Al Sims

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Allan Eugene Sims (b. April 18, 1953, in Toronto, Ontario) was a professional hockey player and later a head coach in the NHL.

[edit] Career

In 1972, Sims was the first round and first ever draft pick of the New York Raiders of the World Hockey Association, but he chose to sign with the Boston Bruins who drafted him in the third round. At Cornwall, Ontario in Junior Hockey he had played with Bob Murray who was a rushing defenceman. When he played for Boston he played with the greatest rushing defenceman of all time, Bobby Orr. They were a pairing for two years.

He played for Boston and its American Hockey League affiliate for 6 years. He then played for the Hartford Whalers for 2 years.

After his retirement from the NHL, Sims played and coached hockey in Scotland. Later he coached in the International League and won the Turner Cup with the Fort Wayne Komets in 1993. After a series of stints as assistant coach, he became head coach of the San Jose Sharks in the for the 1996–97 NHL season.

Sims was the head coach of the Milwaukee Admirals of the AHL for 3 years from 1998–2000, then moved on to the Central Hockey League for four years before moving to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins as an assistant coach for one year. Sims is currently back in Fort Wayne, as the head coach of the Fort Wayne Komets of the IHL. In 2007-2008 Sims coached the Komets to his 2nd Turner Cup championship, beating the Port Huron Icehawks 4 games to 3 after a 3 OT game 7.

Sims' son Tyler was the starting goaltender of the Providence College Friars in Hockey East. He is on the Las Vegas Wranglers (ECHL) roster.

Preceded by Jim Wiley

Head Coaches of the San Jose Sharks 1996–1997

Succeeded by Darryl Sutter