Jim Playfair

Infobox Ice Hockey Player
position = Defence
shot = Left
height_ft = 6
height_in = 3
weight_lb = 185
played_for = Edmonton Oilers
Chicago Blackhawks
league = NHL
nationality = CAN
birth_date = birth date and age|1964|5|22
birth_place = Fort St. James, B.C.
career_start = 1983
career_end = 1992
draft = 20th overall
draft_year = 1982
draft_team = Edmonton Oilers


image_size = 200px

Jim Playfair (born May 22, 1964 in Vanderhoof, British Columbia) is a retired former professional ice hockey player and a former head coach of the Calgary Flames. Before making the NHL, Jim played for the Fort Saskatchewan Traders located just north of Edmonton. He played for the Edmonton Oilers and Chicago Blackhawks over the course of his career. His older brother Larry Playfair shares a lot of the same characteristics - both were drafted in the first round of the NHL Entry Draft (Larry in 1978 and Jim in 1982), and both played junior hockey for the Portland Winter Hawks of the Western Hockey League. However, Larry played 688 career NHL games; Jim a mere 21.

Jim 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's resignation as head coach was not unexpected; he had previously hinted he would make such a move due to the difficulty of his dual role and the handover had been planned. [http://www.cbc.ca/story/sports/national/2006/07/12/flames-sutter-stepdown.html] 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 the Baby Flames to a Calder Cup championship in 2001. He lives in Calgary with his 3 sons Dylan, Jackson, and Austin, and his wife Roxane.

On June 14, 2007, Playfair was replaced as head coach of the Calgary Flames by Mike Keenan, formerly of the Florida Panthers. In his first and only season as head coach of the Flames, the team went 43–29–10 which was good enough for the 8th and final playoff spot. The team went on to be eliminated by the Detroit Red Wings in the first round 4–2.

Career statistics

Playing career

Head coaching record

See also

*Notable families in the NHL