Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau, Cole among deaths in hockey world in 2024

The hockey community was hit hard in 2024 when a three-time 30-goal scorer and one of the most popular players in the NHL and his younger brother were killed, their deaths evoking an outpouring of emotion and tributes from the entire sports world.

Generations of fans also mourned the loss of the voice of "Hockey Night in Canada" for five decades, an influential figure with the Hockey Hall of Fame, Hockey Canada and the Calgary Flames, and a center who played for the United States when they achieved the "Miracle on Ice" at the 1980 Lake Placid Olympics, and the majority owner of the group that brought the Seattle Kraken to the NHL.

Here's a look at some of those in the hockey world who died during the year, in chronological order:

Glen Cochrane

Jan. 13 (age 65)

Played for four teams over 10 NHL seasons as a defenseman, had 89 points (17 goals, 72 assists) and 1,556 penalty minutes in 411 games for the Philadelphia Flyers, Vancouver Canucks, Chicago Blackhawks and Edmonton Oilers from 1978-88, and two points (one goal, one assist) in 17 Stanley Cup Playoff games. Cochrane was chosen by the Flyers in the third round (No. 50) of the 1978 NHL Draft. His 1,110 penalty minutes are 10th in team history, and he helped their American Hockey League affiliate in Maine win the 1979 Calder Cup championship. He worked the past 17 years with the Anaheim Ducks, primarily as a scout across Western Canada, following a 10-year coaching career at the junior and minor-league levels.

Frank Torres

Jan. 15 (age 38)

Torres was vice president of business operations for the San Jose Barracuda, the AHL affiliate of the San Jose Sharks, who oversaw tasks including ticket sales, corporate partnerships, marketing, communications and fan relations. He joined the organization in 2022 and played an integral role in opening Tech CU Arena, home of the Barracuda, and bringing the 2024 AHL All-Star Classic to San Jose. Torres also helped launch the Coachella Valley Firebirds, the AHL affiliate of the Seattle Kraken, and open Acrisure Arena. His work with the San Antonio Rampage leadership team won multiple AHL sales and marketing awards, including the "unique ticket sales promotion or theme night" with Los Chimuelos de San Antonio in 2019 that honored Mexican heritage and culture.

Blaine Lacher

Jan. 29 (age 53)

Lacher was a rookie goalie for the Boston Bruins during the shortened 1994-95 season. The undrafted free agent went 19-11 with two ties in 35 games, including a 9-2-1 start to his NHL career with a .921 save percentage. He started all five games for the Bruins in the best-of-7 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, a five-game loss to the New Jersey Devils. Lacher began the 1995-96 season 1-4-2 before he was demoted to Providence of the AHL, where he played nine games. He then played 19 games over two seasons in the International Hockey League, and 18 games in the Sask West Hockey League in 2002-03. Lacher went 22-16 with four ties, a 2.80 goals-against average and .887 save percentage in 47 games (44 starts) for the Bruins. He was a member of the 1994 Division I men's ice hockey national championship team for Lake Superior State, setting an NCAA record that season with a shutout streak of 375:01 that still stands.

Matthew Spezza

Feb. 2 (age 37)

The younger brother of Pittsburgh Penguins assistant general manager and retired NHL forward Jason Spezza died from an accidental overdose, Jason said in a statement released by the Penguins. Matthew was a goalie for Kingston, Ottawa, London and Soo in the Ontario Hockey League, St. John's of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League and Flint in the IHL, where his hockey career ended after playing eight games in 2008-09. He took part in Ottawa Senators practice Feb. 27, 2009, when goalie Alex Auld was sidelined because of an illness.

Gerry James

Feb. 13 (age 89)

James played one game for the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1954-55 before joining the organization full time and had 40 points (14 goals, 26 assists) in 149 NHL games. He was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 1981, joining his father, 1964 inductee Eddie "Dynamite" James. Gerry played for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers at the age of 17 and had more than 1,000 rushing yards in 1955 and '57. He was with the Blue Bombers from 1952 to 1964 and the Maple Leafs between 1955 and 1960. James rejoined the Maple Leafs after winning the 1959 Grey Cup championship for their final 44 games of the 1959-60 season and their run to the Stanley Cup Final, a four-game loss to the Montreal Canadiens. He is the only athlete to play in the Grey Cup and Stanley Cup Final in the same season.

Paul D'Amato

Feb. 20 (age 75)

The actor was best known for playing Tim "Dr. Hook" McCracken in the 1977 movie "Slap Shot" starring Paul Newman. D'Amato portrayed the "coach and chief punk" of the Syracuse Bulldogs of the fictional Federal Hockey League, who was based on John Byrne's rendition of the comic book character, Wolverine.

Jean-Guy Talbot

Feb. 23 (age 91)

The dependable, stay-at-home defenseman is a seven-time Stanley Cup winner with the Canadiens and one of 12 players who won the Cup in five consecutive seasons from 1956-60. Talbot started his NHL career with Montreal, won the Cup twice more in 1965 and 1966, and played for the Minnesota North Stars, Detroit Red Wings, St. Louis Blues and Buffalo Sabres. He retired from the NHL after 57 games with Buffalo in 1970-71, finishing with 285 points (43 goals, 242 assists) in 1,066 games over 17 seasons. Talbot coached the Blues from 1972-74 and the New York Rangers in 1977-78 before settling in Trois-Rivieres, about 85 miles northeast of Montreal.

Kenneth Mitchell

Feb. 24 (age 49)

The actor and Toronto native was cast in the 2004 film "Miracle" as Ralph Cox, a forward who was the last player cut from the United States hockey team that won gold in 1980. Mitchell also appeared in the television drama "Jericho" and played three recurring Klingon characters in "Star Trek: Discovery." He revealed in February 2020 a diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease.

Tim Ecclestone

March 2 (age 76)

The forward was an original member of the Blues and acquired in a trade with the Rangers following the 1967 NHL Expansion Draft. Ecclestone helped the Blues reach the Stanley Cup Final in their first three seasons, getting swept by the Canadiens twice and the Bruins in 1970. He was traded with forward Red Berenson to the Red Wings for forwards Wayne Connelly and Garry Unger on Feb. 6, 1971, finished that season with an NHL career-high 19 goals and 53 points in 74 games and scored 18 goals in each of his next two seasons with the Red Wings while equaling his career high in points in 1971-72. The 1971 NHL All-Star had 359 points (126 goals, 233 assists) in 692 regular-season games for the Blues, Red Wings, Maple Leafs and Atlanta Flames and 17 points (six goals, 11 assists) in 48 playoff games. He retired following the 1977-78 season and remained in the Atlanta area as part owner of a sports bar.

Dr. Francis Fontaine

March 8 (age 50)

Dr. Fontaine specialized in the treatment of elite athletes, including members of the Canadiens, and worked closely with many Olympic athletes. He was also medical director, consultant in performance medicine for the Cirque du Soleil Group since August 2019. Dr. Fontaine held a doctorate in medicine from the University of Montreal in 2003 and was the first in Quebec to practice the Platelet-rich Plasma (PRP) method that aims to treat tendon, joint or ligament injuries. He was a doctor at the Winter Olympics in 2010, 2018 and 2022, and medical director of the Yvon Michel Group from 2008 to 2018.

Konstantin Koltsov

March 18 (age 42)

The forward was selected by the Penguins with the No. 18 pick of the 1999 NHL Draft. Koltsov played 144 NHL games for Pittsburgh from 2003-06, including all 82 games in 2003-04, and had 38 points (12 goals, 26 assists). He was teammates with Mario Lemieux for all three of his seasons and current Penguins captain Sidney Crosby during the latter's rookie season in 2005-06. Koltsov played for Belarus at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics, where they finished fourth, and at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. After playing his final game for the Penguins in 2006, he played 10 seasons in the Russian Super League and Kontinental Hockey League for Salavat Yulaev Ufa, Atlant Mytishchi, Ak Bars Kazan and Dinamo Minsk before retiring in 2016.

Chris Simon

March 18 (age 52)

The forward was chosen by the Flyers in the second round (No. 25) of the 1990 NHL Draft and had 305 points (144 goals, 161 assists) in 782 regular-season games over 15 seasons for the Quebec Nordiques, Colorado Avalanche, Washington Capitals, Blackhawks, Rangers, Calgary Flames, New York Islanders and Minnesota Wild. Simon had 17 points (10 goals, seven assists) in 75 playoff games and helped the Avalanche win the Cup in 1996. He also reached the Stanley Cup Final with the Capitals in 1998 and Flames in 2004. He last played in the NHL for the Wild in 2007-08 before joining the KHL, where he was a two-time All-Star from 2008-13.

Paul Masnick

March 23 (age 92)

The forward was the oldest surviving member of a Canadiens championship team. Masnick played for the 1953 Stanley Cup winners and had 59 points (18 goals, 41 assists) in 232 NHL games for Montreal, Chicago and Toronto. He had nine points (four goals, five assists) in 33 postseason games, including an overtime goal in Game 6 of the 1951 Semifinal in Boston. The goal forced Game 7 in Montreal that the Canadiens would win before they were swept in the Final by the Red Wings.

Dave Forbes

April 1 (age 75)

The undrafted forward played 362 games for the Bruins and Capitals from 1973-78 and Cincinnati of the World Hockey Association between 1978-79. Forbes had NHL career highs of 18 goals and 30 points in 1974-75, played for Boston as a rookie in the 1974 Stanley Cup Final and again in 1977 before he was claimed by Washington in the NHL Waiver Draft on Oct. 10 of that year.

Helen Cummine

April 10 (age 90)

Cummine's death in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, closed a chapter in the family life of Hockey Hall of Famer Gordie Howe. She was the youngest and last surviving sibling of the late Mr. Hockey's eight brothers and sisters. Helen and Gordie were last together in February 2015, Howe the guest of honor at the 55th annual Kinsmen Sports Celebrity Dinner in Saskatoon. "She was a special lady, the last of the Howes," Darcy Bruce told NHL.com columnist Dave Stubbs of her late mother.

Glen Dirk

April 17 (age 85)

The 2023-24 season was Dirk's 29th as an amateur scout for the New Jersey Devils. He began his NHL scouting career with the Capitals before joining the Devils during the 1994-95 season and helping build the teams that won the Stanley Cup in 1995, 2000 and 2003. Born in Loon Lake, Saskatchewan, "Dirky" devoted his life to scouting for more than 40 years beginning with Regina of the Western Hockey League in 1983. One of his most famous stories was watching a young Scott Niedermayer play in Kamloops and recommending to the Devils that he saw something special on the ice. Niedermayer became a four-time Cup-winning defenseman (Devils, Anaheim Ducks), a 2013 Hall of Fame inductee and named one of the "100 Greatest NHL Players" in 2017.

Wally Harris

April 18 (age 88)

A former NHL referee who in retirement became the League's first director of officials and subsequently an influential, highly respected supervisor of game crews. Harris refereed 953 regular-season games and another 85 in the playoffs between 1966-83, including Stanley Cup Final series in 1973, 1975, 1976, 1980, 1982 and 1983. He also officiated two NHL All-Star Games, the League's 28th in 1975 at the Montreal Forum and 34th in 1982 at the Capital Center in Landover, Maryland.

Ed Chadwick

April 23 (age 90)

Played 140 consecutive games as goalie for the Maple Leafs and is the last at the position in team history to play every game in a season. Chadwick was 57-92 with 35 ties, a 2.94 GAA, .901 save percentage and 14 shutouts in six seasons for Toronto and Boston. His NHL career began in 1955-56, when he played five games as a replacement for an injured Harry Lumley. After retiring as a player, Chadwick became a scout for the Oilers. His name is on the Stanley Cup with Edmonton’s 1985, 1987 and 1990 championship teams.

Al Shaver

April 24 (age 96)

A member of the media section at the Hall of Fame and the longtime "Voice of Hockey" in Minnesota, Shaver was the 1993 recipient of the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award in recognition of those in radio and television who made outstanding contributions to their profession and hockey as selected by the NHL Broadcasters' Association. He is also a member of the Minnesota Broadcasting Hall of Fame who became the radio voice of the North Stars in 1967 and held the position until the franchise relocated to Dallas in 1993. He went on to broadcast men's hockey at the University of Minnesota until retiring in 1996 after 48 years in broadcasting. He is a 10-time Minnesota Sportscaster of the Year and a 2003 inductee into the Pavek Museum of public broadcasting whose son, Wally, is the voice of the Golden Gophers hockey program.

Bob Cole

April 24 (age 90)

The 1996 Hall of Fame inductee was the voice of Hockey Night in Canada on CBC for five decades. Cole's broadcasting career began with VOCM radio in St. John's, Newfoundland, and then CBC Radio in 1969. He moved to television in 1973, when Hockey Night in Canada expanded coverage, and often called Maple Leafs games from 1980 to 2008. The Foster Hewitt Memorial Award winner was beloved by fans for his trademark call of "Oh baby!" He was the play-by-play announcer for the 1972 Summit Series that ended with Paul Henderson's goal in Game 8 to give Canada the win against the Soviet Union, and the 2002 Olympics when Canada defeated the United States to win its first Olympic gold medal in 50 years.

Frank Bonello

May 1 (age 91)

Bonello joined the NHL as Director of Central Scouting in July 1988, a position he led until taking the role of consultant to NHL Hockey Operations on Aug. 30, 2005. He was general manager and coach of Toronto in the Ontario Hockey League for 17 years, the Marlboros winning the Memorial Cup in 1973 and '75, and was being wooed by the Maple Leafs to become their GM at the time he came to the League. Some of the greatest players in history were selected No. 1 in the NHL Draft during Bonello's term at Central Scouting, including Mats Sundin, Joe Thornton, Alex Ovechkin and Crosby.

Ron Ellis

May 11 (age 79)

The forward played all his 16 NHL seasons for the Maple Leafs from 1963-81 and was a member of their most recent Stanley Cup championship team in 1967. He had 640 points (332 goals, 308 assists) in 1,034 regular-season games and 26 points (18 goals, eight assists) in 70 playoff games, including three points (two goals, one assist) in 12 games in 1967. Ellis is one of five to play more than 1,000 games with Toronto. He represented Canada in the 1972 Summit Series and was honored with the entire '67 Maple Leafs as the recipient of the 2024 NHL Alumni Association Keith Magnuson Man of the Year Award.

Bill Friday

May 13 (age 91)

A legendary, flamboyant whistleblower who was the only person to referee both Stanley Cup Final and WHA Avco Cup Final games. The founder and first president of the NHL Officials Association, Friday worked 542 games (498 in the regular season) as a linesperson and referee between 1961-72. He was a part of 44 playoff games, including six consecutive Finals between 1967-72, and NHL All-Star Games in 1968 in Toronto and 1971 in Boston. By NHLOA records, Friday worked a total of 1,425 games in the NHL and then the WHA, the fledgling league to which he was lured. He refereed the first game in WHA history in 1973 and its final game in 1979 and was referee-in-chief during his final three seasons in the WHA.

Darren Dutchyshen

May 15 (age 57)

The longtime popular and engaging TSN personality and "SportsCentre" host had a long battle with prostate cancer, Hockey Canada calling him "a legendary voice in our country." Dutchyshen started his career with TSN in 1995 by hosting weekend editions of "SportsDesk" and "CFL Live" and became a mainstay on late-night editions of SportsCentre over the next three decades. The Regina, Saskatchewan, native's first sportscasting job was STV in Saskatoon. He then worked for IMTV in Dauphin, Manitoba, and was host of ITV's "Sports Night" in Edmonton for seven years.

Mark Wells

May 17 (age 67)

The center played a role in the “Miracle on Ice” in 1980. Wells had three points (two goals, one assist), scoring in wins against Norway (5-1) and Romania (7-2) in the preliminary round en route to upsetting the Soviet Union in the first game of the medal round and defeating Finland for the gold. He was selected by the Canadiens in the 13th round (No. 176) of the 1977 NHL Draft after his second season at Bowling Green State University. Following the Olympics, Wells played nine games for Nova Scotia, Montreal's AHL affiliate, and was then traded to Detroit, but he refused to join the Red Wings and was released from his contract. He then signed with the Rangers, but never reached the NHL, playing the 1980-81 season with their AHL affiliate in New Haven, Connecticut, where he had 43 points (14 goals, 29 assists) in 67 games. Wells is the third member of the 1980 U.S. team who has died (Bob Suter on Sept. 9, 2014; Mark Pavelich on March 4, 2021).

Sergei Berezin

June 26 (age 52)

The forward played seven seasons in the NHL after he was selected by the Maple Leafs in the 10th round (No. 256) of the 1994 NHL Draft. Berezin had 286 points (160 goals, 126 assists) in 502 regular-season games for the Maple Leafs, Phoenix Coyotes, Canadiens, Blackhawks and Capitals, and 30 points (13 goals, 17 assists) in 52 playoff games. His 25 in 1996-97 led rookies and his 41 points were fifth. His best season came in 1998-99, when he scored an NHL career-high 37 goals and 59 points in 76 games and had 12 points (six goals, six assists) in 17 playoff games. Berezin, who assisted on Steve Thomas' goal that gave Toronto a 2-1 overtime win against Ottawa in Game 5 of the 2000 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, retired from the NHL following the 2002-03 season.

Marty Pavelich

June 27 (age 96)

The four-time Stanley Cup champion with the Red Wings in the 1950s and one of the best checking forwards of his day was the second-oldest living NHL player behind Steve Wochy (101), who played briefly for Detroit just before Pavelich arrived in 1947. Pavelich won the Cup in 1950, 1952, 1954 and 1955. He played 633 games, all for Detroit from 1947-57, and had 252 points (93 goals, 159 assists). He had 28 points (13 goals, 15 assists) in 91 playoff games; five of his goals were game-winners.

Tony Voce

July 8 (age 43)

The forward signed with his hometown Flyers as an undrafted free agent after he had 167 points (90 goals, 77 assists) in 159 games over four seasons at Boston College, where he was a two-time Hockey East First Team All-Star, First-Team All-American and 2004 finalist for the Hobey Baker Award given to the top player in NCAA men's hockey. Voce played for the Philadelphia Phantoms in the AHL from 2004-07 and won the 2005 Calder Cup. He also played for Grand Rapids (AHL) and overseas for Wolfsburg (Germany), Ilves in SM-liiga (Finland) and Graz EC in Austria.

Mike Loftus

July 21 (age 65)

Loftus covered the Bruins at the Patriot Ledger in Quincy, Massachusetts, for nearly 40 years until retiring Dec. 2, 2020. His career began in June 1979, covering high school sports for weekly papers in Kingston and Plymouth, and he was a New England Patriots media liaison for two seasons (1985, '86). Loftus covered 12 Bruins coaches beginning with Terry O'Reilly, four general managers, the 2011 Stanley Cup championship team, four trips to the Stanley Cup Final (1990, 2011, 2013, 2019), two NHL Winter Classics (2010 at Fenway Park; 2016 at Gillette Stadium) and the 1996 NHL All-Star Game at Fleet Center in Boston, where Ray Bourque scored with 37.3 seconds left in the third period to give the Eastern Conference a 5-4 victory and earn the Bruins defensemen MVP honors.

Bob Jones

July 26 (age 54)

The former Senators assistant was in his fourth season on the coaching staff when he was diagnosed with ALS in December 2022. Jones became a vocal advocate and continued his work with the organization through the remainder of the season and into 2023-24. He joined the Senators on July 5, 2019, after coaching in the AHL and more than 20 seasons in the OHL. Jones was an associate for the 2009 and 2010 OHL champion Windsor Spitfires.

Murray Costello

July 27 (age 90)

The longtime executive inducted into the Hall of Fame as a Builder in 2005, Costello was president of Hockey Canada and the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association for two decades. As CAHA president, he created the Program of Excellence and was instrumental in organizing the first International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) World Women's Championship in 1990. Four years later, he led the merger of the CAHA and Hockey Canada and was a member of the IIHF Council from 1998 to 2012, including five years as vice president. He had 32 points (13 goals, 19 assists) in 163 regular-season games for the Black Hawks, Bruins and Red Wings, and played five postseason games. Costello was inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame (2013), the IIHF Hall of Fame (2014) and the Ottawa Sport Hall of Fame (2023). He was named to the Order of Hockey in Canada in 2017, joining Hall of Fame coach Scotty Bowman (inducted as a Builder in 1991) and hockey executive Fran Rider.

Gilles Leger

Aug. 6 (age 83)

Leger spent six decades in professional hockey. He was coach of St. Francis Xavier University in Canada from 1967-72 before moving to the WHA, where he was an assistant with Ottawa and Toronto before becoming coach and general manager of Birmingham from 1976-79. Leger's first job in the NHL came in 1979, when he was named director of player development for the Nordiques, a role he held for four seasons before becoming assistant general manager for 11 seasons (1984-95). He was an Oilers scout for three seasons (1998-2000) prior to joining the Rangers in the same role (2000-20).

Johnny Gaudreau

Aug. 29 (age 31)

Gaudreau and his brother, Matthew, were killed in their home state of New Jersey when they were struck by an alleged drunk driver who was charged with two counts of death by auto. Johnny was chosen by the Flames in the fourth round (No. 104) of the 2011 NHL Draft while playing for Dubuque in the United States Hockey League. He played three seasons at Boston College, won the 2014 Hobey Baker Award and was a member of the NCAA East First All-American Team in 2013 and 2014. Johnny was a finalist for the 2015 Calder Trophy, won by Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad, after leading rookies with 40 assists and tying Senators forward Mark Stone for the lead in points (64) while having 14 multipoint games. He also won the 2017 Lady Byng Memorial Trophy as the League's most gentlemanly player, was a three-time 30-goal scorer for the Flames, and had 115 points (40 goals, 75 assists) in 82 games in 2021-22 before signing a seven-year $68.25 million contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets on July 13, 2022. Matthew, 29, played four seasons at Boston College, including one with Johnny, and five pro seasons before retiring after 2021-22. He was coach at Gloucester Catholic High School in Gloucester City, New Jersey, where he and Johnny helped win the school's first state championship in 2010.

Vladimir Bure

Sept. 3 (age 73)

The father of retired NHL forwards Pavel Bure and Valeri Bure was Devils conditioning coach from 1999 to 2003, including the 2000 and '03 Stanley Cup championship teams. Vladimir joined the Devils after working for the Canucks in the same capacity from 1994-98. He took more than a decade off after leaving the Devils before returning as an assistant coach for Belarus at the 2016 and 2017 IIHF World Championships. Vladimir won a gold medal in the 4 x 100-meter freestyle swimming event at the 1970 Barcelona Olympics. Pavel was a five-time 50-goal scorer in the NHL, had 60 for Vancouver in back-to-back seasons (1992-93, ‘93-’94) and ended his playing career with 779 points (437 goals, 342 assists) in 702 regular-season games with the Canucks, Florida Panthers and Rangers and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2012. Valeri had 400 points (174 goals, 226 assists) in 621 games for the Canadiens, Flames, Panthers, Blues and Stars.

Stephen Peat

Sept. 12 (age 44)

The forward was selected by the Ducks in the second round (No. 32) of the 1998 NHL Draft and was traded to the Capitals on Dec. 28, 2005. Peat had 10 points (eight goals, two assists) in 130 NHL games, all for the Capitals, and finished his professional career playing one game for Albany in the AHL. He also played for Portland, Hershey and Lowell, and junior hockey for Langley of the British Columbia Hockey League, and the WHL for Red Deer, Tri-City and Calgary.

Lou Varga

Sept. 27 (age 87)

Varga was Blackhawks equipment manager for 25 years and inducted into the Hall of Fame with the Class of 2000. His grandson is Kalder Varga, a 16-year-old forward in his first season with Kelowna of the WHL.

John Henderson

Oct. 3 (age 91)

"Long John" was the Bruins' oldest-living goalie and the second oldest only to Hall of Famer Glenn Hall, who turned 93 the same day. Henderson played 46 regular-season NHL games, all for Boston, and twice in the 1955 postseason.

Donnie Marshall

Oct. 10 (age 92)

The versatile center was the last surviving member of the Canadiens dynasty that won the Stanley Cup in five straight seasons from 1956-60. Marshall was a strong role player and one of the best penalty killers of his day. He played 10 seasons with the Canadiens and minor hockey in the Montreal district of Verdun, just a few miles from the Montreal Forum. He then played seven seasons for the Rangers and one each for the Sabres and Maple Leafs before retiring after 1971-72 with 589 points (265 goals, 324 assists) in 1,176 NHL games.

Pete Conacher

Oct. 20 (age 92)

The son of Hall of Fame forward Charlie Conacher, among the 100 Greatest NHL Players in history, played 229 games (86 points; 47 goals, 39 assists) for the Black Hawks, Rangers and Maple Leafs, and was president of the Ontario chapter of Special Olympics Canada. Pete was recalled by the Black Hawks in 1951-52 after he had 120 points (53 goals, 67 assists) in 51 games for Galt in the OHA. He ended his playing career with Buffalo and Hershey of the AHL. Pete's uncles, Lionel Conacher and Roy Conacher, are Hall of Famers. His cousin, Brian Conacher, won the Stanley Cup with the Maple Leafs in 1967. A distant relative, Cory Conacher, played 193 games for the Senators, Tampa Bay Lightning, Sabres and Islanders from 2012 to 2019.

Moe Lemay

Oct. 21 (age 62)

The forward won the Stanley Cup with the Oilers in 1986-87, when he played 10 regular-season games and nine postseason games. Lemay was selected by the Canucks in the fifth round (No. 105) of the 1981 NHL Draft. He had 166 points (72 goals, 94 assists) in 317 games for the Canucks, Oilers, Bruins and Winnipeg Jets, and nine points (six goals, three assists) in 28 playoff games. Lemay left the League after the 1988-89 season and played in Germany for 10 seasons before retiring in 2000.

Bill Hay

Oct. 25 (age 88)

A Stanley Cup champion with the Black Hawks and 1960 Calder Trophy winner, the native of Lumsden, Saskatchewan, was inducted into Hall of Fame as a Builder in 2015, played eight seasons for the Black Hawks from 1959-67 and became the first United States college-trained player to become a regular in the NHL out of Colorado College. For much of his time in Chicago, Hay was the center on the "Million Dollar Line" with Bobby Hull on the left and Murray Balfour on the right, leading the Black Hawks in 1960-61 with 48 assists and 59 points to help them end a 23-year championship drought. He followed in the managerial footsteps of his father, Charles Hay -- a Hall of Fame inductee as a Builder in 1974 -- to help shape the game in Canada and the U.S. Bill was chair of the Hockey Hall and a member of its selection committee, president and chief executive officer of the Flames and creator of the D.K. (Doc) Seaman Hockey Resource Centre. He and Murray Costello (died July 27) were instrumental in the merger of Hockey Canada and the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association in the mid-1990s and created the Hockey Canada known today.

Mike Hasenfratz

Nov. 25 (age 58)

Hasenfratz officiated 705 NHL games from 2000-01 to 2013-14. He debuted for the League on Oct. 21, 2000, a 4-4 tie between the Islanders and Capitals at MCI Center in Washington, and officiated his first NHL playoff game on April 19, 2002, a 5-2 win by the Canucks against the Red Wings at Joe Louis Arena (Detroit) in Game 2 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals. Hasenfratz's final NHL game was a 4-3 Flyers victory against the Penguins at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh on March 16, 2014. He missed the following season because of unspecified health issues before retiring from the League.

Larry McIntyre

Nov. 29 (age 75)

The defenseman was a third-round pick (No. 31) of the Maple Leafs in the 1969 NHL Draft and had three assists in 41 games. The native of Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, played junior hockey in his hometown and was plus-3 in his NHL debut, a 3-3 tie with the Minnesota North Stars at Maple Leaf Gardens on Jan. 7, 1970. McIntyre retired from hockey after he had 36 points (seven goals, 29 assists) in 76 regular-season games, and four points (one goal, three assists) in nine playoff games, to help Tulsa win the 1976 Central Hockey League championship.

Connor Kasin

Nov. 30 (age 17)

The 17-year-old hockey player from Massapequa High School died after losing consciousness during intermission of a charity game at the Oyster Bay Skating Center in Bethpage, New York. Kasin was a senior and was participating in a benefit for a foundation set up by the parents of Syosset High School graduate Sabrina Navaretta, a 19-year-old who died in an April 2023 car crash. The New York Islanders High School Hockey League, which organizes hockey competitions for Long Island schools, canceled all games scheduled the next day, and the Islanders held a moment of silence for Kasin before a their game against the Seattle Kraken at UBS Arena on Dec. 5.

David Bonderman

Dec. 11 (age 82)

Bonderman led the ownership group that brought the NHL to Seattle. On Dec. 4, 2018, the League awarded the expansion franchise to the group led by Bonderman, the majority owner. The new franchise became the Seattle Kraken, who made their NHL debut Oct. 12, 2021, and played their first regular-season game in Seattle on Oct. 23 that same year. Known to friends and colleagues as "Bondo," he oversaw the overhaul of KeyArena into Climate Pledge Arena, the Kraken's home rink. The group also built the Kraken Community IcePlex, their three-sheet practice facility. Bonderman was the co-founder of TPG, a $239 billion alternative asset management giant he and partner Jim Coulter and Bill Price opened in 1993 in San Francisco.

Jim Waters

Dec. 13 (age 73)

The high point of Waters’ tenure as owner of Erie in the OHL was a five-game win against Mississauga in the 2017 final. He bought the team from Sherwood "Sherry" Bassin on July 17, 2015, after Bassin was owner since a relocation from Niagara Falls, Ontario, in 1996. Waters was honored one night after his death before the Otters defeated the defending Memorial Cup champion Saginaw 8-2 at Erie Insurance Arena. He worked 35 years in broadcasting with CHUM Ltd., which had 33 radio stations across Canada, was elected to the Canadian Music Industry Hall of Fame in 2009 and was a member of the OHL’s Executive Council of the Board of Governors since 2021-22.