Dennis ‘Red’ Gendron
Year Inducted: 2007
Birthday: November 27, 1957
City/Town: Boston, Massachusetts
“Red,” this afternoon, might well be the only guy you meet who has his name etched on the Trophy of All Trophies – the Stanley Cup. That happened in 1995 when the New Jersey Devils won it all. Red then was an Assistant Coach (’94, ’95, ’96) who, game after game that season, had one of the best seats in the house.
“Red” didn’t just jump behind an NHL bench, though. It took a lot of ice time, a lot of learning and a lot of love for the game. His history and credentials go back to his younger days in Berlin as a defenseman. Youth hockey led him to the Junior Maroons (’72-’74), and later at Berlin High School, the Mountaineers in his senior year (’75) won the State title.
At New England College, he played four varsity seasons and earned several team honors. As a freshman defenseman, he led all team scorers with 25 points (11 G/14 A) and concluded his career with 89 points (21 G/68 A) in 92 games. For three seasons, he was team Captain.
In 1979, “Red” came home to the North Country and became Assistant Coach at Berlin High School. In 1981, he moved on to be Head Coach at Bellows Free Academy in St. Albans, VT, where his teams won four State Championships. Along the way, he twice was named Vermont Coach of the Year. By then, he knew hockey and coaching were in his blood and he knew the only thing he could do was look at loftier heights.
So, he moved on to the highly successful and acclaimed program at the University of Maine and served as Assistant Coach for three seasons (’90-’93.) During his tenure there, Maine three times made it to the NCAA Frozen Four, winning the National Title in 1993. Additionally, during his three seasons, Maine won a pair of Hockey East Championships.
“Red” continued his ascendancy and for the 1993-94 season he served as Technological Specialist for the New Jersey Devils, followed by his Devils’ Assistant Coach job. Between ’96 and ’00, “Red” was Assistant Coach of the Albany River Rats in the AHL, and then between ’00 and ’02, he served as a Devils’ scout. He returned to the Albany River Rats, but this time as head coach for the ’02, ’03 and ’04 seasons. He later became head coach of the Indiana Ice in the United States Hockey League. “Red” also worked with the national and coaching education programs of USA Hockey. He served as an assistant coach with three US National Junior teams (’93, ’00, ’01), and coached several national select (16- and 17-year old) teams as both a head and assistant coach. In the early 90’s, he served as director of the coaching program for the NE District of USA Hockey and continues today as a speaker.
He has written a book, Coaching Hockey Successfully, which is used by USA Hockey. Last summer, he received the Walter Yaciuk Award from USA Hockey for long-term coaching education service.
Today, he is Assistant Coach at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst.
Dennis “Red” Gendron – Class of 2007
