Joe Crozier < br > Joseph Richard Crozier is a former professional defenceman and coach who played and coached primarily in the minor leagues . After playing the better part of 12 seasons in the minor leagues with the Quebec Aces of the Quebec Senior Hockey League , which included a brief five game stint in the National Hockey League with the Toronto Maple Leafs , Crozier retired in 1961 and became a head coach for 22 years , beginning in 1963 . He had also previously been a head coach for the Quebec Aces while he was still playing with them in 1957 – 58 . As a head coach in several leagues , Crozier is a three - time Calder Cup champion with the Rochester Americans of the American Hockey League , a two - time Lester Patrick Cup championship with the Vancouver Canucks of the Western Hockey League , and a Memorial Cup champion with the Kitchener Rangers of the Ontario Hockey League . During his coaching career , he also made brief appearances in the National Hockey League with the Buffalo Sabres for two and half seasons and the Toronto Maple Leafs from the end of 1979 – 80 to the first half of 1980 – 81 . In 1985 , Crozier was inducted into the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame for his individual efforts , then once again in 2007 as part of a team induction of the Memorial Cup - runners - up 1948 – 49 Brandon Wheat Kings . Playing career . A native of Winnipeg , Crozier played junior hockey in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League with the Brandon Wheat Kings . In his first season in 1947 – 48 , he was named to the MJHL Second All - Star Team , then the First All - Star Team the following year . His second and final year in Brandon culminated in an eight - game 1948 - 49 Memorial Cup Final series against the Montreal Junior Royals . The seven - game series was extended an extra game as game three had ended in a 3 - 3 tie . Although Crozier scored the first goal in the final and deciding eight game , the Royals scored four times in the third period to defeat the Wheat Kings 6 - 4 . They were inducted as a team into the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame 58 years later in 2007 . Turning professional in 1949 with the San Francisco Shamrocks of the Pacific Coast Hockey League , he began a long career in the minor leagues . After playing a season with the Vancouver Canucks in 1950 – 51 , he joined the Quebec Aces of the Quebec Senior Hockey League . Crozier would remain with the Aces for eight seasons , earning Second All - Star Team honours in 1954 after a 27 - point campaign and First Team honours in 1957 after recording 37 points . During the 1957 – 58 season , Crozier also acted as team head coach . In 1959 – 60 , Crozier joined the Rochester Americans of the American Hockey League , then earned a break with the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League . He played five games with the Leafs , his only appearance in the NHL as a player , recording 3 assists . After his brief NHL stint , Crozier finished his playing career with the Spokane Spokes of the Western Hockey League in 1959 – 60 and one more season with the Rochester Americans in 1960 – 61 . Coaching career . Crozier made his head coaching debut in 1957 – 58 with the Quebec Aces of the Quebec Hockey League , while still playing defence with the team , posting a 29 - 31 - 4 record . Upon retiring in 1961 , he became a head coach for the Charlotte Checkers of the Eastern Hockey League in 1962 . After one season with the Checkers , he rejoined the Rochester Americans of the American Hockey League . In 1965 , his second season as head coach of the Americans , he won his first of three Calder Cups , as AHL champion , during five seasons with the team . Fresh off of his third Calder Cup and fourth consecutive trip to the AHL finals , he became head coach for the Vancouver Canucks of the Western Hockey League , with whom he had also previously played for early in his career . Crozier immediately won two Lester Patrick Cup s as WHL champion in his only two seasons with Vancouver . After the second WHL championship in 1970 , the Canucks were absorbed by the National Hockey League ' s Vancouver Canucks and Crozier briefly returned to the AHL to coach the Cincinnati Swords . However , after a heart attack to Buffalo Sabres coach Punch Imlach , Crozier was given Imlach ' s position and made his National Hockey League coaching debut in 1972 . Although he finished the Sabres ' 1971 – 72 season with just 8 wins in 36 games , Crozier coached the Sabres to a playoff berth the following season , posting a winning record of 37 - 27 - 14 . However , after finishing his third season with the Sabres out of the playoffs , he was replaced by Floyd Smith after the 1973 – 74 season . Upon leaving the Sabres , he joined the NHL - rival - league World Hockey Association with the Vancouver Blazers in 1974 – 75 , then the Calgary Cowboys for two seasons as the franchise relocated . In 1975 – 76 , Crozier made it to the semi - finals with the Cowboys but lost to the Winnipeg Jets . In his third and final season with the Blazers - Cowboys franchise , in which Calgary failed to make the playoffs , Crozier infamously dumped the team ' s spare hockey sticks from the bench onto the ice during a game in protest of a disputed call . Another incident with the Cowboys involves a mishap while trying to return to Calgary after a game against the San Diego Mariners . The pilot had failed to refuel and there was not enough gas to return home . Although Crozier asked the team to collectively pitch in , they still did not have enough money . The team was bailed out by their play - by - play announcer who used his wife ' s Texaco card to front the $ 1 , 500 bill . During his stint with the franchise , Crozier also rose to the position of general manager . In 1979 – 80 , after beginning the season in the AHL coaching the New Brunswick Hawks , Crozier received his second break in the NHL with the Toronto Maple Leafs , replacing , once again , " Punch " Imlach mid - season . He coached the Leafs for the final 10 games of the regular season , but they were swept in the first round of the 1980 Stanley Cup Playoffs by the Minnesota North Stars in three games . The following season , the Leafs started with just 13 wins in the first 40 games and Crozier was replaced mid - season with Mike Nykoluk . After his second NHL stint , Crozier joined the Kitchener Rangers of the major junior Ontario Hockey League for two seasons , replacing Orval Tessier . The Rangers had just come off a Memorial Cup final game loss to the Cornwall Royals the previous season and in his first season with the team , they returned to the Memorial Cup , winning the J . Ross Robertson Cup as the OHL champion . The Rangers made it to the 1982 Memorial Cup Final and defeated the Sherbrooke Castors 7 - 4 to capture Crozier and the Rangers ' first Canadian Hockey League title . With the team , Crozier future NHL stars Scott Stevens and Brian Bellows . Coming off their Memorial Cup championship , Crozier and the Rangers finished with a strong 45 - 23 - 2 record in 1982 – 83 , but fell to the Sault Ste . Marie Greyhounds in the third round . After two seasons with the Rangers , Crozier returned to the Rochester Americans for one season , in which they reached the 1984 Calder Cup Final against the Maine Mariners , but lost in five games . Crozier then retired after the 1983 - 84 season . Shortly after his retirement , Crozier was inducted into the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame in 1985 as an individual .