Pat Quinn stood out.

As a player, he towered at well over six feet in skates that carried around a muscle-dense 200-plus-pound frame. He was sleeves-rolled-up strong, intrinsically tough, and held a physical advantage over just about every player he competed with and against in his era.

Off it, he was inquisitive, curious, and fascinated by many things, leading him to pursue higher education. He took up law between coaching stints, augmenting his bachelor's degree in economics with a diploma from the Widener University School of Law. This was after many decades prior to nearly surrendering his future career in sport to dedicate his life to the church - only to learn the policy on sport at seminary school was far too stringent.

For his talent, versatility, affability, and wit, and considering the minds and lives he touched through his decades in the NHL, the stories that will be shared this weekend, and Monday, when he'll be posthumously inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, will be boundless.

Here's what made the cigar-smoking, scotch-sipping giant - sometimes gentle and often not - so special to the game:

On the ice

Make no mistake: Quinn belongs to the builder classification. He was never an elite player in nine seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Vancouver Canucks, and Atlanta Flames. His most noteworthy moment on the ice came in his rookie season, when he knocked Bobby Orr (who he says is the greatest player ever) unconscious with a hit that sparked a bench-clearing brawl - and had fans attacking him in the penalty box - in the 1969 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Quinn was chosen in consecutive expansion drafts after his two seasons with the Leafs. His most productive years came with Atlanta, where he spent the bulk of his career before a persisting ankle injury suffered riding his daughter's skateboard (there will be stories about this, we're sure) prompted him to retire.

Behind the bench

Within two years of his post-playing career, Quinn was running an NHL bench. His introduction came under legendary Philadelphia Flyers coach Fred Shero, who hired him as an assistant one year into his retirement. He was promoted after a half-season with Philadelphia's minor-league affiliate, and, in his first full year at the helm, led the surprise Flyers to a record 35-game unbeaten streak, smashing the previous record. Philadelphia went to the Stanley Cup Final that season, and Quinn won his first of two Jack Adams Awards.

After a failed stint with the Los Angeles Kings, and a contentious contract dispute that prevented him from coaching for several seasons, Quinn led the Canucks to a Western Conference championship in the final year of a successful three-season run, but once again fell short in the Stanley Cup Final.

Quinn was hired by the Maple Leafs in 1998, leading them to a franchise-best 45-win season in his debut. He compiled the best winning record in the history of the franchise in his seven years with the Maple Leafs, and guided them into the postseason in six straight seasons. He then coached the Edmonton Oilers for one season, and finished with 684 wins - seventh-most all time.

On the officials

Quinn was notoriously hard on the officials, who would often wear the wad of gum he chomped on the bench if they formulated an opinion that clashed with his.

One official believed his dislike for referees, who he often called a "waste of skin," was engendered in his first Stanley Cup Final appearance. A blatant offside call was missed early in Game 6, and the Islanders wound up beating the Flyers in overtime to clinch the Stanley Cup that would elude Quinn in his career.

As time progressed, though, the fire that made him such a great coach faded. And even the officials that experienced Quinn's bite saw the immense heart he had for his teammates, players, fans, and family shine through.

In the executive chair

Though delayed by circumstances beyond his control, a management role was the correct progression in Quinn's career. Exercising his legal background in a real-world setting, Quinn broke free from his contract with the Kings and began running the Canucks in 1987. He drafted franchise legends Trevor Linden and Pavel Bure, and executed a trade to bring in netminder Kirk McLean - a trio at the forefront of the conference championship roster Quinn constructed in 1994.

Quinn was appointed GM in his second year with the Leafs. He maintained the club's competitiveness through executing a series of signings and trades, but certainly didn't have a faultless record in Toronto. His influx of talent brought in included Bryan McCabe and Darcy Tucker through trade, and Gary Roberts, Alex Mogilny, and Ed Belfour via free agency.

For Canada

As Quinn progressed into his 60s, he became a tournament coach for Hockey Canada. His greatest success came at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, where he coached the Canadian outfit that snapped the country's 50-year gold medal drought. He failed to repeat that success at the 2006 Olympics, but led the national team to an international triumph before that failure, coaching the undefeated 2004 World Cup team. He also won development-level gold on the international stage, coaching the U-18 and world junior teams.

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