Ernie 'Punch' McLean, the iconic former coach of the New Westminster Bruins, died Friday afternoon in a single-vehicle accident south of Dease Lake. He was 93. The news came just two days after McLean attended a press conference at Queen's Park Arena promoting a statue of his likeness to be erected at the historic rink.
A Legendary Coaching Career
McLean guided the Bruins to four straight Western Hockey League (WHL) championships from 1975 to 1978, and back-to-back Memorial Cup national titles in 1977 and 1978. His teams featured future NHL stars such as Stan Smyl, Barry Beck, Brad Maxwell, and Mark Lofthouse. McLean began his coaching career with the Estevan Bruins before relocating the team to New Westminster in 1971. Over 16 seasons in the WHL, he coached 1,067 regular-season games, ranking eighth in league history. He is credited with helping more than 100 players reach the NHL.
A Rough-and-Tumble Era
The game was markedly different during McLean's tenure, characterized by a more physical and aggressive style. The Bruins embodied that ethos, attracting a devoted fan base that regularly packed Queen's Park Arena. The team left New Westminster in 1988, but the Bruins remain one of the most celebrated junior hockey teams in British Columbia.
At Wednesday's press conference, a message from Wayne Gretzky was read aloud, recalling how McLean coached him at a world junior tournament. Stan Smyl also sent a message from abroad, while Mark Lofthouse and Bill Ranford delivered speeches in person.
A Lifelong Love for Hockey
In recent years, McLean was a regular presence in the press box at Vancouver Canucks and Vancouver Giants games, as well as other games across the Lower Mainland. He spoke about his passion at the press conference: 'There's not too many arenas in this area that I can't walk into on any given night. A lot of times I go down to different teams and I talk to the players and tell them how they got there and how they can get better and how things can happen for them. So, yeah, it's in my heart.'
Outpouring of Tributes
McLean's passing follows the deaths of Canucks play-by-play announcer Jim Robson in February and former Canucks goalie and color analyst John Garrett in April. Social media has been flooded with tributes from fans, journalists, and former players.
Cam Cole wrote: 'It's an overused word, but Punch McLean was an honest-to-goodness icon of Canadian junior hockey. Loved talking to him, hearing his stories, old and new, and observations on modern teams/players. What a life he lived. #RIPPunch, there won't be another like you.'
Adam Kierszenblat recalled: 'When I first started covering the Vancouver Giants, I would sit next to Punch in the press box. I was very nervous during my first year, but Punch helped me adjust and learn by just talking with me about the game we were watching. Something I won't ever forget. RIP Punch.'
Rick Dhaliwal said: 'Talking hockey with Punch McLean was one of the things I will never forget. The mayor of Queens Park has sadly passed away. No one loved hockey more than Punch. It was in his blood. RIP Punch. New Westminster will never forget you.'
Jeff Marek added: 'Sad to hear of the passing of legendary WHL coach Ernie 'Punch' McLean. Tough doesn't begin to describe Ernie or his teams. Glad I got to spend time with him years ago in Vancouver. The stories of Punch will live forever, as will his memory in hockey. Condolences to his family.'
The Statue Project and Legacy
The Ernie Punch McLean Legacy Foundation is spearheading efforts to erect a statue at Queen's Park Arena. The foundation has a website where people can donate and sign a petition. They are seeking a major corporate partner to accelerate the timeline. Foundation director Patrick Singh said Wednesday: 'I go to games with him every once in a while and he can't go anywhere without people asking for autographs or pictures, and those people always talk fondly of his accomplishments and what he's done for that city and for that team.'
Memorable Moments
McLean's 1977-78 Bruins featured defenseman Boris Fistric, who amassed 414 penalty minutes in 69 games, while Stan Smyl had 211 in just 53 games. McLean himself was suspended for 25 games that season after punching referee John Fitzgerald during a game in Portland, prompting The Vancouver Sun's Lyndon Little to quip that McLean 'saw any chance of winning the 1978 Nobel Peace Prize disappear.'
In March, Postmedia's John Mackie wrote about a photo by Craig Hodge showing McLean tossing a garbage can onto the ice during a 1980 game at Queen's Park Arena.
Life Beyond Hockey
It remains unclear why McLean was near Dease Lake, though he developed an interest in mining in the north in 1981. In 2009, at age 77, he made national news when he went missing for four days near Turnagain Lake in Northern B.C. without food and only a sweater on his back. McLean was running a mining company at the time and fell into a crevasse while surveying a gold claim. He became disoriented and climbed the wrong side of a ridge. After walking back toward where he thought he came from, helicopter pilot Jim Reed found him on a trail. Reed told The Province: 'I didn't think we'd see him walking out of the bush, to be honest, after that period of time. He's two weeks away from 78. He's obviously a very tough customer.'
More details to come.
