Dave Barr (ice hockey)

David Angus Barr (born November 30, 1960) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey right winger who played 13 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Boston Bruins, New York Rangers, St. Louis Blues, Hartford Whalers, Detroit Red Wings, New Jersey Devils and Dallas Stars. He was previously an assistant coach for the Florida Panthers (June 2016 - July 2017), Buffalo Sabres (July 2015 – June 2016), New Jersey Devils (July 2011 – December 2014), Minnesota Wild (July 2009 – April 2011), Colorado Avalanche (July 2008 – June 2009), and San Jose Sharks (July 2017 – December 2019).

Early life
Barr was born in Toronto, Ontario, but grew up in Edmonton, Alberta. Barr played junior hockey for the Billings Bighorns, Edmonton Oil Kings, Great Falls Americans, Portland Winter Hawks and Lethbridge Broncos of the Western Hockey League.

Playing career
Barr turned pro and played a total of 614 regular season games in the National Hockey League, notching 128 goals and 204 assists, for a total of 332 points, along with 520 PIM over his thirteen seasons. Because of his skill, work ethic and grit, Barr also became a valuable journeyman in the NHL – playing with seven different teams – including stops in Boston, New York (NYR), St. Louis, Hartford Detroit, New Jersey and Dallas. Following the NHL, he closed out his playing career with the IHL's Kalamazoo Wings and Orlando Solar Bears (where he was a player/assistant coach).

Coaching
After his retirement as an active player, he continued with coaching, first as an assistant and then becoming the head coach of the Houston Aeros of the International Hockey League in the 2000–2001 season. He also served as general manager for the Aeros for two seasons (2001–2003), including winning the Calder Cup in 2003, as the Aeros were one of six IHL teams to join the American Hockey League (AHL) in 2001 when the IHL folded. Following his AHL success, he was the general manager and then general manager/head coach of the Guelph Storm of the OHL from 2003–2008, where his team won the OHL Championship in 2003–04 and Barr collected the Matt Leyden Trophy, emblematic of the league's Coach of the Year, in 2005–2006. Barr was also named as the head coach of Canada's National Men's Summer Under-18 Team for the Under-18 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament from August 14–18, 2007, in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Barr left the OHL to become an assistant coach for the Colorado Avalanche of the NHL during the 2008–2009 NHL season but following a disappointing year in which they finished last overall in the NHL's Western Conference, the Avalanche fired their entire coaching staff.

On July 3, 2009, the Minnesota Wild hired Barr as an assistant coach. He was dismissed, along with head coach Todd Richards, by the Wild on April 11, 2011, in a Minnesota coaching staff restructuring. On July 29, 2011, Barr was named assistant coach of the New Jersey Devils, joining new coach Peter DeBoer on the staff. Barr was subsequently dismissed, along with head coach DeBoer, by the Devils on December 27, 2014, in a New Jersey coaching staff restructuring. On June 18, 2015, Dan Bylsma named him, along with Terry Murray, as assistant coaches of the Buffalo Sabres. On July 25, 2017, he was hired as an assistant coach for the San Jose Sharks to once again work under head coach Peter DeBoer, until he was fired along with the rest of the Sharks' coaching staff on December 11, 2019.

Awards and achievements

 * He won the 1983–84 CHL Championship (Adams Cup) as a member of the Tulsa Oilers team coached by Tom Webster.
 * 2002–03 Calder Cup champion
 * 2005–06 Matt Leyden Trophy winner