[citation needed] Brophy had briefly been player-coach with the Ducks in the 1968–69 season, and became a full-time coach following his retirement as a player.
His team finished last in the league, but included several future NHL stars at the beginning of their professional careers: Rick Vaive, Michel Goulet, Rob Ramage, Craig Hartsburg, and Gaston Gingras, as well as a 36-year-old Paul Henderson.
[3] After the collapse of the WHA, Birmingham moved to the Central Hockey League and Brophy coached the team for another two seasons.
In 1981, Brophy was hired by the Montreal Canadiens to return home and coach their AHL affiliate, the Nova Scotia Voyageurs.
[4] Brophy then found a home in Norfolk, Virginia, with the Hampton Roads Admirals of the East Coast Hockey League.
[citation needed] After a successful recuperation, Brophy returned to the ECHL in 2001 as coach of the Wheeling Nailers for two seasons and retired.
For 2006–07, at age 73, he went back to Virginia as head coach of the Richmond Renegades of the Southern Professional Hockey League.