The hockey world is in mourning today with the news that longtime NHL coach Tom McVie has passed away at the age of 89. Over a coaching career that spanned nearly two decades, McVie left an indelible mark on the sport and the lives of countless players and colleagues. While he may not have the championship pedigree of some coaching greats, few had a more colorful personality or lived and breathed the game quite like Tom McVie did.
From Avco Cup Champion to First Jets NHL Coach
McVie’s crowning achievement came in 1979 when he led the Winnipeg Jets to the Avco World Trophy in the WHA’s final season before the league merged with the NHL. With veterans like Bobby Hull and a Swedish contingent featuring Kent Nilsson and Ulf Nilsson, McVie’s Jets defeated a young Wayne Gretzky and the Edmonton Oilers to capture the championship. It would prove to be the last hurrah for the rebel WHA.
Coach McVie was an historical figure in Winnipeg’s pro hockey history as the coach of the last team to ever win the Avco Cup in the WHA, as well as the first coach in the team’s NHL history back in 1979.
Winnipeg Jets statement
McVie then became the first head coach of the Jets after they joined the NHL. While the team struggled in its inaugural season, McVie laid the groundwork for the franchise’s future success. He quickly earned a reputation as a straight shooter who commanded respect from his players.
NHL Coaching Career
Over his NHL head coaching career, which included stints with the Washington Capitals and New Jersey Devils, McVie compiled a record of 126-263-73. His teams may have struggled on the ice, but McVie’s larger-than-life personality always shone through. He was known for his gruff voice, sharp wit, and penchant for spinning yarns.
If I wasn’t coaching hockey, then I’d probably be driving the Zamboni.
Tom McVie to the Boston Globe in 1992
Beloved Bruins Ambassador
After his head coaching days were over, McVie found a home with the Boston Bruins organization. He served as an assistant coach starting in 1992 and was part of the staff when the Bruins won the Stanley Cup in 2011. Later working as a team ambassador, McVie became a beloved figure among Bruins fans for his warmth, humor and unabashed love for the sport.
Tom was a huge part of our Bruins family, having served as coach, scout and ambassador for more than 30 years. His hockey mind, colorful personality, gruff voice, and unmatched sense of humor livened up every room he entered, and he will be dearly missed.
Bruins president Cam Neely
The hockey world will be a little less colorful without the likes of Tom McVie in it. But his legacy and impact will live on through the countless players, coaches and fans he connected with over his lifetime in the sport. While he may be gone, the stories and laughs will endure. And if there’s a hockey rink in the great beyond, we can be sure Tom McVie will be holding court and cracking jokes behind the bench, where he was always most at home.
