Gord Murphy
Gord Murphy joined the Wolf Pack as associate head coach August 2, 2019.
Prior to becoming a member of the Wolf Pack staff, the former long-time NHL defenseman had been an NHL assistant coach since the 2002-03 season. Murphy, a 52-year-old native of Willowdale, Ontario, spent most of the past five years as an assistant with the Philadelphia Flyers, the last two working as a fellow assistant with current Wolf Pack head coach Kris Knoblauch. Before that, Murphy was with the Florida Panthers for four seasons, and his first seven years (2002-03 through 2009-10) of coaching experience was on the Columbus Blue Jackets’ staff. He also has international coaching experience, having helped to guide Canada’s team, as an assistant coach, to a bronze medal in the 2014 IIHF U18 World Championship.
As a player, Murphy enjoyed an 862-game NHL career with the Flyers, Panthers, Boston Bruins and Atlanta Thrashers, from 1988-89 through 2001-02. He was twice a member of first-year expansion teams, in 1993-94 with the Panthers and in 1999-00 with the Thrashers, and helped the 1995-96 Florida squad to the Stanley Cup Final.
Originally a ninth-round draft pick (189th overall) by the Flyers in 1985 out of the Ontario Hockey League, Murphy totaled 85 goals and 238 assists for 323 points, along with 668 penalty minutes, in NHL action and also played 72 career AHL games (9-26-35, 52 PIM), with the Hershey Bears and Providence Bruins. As a rookie in 1987-88, Murphy won a Calder Cup with the Bears, who went a perfect 12-0 in that year’s postseason under head coach John Paddock, who piloted the Wolf Pack to the 2000 Calder Cup championship.