Herb Brooks

Still a member of the Penguins' staff, Brooks was asked to coach the team by the same Craig Patrick who had hired and fired him from the Rangers in the 1980s. Patrick had fired the Penguins' coach Kevin Constantine, who was rigid, in favor of the more flexible Brooks. The Penguins had many European players who played his style of hockey: with creativity and taking chances, but in a disciplined way. Brooks got the team into the playoffs and nurtured Ivan Hlinka, a Czech national coach, who took over in the 2000-01 season. Brooks left his coaching position after the 1999-2000 season.