Former NHL coach Marc Crawford steps down as ZSC Lions head coach

A former NHL bench boss is leaving his current post.

On Monday, the ZSC Lions of the National League in Switzerland announced that Marc Crawford is stepping down from his position as head coach. The 63-year-old is leaving his job for mental health reasons.

Crawford released a statement, admitting that he has been battling with his mental health for a while.

“For the last several months, I have been investing in intensive therapy with the hope of understanding the depths of my own mental health,” Crawford wrote. “This process has proven to be both challenging and revealing to me as a coach, a husband, a father, and an expecting grandfather, and finally as a person.”

The Stanley Cup-winning coach said one of the notable reasons for leaving the Lions is that he cannot put in the same effort that he expects from his players.

“I have always expected that the players of ZSC give 100% effort to the team, and I now realize that because I am not able to give the same commitment, effort, and focus, I must step away and allow this talented group to move forward with someone who can give the effort this team deserves.”

Crawford also thanked the staff and supporters of the team in Zurich, thanking the franchise for understanding his decision.

This was Crawford’s second stint coaching the Lions. He was behind the bench for the team from 2012 to 2016, helping the team win the NL Championship in 2013-14. He also famously coached Auston Matthews in 2015-16, being a crucial part in his development, which led to Matthews being drafted first overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs.

He returned to the NHL in 2016, becoming an associate coach with the Ottawa Senators, a role he held before stepping in as the interim head coach in March 2019 after the team fired Guy Boucher. After that, Crawford was an assistant coach with the Chicago Blackhawks for three seasons before heading back to Switzerland in 2022. From there, he coached the Lions to another league championship last season, with the team qualifying for the semifinals in this year’s Champions Hockey League.

The Belleville native was a head coach in the NHL for 15 seasons before first moving to Zurich, starting off with the Quebec Nordiques in 1994, winning the Jack Adams Award in his first season. After the team moved to Denver, he helped the Colorado Avalanche win the Stanley Cup in 1996. Crawford also made stops with the Vancouver Canucks, Los Angeles Kings and Dallas Stars.