Danny Lewicki

Danny Lewicki signed on to coach the Hamilton Red Wings in August of 1964, lasted only one season. Courtesy of the Hamilton Spectator

As Red Wings coach, Lewicki lasted only one season
Former NHL player refused to move to Hamilton after 1964-65 season

After a great start to the decade of 1960 with the winning of the Memorial Cup in 1962, the Hamilton Red Wings floundered a bit, and it was hoped that the former glory would come back when Danny Lewicki signed on as coach of the Junior A club.

“This is my first Junior A team and it’s quite a challenge,” Lewicki noted upon his signing in August of 1964. “I’m quite pleased with the opportunity.”

Born in Fort William in 1931, Lewicki started his career at the Lakehead with the Fort William Knights of Columbus in 1945. Three years later he was skating with the Stratford Kroehlers of the OHA, and then went to the Toronto Marlboros.

Known as “Dashing Danny,” Lewicki was called up to play with the Maple Leafs for the 1950-51 season, and scored 16 goals in 61 games during his first season. He played for the Leafs as they won the Stanley Cup that season also. Two years earlier he had helped the Marlies win the Allan Cup.

For the next several years he played in the Leafs organization, mostly with the Pittsburgh Hornets of the AHL with a few trips to Toronto. But he was traded to the New York Rangers in July of 1954, and recorded his best season in the majors with a 29-goal season.

After four seasons with the Rangers he went to the Chicago Black Hawks for the 1958-59 season, and then played in the AHL with the Buffalo Bisons and the Quebec Aces, finishing his playing in 1963.

Lewicki, shown here in his first season with the NY Rangers in 1955, played with the club for four seasons. Courtesy of the Hamilton Spectator

Lewicki became the fifth coach of the Hamilton Red Wings since the Detroit franchise was transferred from Windsor in 1953. His immediate predecessor, Eddie Bush, would be directing the ice operations at the week-long rookie camp with prospects battling for positions in various Detroit junior operations. Bush was also the new manager-coach for the Memphis Wings.

Lewicki had coached the Etobicoke Indians in the Metro Junior B league before coming to Hamilton.

He brought some of his own thoughts to the game when he donned his Red Wings jacket:

“There are lots of old pros with knowledge,” he said in an interview. “But the job and the challenge is to convey it successfully to the kids you’re coaching. Some kids need a pat on the backside and some need a kick.”

But Lewicki’s tenure in Hamilton was not long. By March of 1965 he relinquished his post because he declined to move to Hamilton from Etobicoke, a request from Red Wings management.

“They feel the coach should live here,” Lewicki stated at the time. “But it would be too big a gamble for me to move my family to Hamilton on a year-to-year basis.”

Management was pleased with his performance, but stood its ground in the decision.

“We have no complaints about Danny’s work,” said Detroit Red Wings Chief Scout Jimmy Skinner. “He has a tremendous personality and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend him for any job. But you can’t commute and coach a Junior A hockey club. It isn’t fair to yourself, your family, or the club.”

The team did not fare well during his regime, placing eighth in the standings for the 1964-65 season with a 14-31-11 record.

Lewicki stayed in the background after his time behind the Red Wings bench. He did write a personal memoir of his hockey career in 2006, entitled From the Coal Docks to the NHL.

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