Former Winnipeg Jets head coach Bob Murdoch has passed away.
The NHL Alumni Association has announced that former NHL player and coach Bob Murdoch has passed away.
Murdoch - a product of Kirkland Lake, Ontario - spent 23 years within the NHL as a player, assistant, associate and head coach for various teams over his career.
Murdoch - or 'Mud', as many have come to know him as - spent 30+ summers at his family cottage in Lake of the Woods, Ontario, to which he accrued countless hours out on his boat fishing with friends, family and at times, even on his own.
In 2019, Murdoch was diagnosed with Lewy Body Dementia, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. He spent his final years at an assisted living complex in Canmore, Alberta with his wife Bev.
He was 76.
A rugged defenceman, Murdoch suited up for 757 regular season NHL games between the Montreal Canadiens, Los Angeles Kings and the Atlanta and Calgary Flames. He put up 60 goals, 278 points and 764 penalty minutes, while adding another four goals, 22 points and 92 penalty minutes in the postseason.
Murdoch won two Stanley Cup with the Canadiens, before retiring and immediately joining the Flames' bench staff as an assistant in 1982.
He spent five years in Calgary before being promoted as the head coach of the Chicago Blackhawks in 1987. Murdoch took over from Rick Bowness as the Jets' head coach the following season and earned the Jack Adams Award for his work in a quick rebuild. However, he was fired the following season and replaced by John Paddock.
His time within the NHL came to a close after two years with the San Jose Sharks. Murdoch travelled overseas and began his international coaching career in 1994 in Germany. He spent seven seasons within the DEL, officially retiring in 2002.
"Bob's courage and bravery in battling these diseases was nothing short of extraordinary, alongside his wife, Bev, and daughters," the NHL Alumni Association shared in a Tweet on Friday.
"Bob was and is loved by so many, and his legacy on and off the ice will forever be remembered. We send our deepest condolences to Bob’s family, friends, and former teammates during this difficult time."