He may not be the most well known coach in the storied history of the Detroit Red Wings, but he was an important part nonetheless.
↵Bobby Kromm, who coached the Red Wings from 1977-1980, died from colon cancer on Wednesday at the age of 82.
↵Kromm was the first Red Wings coach to win the Jack Adams Award as the league’s best coach, winning it in 1977-78, his first season. Only Jacques Demers (1986-87 and 1987-88) and Scotty Bowman (1995-96) have also captured the trophy for the Red Wings.
↵It’s surprising that Kromm was only one of three men to win the Jack Adams when you think of how many great head coaches the Wings have had. Jack Adams, who the trophy is named for, probably would’ve won few times himself, winning three Stanley Cups for Detroit from 1927-1942.
↵Kromm led Detroit to the playoffs in 1977-78 after previously missing out the previous seven seasons. His next two teams failed to clinch a playoff berth and he was fired, going 79-111-41 in three seasons.