Joe Mullen

At 67 years old, Joe Mullen has this physical status:

Joseph Patrick Mullen (born February 26, 1957) is an American former professional ice hockey player.

He played 16 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the St. Louis Blues, Calgary Flames, Pittsburgh Penguins and Boston Bruins between 1980 and 1997.

He was a member of three Stanley Cup championship teams, winning with the Flames in 1989 and the Penguins in 1991 and 1992.

Mullen turned to coaching in 2000, serving as an assistant in Pittsburgh and briefly as head coach of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.

He was an assistant with the Philadelphia Flyers from 2007 to 2017. An undrafted player, Mullen was an all-star for the Boston College Eagles before turning professional in the Blues' organization.

He was named the Central Hockey League (CHL) rookie of the year in 1980 and most valuable player in 1981 as a member of the Salt Lake Golden Eagles.

He won the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy as the NHL's most gentlemanly player on two occasions as a member of the Flames, as well as the NHL Plus-Minus Award.

Mullen was named to the First All-Star Team in 1988–89 and played in three NHL All-Star Games. Mullen played with the United States National Team on several occasions, including three Canada Cup tournaments.

He was the first American player to score 500 goals and to reach 1,000 points in his career.

Mullen received the Lester Patrick Trophy in 1995 in recognition of his contributions to the sport in the United States.

He was inducted into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame in 1998 and the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2000.

Early life

Born February 26, 1957, in New York, New York, Mullen grew up in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan when it was controlled by the Gambino crime family. It was a rough neighborhood; Mullen later said that many of the people he grew up with fell into gangs and drug use, and several died before turning 21. He has three brothers, Ken, Tom Jr. and Brian, and a sister, Debbie.

The Mullen family lived less than a block from Madison Square Garden, where Joe's father Tom was a longtime employee on the ice and maintenance staffs. Joe and his brothers often hung around the arena with their father, taking old sticks to play with. He began playing roller hockey at the age of five, playing in a concrete schoolyard and using a sanded down roll of electrical tape as a puck. The boys' schoolyard games served as a partial inspiration for New York Rangers' general manager, Emile Francis, to create the Metropolitan Junior Hockey Association in 1966. Mullen did not learn to ice skate until he was ten years old, but at the age of 14 joined the Metropolitan association as one of the league's youngest players. Mullen played four seasons in the league between 1971 and 1975. He scored 71 goals in 1973–74, then 182 points in 40 games the following season. Mullen's 110 goals in 1974–75 was 52 more than his nearest competitor.

Personal life

Mullen and his wife, Linda, have four children: sons Ryan, Michael and Patrick, and a daughter: Erin. Patrick is also a professional hockey player. He signed a contract with the Ottawa Senators organization for the 2013–14 season.

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Playing career

Mullen was offered a partial scholarship to attend and play for the Eagles hockey program in 1975-76. In the first year, he paid $700 out of his own pocket, but the school gave him a full scholarship after scoring 34 points in 24 games as a freshman. With 39, 38, and 30 respectively, he led the Eagles in goals for the next three seasons, winning 38, 38, and 30 respectively, and 56 in 1978–79. Mullen coached the Eagles to the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) championship in 1977–78, and he was named an all-star of the 1978 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) tournament. In the championship game, he scored a goal, but the Eagles lost 5–3.

Mullen set school records of 110 goals and 212 points in four seasons with Boston College (both records have since been broken). In 1978 and 1979, he was selected to the All-ECAC, All-New England, and NCAA All-American teams. In 1978, he received the Walter Brown Award as New England's best American-born player, and was the team captain from 1978 to 1979. Mullen was twice inducted into the Varsity Club Hall of Fame in 1998, when the hockey program renamed him No. 21 the following year.

Though Mullen had a fruitful college career, he was undrafted by no National Hockey League (NHL) team. His petite stature, as well as a general anti-American players at the time, particularly from non-traditional development sectors, contributed to his decision's inability. Following graduation, he exhibited an interest in several organizations, as well as the United States Olympic Team. He turned down the opportunity to participate in the 1980 Winter Olympics and signed with the St. Louis Blues on August 16, 1979. Mullen was assigned by the Blues to their Central Hockey League (CHL) affiliate, the Salt Lake Golden Eagles, for the 1979–80 season. Mullen scored 40 goals and 72 points in 75 games with the Golden Eagles. He was named to the CHL's second all-star team and was named rookie of the year. He made his NHL debut in the 1980 Stanley Cup Playoffs, appearing in just one game for the Blues.

Mullen played for 59 goals and led the league with 117 points in the 1980–81 season. He was voted to the first all-star team and was named in the CHL's Most Valuable Player Award. Mullen, who was born in 1981-82, had 21 goals in 27 games before being recalled to St. Louis. He scored his first two NHL goals against the Minnesota North Stars on January 5, 1981. They were eight seconds apart, setting a record for the fastest two goals by one player in the Blues. Mullen scored 25 goals for the Blues last season, becoming the first player to score at least 20 goals in both the minor leagues and the NHL in the same season.

Injuries limited Mullen to 49 games with the Blues in 1982-1983, but he still scored 47 points. His 41 goals in 1983–84 set a record for an American-born player in NHL history (broken by Bobby Carpenter the following season). He scored 92 points on his first return to the 40-goal plateau in 1984–85. He missed the first three days of the Blues' training camp before settling on a one-year contract before agreeing to a one-year contract. The Blues signed him to the Calgary Flames on February 1, 1986 as part of a six-player trade. Mullen, Terry Johnson, and Rik Wilson were sent to Calgary for Eddy Beers, Charlie Bourgeois, and Gino Cavallini.

Mullen was a key offensive player for the Flames, and they needed someone to fill the role. Mullen was initially furious at the change because it was the first time he had been transferred in his career. He was awed by the outpouring of emotion from supporters in Calgary, but supporters welcomed him warmly as his plane landed to land in the city. Mullen described the experience as "almost like... an instant celebrity." He quickly established himself as a fan favorite in 29 games, scoring 38 points in 29 games to bring an end to the regular season. In the 1986 Stanley Cup playoffs, he led the league with 12 goals. For the first time in franchise history, the Flames advanced to the Finals, but they lost in five games to the Montreal Canadiens. Mullen played 47 goals in his first full year in Calgary, 1986–87, and was voted the winner of the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy as the NHL's most gentlemanly player.

Mullen's 40 goals in 1987–88 was the fifth straight season he had scored. He made his first of three consecutive Molson Cups as the Flames' most three star picks throughout the season. Mullen's best season in the NHL came in 1988-89. He met the 50 goal and 100 point milestones while leading the Flames with 51 and 110 respectively, and also won his second Lady Byng Memorial Trophy. He was selected as a first-team All-Star on right wing and was voted the Plus-Minus Award at +51. In addition, he appeared in his first NHL All-Star Game, alongside his brother Brian. As the Flames defeated the Canadiens to win their first Stanley Cup championship, he led the 1989 Stanley Cup playoffs with 16 goals.

Mullen's output dropped by 41 points, to 69, for the first time in six seasons, despite being in his second All-Star Game in 1990. After being concerned about his age, the Flames decided to trade Mullen's 33-year-old Mullen after the season. In exchange for Pittsburgh's second round pick, he was sent to the Pittsburgh Penguins in a draft day trade on June 16, 1990.

Mullen moved to Pittsburgh, New York, and fulfilled his desire to raise his family in his native United States. He also appreciated that the Penguins felt he could help their team. Coach Bob Johnson, who had previously worked with him in Calgary, had an influence on the team's decision to bring him. Mullen played just 47 games between 1990 and 1991, scoring 17 goals and 39 points. After having surgery to repair a herniated disc in his back, he missed the last two months of the regular season, but he could not recall a specific check or event that caused his absence. He was in his third game of the Penguins' Division Semifinals against the New Jersey Devils, scoring a goal. Mullen won by eight goals in game six of the Finals, including two in game six of the Stanley Cup, an 8–0 victory over the Minnesota North Stars, clinching Pittsburgh's first Stanley Cup.

Mullen recovered offensively to score 42 goals and 87 points in 77 games after being healthy through the 1991-92 season. He became the first Penguins' player to play in a row consecutive four-goal games, against the New York Islanders on December 23, 1991, and the Toronto Maple Leafs on December 23, 1991. In the second game of Pittsburgh's Division Final series against the New York Rangers, he appeared in only nine playoff games, though he sustained a knee injury that required surgery to fix. As the Penguins repeated as Stanley Cup champions, Mullen watched from the sidelines.

Prior to the 1992–93 season, Mullen tried free services, but the Penguins ultimately decided to remain with the Penguins. He missed the first month of the season due to knee surgery, but he finished the season with 33 goals and 70 points in 72 games. He had six points in 12 playoff games, but the Penguins' attempt at a third straight championship came to a end with a Division Final loss to the New York Islanders. Mullen's third All-Star Game appearance came after a 38-goal streak in 1993–94. Mullen's game was a homecoming of sorts, as it was played in Madison Square Garden.

Mullen scored 37 points in 45 games during the 1994–95 lockout period. In a 7–3 victory over the Florida Panthers on February 7, 1995, he reached his 1,000th point of his career with a pair of assists. Following the season, he left the Penguins as a free agent with the Boston Bruins, completing one-year with the Boston Bruins. Mullen wore number 11 with the Bruins because his old number 7 had been defunct by the Bruins in honor of Phil Esposito. He missed the majority of the season after needing surgery for another herniated disc and then suffering a strained medial collateral ligament ligament. He appeared in only 37 games, scoring 15 points.

Mullen joined the Penguins in 1996-97 after committing to a one-year deal. He played in 54 games and scored 22 points. In a 6–3 loss to the Colorado Avalanche on March 14, 1997, he scored his 500th career goal. Following the season, he resigned as a player.

Following his graduation from Boston College, Mullen made his first appearance with the United States National Team. He appeared in eight games at the 1979 World Ice Hockey Championships, scoring seven goals and adding an assist for the seventh place Americans. He was a member of three Canada Cup teams, including 1984, 1987, and 1991. He scored two goals in the 1991 tournament, both of which culminated in a 7–3 win over Finland, which helped the US advance to their first tournament final. After losing to Canada in the championship series, the Americans settled for second place.

Mullen came from retirement to join the United States for a qualifying tournament leading up to the 1999 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships. The United States had a dismal 12th place finish in the 1998 tournament, requiring them to progress to the B division instead of being relegated to the B division for 1999. American NHL players were not available when the qualifying tournament was played in November. Mullen played three times in three games and helped the Americans remain in the top division for the 1999 tournament.

Coaching career

Mullen converted to teaching in 2000, joining the Penguins' staff as an assistant under Ivan Hlinka. When Hlinka was dismissed a year later, he stayed on the team, under newcomer Rick Kehoe, and then Ed Olczyk. Mullen was suspended midway through the 2005–06 NHL season when the Penguins fired Olczyk and his entire staff. He was retained by the company, but the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins were named interim head coach for the remainder of the American Hockey League (AHL) season. Mullen won a record of 28 games, 16 losses, 3 ties, and 5 overtime losses. Mullen's contract was not renewed by the Penguins after the season. He began working with the Philadelphia Flyers, AHL's Philadelphia Phantoms, in 2006-07, before joining the NHL team in 2007. Mullen coached the team's power play and was a member of the staff when the team advanced to the 2010 Stanley Cup Final. He was on the Flyers' staff from 1996–17 seasons.

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