#10 Jerry Rollins - WHA Tough Guy Turned Business Leadership Guru

Jerry Rollins was a hard-punching defenseman, who fought all the tough guys in the wild World Hockey Association.

A 2nd round draft selection of the Detroit Red Wings and the WHA Toronto Toros in 1975, Rollins earned the respect of teammates and foes alike as the protector of his team’s skilled players.

Jerry is an entertaining and thoughtful man, who recalls a number of great stories from his playing days, including:

• How his run-in with a future NHL Hall of Famer startled his junior teammates and earned him a spot on the Flin Flon Bombers roster.
• A brutal brawl in junior hockey that saw him nearly having his fingers bitten off by a future WHA-NHL enforcer.
• Growing up as the son of NHL MVP and Vezina winning goalie, Al Rollins, who would eventually become his coach with the WHA Phoenix Roadrunners.
• His first impressions of a pair of teenagers - Wayne Gretzky and Mark Messier — and his surprising comparison of the two at the Indianapolis Racers training camp in 1978.
• The one player (and future movie star) who nearly knocked him out with one devastating punch in 1975.
• His swan-song minor league season in 1978-79 and his impressions of two teammates: Hall of Famer Willie O’Ree and the notorious Billy Goldthorpe.

Jerry applied his lessons from his hockey journey to a successful business career in San Diego, CA. Jerry is now the cofounder and chairman of the Sage Executive Group, where he uses his business expertise to mentor and coach CEOs.

 

Host: Mark Willand

Pro Hockey Alumni Website

SAGE Executive Group

WHA Hockey on Facebook