# Murray Armstrong

Murray Alexander Armstrong (January 1, 1916 – December 8, 2010) was a Canadian professional ice hockey centre and National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) ice hockey Head Coach.

## Playing career

Armstrong played junior hockey with the Regina Pats before debuting with the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League (NHL) in the 1937–38 season. Two years later he was involved in one of the biggest trades of the decade. He, Busher Jackson, Buzz Boll, and Doc Romnes were sent to the New York Americans in exchange for Sweeney Schriner. He played three years with New York before World War II, during which he went on to play and coach for the Regina Army Caps. Following his army service, Armstrong was signed by Jack Adams in Detroit, but halfway through his third season he was demoted after Adams called up an 18-year-old named Gordon Howe. In 270 career NHL games, Armstrong scored 67 goals and 121 assists for 188 points.
Following his retirement, Armstrong went on to coach the Regina Pats from 1950–55, and the University of Denver from 1956 to 1977, winning five NCAA Championships, in 1958, 1960, 1961, 1968 and 1969. He is considered one of the top NCAA coaches of all time.
He retired to St. Augustine, Florida, where he remained an avid golfer into his 90s.
His son Rob Armstrong is a former CBS News journalist and the current Retired Professional in Residence at Flagler College.
He died in St. Augustine, Florida on December 8, 2010.

## Awards and achievements

* EAHL Second All-Star Team (1936)
* Herman W. Paterson Cup (USHL - MVP) (1947)
* Lester Patrick Trophy (1977)
* Hobey Baker Legends of College Hockey Award (1984)

## Career statistics

| | | | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs |
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| 1931–32 | Regina Pats | SJHL | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 1932–33 | Regina Pats | SJHL | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1933–34 | Regina Pats | SJHL | 2 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1934–35 | Regina Victorias | SSHL | 22 | 9 | 6 | 15 | 15 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 |
| 1935–36 | New York Rovers | EAHL | 32 | 15 | 23 | 38 | 18 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 |
| 1936–37 | Syracuse Stars | IAHL | 43 | 14 | 21 | 35 | 8 | 8 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 6 |
| 1937–38 | Syracuse Stars | IAHL | 35 | 7 | 31 | 38 | 10 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 0 |
| 1937–38 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1938–39 | Syracuse Stars | IAHL | 50 | 27 | 27 | 54 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 1938–39 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1939–40 | New York Americans | NHL | 47 | 16 | 20 | 36 | 12 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1940–41 | New York Americans | NHL | 48 | 10 | 14 | 24 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1941–42 | Brooklyn Americans | NHL | 45 | 6 | 22 | 28 | 15 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1942–43 | Regina Army Caps | SSHL | 24 | 29 | 32 | 61 | 36 | 5 | 5 | 12 | 17 | 4 |
| 1943–44 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 28 | 12 | 22 | 34 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| 1944–45 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 50 | 15 | 24 | 39 | 31 | 14 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 2 |
| 1945–46 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 40 | 8 | 18 | 26 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| 1946–47 | Buffalo Bisons | AHL | 19 | 10 | 8 | 18 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1946–47 | Dallas Texans | USHL | 42 | 15 | 31 | 46 | 10 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| NHL totals | NHL totals | NHL totals | 270 | 67 | 121 | 188 | 72 | 30 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 2 |

## Head coaching record
### College

Statistics overview :
| Season | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Postseason |
| Denver Pioneers (WIHL) (1956–1958) ||||||
| 1956-57 | Denver | 12-14-2 | 6-11-1 | 5th | |
| 1957-58 | Denver | 24-10-2 | 12-10-0 | t-1st | NCAA National Champion |
| Denver: | Denver: | 36-24-4 | 18-21-1 | | |
| Denver Pioneers Independent (1958–1959) ||||||
| 1958-59 | Denver | 22-5-1 | | | |
| Denver: | Denver: | 22-5-1 | | | |
| Denver Pioneers (WCHA) (1959–1977) ||||||
| 1959-60 | Denver | 27-4-3 | 17-4-1 | 1st | NCAA National Champion |
| 1960-61 | Denver | 30-1-1 | 17-1-0 | 1st | NCAA National Champion |
| 1961-62 | Denver | 17-11-2 | 11-7-0 | 3rd | WCHA third-place game (Loss) |
| 1962-63 | Denver | 23-9-1 | 12-6-0 | 1st | NCAA Runner-Up |
| 1963-64 | Denver | 20-7-4 | 7-2-1 | 2nd | NCAA Runner-Up |
| 1964-65 | Denver | 18-8-2 | 4-7-1 | 6th | |
| 1965-66 | Denver | 18-11-3 | 10-7-3 | 4th | NCAA Consolation Game (Win) |
| 1966-67 | Denver | 22-8-0 | 11-5-0 | 2nd | WCHA Finals |
| 1967-68 | Denver | 28-5-1 | 15-3-0 | 1st | NCAA National Champion |
| 1968-69 | Denver | 26-6-0 | 14-6-0 | 2nd | NCAA National Champion |
| 1969-70 | Denver | 21-10-1 | 13-8-1 | t-2nd | WCHA Regional Finals |
| 1970-71 | Denver | 25-10-1 | 15-7-0 | 2nd | NCAA Consolation Game (Win) |
| 1971-72 | Denver | 27-11-0 | 19-9-0 | 1st | NCAA Consolation Game (Loss) |
| 1972-73 | Denver | 29-9-1 | 20-8-0 | 1st | NCAA Runner-Up |
| 1973-74 | Denver | 22-13-3 | 15-11-2 | 3rd | WCHA Finals |
| 1974-75 | Denver | 12-23-1 | 9-22-1 | 9th | |
| 1975-76 | Denver | 16-23-0 | 12-20-0 | t-7th | WCHA first round |
| 1976-77 | Denver | 21-17-2 | 16-14-2 | 4th | WCHA Semifinals |
| Denver: | Denver: | 402-186-26 | 237-147-12 | | |
| Total: | Total: | 460-215-31 | | | |
| National champion   Postseason invitational champion   Conference regular season champion   Conference regular season and conference tournament champion  Division regular season champion  Division regular season and conference tournament champion  Conference tournament champion ||||||