John Gordon (March 3, 1928 â June 27, 2022) was a Canadian ice hockey manager, coach, and player. Gordon played 36 games in the National Hockey League with the New York Rangers between 1949 and 1951. The rest of his playing career, which lasted from 1946 to 1961, was mainly spent with the Cleveland Barons of the American Hockey League. He was also head coach of the Minnesota North Stars from 1970 to 1973, general manager of the North Stars from 1974 to 1978, and general manager of the Vancouver Canucks from 1985 to 1987.
Although Gordon had limited playing time in the NHL, he enjoyed a productive 14-year career in the American Hockey League, where he was a consistent offensive force. He debuted at age 19 in 1947 with the New Haven Ramblers and quickly made his mark. By 1949, he tallied 60 assists and 83 points, ranking second in the league in assists. In 1951, he joined the Cincinnati Mohawks and led the team in scoring during his lone season there. He later became a key player for the Cleveland Barons over eight seasons, notably recording 102 points in 1954, second-highest in the AHL, and helping the Barons capture the Calder Cup. In 1957, he took on the role of player-coach and led the team to another Calder Cup in his first year behind the bench. Gordon retired from playing after the 1959 season but continued coaching the Barons for three more years. He returned for additional coaching stints in 1969 and 1970, following a three-year term as assistant general manager of the New York Rangers.