CALGARY — Longtime hockey executive Murray Costello has passed away.
He was 90 years old.
Hockey Canada said in a statement that Costello, who led both the organization and the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association for 20 years, died Saturday.
The South Porcupine, Ontario, native played four NHL seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks, Boston Bruins and Detroit Red Wings in the 1950s, but he also made his mark off the ice.
Costello served as president of CAMA, created the association's excellence program and was the driving force behind the first Women's World Championship in 1990.
He then led the merger of CAMA and Hockey Canada four years later.
Costello served on the International Ice Hockey Federation Council from 1998 to 2012, including five years as vice-president, and was a vocal advocate for the development of women's hockey in Canada and around the world.
He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame as a Builder in 2005, became a Life Member of the IIHF in 2012 and was named to the Order of Canada a year later.
Costello has also been inducted into the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame and the IIHF Hall of Fame, and was awarded the Order of Hockey Canada.
“Hockey Canada sends its condolences to Murray's family and friends and all those he positively impacted throughout his life and incredible career in hockey,” Hockey Canada president and CEO Katherine Henderson said in a statement. “His legacy will continue to benefit Canadian and global hockey for generations to come.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 29, 2024.
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