, having come up through the ranks with the Rangers as both a player and a coach."

Talking about his coaching style, Popein said, "I guess if I had to sum up what kind of coach I'll be it would be hard, honest and fair."

Unfortunately for Popein, his stint as bench boss of the Rangers was a short one. The stats show he coached 41 games and posted a win-lost-tied record of 18-14-9.

An AP story ran down the various reasons for his dismissal:

Popein ran the team in a strict manner, demanding that his players shave off summer-grown moustaches and beards and asserted his authority early in the season when he benched Rod Gilbert for one game after the team's greatest goal scorer was late for a team meeting. There were rumblings of discontent in the team's dressing room over Popein's handling of the Gilbert affair and some players openly criticized the new coach.

Popein wasn't out of work for long. He became the Vancouver Canucks (NHL) player personnel director and was with Vancouver from 1974 to June 1985. In 1982, the Canucks went all the way to the Stanley Cup final, but were swept by the New York Islanders.

His final stop was with the Calgary Flames. They hired him in 1986 as a pro scout. A relatively new role in the NHL, Popein and former Toronto GM, Gerry McNamara, are given the credit for supplying the Flames' coaching staff with scouting reports that helped them win the Stanley Cup in 1989 against Montreal.

Lawrence (Larry) Thomas "Pope" Popein was born on August 11, 1930, in Yorkton, Saskatchewan. He passed away on February 7, 2020.