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Jim Playfair

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James Playfair
Playfair with the Phoenix Coyotes during the 2013–14 season.
Born (1964-05-22) May 22, 1964 (age 61)
Fort St. James, British Columbia, Canada
Height 6 ft 3 in (191 cm)
Weight 185 lb (84 kg; 13 st 3 lb)
Position Defence
Shot Left
Played for Edmonton Oilers
Chicago Blackhawks
Coached for Calgary Flames
NHL draft 20th overall, 1982
Edmonton Oilers
Playing career 1983–1992
Coaching career 1993–2022

James Playfair (born May 22, 1964) is a Canadian former ice hockey coach and defenceman. He was drafted in the first round, 20th overall, by the Edmonton Oilers in the 1982 NHL entry draft. Following his retirement due to an injury, Playfair coached the Calgary Flames, Arizona Coyotes, and Oilers.

Personal life

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Playfair was born on May 22, 1964, in Fort St. James, British Columbia.[1] He grew up with two brothers and a sister.[2] His elder brother Larry played in the National Hockey League (NHL) while their younger brother was killed at the age of 15 in a car accident.[2][3]

Playfair and his wife Roxane have three children together, including actor Dylan Playfair.[4][5]

Playing career

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Playfair played for the Fort Saskatchewan Traders of the Alberta Junior Hockey League before joining the Portland Winter Hawks of the Western Hockey League (WHL).[6] While playing in Portland, Playfair became a highly ranked prospect for the 1982 NHL entry draft.[7][8] He was ranked 24th overall by the NHL Central Scouting Bureau and was expected to be drafted in the second round.[9] Playfair finished the 1981–82 season with five goals and 20 points through 85 games (regular and playoffs).[2] Although the Winter Hawks qualified for the 1982 Memorial Cup, Playfair earned little playing time. Edmonton Oilers head scout Barry Fraser believed that if Playfair had played more, he would have been drafted earlier.[10] The Oilers, Boston Bruins, and the New York Islanders were all planning to draft Playfair.[11] He was ranked 10th on the Oilers' master draft list and was selected by them in the first round, 20th overall.[12]

Following the draft, Playfair trained at the University of Alberta with former Oilers power-skating instructor Audrey Bakewell and Alberta Golden Bears ice hockey team coach Clare Drake.[2] He signed a multiyear contract with the Oilers before attending their 1982 training camp.[13] During training camp and preseason competitions, he competed against John Blum and Randy Gregg for the sixth spot on the Oilers blueline.[14] Playfair spent a month with the Oilers before being returned to the Winter Hawks for the 1982–83 season.[15] As an alternate captain, Playfair helped the Winter Hawks win seven consecutive games to start the season.[16] However, he suffered a knee injury in November and missed 19 games to recover from the surgery.[17] By January, Playfair had recorded five goals and 15 assists for 20 points and a team-leading 146 penalty minutes.[18] He served a one-game suspension in February after earning six game misconduct penalties.[19] Playfair finished the regular season with eight goals and 27 assists through 63 games.[1]

Coaching career

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Playfair coaching the Calgary Flames.

Playfair became the head coach of the Calgary Flames on July 12, 2006, a promotion from his role as an assistant coach and replacing Darryl Sutter who previously had been both head coach and general manager. Sutter continued as general manager of the Flames. Playfair was also previously the head coach of the Saint John Flames of the American Hockey League, where he coached them to a Calder Cup championship in 2001.[20][21]

On June 14, 2007, Playfair was replaced as head coach of the Calgary Flames by Mike Keenan and demoted to associate coach. In his first and only season as head coach of the Flames, the team went 43–29–10 which was good enough for the eighth and final playoff spot. The team went on to be eliminated by the Detroit Red Wings in the first round.[22]

On June 5, 2009, Playfair began his second stint as a head coach in the American Hockey League after being named the head coach of the Abbotsford Heat (Calgary Flames affiliate).[23] In his two seasons at the helm, Playfair led the Heat to a 77–61–9–13 record (176 points). In 2009–10, he guided the Heat to the North Division finals, falling to the Hamilton Bulldogs in six games. On March 27, 2010, during one of the division final games against the Bulldogs, Playfair lost his temper and broke two hockey sticks due to penalty calls. Following the fame, Playfair called the owner of the Heat, the president of the Flames, and the president of the AHL to explain his actions. The league also fined him an undisclosed amount.[24]

He was hired as the associate coach of the Arizona Coyotes on June 13, 2011.[25] On June 27, 2017 the Coyotes and Playfair mutually parted ways. In June 2019, he was hired as an associate coach for the Edmonton Oilers. Playfair was fired by the Oilers in February 2022, along with head coach Dave Tippett.[26] While serving as an associate coach for the Prince George Cougars, Playfair was named an assistant coach for Team Canada at the 2023 Spengler Cup.[27]

Career statistics

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Playing career

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    Regular season   Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1980–81 Fort Saskatchewan Traders AJHL 31 2 17 19 105 — — — — —
1981–82 Portland Winter Hawks WHL 70 4 13 17 121 15 1 2 3 21
1982–83 Portland Winter Hawks WHL 63 8 27 35 218 14 0 5 5 16
1983–84 Edmonton Oilers NHL 2 1 1 2 2 — — — — —
1983–84 Portland Winter Hawks WHL 16 5 6 11 38 — — — — —
1983–84 Calgary Wranglers WHL 46 6 9 15 96 4 0 1 1 2
1984–85 Nova Scotia Oilers AHL 41 0 4 4 107 — — — — —
1985–86 Nova Scotia Oilers AHL 73 2 12 14 160 — — — — —
1986–87 Nova Scotia Oilers AHL 60 1 21 22 82 — — — — —
1987–88 Chicago Blackhawks NHL 12 1 3 4 21 — — — — —
1987–88 Saginaw Hawks IHL 50 5 21 26 133 — — — — —
1988–89 Chicago Blackhawks NHL 7 0 0 0 28 — — — — —
1988–89 Saginaw Hawks IHL 23 3 6 9 73 6 0 2 2 20
1989–90 Indianapolis Ice IHL 67 7 24 31 137 14 1 5 6 24
1990–91 Indianapolis Ice IHL 23 3 4 7 31 — — — — —
1991–92 Indianapolis Ice IHL 23 1 1 2 53 — — — — —
NHL totals 21 2 4 6 51 — — — — —
AHL totals 174 3 37 40 349 — — — — —
IHL totals 186 19 56 75 427 20 1 7 8 44

Head coaching record

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NHL

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Year Team League Regular season Post season
G W L OTL Pts Finish Result
2006–07 Calgary NHL 82 43 29 10 96 3rd in Northwest Lost in First Round (DET)

Minor leagues

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Year Team League Regular season Post season
G W L T OTL Pts Finish Result
1993–94 Dayton ECHL 68 29 31 — 8 66 5th in North Lost in First Round (TOL)
1994–95 Dayton ECHL 68 42 17 — 9 93 2nd in North Lost in Second Round (GBM)
1995–96 Dayton ECHL 70 35 28 — 7 77 5th in North Lost in First Round (TOL)
2000–01 Saint John AHL 80 44 24 7 5 100 1st in Canadian Won Calder Cup (WBS)
2001–02 Saint John AHL 80 29 34 13 4 75 5th in Canadian Missed Playoffs
2002–03 Saint John AHL 32 10 19 2 1 (71) Promoted to NHL midseason

4 playoff appearances, 1 Calder Cup title

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Jim Playfair". Elite Prospects. Retrieved June 7, 2025.
  2. ^ a b c d Knack, Marty (August 20, 1982). "Oilers' No. 1 pick exudes eagerness". Edmonton Journal. Retrieved June 7, 2025 – via newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "Crash kills youth". The Vancouver Sun. June 29, 1982. Retrieved June 7, 2025 – via newspapers.com.
  4. ^ Clarke, Ted (April 16, 2024). "Candy-store visits just part of the fun for Cougars associate coach Playfair". Prince George Citizen. Archived from the original on January 20, 2025. Retrieved June 7, 2025.
  5. ^ Cruickshank, Scott (November 6, 2019). "What it's really like to grow up the child of a pro hockey player or coach". The Athletic. Archived from the original on July 8, 2023. Retrieved June 7, 2025.
  6. ^ "Draft". Edmonton Journal. March 30, 1982. Retrieved June 8, 2025 – via newspapers.com.
  7. ^ Matthews, Lynn (April 2, 1982). "No choking this time, vows W-Hawk Shaw". The Columbian. Retrieved June 8, 2025 – via newspapers.com.
  8. ^ Pasero, George (February 10, 1982). "Cash dash". Oregon Journal. Retrieved June 8, 2025 – via newspapers.com.
  9. ^ Milber, Neil (June 6, 1982). "Black Hawks may draft another Sutter". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved June 8, 2025 – via newspapers.com.
  10. ^ Matheson, Jim (June 9, 1982). "Oilers' scout tickled with Playfair pick". Edmonton Journal. Retrieved June 8, 2025.
  11. ^ Matheson, Jim (September 3, 1982). "Playfair's work cut out". Edmonton Journal. Retrieved June 8, 2025 – via newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Oilers' blue-chip Czech". Edmonton Journal. June 10, 1982. Retrieved June 8, 2025 – via newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "Oilers sign Playfair". The Columbian. September 5, 1982. Retrieved June 8, 2025 – via newspapers.com.
  14. ^ Matheson, Jim (September 26, 1982). "Playfair flying high with Oilers". Edmonton Journal. Retrieved June 8, 2025 – via newspapers.com.
  15. ^ "Hawks add muscle with defenseman Jim Playfair". The Oregonian. October 2, 1982. Retrieved June 8, 2025 – via newspapers.com.
  16. ^ Olson, Ron (October 22, 1982). "Despite quick start, Hawk defense lax". The Oregonian. Retrieved June 8, 2025 – via newspapers.com.
  17. ^ Knack, Marty (December 8, 1982). "Edmonton connection clicks for Portland". Edmonton Journal. Retrieved June 8, 2025 – via newspapers.com.
  18. ^ "Hawk statistics". The Oregonian. January 25, 1983 – via newspapers.com.
  19. ^ "Hawks play Kamloops". The Oregonian. February 22, 1983. Retrieved January 9, 2025 – via newspapers.com.
  20. ^ "Calder Cup winner to lead Flames". American Hockey League. July 12, 2006. Retrieved June 8, 2025.
  21. ^ "Sutter quits as Flames coach". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. July 12, 2006. Retrieved June 7, 2025.
  22. ^ "Calgary Flames name Mike Keenan, make Jim Playfair associate coach". The Hockey News. June 14, 2007. Retrieved June 8, 2025.
  23. ^ "Playfair named first head coach of Abbotsford Heat". American Hockey League. June 5, 2009. Retrieved June 8, 2025.
  24. ^ "Playfair earns fine for tirade". ESPN. March 29, 2010. Retrieved June 7, 2025.
  25. ^ Harrison, Doug (June 13, 2011). "Former Flames coach Playfair jumps to Coyotes". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved June 7, 2025.
  26. ^ "Jay Woodcroft takes over as Oilers head coach, replacing Dave Tippett". Sportsnet.ca. Retrieved 2022-02-10.
  27. ^ "Associate Coach Jim Playfair Named Assistant Coach for Team Canada at the Spengler Cup". Canadian Hockey League. December 15, 2023. Retrieved June 8, 2025.
[edit]
Preceded by Edmonton Oilers first round draft pick
1982 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Head coach of the Calgary Flames
2006–07 		Succeeded by
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