Kirk Muller

Kirk Christopher Muller (born February 8, 1966) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey winger who played in the National Hockey League for 19 seasons from 1984–85 until 2002–03. He was also the head coach of the National Hockey League's Carolina Hurricanes from 2011 to 2014. He was an associate coach with the Montreal Canadiens from 2016 to 2021, where he previously served as assistant coach from 2006 to 2011.
==Playing career==
Muller started his junior career with the Kingston Canadians of the Ontario Hockey League, but his most successful junior seasons were with the Guelph Platers. There was a dispute in 1984 between the Platers and the Canadian Olympic Team, who wanted Muller to play with them at the 1984 Winter Olympics. The Platers owner was upset over losing Muller for so much time, but eventually they came to an agreement and Muller played in the Olympics. He was drafted second overall by the New Jersey Devils in the 1984 NHL Entry Draft behind Mario Lemieux. "Captain Kirk" was the heart and soul of the Devils franchise, with his intensity and strong two-way play. However, although New Jersey had a surprisingly successful run in the 1988 playoffs, they never became a serious Stanley Cup contender while Muller was with them. After walking out of training camp on September 16, 1991, over a contract dispute, he was traded along with Roland Melanson to the Montreal Canadiens for Stéphane Richer and Tom Chorske on September 20.
Muller quickly became a fan favourite in Montreal, and he helped them win the Stanley Cup in 1993. He was traded to the New York Islanders during the 1994–95 NHL season. Initially, he was reluctant to report to the Islanders, then played a handful of games in an uninterested manner before team management decided that his poor attitude outweighed his potential contributions on the ice and barred him from the team. Eventually, the Islanders recalled Muller, but he refused to report, freeing the Islanders from their contractual obligations to pay him. Ultimately, Muller was traded at a discount to the Toronto Maple Leafs, in a three team trade that saw Muller and Don Beaupre go to the Maple Leafs, Martin Straka, Ken Belanger and the rights to Bryan Berard go to the Islanders while Damian Rhodes and the rights to Wade Redden went to the Ottawa Senators. Muller had his last 20 goal season with the Maple Leafs the next season, but he was traded to the Florida Panthers for prospect Jason Podollan as the Leafs fell out of the playoff picture.
Muller struggled in Florida, scoring just four goals in the whole 1998–99 NHL season. His last break came when he signed with the Dallas Stars in the middle of the 1999–2000 season. Even though his scoring touch of old almost completely evaporated, he still managed to be a strong role player with the Stars for four seasons and was part of the "grumpy old men" line that included Mike Keane and John MacLean. He retired at the end of the 2002–03 season.
Muller played in 6 NHL All-Star Games (1985, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1992, 1993.)
==Coaching career==
Muller began his coaching career with the Queen's University Golden Gaels in his hometown of Kingston. During 2005-06, Muller's Golden Gaels posted an 8-13-1-2 record in the Ontario University Athletics Conference.
Muller also held the title of assistant coach to Marc Habscheid with Team Canada, winning the gold medal at the 2005 Lotto Cup Tournament in Slovakia. In March 2006, he served as assistant coach to Greg Gilbert at the Under-18 World Championship.
Muller returned to the Montreal Canadiens on June 20, 2006, when he was named assistant coach of the Canadiens.
On June 27, 2011, the Nashville Predators announced that Muller had been hired as the head coach of their AHL affiliate, the Milwaukee Admirals. On November 28, 2011, Muller became coach of the Carolina Hurricanes, taking over for Paul Maurice. On May 5, 2014, Muller was relieved of his coaching duties by the Carolina Hurricanes. On May 13, 2014, Muller was signed by the St. Louis Blues as an assistant coach.
On June 2, 2016, the Montreal Canadiens rehired Muller as an associate coach.
On August 13, 2020, Muller temporarily replaced head coach Claude Julien who was hospitalized with chest pains.
On February 24, 2021, Muller along with head coach Claude Julien were fired from the Canadiens and former assistant coach Dominique Ducharme took over as interim head coach.
On June 10, 2021 Kirk Muller was named an associate coach for the Calgary Flames under head coach Darryl Sutter.
==Records==
*New Jersey Devils franchise record for points in a single game (6 on Oct. 29, 1986)
*New Jersey Devils franchise record for assists in a single game (5 on Mar. 25, 1987)
*New Jersey Devils franchise record for points by a centre in a single season (94, 1987–88)
==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
1980–81 	Kingston Voyageurs 	MetJHL 	 	42 	17 	37 	54 	5 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1980–81 	Kingston Canadians 	OMJHL 	 	2 	0 	0 	0 	0 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1981–82 	Kingston Canadians 	OHL 	 	67 	12 	39 	51 	27 	 	4 	5 	1 	6 	4
1982–83 	Guelph Platers 	OHL 	 	66 	52 	60 	112 	41 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1983–84 	Guelph Platers 	OHL 	 	49 	31 	63 	94 	27 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1983–84 	Canada 	Intl 	 	15 	2 	2 	4 	16 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1984–85 	New Jersey Devils 	NHL 	 	80 	17 	37 	54 	69 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1985–86 	New Jersey Devils 	NHL 	 	77 	25 	41 	66 	45 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1986–87 	New Jersey Devils 	NHL 	 	79 	26 	50 	76 	75 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1987–88 	New Jersey Devils 	NHL 	 	80 	37 	57 	94 	114 	 	20 	4 	8 	12 	37
1988–89 	New Jersey Devils 	NHL 	 	80 	31 	43 	74 	119 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1989–90 	New Jersey Devils 	NHL 	 	80 	30 	56 	86 	74 	 	6 	1 	3 	4 	11
1990–91 	New Jersey Devils 	NHL 	 	80 	19 	51 	70 	76 	 	7 	0 	2 	2 	10
1991–92 	Montreal Canadiens 	NHL 	 	78 	36 	41 	77 	86 	 	11 	4 	3 	7 	31
1992–93 	Montreal Canadiens 	NHL 	 	80 	37 	57 	94 	77 	 	20 	10 	7 	17 	18
1993–94 	Montreal Canadiens 	NHL 	 	76 	23 	34 	57 	96 	 	7 	6 	2 	8 	4
1994–95 	Montreal Canadiens 	NHL 	 	33 	8 	11 	19 	33 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1994–95 	New York Islanders 	NHL 	 	12 	3 	5 	8 	14 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1995–96 	New York Islanders 	NHL 	 	15 	4 	3 	7 	15 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1995–96 	Toronto Maple Leafs	NHL 	 	36 	9 	16 	25 	42 	 	6 	3 	2 	5 	0
1996–97 	Toronto Maple Leafs	NHL 	 	66 	20 	17 	37 	85 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1996–97 	Florida Panthers 	NHL 	 	10 	1 	2 	3 	4 	 	5 	1 	2 	3 	4
1997–98 	Florida Panthers 	NHL 	 	70 	8 	21 	29 	54 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1998–99 	Florida Panthers 	NHL 	 	82 	4 	11 	15 	49 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1999–2000 	Dallas Stars 	NHL 	 	47 	7 	15 	22 	24 	 	23 	2 	3 	5 	18
2000–01 	Dallas Stars 	NHL 	 	55 	1 	9 	10 	26 	 	10 	1 	3 	4 	12
2001–02 	Dallas Stars 	NHL 	 	78 	10 	20 	30 	28 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2002–03 	Dallas Stars 	NHL 	 	55 	1 	5 	6 	18 	 	12 	1 	1 	2 	8
NHL totals	NHL totals 	NHL totals	 	1,349 	357 	602 	959 	1,223 	 	127 	33 	36 	69 	153
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
===International===
Year 	Team 	Event 	 	GP	G 	A 	Pts	PIM
1984 	Canada 	WJC 	 	7 	2 	1 	3 	16
1984 	Canada 	OG 	 	6 	2 	1 	3 	0
1985 	Canada 	WC 	 	10	2 	2 	4 	12
1986 	Canada 	WC 	 	9 	4 	3 	7 	12
1987 	Canada 	WC 	 	10	2 	0 	2 	8
1989 	Canada 	WC 	 	9 	6 	4 	10 	6
Senior totals	Senior totals	Senior totals	 	42	16	10	26 	38
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
==Head coaching record==
Team 	Year 	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season 	Postseason	Postseason	Postseason 	Postseason
Team 	Year 	G 	W 	L 	OTL 	Pts 	Finish 	W 	L 	Result 	
CAR 	2011–12	57 	25 	20 	12 	(62) 	5th in Southeast 	— 	— 	Missed playoffs	
CAR 	2012–13	48 	19 	25 	4 	42 	3rd in Southeast 	— 	— 	Missed playoffs	
CAR 	2013–14	82 	36 	35 	11 	83 	7th in Metropolitan	— 	— 	Missed playoffs	
Total	Total 	187 	80 	80 	27 	  	  	— 	— 	  	
==See also==
*List of NHL players with 1000 games played
==References==
==External links==
*
*
*Total Hockey (Second Edition), Editor - Dan Diamond, 
Category:1966 births
Category:Canadian ice hockey centres
Category:Canadian ice hockey coaches
Category:Carolina Hurricanes coaches
Category:Dallas Stars players
Category:Florida Panthers players
Category:Guelph Platers players
Category:Ice hockey people from Ontario
Category:Ice hockey players at the 1984 Winter Olympics
Category:Kingston Canadians players
Category:Milwaukee Admirals coaches
Category:Montreal Canadiens coaches
Category:Montreal Canadiens players
Category:National Hockey League All-Stars
Category:National Hockey League assistant coaches
Category:National Hockey League first-round draft picks
Category:New Jersey Devils draft picks
Category:New Jersey Devils players
Category:New York Islanders players
Category:Olympic ice hockey players of Canada
Category:St. Louis Blues coaches
Category:Stanley Cup champions
Category:Toronto Maple Leafs players
Category:Retired in 2003
Category:NHL Players that have scored a hat trick