Rick St. Croix

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Rick St. Croix (born January 3, 1955) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender. He played 131 NHL games for the Philadelphia Flyers and Toronto Maple Leafs between 1978 and 1985. After his playing days, he became a coach, serving as a goaltending coach in the NHL and AHL.

Early life and drafting
St. Croix was born in Kenora, Ontario. He played junior hockey for the Oshawa Generals in the Ontario Hockey Association and was named a Second Team OHA All-Star in 1973. He was drafted in the fourth round of the 1975 NHL Amateur Draft by the Philadelphia Flyers and was also selected by the WHA’s Houston Aeros. He spent time in the AHL with the Maine Mariners while beginning his NHL career.

NHL playing career
St. Croix made his NHL debut on February 16, 1978, for the Flyers against the Minnesota North Stars. He played a total of seven games for the Flyers that season, while most of his time that year was in the AHL. He appeared in two games in 1978–79 and one game in 1979–80, the latter year being part of a Flyers team that set records. In 1979–80 he also won the Hap Holmes Memorial Award for the lowest goals-against average among AHL goaltenders.

The 1980–81 season was his first full year in the NHL, splitting time with Pete Peeters and Phil Myre. He spent parts of three seasons with the Flyers before being traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs during the 1982–83 season in exchange for Michel Larocque. His final NHL season was 1984–85, splitting the year between the Maple Leafs and the St. Catharines Saints in the AHL. He finished his professional playing career in 1985–86 with the Fort Wayne Komets of the IHL, where he shared the James Norris Memorial Trophy for fewest goals against and was named an IHL Second Team All-Star.

Coaching and later career
After retiring, St. Croix moved into coaching. He was an assistant coach for the Winnipeg Jets in 1987–88 and 1988–89. He later served as the Dallas Stars’ goaltending coach, helping the team win the Stanley Cup in 1999. He worked with the Manitoba Moose (2008–2011) and, after the team moved to Newfoundland, with the St. John’s IceCaps as an assistant and goaltending coach. In September 2012, he became the Toronto Maple Leafs’ goaltending coach. He was dismissed in April 2015 during an organizational overhaul. When the IceCaps returned as the Manitoba Moose in 2015, St. Croix rejoined as a developmental goaltending coach and scout, a role he held until his retirement in 2021.

Family and other work
St. Croix has two sons who played professional hockey. His oldest son, Chris, was a fourth-round draft pick of the Calgary Flames in 1997 and played as a defenseman in Germany and in the AHL, ECHL, and CHL. His younger son, Michael, was drafted by the New York Rangers in the fourth round of 2011 and played in the AHL and ECHL before retiring in 2016. He also has two daughters. In addition to coaching, St. Croix runs a goaltending school.