By Canadian Press

Longtime Belleville Bulls, Kingston Frontenacs coach Larry Mavety dies at age 78

Dec 4, 2020 | 10:25 AM

KINGSTON, Ont. — Longtime junior hockey executive Larry Mavety has died.

He was 78.

The Ontario Hockey League’s Kingston Frontenacs confirmed the death Friday on Twitter.

“I’ve had the privilege of working with Mav for over 30 years,” OHL commissioner David Branch said in a statement. “There are many things that he contributed to our game, but most importantly what stands out in my mind is how he took care of his players.

After playing in the minor pro ranks, Mavety entered coaching with the Belleville Bulls in 1979. 

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Mavety guided the Bulls to the national Tier II junior A final in 1981 before the team jumped to the OHL in 1982.

The native of Woodstock, Ont., remained with the Bulls through 1988 before joining the then-Kingston Raiders.

Mavety returned to Belleville in 1990 and then went back to Kingston with the Frontenacs as general manager and head coach in 1997.

Mavety relinquished his head coaching duties in 2002 before returning to that role in 2007. He stepped away as coach again in 2008 when he hired Kingston native and former NHL star Doug Gilmour, who played for Mavety in Belleville, as head coach.

The Frontenacs kept Mavety as a consultant after Gilmour replaced him as GM in 2011.

“The hockey world has lost a great man,” Gilmour wrote on Twitter. “Mav was my coach, my GM and a friend. Condolences to (his wife) Brenda and family. Thanks for giving me a chance.”

Mavety also had a small role in “Slap Shot”, a 1977 comedy movie about a feisty minor-league hockey team.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 4, 2020.

The Canadian Press