Born: 24 Apr 1914, Montreal PQ (d. 1991)
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Regular Season & Playoff Coaching Record (key)
| Regular Season | Playoffs |
| year | team | finish | finish | |||||||||
| 1972-73 | Philadelphia | 3-E | QF | |||||||||
| 1973-74 | Vancouver | DNF | ||||||||||
• Assumed full-time coaching role from John McKenzie on November 12, 1972. Both had alternated as coach during the first month.
• Assumed coaching role from John McKenzie on October 24, 1973 through November 22, 1973, succeeded by Andy Bathgate.
• Coached in NHL, NYR (1955-60), Bos (1961-63)
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Watson Gives Blazers Respectability • by Frank Bertucci • The Hockey Spectator • March 23, 1973
Phil Watson didn't expect to coach an ice hockey team this season. He thought he was through with that when he left the Blazers, Syracuse branch, two years ago. But when the Blazers, Philadelphia branch, were tearing up themselves rather than the league, he was called on to put the pieces together. And he has. And he's the first to tell you he has. From 5-16 on December 1, the Blazers are 25-19 since, including a respectable 10-12 record on the road. And for the first time, their team goals-against-average has dropped below 4.00 per game, but even Phil Watson can't take credit for that away from Bernie Parent. "It was tough to get back into coaching," Watson admits, "especially with the team we had in December." "You know, a lot of people don't realize that teams like Winnipeg started last December (1971). We didn't start working till May 1 (1972). We lost a lot between the time the Miami franchise folded and it was moved to Philadelphia. And we lost a lot of good hockey players too. Guys like Terry Caffrey and Paul Shmyr. Now we've run out of defensemen and left wings. We spent a lot of money signing the big names, and then the owners decided to stop. And you can't blame them for that." He admits he wasn't sure of what he was getting into when he moved into the WHA, but he's satisfied with the product. "I thought this would be a ham-and-egger league," he says. "But it's not. I've been surprised that the play has been so good. And when they say the teams are equal, you'd better believe it. Everyone of these teams is better than both Long Island and Atlanta in the NHL." But there's still some improvements he'd like to see made. "Bobby Hull is the greatest thing that's happened to the WHA," he says in one breath. "Off the ice," he says in the next, "on the ice that's something else." "Bill Dineen was so right. The referees give him in Winnipeg every break. They call eight penalties in a game and seven are against us. Bobby Hull is the greatest salesman the WHA could want. But when he's on the ice he should be treated like just another player. That's one thing that has a long way to go in this league, the refereeing." Phil Watson's most impressive job this season has been with himself, however. He has kept his composure while he's behind the bench. No hat throwing, no challenging other players. "I'm getting too old for that stuff," he claims. If you try to talk to him after a loss, you know that's not accurate. Phil Watson has given the Blazers leadership, which was their biggest lack early in the season. All of his players may not love him, but they respect him. Which is another thing he's helped the Blazers get from the rest of the WHA. |
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Excerpts from Zander Hollander's Guide to Pro Hockey, 1973-74 (by Reyn Davis & Charley Hallman)
There isn't much he hasn't done in hockey ... Coaching, scouting, playing, serving as a general manager ... Originally signed with the Blazers as chief scout ... Moved into coaching slot when John McKenzie found triple duties hard to handle ... Responsible for brilliant scouting job that landed Blazers their first four picks ... Former coach of the New York Rangers ... Strict disciplinarian ... Known as tough minded, on and off the ice ... Under his guidance, Blazers came from way off pace to playoff spot |
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