Former Bruins and Devils coach Tom McVie died on the age of 89, the Bruins introduced on Monday.
McVie started his teaching profession with the Capitals and spent components of 9 seasons as a head coach with the Capitals, Jets and Devils earlier than taking up varied roles with the Bruins that ranged from assistant coach to scout to model ambassador.
“All the Boston Bruins group is deeply saddened to study of the passing of Tom McVie,” Bruins president Cam Neely stated in an announcement launched on Monday. “Tom was an enormous a part of our Bruins household, having served as coach, scout and ambassador for greater than 30 years. His hockey thoughts, colourful persona, gruff voice, and unmatched humorousness livened up each room he entered, and he can be dearly missed. Our ideas and prayers are with Tom’s household and plenty of family members.”
McVie started his teaching profession within the now-defunct Worldwide Hockey League as head coach of the Dayton Gems earlier than getting the gig because the Capitals’ head coach in the course of the 1975-76 season.
He held the place till he was fired in 1979.
He then took over because the Jets’ head coach — then of the World Hockey Affiliation — and led the membership to an Avco Cup title earlier than the WHL and NHL merged the next season.
He coached the Jets for components of two seasons earlier than changing Invoice MacMillaan because the Devils’ head coach in the midst of the 1983-84 season.
He returned to teach the Devils in the course of the 1991-92 season after teaching the AHL Utica Devils.
“A legend of the game and our neighborhood, he was the primary ever AHL coach in Utica. Tom was an excellent chief, and an unbelievable human being,” the AHL Utica Comets stated in a tribute on Monday.
The Jets memorialized McVie in an announcement following his passing for being a “historic determine in Winnipeg’s professional hockey historical past.”
“Tom’s persona, voice, and data of the sport transcended his title and time in our metropolis because the group made the transition from the WHA to the NHL. His skill to inform a narrative solely added to the legend of the hockey membership’s arrival on the large stage,” the Jets stated in an announcement. “We’d like to increase our deepest condolences to the numerous pals and family members of Coach McVie.”
McVie joined the Bruins group in 1992, first as an assistant for 3 years after which as the top coach of the AHL Windfall Bruins in the course of the 1997-98 season.
McVie later grew to become a professional scout and had his identify etched on the Stanley Cup after they received the Stanley Cup in 2011.
The well-respected coach was typically remembered for his fast wit and humor.
In an interview with The Athletic that had been printed in 2018, McVie recalled a narrative that he described as one which he tells “on a regular basis.”
“This author, a younger fellow, comes alongside and I’ve by no means seen him earlier than. He was carrying a recorder, is available in and sticks the microphone within the face and requested, ‘Are you Tom McVie?’ Like, who doesn’t know who I’m? Everybody is aware of who I’m [laughter],” McVie stated. “So, I stated, ‘Yeah.’ He stated, ‘Effectively, let me ask you one thing. Are you the Tom McVie that coached the Washington Capitals and so they set a league report for dropping video games?’ I stated, ‘Sure. I’m Tom McVie.’ He stated, ‘Are you the Tom McVie that coached the Winnipeg Jets and also you broke that dropping report? Now, you’re teaching the New Jersey Devils and also you’re at risk of setting a brand new dropping report?’ I stated, ‘Yeah.’
“He stated, ‘Did you ever consider quitting?’ And I stated, ‘F–okay, no. That is the one factor I’m actually good at.’”