Kevin Dineen Kevin William Dineen ( born October 28 , 1963 ) is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player who is currently the head coach of the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League . Playing career . St . Michael ' s Buzzers . As a seventeen year old , Dineen played with the St . Michael ' s Buzzers in Junior " B " hockey , where in 40 games he scored 15 goals and 43 points , while getting 167 penalty minutes in 1980 – 81 . University of Denver . Dineen began his college career in 1981 – 82 , with the University of Denver Pioneers of the WCHA . In his first season with the Pioneers , Dineen had 10 goals and 20 points in 27 games . He was then selected in the third round of the 1982 NHL Entry Draft by the Hartford Whalers . Dineen returned to the Pioneers for the 1982 – 83 season , where he was named captain as a sophomore and saw his numbers increase to 16 goals and 29 points in 36 games . Canadian National Team . Dineen ' s spent the 1983 – 84 hockey season with the Canadian National Men ' s Hockey Team , where he scored five goals and 16 points in 52 games . Dineen also played in the 1984 Winter Olympics , however , he was held pointless in seven games for Team Canada . Hartford Whalers . Dineen began the 1984 – 85 season with the Binghamton Whalers of the AHL , where he played in 25 goals , scoring 15 goals and 23 points . He was then promoted to the Hartford Whalers , as he made his NHL debut on December 3 , 1984 , against the Montreal Canadiens . He finished the season in the NHL , scoring 25 goals and 41 points in 57 games with Hartford , however , the team failed to make the playoffs . He stayed in the NHL for good in 1985 – 86 , where Dineen improved his numbers , scoring 33 goals and 68 points in 57 games with Hartford , finishing fourth in team scoring . In ten playoff games , Dineen had a team high six goals and 13 points , as Hartford upset the Quebec Nordiques in the first round before losing to the Montreal Canadiens in the Adams Division finals . Dineen had a breakout season with the Whalers in 1986 – 87 , scoring a team high 40 goals , and finishing second on the team with 79 points , helping Hartford finish in first place in the Adams Division . In the playoffs , Dineen had two goals and three points , as the Whalers were upset in the first round by the Quebec Nordiques . His production slipped in the 1987 – 88 season , as Dineen had 25 goals and 50 points in 74 games , however , in six playoff games , he had four goals and eight points to lead the club . Dineen had a career season in 1988 – 89 , scoring a career high 45 goals and 89 points to lead the club in scoring , however , in four playoff games , Dineen had only one goal as the Whalers were swept in the first round . In 1988 and 1989 , Dineen went to the NHL All - Star Game . In 1989 – 90 , Dineen saw his numbers slip to 25 goals and 66 points , however , he missed 13 games due to injuries during the season . In six playoff games , Dineen had three goals and five points as the Whalers lost to their rivals , the Boston Bruins in the first round . Dineen saw his production decrease again in 1990 – 91 , scoring 17 goals and 47 points , which was his lowest point total since his rookie season in 1984 – 85 . In six playoff games , he registered only one goal as the Whalers went out in the first round . He began the 1991 – 92 season with the Whalers , where in 16 games , Dineen had four goals and six points . On November 13 , 1991 , the Whalers traded Dineen to the Philadelphia Flyers for Murray Craven and a fourth round draft pick in the 1992 NHL Entry Draft , where he would play for his father Bill Dineen , who was the Flyers head coach . Philadelphia Flyers . Dineen saw his production increase with the Philadelphia Flyers to finish the 1991 – 92 season , scoring 26 goals and 56 points in 64 games with the Flyers , however , the team failed to make the playoffs . In his first full season with Philadelphia in 1992 – 93 , Dineen scored 35 goals , his highest total since scoring 45 with the Hartford Whalers in 1988 – 89 , while finishing with 63 points , to finish fourth in team scoring . Philadelphia missed the playoffs once again . Dineen was named the Flyers captain for the 1993 – 94 , however , he saw his production decrease , scoring 19 goals and 42 points , his lowest point total since his rookie season . Once again , the Flyers missed the playoffs . During the 1994 - 95 NHL lockout , Dineen played with the Houston Aeros of the IHL , where he had six goals and ten points in 17 games . When the NHL resumed play in January , 1995 , Dineen lost his position as team captain , as Eric Lindros took over the role . Dineen struggled all season long , scoring eight goals and 13 points in 40 games , however , the Flyers made the playoffs . In 15 playoff games , Dineen scored six goals and ten points , helping the Flyers to the Eastern Conference finals . After the season , Dineen finished as the runner - up for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy . He started the 1995 – 96 season with the Flyers , where Dineen saw his numbers plummet to no goals and two points in 26 games . On December 28 , 1995 , the Flyers traded Dineen back to the Whalers for Hartford ' s third round and seventh round pick in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft . Hartford Whalers / Carolina Hurricanes . In his return to the Hartford Whalers to finish the 1995 - 96 NHL season , Dineen scored two goals and nine points in 20 games , as the team missed the playoffs . Hartford named Dineen as their team captain prior to the 1996 – 97 season , and Dineen responded with 19 goals , his highest total since 1993 – 94 , and 48 points , his best total since 1992 – 93 . On April 3 , 1997 , Dineen scored the final goal in Whalers history , as Hartfod defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning 2 – 1 . Hartford missed the playoffs , and during the 1997 off - season , the club relocated to North Carolina and became the Carolina Hurricanes . Dineen remained the Hurricanes captain during the 1997 – 98 season , however , his production slipped to seven goals and 23 points in 54 games , as Carolina failed to qualify for the playoffs . In 1998 – 99 , the Hurricanes named Keith Primeau as team captain , as Dineen would serve as an alternate captain . In 67 games , Dineen had eight goals and 18 points , helping the Hurricanes make the playoffs . In six playoff games , Dineen recorded no points . Ottawa Senators . On September 1 , 1999 , Dineen signed as a free agent with the Ottawa Senators for the 1999 – 2000 season . In his one season in Ottawa , Dineen scored four goals and registered 12 points in 67 games ; however , he was a healthy scratch and did not play in any playoff games for the Senators . At season ' s end , Ottawa left Dineen unprotected for the 2000 NHL Expansion Draft , where he was subsequently selected by the new Columbus Blue Jackets team . Columbus Blue Jackets . In his first season with the Columbus in 2000 – 01 , Dineen had eight goals and 15 points in 66 games , as Columbus finished well out of a playoff position . Dineen returned to the Blue Jackets for a second season in 2001 – 02 , and saw similar results , scoring five goals and 13 points in 59 games , as the team once again missed the playoffs . Dineen only appeared in four games during the 2002 – 03 season with Columbus , and on November 5 , 2002 , he retired from playing . In 1188 career games , Dineen recorded 355 goals and 760 points while registering 2229 penalty minutes . On January 6 , 2006 , Dineen had his Hartford Whalers ' number 11 honored by the AHL Hartford Wolf Pack alongside former Whalers ' teammates Ron Francis and Ulf Samuelsson . The ceremony took place before the Portland Pirates , who he was coaching at the time , played against the Wolf Pack in an AHL match . International play . Dineen participated with the Canadian National Men ' s Hockey Team numerous times during his career . He spent the 1983 – 84 season with the club , scoring five goals and 16 points in 52 games , and appeared in seven games with Canada at the 1984 Winter Olympics held in Sarajevo , where he had no points in seven games . In 1985 , Dineen played with Canada at the 1985 World Ice Hockey Championships , scoring three goals and five points in ten games . He represented Canada once again at the 1987 World Ice Hockey Championships , getting four goals and six points in nine games . At the 1989 World Ice Hockey Championships , Dineen scored three goals and ten points in ten games , while at the 1993 World Ice Hockey Championships , Dineen had a goal and three points in eight games . He also represented the National Hockey League at Rendez - Vous ' 87 in Quebec City , Quebec , as in the two game series against the Soviet Union , Dineen had a goal . Coaching career . Portland Pirates . In the summer of 2005 , Dineen was named the head coach of the Portland Pirates , which was the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim AHL affiliate . In the 2005 – 06 season , Dineen led the Pirates to a 53 – 19 – 5 – 3 record , earning 114 points , top in the Eastern Conference , and a 34 point increase over the previous season . On April 7 , 2006 , Dineen was named the winner of the Louis A . R . Pieri Memorial Award as the AHL ' s outstanding coach . In the playoffs , the Pirates defeated the Providence Bruins in the first round in six games , followed by another six game victory over the Hartford Wolf Pack . In the Eastern Conference finals , Portland lost to the Hershey Bears in seven games . The 2006 – 07 season saw the Pirates slip to a 37 – 31 – 3 – 9 record , registering 86 points , which placed them in sixth place in the Atlantic Division , missing the playoffs . In 2007 – 08 , Portland rebounded to a 45 – 26 – 5 – 4 record , getting 99 points , and third place in the Atlantic Division , earning a playoff berth . In the post - season , the Pirates upset the Hartford Wolf Pack in five games , followed by another upset , as Portland defeated the division winning Providence Bruins in six games , earning a trip to the Eastern Conference finals , where they faced the Wilkes - Barre / Scranton Penguins . The Penguins ended the Pirates season , defeating Portland in a thrilling seven game series . After the season , Portland changed NHL affiliates , as the Buffalo Sabres took over the team , however , the team kept Dineen on as their head coach . The Anaheim Ducks moved their affiliate and became the Iowa Chops . Now coaching the Sabres affiliate in 2008 – 09 , Dineen led Portland to a 39 – 31 – 3 – 7 record , recording 88 points , good for third place in the Atlantic Division . In the first round of the playoffs , the Providence Bruins defeated Portland in five games . The Pirates increased their point total in the 2009 – 10 season , finishing with a 45 – 24 – 7 – 4 record , getting 101 points . Portland then faced the Manchester Monarchs in the first round , and was swept out of the playoffs . In 2010 – 11 , the Pirates saw their point total improve again , as they finished in first place in the Atlantic Division with a 47 – 24 – 7 – 2 record , earning 103 points . Portland faced off against the Connecticut Whale in the first round , winning the series in six games , however , the Pirates season came to an end in the second round , when the Binghamton Senators defeated the Pirates in six games . On May 31 , 2011 , Dineen left the Pirates , as he signed to become the new head coach of the Florida Panthers of the NHL . Personal life . Outside of the world of ice hockey , Dineen is a spokesperson for the Crohn ' s and Colitis Foundation of America . He is the son of former NHL player and coach Bill Dineen and a brother of former NHL players Gord and Peter . His other brothers , Shawn and Jerry , were minor league players . Although born in Canada , Dineen spent much of his youth in the United States , while his father Bill Dineen played and coached professionally . Dineen and his wife , Annie , are the parents of four children , two daughters ( Hannah and Emma ) and two sons ( William and Declan ) . In June 2006 Dineen was arrested on DUI charges in Portland after going out with his coaching staff and players . Afterwards Dineen said in an interview with the Portland Press Herald " I ' ve talked an awfully lot about decision - making the past two days , I guess it ' s time I stopped talking and made some decisions of my own . " His arrest came seven years after Carolina Hurricanes teammate Steve Chiasson died in a DUI accident in which Dineen tried to convince Chiasson to call a taxi to take him home .