BLOOMINGTON, Minn. -- Glen Sonmor says he has taken his last walk behind the Minnesota North Stars bench and as a result, feels like a huge burden has been lifted from his shoulders.
Sonmor, who coached Minnesota to the Stanley Cup final two seasons ago and to its first division title last season, resigned Thursday after 4 years at the North Stars' helm to become coordinator of player development.
General Mananger Lou Nanne promoted assistant coach Murray Oliver to 'interim coach' and launched a search for a permanent replacement.
Sonmor went out a winner. The North Stars, unaware of their coach's decision until after the game, beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 2-1 to pull within five points of Norris Division leader Chicago.
'That's a nice ending,' said Sonmor, 53. 'I'm very pleased about that.'
Sonmor took a four-game hiatus when the North Stars slumped in the middle of last season, but he insisted this retirement would be permanent.
'I've been coaching 25 years,' said Sonmor, who starting coaching University of Minnesota freshmen in 1956 after an eye injury ended his undistinguished playing career. 'That's a long time and a lot of walks behind the bench.
'I've coached longer than one would reasonably expect and I'm proud of my record,' said Sonmor, whose 153-125-71 mark with the North Stars is a club record.
Sonmor said he had been contemplating quitting long before Wednesday night, when he suffered a black eye in a fight with a fan in Pittsburgh, where the North Stars had won 7-0.
'I've been thinking of this ever since we were in Los Angeles (last Nov. 16),' hesaid, 'But that got me to thinking about it again.'
Nanne talked him out of quitting in November, but Sonmor said this week's surprise resignation of Philadelphia Eagles football coach Dick Vermeil set the precedent for his own resignation.
'I just don't feel like coaching now,' he said. 'I know it's the right decision because I feel like somebody lifted a 400- or 500-pound weight off me.'
This time, Nanne respected the wishes of Sonmor, who had been his coach at the University of Minnesota.
'He told me he felt like the Philadelphia Eagles' Dick Vermeil, frustrated and burned out,' Nanne said. 'He said he might like to try coaching again later, but right now felt tired and wanted to get away from it.'
Bobby Smith spoke for the players when he said, 'I was just shocked. The first we found out about it was when Glen announced it after the game.'
Although Sonmor had increasingly drawn flak from players for decisions about ice time on the depth-laden team, no one said he was happy to see Sonmor leave.
'Glen is the only coach a lot of these players have had in the NHL,' said Tom McCarthy, 22, who is among 10 North Stars to come into the league under Sonmor.
Sonmor assumed the North Stars' helm from Harry Howell early in the 1978 season, making him second in tenure among NHL coaches to Al Arbour's eight years with the New York Islanders.
A native of Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Sonmor has been connected with Minnesota hockey for more than 20 years, starting as a minor-league player at Minneapolis in 1949-50.
From 1966 to 1972, he coached at the University of Minnesota, where Nanne was a standout defenseman and New York Rangers Coach Herb Brooks was his assistant.
He coached the Minnesota Fighting Saints of the World Hockey Association from 1972 until they folded in 1977, and Birmingham of the WHA in 1977-78.
Sonmor played parts of the 1953-54 and 1954-55 seasons with the New York Rangers but spent most of his playing career with Cleveland of the American League.
