James Donald Skinner (January 12, 1917 – July 11, 2007) was the head coach, chief scout, and farm director, director of player personnel, director of hockey operations, assistant general manager, and general manager for the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League.[1]

Jimmy Skinner
Born
James Donald Skinner

(1917-01-12)January 12, 1917
Selkirk, Manitoba, Canada
DiedJuly 11, 2007(2007-07-11) (aged 90)
Windsor, Ontario, Canada
Occupation(s)head coach for the Detroit Red Wings (1954-58)
general manager for the Detroit Red Wings (1980-82)
AwardsStanley Cup (1955)
Jimmy Skinner
Height 5 ft 9 in (175 cm)
Weight 180 lb (82 kg; 12 st 12 lb)
Position Defence
Shot Right
Played for Selkirk Fishermen
Winnipeg Rangers
Winnipeg Falcons
Flin Flon Bombers
Omaha Knights
Indianapolis Capitals
Playing career 1938–1947

Playing career

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Skinner played for the Selkirk Fishermen, Winnipeg Rangers and the Winnipeg Falcons in his teens. He was offered a contract with New York Rangers but declined the offer and played for the Flin Flon Bombers instead. Skinner was a member of the Bombers team, which won the Sask. Senior Hockey League Championship in 1938.

Skinner would later move on to serve as a player/coach for the Omaha Knights, followed by a stint with the Indianapolis Capitals playing alongside his brother, Morden Huron Lake "Ducky" Skinner in 1943. Skinner's playing career ended prematurely as a result of injuries. It was at that time, that Skinner opted to enter the coaching ranks.

Coaching career

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Skinner was hired to coach the Windsor Spitfires by Jack Adams in 1947, staying in the position until 1953, when he became the head coach of the Hamilton Red Wings, where he guided the team to a Memorial Cup victory in 1962.

At the end of the 1953-54 season, Skinner was hired by Adams to serve as the head coach for the Detroit Red Wings. As a rookie head coach, Skinner guided the Red Wings to a victory over the Montreal Canadiens in the 1955 Stanley Cup Finals, which wound up being the last time the Red Wings won the trophy until 1997. Skinner is credited with starting the tradition of kissing the Stanley Cup upon victory.[2]

In the 1956-57 season, Skinner guided the Red Wings to a first-place finish in the standings, before being defeated by the Boston Bruins in the 1957 Stanley Cup playoffs.

Skinner resigned as the Red Wings head coach in 1958, due to illness. Skinner finished his coaching career with a record of 123–78–46, coaching in three National Hockey League All-Star Games from 1954 to 1958. Skinner continued to work for the team in different managerial duties, before his retirement in 1983.

Skinner was credited with the implementation of the NHL Entry Draft, which was meant to give teams a chance to select players outside their territorial region.

Skinner was inducted into numerous sports hall of fame for his contributions. He was first inducted into the Detroit Red Wings Hall of Fame in 1977 and the Windsor Essex County Sports Hall of Fame as a founder in 2006.

Skinner was inducted as a builder into both the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame in 1986 and the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame on May 24, 2014.

Personal life

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Skinner had two brothers, Gordon and Morden (Ducky). After their father James Skinner Sr. died, the three of them inherited "Skinner's" restaurant (established in 1929) located in Lockport, Manitoba, Canada.

Skinner married Vivian Anna Reynolds in 1943. The couple had four children, Holly, Karen, Tess, and James (Jr). Skinner died in Windsor, Ontario on July 11, 2007, six months after his wife's death.

Both of Skinner's nicknames, "Jimmy" and "Jimmie",[2][3] were used in his professional playing and coaching careers.

Coaching record

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Team Year Regular season Post season
G W L T Pts Division rank Result
Detroit Red Wings 1954–55 70 42 17 11 95 1st in NHL Won Stanley Cup
Detroit Red Wings 1955–56 70 30 24 16 76 2nd in NHL Lost in Cup Finals
Detroit Red Wings 1956–57 70 38 20 12 88 1st in NHL Lost in Semifinals
Detroit Red Wings 1957–58 37 13 17 7 (70) 3rd in NHL stepped down due illness
NHL Total 247 123 78 46

References

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  1. ^ Sports Illustrated "Ex-Red Wings coach Skinner dies at 90" July 11, 2007[dead link]
  2. ^ a b Windsor Star "Skinner started Stanley Cup kiss tradition" July 12, 2007 Archived October 25, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
  3. ^ "James "Jimmie" D. Skinner". Windsor / Essex County Sports Hall of Fame. Retrieved 2021-02-02.
Preceded by Head coach of the Detroit Red Wings
1954–1958
Succeeded by
Preceded by General manager of the Detroit Red Wings
1980–82
Succeeded by