# Steve Coates

Stephen John Coates (born July 27, 1950) is a Canadian retired professional ice hockey player. He is currently the radio color commentator for the Philadelphia Flyers on 97.5 The Fanatic, after spending 14 seasons with the Flyers television team.
Coates played five games in the National Hockey League with the Detroit Red Wings during the 1976–77 season. The rest of his career, which lasted from 1973 to 1980, was spent in the minor leagues.

## Playing career

Coates' professional hockey career began when he signed with the Philadelphia Flyers in 1973 as a free agent after four seasons with the Michigan Tech Huskies. After playing in four seasons in the Flyers' minor league system, he was dealt to the Detroit Red Wings along with Terry Murray, Bob Ritchie, and Dave Kelly in exchange for Rick Lapointe and Mike Korney during the 1976–77 season. In five games for the Red Wings that season, he scored one goal for his only NHL point. He spent the next three years playing in the Central Hockey League (CHL) and the American Hockey League (AHL) before retiring.

## Broadcasting career

Coates started his broadcasting career with the Flyers in 1980 as a radio color commentator, and switched over to television in 1999. He spent the next 14 seasons on television as a color commentator and between-the-benches reporter for the Flyers before moving back to radio at the start of the 2014–15 season.

### "Coatesy's Corner"

From 1999 to 2011, Coates was the host of a short segment that aired during the first intermission of local Flyers television broadcasts, filmed prior to the game. These segments included interviews, explanations of NHL rules, analysis of current NHL events, and sometimes skits with Flyers players for comedic purposes. During the 2010–11 season, Coatesy's Corner began to air less and less and was eventually officially retired by the end of the season.

## Personal life

Coates currently resides in Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey.

## Career statistics
### Regular season and playoffs

| | | | 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 |
| 1966–67 | Markham Waxers | MetJBHL | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1967–68 | Markham Waxers | MetJBHL | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1968–69 | Markham Waxers | MetJBHL | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1969–70 | Michigan Tech | WCHA | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1970–71 | Michigan Tech | WCHA | 33 | 7 | 9 | 16 | 46 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1971–72 | Michigan Tech | WCHA | 30 | 7 | 9 | 16 | 36 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1972–73 | Michigan Tech | WCHA | 34 | 11 | 11 | 22 | 28 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1972–73 | Calumet-Houghton Chiefs | USHL | 4 | 5 | 6 | 11 | 7 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1973–74 | Des Moines Capitols | IHL | 72 | 31 | 39 | 70 | 167 | 10 | 6 | 3 | 9 | 35 |
| 1974–75 | Richmond Robins | AHL | 50 | 7 | 7 | 14 | 168 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 7 |
| 1975–76 | Richmond Robins | AHL | 69 | 25 | 19 | 44 | 141 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1976–77 | Springfield Indians | AHL | 57 | 17 | 23 | 40 | 122 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1976–77 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 24 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1977–78 | Kansas City Red Wings | CHL | 63 | 14 | 20 | 34 | 83 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1977–78 | Maine Mariners | AHL | 15 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 11 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 8 |
| 1978–79 | Philadelphia Firebirds | AHL | 74 | 15 | 25 | 40 | 107 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1979–80 | Syracuse Firebirds | AHL | 67 | 10 | 23 | 33 | 95 | — | — | — | — | — |
| AHL totals | AHL totals | AHL totals | 332 | 77 | 99 | 176 | 644 | 13 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 15 |
| NHL totals | NHL totals | NHL totals | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 24 | — | — | — | — | — |