Shero, Fred (Frederick Alexander Shero), 1925–1990, Canadian hockey player and coach. He was a defenseman for the New York Rangers (1947–50), then played (1950–58) and coached (1958–70) in the minor leagues before being hired by the Philadelphia Flyers in 1971. He coached them to two Stanley Cups (1974–75) and was named coach of the year in 1974. He was especially notable as an innovator whose firsts include hiring an assistant coach, using offense and defense systems rather than relying solely on the skills of the players, and importing Russian hockey techniques into the NHL. He left the Flyers in 1978 and was hired by the New York Rangers as head coach and general manager; he was fired midseason in 1980. After a stint as a radio commentator, he coached the Tilburg, Holland, team (1987–88). He had 308 NHL regular season wins, with a .642 winning percentage, and 48 playoff wins. His books include Shero: The Man behind the System (1975) and Hockey for the Coach, the Player, and the Fan (1980). Shero was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2013.
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2024, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
See more Encyclopedia articles on: Sports: Biographies
