Rick Bennett

Eric John "Rick" Bennett (born July 24, 1967) is an American former ice hockey left winger and head coach of the Savannah Ghost Pirates. He is the former head coach of the Union Dutchmen ice hockey team of Union College, where he coached from 2011 until 2022.[1]

For other uses, see Richard Bennett.
Rick Bennett
Bennett with Union in 2014
Born (1967-07-24) July 24, 1967
Springfield, Massachusetts, U.S.
Height 6 ft 3 in (191 cm)
Weight 218 lb (99 kg; 15 st 8 lb)
Position Left wing
Shot Left
Played for New York Rangers
NHL Draft 54th overall, 1986
Minnesota North Stars
Playing career 1990–1999
Coaching career
Biographical details
Alma materProvidence College
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
2000–05Providence (assistant)
2005–07Union (assistant)
2007–11Union (associate head coach)
2011–22Union
2022–presentSavannah Ghost Pirates
Head coaching record
Overall192–133–45 (.580)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
2014 NCAA Champion
3× ECAC regular season champion (2011-12, 2013-14, 2016-17),
3× ECAC Tournament Champion (2012, 2013, 2014)
Awards
2014 Spencer Penrose Award
2014 College Hockey News Coach of the Year
2014 USCHO Coach of the Year
2012 Tim Taylor Award
2017 Tim Taylor Award

Playing career

Bennett was a four-year letterwinner (1986–90) and co-captain at Providence, where he was recognized as a Hobey Baker finalist (1990) and two-time winner of the Lou Lamoriello Trophy as team MVP. He was named an All-American during the 1988-89 season and earned All-Hockey East Second Team honors in 1990. A left-winger, Bennett finished with 134 points (50 goals, 84 assists) in 128 career games. Bennett skated on the famed B-B-G line, along with center Mike Boback and right wing Robbie Gaudreau. Rick, who graduated with a B.A. in general studies, was inducted into the Providence College Athletic Hall of Fame in 2012.[2]

Bennett was a third-round draft pick (54th overall) of the Minnesota North Stars in the 1986 NHL Entry Draft. His draft rights were later traded to the New York Rangers. Bennett appeared in 15 games with the Rangers over three seasons (1989–90, 1990–91, 1991–92). Bennett's 10-year professional career also included stints with the Binghamton Rangers (AHL), Springfield Indians (AHL), Hershey Bears (AHL), Springfield Falcons (AHL), Albany River Rats (AHL), Cincinnati Cyclones (IHL), Jacksonville Lizard Kings (ECHL) and Pee Dee Pride (ECHL). Bennett served as a player assistant coach for the Jacksonville Lizard Kings and Pee Dee Pride.[3]

Coaching career

Bennett served as head coach at Union College from 2011 to 2022, leading the Dutchmen to three ECAC Hockey regular season titles (2011–12, 2014-14 & 2016-17), three ECAC Hockey tournament titles (2012, 2013 & 2014), four NCAA Tournament appearances (2012, 2013, 2014 & 2017), two Frozen Fours (2012 & 2014) and one NCAA championship title (2014) by defeating Minnesota. Bennett won ECAC Hockey's Tim Taylor Award for conference coach of the year twice (2012 & 2017),[4][5] and won the American Hockey Coaches Association's Spencer Penrose Award for NCAA Division I coach of the year in 2014.[6] Bennett resigned in 2022 following an allegation about his coaching style and practices that was substantiated through an investigation by Union College.[7]

On May 19, 2022, Bennett was announced to be the first head coach of the ECHL expansion team Savannah Ghost Pirates.[8]

Personal life

Bennett and his wife, Karyn have five children together. The family resides in Clifton Park, New York.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs
Regular season Playoffs
SeasonTeamLeague GPGAPtsPIM GPGAPtsPIM
1985–86Wilbraham & Monson AcademyUSHS 2030699925 —————
1986–87Providence CollegeHE 3215122734 —————
1987–88Providence CollegeHE 339162570 —————
1988–89Providence CollegeHE 3214324674 —————
1989–90Providence CollegeHE 3112243674 —————
1989–90New York RangersNHL 61015 —————
1990–91Binghamton RangersAHL 71273259206 1021327
1990–91New York RangersNHL 60006 —————
1991–92Binghamton RangersAHL 69192342112 1101123
1991–92New York RangersNHL 30112 —————
1992–93Binghamton RangersAHL 76152237114 1000030
1993–94Springfield IndiansAHL 679192882 610131
1994–95Springfield FalconsAHL 3435874 —————
1994–95Hershey BearsAHL 3034740 321314
1995–96Jacksonville Lizard KingsECHL 67283462182 185101530
1995–96Cincinnati CyclonesIHL 40110 10002
1996–97Jacksonville Lizard KingsECHL 64233356120 —————
1996–97Albany River RatsAHL 40000 —————
1997–98Pee Dee PrideECHL 68123042137 832514
1998–99Pee Dee PrideECHL 66211839103 1131433
AHL totals 35176105181628 40538125
NHL totals 1511213 —————

Head coaching record
Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Union Dutchmen (ECAC Hockey) (2011–2022)
2011–12 Union 26–8–714–4–41st[9]NCAA Frozen Four
2012–13 Union 22–13–510–8–44th[10]NCAA Regional finals
2013–14 Union 32–6–418–3–11st[11]NCAA Champions
2014–15 Union 19–18–28–13–110th[12]ECAC quarterfinals
2015–16 Union 13–14–96–10–69th[13]ECAC first round
2016–17 Union 25–10–316–4–2T-1st[14]NCAA regional semifinals
2017–18 Union 21–15–216–5–12nd[15]ECAC quarterfinals
2018–19 Union 20–13–610–10–27th[16]ECAC quarterfinals
2019–20 Union 8–25–45–15–210th[17]ECAC first round
2021–22 Union 6–11–3 †4–6–1 †-N/A
Union: 192–133–45107–78–24
Total:192–133–45

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

† Bennet resigned mid-season.[18]

Awards and honors
Award Year
All-Hockey East Rookie Team 1986–87 [19]
AHCA East Second-Team All-American 1988–89 [20]
All-Hockey East Second team 1989–90 [21]

References
  1. "Bennett Steps Down as Union Head Men's Hockey Coach". Union College. January 28, 2022.
  2. "Rick Bennett - Head Men's Hockey Coach - Men's Ice Hockey Coaches".
  3. "Rick Bennett - Head Men's Hockey Coach - Men's Ice Hockey Coaches".
  4. "College hockey: Dutchmen reward Bennett". The Daily Gazette. June 6, 2012. Retrieved May 22, 2022.
  5. "Union gives Bennett contract extension to stay behind bench through 2022-23". USCHO.com. August 25, 2017. Retrieved May 22, 2022.
  6. Dilks, Chris (April 9, 2014). "Union's Rick Bennett Wins Spencer Penrose Award". SB Nation College Hockey. Retrieved May 22, 2022.
  7. "Union hockey coach Rick Bennett resigns after investigation". The Associated Press. January 29, 2022. Retrieved May 22, 2022.
  8. "VGK Announce ECHL Affiliation Relationship With Savannah Ghost Pirates". NHL.com. May 19, 2022. Retrieved May 19, 2022.
  9. "2011-12 Standings".
  10. "2012-13 Standings".
  11. "2013-14 Standings".
  12. "2014-15 Standings".
  13. "2015-16 Standings".
  14. "2016-17 Standings".
  15. "2017-18 Standings Presented by U.S. Army ROTC".
  16. "2018-19 Standings".
  17. "2019-20 Standings".
  18. "Union men's hockey coach Bennett steps down after 'an allegation about his coaching style and practices that was substantiated through an investigation by the college'". USCHO. January 29, 2022. Retrieved January 29, 2022.
  19. "Hockey East All-Rookie Teams". College Hockey Historical Archives. Retrieved May 19, 2013.
  20. "Men's Ice Hockey Award Winners" (PDF). NCAA.org. Retrieved June 11, 2013.
  21. "Hockey East All-Teams". College Hockey Historical Archives. Retrieved May 19, 2013.


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