Bill O'Flaherty

Bill O'Flaherty is a Canadian ice hockey player, coach and executive. He was the head coach of Clarkson for six years before moving on to become the school's Athletic director, compiling one of the highest winning percentages in the history of college hockey.[1]

Bill O'Flaherty
Biographical details
BornEtobicoke, Ontario, Canada
Playing career
1967–1970Clarkson
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1971–1979Clarkson (assistant)
1979–1985Clarkson
1984–1997Clarkson (Athletic Director)
1997–2006Los Angeles Kings (Dir. of Player Personnel)
2006–2007Pittsburgh Penguins (Scout)
2007–2010Florida Panthers (Dir. of Pro Scouting)
Head coaching record
Overall134-59-12 (.683)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
1981 ECAC Hockey West Region Champion
1981 ECAC Hockey Champion
1982 ECAC Hockey West Region Champion
1982 ECAC Hockey Champion
Awards
1981 Spencer Penrose Award

Career

Bill O'Flaherty began attending Clarkson in 1967, playing under legendary coach Len Ceglarski for two full seasons and graduating in 1971 with a bachelor's in Humanities. O'Flaherty immediately moved to coaching afterwards, taking a position at Clarkson first under Ceglarski, then Jerry York after the former left to become the head coach at Boston College in 1972.[2] O'Flaherty remained as an assistant until York himself left to take over at Bowling Green[3] and O'Flaherty was chosen as his successor.

O'Flaherty had immediate and consistent success with the Golden Knights, winning 21 games in his first season (1979–80) and continuing that trend for his entire tenure. In his second and third seasons O'Flaherty got Clarkson 26-wins which provided the team with their only 2 back-to-back ECAC Hockey regular season titles in school history and getting them to their first NCAA tournament in over a decade.[4] In six seasons behind the bench O'Flaherty provided five 20-win seasons, 6 winning records, 3 NCAA tournament berths, and 2 conference regular season titles. O'Flaherty was awarded the Spencer Penrose Award in 1981 for prompting Clarkson to a superb season, the fourth consecutive coach at Clarkson to earn the honour.[5]

O'Flaherty moved into the front office, assuming the sole duties as Clarkson's Athletic Director in 1986 and remaining at that post until 1997 when he jumped to the NHL to serve as Director of Player Personnel for the Los Angeles Kings. O'Flaherty joined the staff of the Pittsburgh Penguins as professional scout for one season (2006–07) before becoming the Director of Pro Scouting for the Florida Panthers, remaining there until 2010.[6]

Personal life

Bill is the son of former NHLer John "Peanuts" O'Flaherty who spent most of his career in the minor leagues for the Pittsburgh Hornets.[7] Bill's brother Gerry O'Flaherty was drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1970 and spent parts of 8 seasons in the NHL as a player, eventually winning 3 Stanley Cups as a scout.[8]

Head coaching record
Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Clarkson Golden Knights (ECAC Hockey) (1979–1985)
1979–80 Clarkson 21-12-114-7-05thECAC Consolation Game (Loss)
1980–81 Clarkson 26-7-417-2-11stNCAA Quarterfinals
1981–82 Clarkson 26-8-115-4-11stNCAA Quarterfinals
1982–83 Clarkson 19-11-113-6-15thECAC Quarterfinals
1983–84 Clarkson 21-11-214-6-04thNCAA Quarterfinals
1984–85 Clarkson 21-10-315-6-03rdECAC Consolation Game (Loss)
Clarkson: 134-59-1288-31-3
Total:134-59-12

      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

[9]

References
  1. "NCAA Career Coaching Records — Win Pct". Inside College Hockey. Retrieved 2014-07-14.
  2. "Len Ceglarski Year-By-Year Coaching Record". USCHO.com. Retrieved 2014-07-14.
  3. "Jerry York Year-By-Year Coaching Record". USCHO.com. Retrieved 2014-07-14.
  4. "Clarkson Men's Hockey Team History". USCHO.com. Retrieved 2014-07-14.
  5. "NCAA Division 1 Awards". College Hockey Historical Archive. Retrieved 2014-07-14.
  6. "Panthers hire Bill O'Flaherty as Director of Pro Scouting". Florida Panthers. 2007-06-19. Retrieved 2014-07-14.
  7. "John "Peanuts" O'Flaherty". Hockey DB. Retrieved 2014-07-14.
  8. "Gerry O'Flaherty". Hockey Draft Central. Retrieved 2014-07-14.
  9. "2013-14 Clarkson Media Guide". ISSUU.com. Retrieved 2014-07-11.
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