Ken Schinkel obit

Former Penguins forward, coach, executive Ken Schinkel dies at 87

 

He was not on the list.

Ken Schinkel, an original member of the Penguins franchise, has died at age 87.

The Penguins announced his death. A cause of death was not reported.

A native of Jansen, Saskatchewan, Schinkel joined the newly formed Penguins at age 35 through the 1967 expansion draft when the NHL doubled in size. The first player in franchise history to be selected for an All-Star Game in 1968 and 1969, Schinkel spent six seasons with the Penguins in the late 1960s and early 1970s. By the time he retired as a player in 1973, Schinkel was the franchise’s career leader in games (371) and points (236).

Schinkel recorded the first postseason hat trick in franchise history when he scored three times during a 5-2 win against the Oakland Seals in Game 3 of a quarterfinal series on April 11, 1970.

During his penultimate season of 1971-72, Schinkel was grouped with Ron Schock and Eddie Shack, forming the popular and phonetic-friendly “Schink-Schock-Shack Line.”

Midway through his final season of 1972-73, Schinkel retired as a player at age 40 and was named head coach of the team on Jan. 13, 1973. He held that position for parts of four seasons over two stints. In 203 regular season games as the Penguins’ head coach, Schinkel had a record of 83-92-28.

After stepping down as coach for good in May of 1977, Schinkel held a variety of front office positions with the franchise, including as assistant general manager and scouting director before joining the Hartford Whalers in 1989.

Schinkel also played for the New York Rangers earlier in his NHL career.

After a junior career ending with the St. Catharines Teepees of the Ontario Hockey Association in 1953, Schinkel signed with the Springfield Indians of the American Hockey League. He spent the next six years in the minors with the Indians' organization, garnering a reputation as a skilled two-way forward and penalty killer. In 1959 he led the AHL in goals with 43 and scored 85 points, earning a place on the league's Second All-Star Team, and his rights were dealt to the New York Rangers of the NHL.

He played the 1960 season with the Rangers and split the 1961 season between New York and Springfield - returning to the AHL just in time to be part of the Indians' second consecutive Calder Cup championship - before playing as a third-liner with the Rangers in 1962 and 1963. By 1964 he was back in the minors, however, and spent the next four years starring for the Rangers' farm team, the AHL Baltimore Clippers. While playing with future Hall of Famers such as Jean Ratelle and Doug Harvey, Schinkel led the Clippers in scoring two of those seasons.

When the NHL doubled in size after the 1967 season, Schinkel was drafted in the expansion draft by the Pittsburgh Penguins. Named an alternate captain by the club, he was an immediate impact player and noted penalty killer for the offensively-thin Penguins, finishing first or second in team scoring the franchise's first three seasons and being named to play in the NHL All-Star Game in 1968 and 1969; he was named again in 1971, but did not play due to a broken arm. He played six seasons in all before retiring to become the team's coach.

On April 11, 1970, Schinkel scored three goals for Pittsburgh in a Stanley Cup playoff game versus the Oakland Seals. Pittsburgh won the game 5-2.

Schinkel retired as the Penguins' career leader in games and points (both since surpassed), and with 127 goals and 198 assists for 325 points in 636 games.