Mike Nykoluk, NHL’s first full-time assistant coach with Flyers, dies at 87

Mike Nykoluk, an assistant coach on the Flyers Stanley Cup-winning teams of 1974 and 1975, has died at 87, the team announced Monday.

Nykoluk, who was the first full-time assistant coach in NHL history, served as an assistant under Fred Shero with the Flyers from 1972-75. He was on the bench as the Flyers won their first Stanley Cup in 1974, beating the Boston Bruins in six games. The following year the Nykoluk and the Flyers repeated, shutting out the Buffalo Sabres 2-0 in the clinching game.

In a statement, the Flyers said: “The Philadelphia Flyers are saddened to hear of the passing Mike Nykoluk. Mike was the first assistant coach in Flyers history and is widely considered the first full-time assistant coach in the National Hockey League. He served Hall of Fame head coach Fred Shero for three season and was instrumental in bringing back-to-back Stanley Cup championships in 1974 and 1975 to the city of Philadelphia. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Mike’s family during his difficult time.”

He would serve as an assistant with the Rangers under Shero for two seasons (1978-80) before taking the head coaching job with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1980. Nykoluk coached the Leafs for four seasons, amassing a record of 89-144-47.

Prior to his coaching career, Nykoluk, a center, played 32 NHL game for the Maple Leafs. He also had a prolific career in the AHL, where he ranks sixth-all-time in points (881), third in assists (686) and fifth in games played (1,069). As a member of the Hershey Bears, Nykoluk won the AHL MVP Award in 1967, won the Calder Cup twice (1959, 1969) and was inducted into the AHL Hall of Fame in 2007.