Former Quinnipiac coach Jim Armstrong passed away on Jan. 21 at the age of 68 following a brief illness.
Armstrong coached at Quinnipiac from 1980-94, guiding the Bobcats to a 140-183-8 record along the way.
Originally from Peterborough, Ont., Armstrong lived in Hamden, Conn., for over 40 years.
Armstrong also enjoyed a 11-year playing career that lasted from 1963-74 that saw him play for the New Haven Blades, Long Island Ducks and Rhode Island Eagles of the Eastern Hockey League, the Toledo Blades and Saginaw Gears of the International Hockey League and the Seattle Totems and Salt Lake Golden Eagles of the Western Hockey League.
“The Quinnipiac University men’s ice hockey team would like to offer our deepest condolences to the Armstrong family,” current QU coach Rand Pecknold said in a statement. “Jim was a great coach that I was privileged to follow here at Quinnipiac. His work helped make Quinnipiac hockey what it is today. He will be greatly missed.”
“I am deeply saddened to hear of Jim’s passing,” added former Quinnipiac captain Michael Barrett (1981-85). “It’s hard to put into words how much impact he had on our lives. For me personally, he was my coach, he was a colleague, and above all else, he was a friend. I loved running into him at the rink to watch Quinnipiac games or when he was there to watch his grandchildren play. All of us who played for him had such admiration for his warmth, kindness and concern for us as people. His love and bond for his family was just so strong, and he treated all of us, his former players, the same way. Today, we lost a great coach, colleague, father figure, friend, husband, father and grandfather.
“I believe I speak for or all of my former teammates when I say that the hockey community, Quinnipiac University, and all of us who were fortunate to have been touched by this wonderful man, express our sincerest condolences to Judy and the family.”
The family had no service plans to release as of Monday.
