Leon Abbott
| Playing career | |
|---|---|
| ? | Alberta |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1969–1972 | Rensselaer |
| 1972–1973 | Boston University |
| 1976–1979 | St. Lawrence |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 87–117–7 |
Leon Abbott is a former college ice hockey coach who is most remembered for being fired by Boston University six games into the 1973–74 season for violating NCAA eligibility rules.
Abbott began his coaching career after graduating from McGill in 1964. He coached briefly for a small college in Alberta before moving to take an assistant coaching position at St. Lawrence. In 1969 Abbott was offered the top job at Rensselaer, taking over from Garry Kearns, and after a poor first season, returned the Engineers to winning ways with 16- and 17-win seasons, making the ECAC tournament in consecutive seasons.
Abbott received his big break in 1972 when Jack Kelley stepped away from Boston University to pursue a professional coaching career and Abbott was given the job to replace him. The Terriers were coming off back-to-back National Championships and didn't take much of a step backwards with their new bench boss, finishing the season at a 22-6-1 mark, but after the season the NCAA forced BU to forfeit 11 wins due to ineligible players. While that decision meant little in and of itself as the Terriers had already finished their season, the team and Abbott himself were placed under heightened scrutiny by the NCAA. Early in the following season, two players (Peter Marzo and Bill Buckton) were ruled to be professional athletes by having accepted money to play amateur hockey, a violation of NCAA regulations. While federal court judge Joseph L. Tauro later reinstated the players, the damage had been done. After a 4-2 start, Abbott was fired by BU and replaced by his assistant, Jack Parker.
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