Rick Zombo is a former professional ice hockey player who played as a defenseman in the National Hockey League (NHL) for over a decade. He was born on May 17, 1963, in Des Plaines, Illinois, and grew up in the Chicago area. Zombo played college hockey at the University of North Dakota, where he was a standout player and helped lead the team to a national championship in 1982.
After college, Zombo was drafted by the St. Louis Blues in the third round of the 1983 NHL Entry Draft. He made his NHL debut with the Blues in the 1984-85 season and quickly established himself as a reliable defenseman. Zombo was known for his physical play and his ability to block shots, and he became a fan favorite in St. Louis.
Zombo played for the Blues for six seasons before being traded to the Boston Bruins in 1990. He spent two seasons in Boston before being traded again, this time to the Detroit Red Wings. Zombo played for the Red Wings for four seasons and was a key member of the team that won the Stanley Cup in 1997.
After his time in Detroit, Zombo played one season for the Philadelphia Flyers before finishing his NHL career with the Los Angeles Kings in 1996. In total, he played in 652 NHL games, scoring 25 goals and 109 assists for 134 points. He also had 1,036 penalty minutes.
After retiring from playing, Zombo became a coach and worked his way up through the ranks. He started as an assistant coach with the Peoria Rivermen of the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL) before becoming a head coach in the United States Hockey League (USHL). Zombo then spent several seasons as an assistant coach in the American Hockey League (AHL) before becoming the head coach of the Toledo Walleye of the ECHL in 2014.
Zombo has had a successful coaching career, leading the Walleye to the playoffs in each of his first three seasons as head coach. He was named the ECHL Coach of the Year in 2016 and has been praised for his ability to develop young players and get the most out of his teams.
Overall, Rick Zombo had a successful career as a player and has continued to have success as a coach. He was a reliable defenseman who was known for his physical play and his ability to block shots, and he played a key role in the Detroit Red Wings' Stanley Cup win in 1997. Zombo has since become a respected coach who has helped develop young players and lead his teams to success.
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