Kelly McCrimmon


Kelly McCrimmon is a Canadian ice hockey executive who is general manager of the Vegas Golden Knights of the National Hockey League.

Playing career

Kelly McCrimmon played for the Prince Albert Raiders of the SJHL before suiting up with the Wheat Kings for two seasons, winning his first championship there as a player in his rookie season. After his WHL career, he played hockey for the University of Michigan Wolverines for four seasons, and was named captain his final season.

Post-playing career

Brandon Wheat Kings

McCrimmon spent his first years of coaching junior hockey in the SJHL, starting with the North Battleford North Stars for two seasons, then one with the Lloydminster Lancers.
In 1988 he re-joined the Brandon Wheat Kings as an assistant coach, then later became general manager in 1989, as well as a few stints as head coach on the way replacing Doug Sauter and Kevin Maxwell respectively. In 1992, he became the minority owner of the Wheat Kings, purchasing one-third of the franchise. In 2001, he became the sole owner of the franchise after he bought the remaining shares from Bob Cornell.
In 1995–96, McCrimmon won his first championship as a WHL general manager and his second championship with the Wheat Kings.
In 2004, he took over the coaching duties for the Brandon Wheat Kings. In his third stint as head coach of Brandon Wheat Kings, he made an appearance in the finals as head coach and general manager. In 2011, he stepped down from his coaching duties handing them to former Ottawa Senators head coach Cory Clouston.
McCrimmon returned to the bench in the 2013–14 season for the Wheat Kings for the next three seasons. During the 2014–15 season, he coached the Wheat Kings to the Western Hockey League finals, losing to the Kelowna Rockets. The next season he was brought on as an assistant coach for Canada men's national [junior ice hockey team|Team Canada] at the World Junior Championships in Helsinki, Finland. The Wheat Kings had a second stint at the finals that year winning the Ed Chynoweth Cup that year against the Seattle Thunderbirds in five games.

Vegas Golden Knights

After twenty-six seasons with the Brandon Wheat Kings, on August 2, 2016, McCrimmon was named the first-ever assistant general manager of the new NHL expansion team Vegas Golden Knights. This came after he turned down an offer from the Toronto Maple Leafs to join their front office.
In McCrimmon's first year as assistant general manager, the Vegas Golden Knights became the second expansion team ever, after the St. Louis Blues, to make the Stanley Cup Finals.
On May 2, 2019, he was promoted to general manager as former general manager George McPhee took on the role of president.
On January 26, 2021, McCrimmon acted as head coach of the Golden Knights in a 5-4 shootout loss to the St. Louis Blues due to a COVID-19 outbreak within the Vegas Golden Knights coaching staff.
On June 13, 2023, the Golden Knights defeated the Florida Panthers 9 - 3 to win the Stanley Cup. By winning the Cup after six seasons, they become the fastest team to win the Stanley Cup from the time of expansion beating the 1973-74 Philadelphia Flyers who won the Cup in their seventh season.

Awards and honours

Personal life

McCrimmon and his wife, Terri have two adult children, Chelsea and Mick. He is the younger brother of NHL defenseman and later coach Brad McCrimmon, who died in the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl plane crash.

Career statistics

Head coaching record

YearTeamWLOT/TFinishPostseason
1990–91Brandon Wheat Kings283867th in EastDid not qualify
1990–91Brandon Wheat Kings195128th in EastDid not qualify
1991–92Brandon Wheat Kings115568th in EastDid not qualify
2004-05Brandon Wheat Kings452161st in EastLost in WHL finals
2005-06Brandon Wheat Kings3032103rd in EastLost East Division quarter-final
2006-07Brandon Wheat Kings4120111st in EastLost East Division semi-final
2007-08Brandon Wheat Kings422463rd in EastLost East Division quarter-final
2008-09Brandon Wheat Kings3032103rd in EastLost East Division final
2009-10Brandon Wheat Kings501843rd in EastLost West Division final
2010-11Brandon Wheat Kings323193rd in WestLost East Division quarter-final
2013-14Brandon Wheat Kings452343rd in EastLost East Division final
2014-15Brandon Wheat Kings531181st in EastLost WHL finals
2015–16Brandon Wheat Kings481861st in EastWon WHL Championship; Lost in Memorial Cup