Rudy Pilous was a legendary hockey coach and executive who had a long and successful career in the National Hockey League. He was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada in 1921 and began his career as a player in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League. He then moved on to the American Hockey League, where he played for the Buffalo Bisons and the Cleveland Barons.

Pilous then began his coaching career in the AHL, first with the Buffalo Bisons and then with the Cleveland Barons. He was successful in both stints, leading the Barons to a Calder Cup championship in 1954.

In 1958, Pilous was hired as the head coach of the Chicago Black Hawks. He led the team to the Stanley Cup Finals in 1961, where they lost to the Detroit Red Wings. He was fired after the 1962-63 season, but was quickly hired by the expansion Oakland Seals. He coached the Seals for two seasons before being hired by the Montreal Canadiens in 1967.

With the Canadiens, Pilous was part of a legendary coaching staff that included Scotty Bowman and Claude Ruel. He helped the Canadiens win the Stanley Cup in 1968 and 1969. He was then hired by the Winnipeg Jets of the World Hockey Association in 1972. He served as the team's general manager and head coach until 1975, when he retired from hockey.

Throughout his career, Pilous was known for his innovative coaching style and his ability to get the most out of his players. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1985 and is remembered as one of the greatest coaches in NHL history.

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