There are few people who contributed to the game of hockey in the United States more than the late John MacInnes. He will go down as one of the greatest coaches in the history of collegiate hockey and an American-hockey pioneer.

MacInnes played college hockey for the University of Michigan. He competed for two seasons in goal for the Wolverines (1945-46/1949-50) and spent three years (1946-49) in the Detroit Red Wings system in the International Hockey League. After his playing days, MacInnes took on a whole new role in the game of hockey.

In 1952, MacInnes, who was born in Toronto, Ontario, was naturalized as a U.S citizen and became the director of the Ann Arbor Amateur Hockey League. During his time with the league, MacInnes initiated the first Bantam classification for the under-13 age group. After four successful years of building hockey in Ann Arbor, he left for the Upper Peninsula of Michigan to become the men's ice hockey coach at Michigan Tech University.

Over the next 26 years, MacInnes compiled a record of 555-295-39. Michigan Tech soon became known as a national power in collegiate hockey under MacInnes. He guided the Huskies to three NCAA championships (1962, 1965 1975) and seven Western Collegiate Hockey Association titles. MacInnes was named NCAA Coach of the Year twice (1970, 1976) and WCHA Coach of the Year six times.

MacInnes coached 21 All-Americans and his teams posted winning records against every WCHA team. His teams finished in the top four of the WCHA 17 times, more than any team in the league during his tenure. The Huskies never missed the WCHA playoffs under MacInnes. Of all his accomplishments, MacInnes was most proud of the fact that 94 percent of his hockey letter winners graduated with degrees. When he retired in 1982, MacInnes left as college hockey's all-time winningest coach.

Hockey in the State of Michigan would not be the same without John MacInnes He served on the Board of Directors for the Copper Country Junior Hockey League from 1962-67. MacInnes co-founded the Great Lakes Invitational Tournament in 1965, a tournament his team won nine times, including five-straight titles (1976-80). The trophy awarded to the most valuable player of the GLI Tournament is named in his honor. MacInnes was also instrumental in starting high school hockey in the Upper Peninsula in 1969.

In 1980, MacInnes was named as a charter member of the American Hockey Coaches Association's exclusive Pinnacle Club.

After his death in March of 1983, the impact that MacInnes had on the game was remembered. The ACHA created the John MacInnes Award in 1983, an honor that yearly recognizes those who have shown a great concern for amateur hockey and youth programs. MacInnes received the National Hockey League's prestigious Lester Patrick Award in 1986. In August of 1991, the Student Ice Arena at Michigan Tech was re-named the John J. MacInnes Student Ice Arena, and in 1999, the Hobey Baker Memorial Award Committee bestowed upon MacInnes its Legend of College Hockey Award.

MacInnes has been inducted into the University of Michigan Hall of Honor, Michigan Tech University Sports Hall of Fame, State of Michigan Sports Hall of Fame and Upper Peninsula Sports Hall of Fame.