Thomas McVie (born June 6, 1935) is a Canadian former professional
ice hockey
Ice hockey (or simply hockey) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an ice skating rink with lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. In ice hockey, two opposing teams use ice hock ...
coach in the
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...
.
McVie grew up in a poor family, and, upon signing his first junior league contract, is said to have left home with a single used stick and pair of skates.
After his junior career ended, McVie signed with the
Seattle Totems
The Seattle Totems were a professional ice hockey franchise in Seattle, Washington. Under several names prior to 1958, the franchise was a member of the Pacific Coast Hockey League (renamed the Western Hockey League in 1952) between 1944 and 19 ...
of the
Western Hockey League
The Western Hockey League (WHL) is a major junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitutes the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) as the highest level of junior h ...
and began a long career with this league that included stops with the
Portland Buckaroos
The Portland Buckaroos was the name of several professional ice hockey teams based in Portland, Oregon.
PCHL/NWHL era (1928–1941)
The first incarnation of Portland Buckaroos played their home games at the Portland Ice Arena. The Buckaroos ini ...
,
Los Angeles Blades
The Los Angeles Blades were a professional inline hockey team based in Los Angeles, California. The Blades played in Roller Hockey International from 1993–1997 and played their home games at the Great Western Forum.
Two other franchises have us ...
, and
Phoenix Roadrunners. He scored a career-high 85 points during the 1961–62 season, earning a tryout with the
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the New York City borough of Manhattan. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home ...
but failing to secure a training camp invitation.
After three years behind the bench in the
International Hockey League, McVie coached the
Washington Capitals
The Washington Capitals (colloquially known as the Caps) are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. The team competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL) ...
from the
1975–76 season to the middle of the
1978–79 season. After being released by the Capitals, he moved to the
Winnipeg Jets
The Winnipeg Jets are a professional ice hockey team based in Winnipeg. The team competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference, and is owned by True North Sports & Entertainment, pl ...
, then in the
World Hockey Association
The World Hockey Association (french: Association mondiale de hockey) was a professional ice hockey major league that operated in North America from 1972 to 1979. It was the first major league to compete with the National Hockey League (NHL) ...
, and coached the team to an
Avco Cup
The Avco World Trophy, also known as the Avco Cup, is the playoff championship trophy of the defunct World Hockey Association (1972–1979). The trophy's naming rights were sold to the former Avco Corporation (a name originally derived from "Avia ...
championship. He then coached with
Bill Sutherland in the Jets' first two NHL seasons,
1979–80 and
1980–81. He replaced
Bill MacMillan
William Stewart MacMillan (born March 7, 1943) is a Canadian former hockey coach and player. MacMillan played and later coached in the National Hockey League (NHL). After several years with the Canadian national team, including playing at two Wo ...
as head coach of the
New Jersey Devils
The New Jersey Devils are a professional sports, professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey. The Devils compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern ...
midway through the
1983–84 season, in which the team posted the worst record in its history. McVie returned as an NHL head coach with the Devils in
1991–92 after coaching the AHL
Utica Devils
The Utica Devils were a professional ice hockey team of the American Hockey League (AHL). The team was based in Utica, New York, and played its home games at the Utica Memorial Auditorium.
History
The Utica Devils were AHL affiliate of the Nationa ...
.
McVie has served in the Boston Bruins organization for 21 years, 16 of them as a scout, and currently as "brand ambassador." He finally had his name etched on the
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup (french: La Coupe Stanley) is the championship trophy awarded annually to the National Hockey League (NHL) playoff champion. It is the oldest existing trophy to be awarded to a professional sports franchise in North America, an ...
in 2011, as the Bruins won their first championship in 39 years.
NHL coaching record
WHA coaching record
References
External links
*
1935 births
Living people
Boston Bruins coaches
Boston Bruins scouts
Ice hockey people from British Columbia
New Jersey Devils coaches
Seattle Totems (WHL) players
Sportspeople from Trail, British Columbia
Washington Capitals coaches
Winnipeg Jets (1972–1996) coaches
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