Joseph 'Joe' Crozier

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Born February 19, 1929 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Height: 6'0"  Weight: 180 lbs

Elected into the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame in 1985 and the American Hockey League Hall of Fame in 2012, The Crow? as he was fondly known, played in a handful of games with the Reds in 1958. He would go on to become one of the most identifiable figures in the annals of the Rochester Americans, helping lay the foundation for what would become a flagship franchise through a dominating run of achievements.

A native of Winnipeg, Joe played 12 professional seasons as a defenseman, making AHL stops with the Reds and Springfield Indians before he first joined the Rochester Americans in 1959-60. Crozier helped Rochester reach the Calder Cup finals that season, and then closed out his playing career with the Amerks the following year.

In 1963, Crozier returned to Rochester to become the young franchise?s ninth head coach in eight seasons, and in 1964-65, after he added the duties of general manager, Crozier?s club was the class of the American Hockey League. They went 48-21-3, setting a team record for wins that would stand for 34 years, then dispatched Quebec and Hershey to capture the franchise?s first Calder Cup.

Crozier kept his Amerks on top of the league in 1965-66, winning a second consecutive Calder Cup. Following a loss to Pittsburgh in the 1967 finals, he became the third head coach in AHL history to win three Calder Cups when Rochester reclaimed the title in 1968.

During his six full seasons as an AHL head coach, Crozier reached five finals and won three league championships. Two other seasons in the AHL were cut short when he was promoted to coaching positions in the National Hockey League.

With a career record of 305-199-46, Crozier?s .596 lifetime winning percentage ranks second among the 16 members of the AHL?s 300-win fraternity, and his Rochester Americans of the late 60?s remain the only team in league history to reach four consecutive Calder Cup finals.

Joe Crozier
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R. I. Reds Heritage Society
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