Coaching career Nick Polano

1 coaching career

1.1 detroit red wings
1.2 calgary flames
1.3 ottawa senators

coaching career

polano began coaching career in 1975–76 erie of eastern hockey league (ehl) , led team 3 consecutive regular season , playoff championships. twice named ehl coach of year , in 1981 named minor league executive of year sporting news.

detroit red wings

polano spent 10 seasons in detroit red wings organization, first head coach , assistant general manager. polano guided red wings 1982 1985 , amassed 79-127-34 regular season record head coach. in summer of 1985, polano replaced head coach harry neale, remained in organization assistant general manager player development. move had been planned red wings general manager jim devellano several years prior. polano , team vice president jim lites, along several european scouts, instrumental in aiding defection of several future nhl players behind iron curtain including petr klima, slava kozlov, , sergei fedorov.

polano had scouted klima during 1983 world championships competing member of czechoslovakia men s national ice hockey team. based on polano s recommendation, red wings drafted klima in fifth round (88th overall) of 1983 nhl entry draft. in summer of 1985, klima left team during team meal in nußdorf inn, west germany, meet lites , polano @ undisclosed location. several days spent in effort bring klíma north america lites , polano kept klíma under wraps in nußdorf , other locations avoid pursuit czech police. polano stayed klíma lites , other wings officials arranged him gain refugee status enter united states. while waiting, polano trained klima in woods outside of town. wings assisted u.s. attorney general edwin meese , deputy attorney general lowell jensen in expediting political-asylum process. polano accompanied klima united states, arrived @ detroit metro airport on september 22, 1985.

before joining detroit, polano served assistant coach buffalo sabres 1 season under scotty bowman in 1981–82.

calgary flames

from 1992 2000 polano worked calgary flames, first director of pro scouting , later director of player personnel , general manager , alternate governor saint john flames.

ottawa senators

in august 2002, polano joined ottawa senators part-time professional scout.