Legendary Killer

This is a picture of Brian Kilrea in a Los Angeles Kings jersey.

"Killer" played in 25 games with the Kings in 1967-68 season, scoring just 3 goals and 8 points. In fact he scored the first goal in LA Kings history. Other than an early lone game appearance with Detroit, Kilrea was a career minor leaguer with Eddie Shore's AHL Springfield Indians.

Normally such a career would warrant "Legends" status, but everyone will agree there are few greater legends in the game of hockey than Brian Kilrea.

That's because Kilrea went on to become the most successful junior coach in hockey history, winning nearly 1200 games, all with the Ottawa 67's.

Now aged 74, he is nearing the end. He's going to retire at the end of the current season.

CBC Radio recently caught up with Kilrea, talking about his love of hockey and love of coaching. You can hear the interview about half way through the podcast version of the March 1st, 2009 edition of The Inside Track.

Kilrea is also the newest profile here at GreatestHockeyLegends.com. Did you know much of his coaching outlook comes from the tyrannical Eddie Shore? Or that after years in the minor leagues, Kilrea finally made the NHL, only to ask to be sent back to the minors because of the heat of California!

Read it all in Brian Kilrea's biography.