The Untold Story of Glen Sather: The Man Behind Five Stanley Cups and a Hall of Fame Legacy

Glen Sather’s name is known for hockey excellence.

Over six decades, Sather made a big impact as a player, coach, and executive.

His retirement from being senior advisor to the owner and alternate governor for the New York Rangers in June 2024 marks the end of a 24-year run with the team and a remarkable career in hockey.

Key Highlights of Glen Sather’s Legendary Career

Early Career and Rise to Prominence

Glen Sather started his hockey journey as a left winger in the NHL, playing ten seasons from 1966 to 1976.

He played for teams like the Boston Bruins, Pittsburgh Penguins, New York Rangers, St. Louis Blues, and Minnesota North Stars.

Over his career, he appeared in 658 regular-season games, scoring 80 goals and 112 assists.

“Glen had an uncanny ability to read the game and understand what each player needed to succeed,” said Wayne Gretzky in an interview with Sports Illustrated. “He knew how to push us just the right amount and get the best out of everyone.” – Sports Illustrated, 2014

Retirement from Position

What Position Did Glen Sather Retire From?

Glen Sather retired from his role as senior advisor to the owner and alternate governor for the New York Rangers.

He had this role for five years after a long tenure with the team that began in June 2000.

Sather’s retirement ended a 24-year relationship with the Rangers and a career in hockey spanning six decades.

Joining the Rangers

When Did Glen Sather Join the Rangers, and in What Roles?

Glen Sather joined the New York Rangers in June 2000. He took on the roles of president and general manager.

He served as the Rangers’ general manager until July 1, 2015, and continued as their president until April 4, 2019.

After stepping down, he became a senior advisor and alternate governor, a position he held until June 26, 2024.

Achievements with the Oilers

How Many Stanley Cups Did Glen Sather Win with the Oilers, and in What Role?

Glen Sather won five Stanley Cups with the Edmonton Oilers:

• As head coach, he led the Oilers to four Stanley Cup victories in the 1980s (1983-84, 1984-85, 1986-87, and 1987-88).
• As general manager, he secured another Stanley Cup title in 1989-90.

“Winning the Stanley Cup as both a coach and GM is something special,” Sather reflected during his Hall of Fame induction speech in 1997. “It’s not just about strategy; it’s about building a team that believes in each other.” – Hockey Hall of Fame, 1997

This remarkable achievement makes Glen Sather one of only two people in NHL history to win at least four Stanley Cups as both a head coach and a general manager, alongside Punch Imlach.

Sather’s success with the Oilers established him as a key figure in hockey history and helped him get inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1997.

Also Read: 12 Fascinating Facts About the Stanley Cup Every Hockey Fan Should Know

Career Highlights

What Are Glen Sather’s Career Highlights?

Glen Sather’s career highlights span his roles as a player, coach, and executive in the NHL:

Playing Career

• NHL Tenure: Played 10 seasons as a left winger from 1966 to 1976.
• Teams: Boston Bruins, Pittsburgh Penguins, New York Rangers, St. Louis Blues, and Minnesota North Stars.
• Statistics: Appeared in 658 regular-season games, scoring 80 goals and 112 assists.

Coaching and Executive Career with Edmonton Oilers

• WHA and NHL: Joined the Oilers in the WHA in 1976-77 as a player-coach and continued as head coach after retiring as a player.
• Stanley Cups: Won five Stanley Cup championships (1983-84, 1984-85, 1986-87, 1987-88, and 1989-90).
• Division Titles: Led the Oilers to six consecutive Smythe Division championships (1981-82 to 1986-87).
• Records: Achieved a regular-season record of 497-307-121-7 and a playoff record of 89-37-1.
• Awards: Won the Jack Adams Trophy as NHL coach of the year in 1986.
• Hall of Fame: Inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame as a Builder in 1997.

Executive Career with New York Rangers

• Tenure: Joined the Rangers in June 2000 as president and general manager, serving until 2015, and then as senior advisor until 2024.
• Achievements: Improved the Rangers significantly, making the Stanley Cup Playoffs many times and reaching the Stanley Cup Final in 2014.
• Records: Set franchise records for most wins and games held as a GM.
• Draft Success: Drafted key players like Ryan Callahan, Marc Staal, Chris Kreider, Carl Hagelin, and Henrik Lundqvist.

Legacy

• Coaching Style: Known for letting players play to their strengths while keeping discipline and motivation.
• Player Development: Played a big role in developing NHL stars like Wayne Gretzky, Paul Coffey, Andy Moog, Jari Kurri, and Grant Fuhr.
• Recognition: Known for identifying and nurturing elite talent, which helped the success of both the Oilers and Rangers.

Glen Sather’s career is marked by his strategic thinking, leadership, and big contributions to the success of his teams, making him a key figure in hockey history.

Rangers’ Playoff Performance

How Did the Rangers Perform in the Playoffs Under Glen Sather from 2005 to 2017?

Under Glen Sather’s leadership from 2005 to 2017, the New York Rangers had a consistent presence in the playoffs.

Here’s a summary of their playoff performance during this period:

• The Rangers made the playoffs 11 times in 12 years, a big improvement from the previous four seasons when they missed the playoffs entirely.
• The team’s playoff success peaked with a trip to the Stanley Cup Final in 2014.
• In addition to the Stanley Cup Final appearance, the Rangers also reached the Conference Finals twice during this period.
• While the Rangers didn’t win a Stanley Cup under Sather’s management, they were regular playoff contenders. However, they only managed two playoff series wins over a decade, resulting in 14 total postseason wins during that time.

“Sather brought a winning culture to New York,” said Henrik Lundqvist in an interview with The New York Times. “He transformed the team and made us believe we could compete with the best.” – The New York Times, 2015

Overall, Sather’s time saw the Rangers go from missing the playoffs for four straight seasons to a consistent playoff team, even if they fell short of winning the Stanley Cup.

Rangers’ Achievements

What Were the Rangers’ Achievements from 2011 to 2017?

From 2011 to 2017, the New York Rangers had a very successful period with several big accomplishments:

• Made seven consecutive playoff appearances from 2010-11 to 2016-17.
• Reached the Eastern Conference Final three times in four years.
• In the 2011-12 season, the Rangers won the Atlantic Division and finished first in the Eastern Conference for the first time since 1993-94. They posted a 51-24-7 record and advanced to the Eastern Conference Final.
• The 2013-14 season was notable as the Rangers reached the Stanley Cup Final for the first time in 20 years. They defeated the Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Montreal Canadiens in the playoffs before losing to the Los Angeles Kings in the final.
• The 2014-15 season saw the Rangers set franchise records with 53 wins and 113 points. They won the Presidents’ Trophy for having the best record in the NHL.
• Throughout this period, the Rangers showed resilience in the playoffs, including comebacks from 3-1 series deficits against the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2014 and the Washington Capitals in 2015.

This era was marked by consistent playoff appearances, deep postseason runs, and regular-season excellence, making it one of the most successful periods in recent Rangers history.

Coaching Record

What Is Glen Sather’s Coaching Record?

Glen Sather’s coaching record is as follows:

• With the Edmonton Oilers, Sather had a regular-season record of 497 wins, 307 losses, and 121 ties, with a winning percentage of .602.
• His playoff record with the Oilers was 89 wins and 37 losses.
• In the 2003-2004 season with the New York Rangers, Sather had a record of 33 wins, 39 losses, 11 ties, and 7 overtime losses.
• In 1994, during a brief return to coaching with the Edmonton Oilers, Sather’s record was 22 wins, 27 losses, and 11 ties.
• Overall, combining his time with the Oilers and Rangers, Sather’s total coaching record in the NHL was 592 wins, 383 losses, and 128 ties.

Sather is currently ranked 19th all-time in regular-season coaching wins in the NHL. His most successful period as a coach was with the Edmonton Oilers, where he led the team to four Stanley Cup championships in the 1980s.

Career Stats

What Are Glen Sather’s Career Stats?

Glen Sather’s career stats as a player in the NHL are as follows:

• Games played: 658
• Goals: 80
• Assists: 113
• Total points: 193
• Plus/minus rating: +15

Sather played for 10 seasons across 6 different teams, including the New York Rangers and Boston Bruins.

He was primarily a left winger and went undrafted. His career spanned from the late 1960s to 1977, when he retired as a player.

In his final season (1975-76) with the Minnesota North Stars, Sather played 72 games, scoring 9 goals and providing 10 assists for a total of 19 points.

These stats show Sather’s contributions as a player before he became more known as a coach and executive in the NHL.

Hall of Fame Induction

Is Glen Sather in the Hall of Fame?

Yes, Glen Sather is in the Hall of Fame. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1997.

This induction recognized his big contributions to ice hockey, especially his success as a coach and executive.

Besides the Hockey Hall of Fame, Sather has been inducted into several other halls of fame:

• He was inducted into the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame & Museum in 1996.
• In 2010, he was elected as an inaugural inductee into the World Hockey Association Hall of Fame in the “Legends of the Game” category.
• He was inducted into the Alberta Hockey Hall of Fame in 2017.
• In 2022, Sather was inducted into the Bow Valley Sports Hall of Fame.

These many hall of fame inductions across different organizations highlight Sather’s big impact and lasting legacy in hockey.

Net Worth

What Is Glen Sather’s Net Worth in 2024?

As of 2024, Glen Sather’s net worth is estimated to be $20 million.

This big wealth comes from his long and successful career in the NHL as a player, coach, and executive.

Salary

What Is Glen Sather’s Salary?

While there isn’t specific information about Glen Sather’s salary in 2024, we can share some details about his career earnings:

• Over his whole career in the NHL as a player, coach, and executive, Glen Sather earned $82,242,922 (equal to $120,535,570 in today’s dollars).
• In his later years as President and General Manager of the New York Rangers, Sather’s salary was substantial:
  • For the 2008-09 season, his salary was about $8,000,000.
  • In his final years as General Manager (up to 2015), his salary was around $3,000,000 per year.

It’s important to note that Sather stepped down from his advisory role with the Rangers on June 26, 2024, so he may no longer be getting a salary from the team.

Personal Life

Who Are Glen Sather’s Family Members?

Glen Sather’s family members include:

• Wife: Ann Sather. Glen and Ann have been married for many years, and she has been at big events in his career.
• Sons: Shannon and Justin Sather. Both sons were present during the ceremony honoring Glen Sather in Edmonton.
• Grandchildren: Glen and Ann have two grandchildren, who were also at the ceremony in Edmonton. Their names weren’t provided.

“Family has always been at the core of everything I’ve done,” Sather said during a speech at his banner-raising ceremony. “Their support and love have been my biggest motivators throughout my career.” – Edmonton Sun, 2022

Family has been a key part of Sather’s life and career.

Wayne Gretzky, in a video message during Sather’s banner-raising ceremony, said that “Glen and Ann Sather believed in family” and that Sather always wanted the best for his players, the Oilers, and the city of Edmonton.

Conclusion

Glen Sather’s contributions to hockey are huge and far-reaching. From his early days as a player to his storied career as a coach and executive, Sather has left a big mark on the sport.

His strategic thinking, leadership, and ability to nurture talent have made him one of the most respected figures in hockey history.

As we think about his legacy, it’s clear that Glen Sather’s impact will be felt for many years to come.

FAQs

Also Read:

How Kyle Okposo Won the Stanley Cup and What It Means for His Career

Breaking News: Matvei Michkov to Join the Philadelphia Flyers for the 2024-25 Season