Tom McVie

Not to be confused with Tom McVeigh.

Tom McVie
McVie in 2013
Born	(1935-06-06)June 6, 1935 Trail, British Columbia, Canada
Died	Vancouver, Washington, U.S.
Nationality	Canadian
Occupation	Ice hockey coach, player
Ice hockey career Height 5 ft 9 in (175 cm) Weight 162 lb (73 kg; 11 st 8 lb) Position Left wing Shot Left Played for Toledo Mercurys Seattle Americans/Totems Portland Buckaroos Los Angeles Blades Phoenix Roadrunners Fort Wayne Komets Johnstown Jets Dayton Gems Coached for Washington Capitals Winnipeg Jets New Jersey Devils Playing career 1956–1974 Coaching career 1972–1998

Thomas McVie (June 6, 1935 – January 2025) was a Canadian professional ice hockey coach in the National Hockey League.

Biography

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 of the Western Hockey League and began a long career with this league that included stops with the Portland Buckaroos, Los Angeles Blades, and Phoenix Roadrunners. He scored a career-high 85 points during the 1961–62 season, earning a tryout with the New York Rangers but failing to secure a training camp invitation.

After three years behind the bench in the International Hockey League, McVie coached the Washington Capitals 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, then in the World Hockey Association, and coached the team to an Avco Cup championship. He then coached with Bill Sutherland in the Jets' first two NHL seasons, 1979–80 and 1980–81. He replaced Bill MacMillan as head coach of the New Jersey Devils 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.

McVie served in the Boston Bruins organization for 21 years, 16 of them as a scout, and later as "brand ambassador." He finally had his name etched on the Stanley Cup in 2011, as the Bruins won their first championship in 39 years.

McVie died at his home in Vancouver, Washington on January 19, 2025, at the age of 89.

NHL coaching record

Team	Year	Regular season						Post season
		G	W	L	T	Pts	Finish	Result
Washington Capitals	1975–76	44	8	31	5	(32)	5th in Norris	Missed Playoffs
Washington Capitals	1976–77	80	24	42	14	62	4th in Norris	Missed Playoffs
Washington Capitals	1977–78	80	17	49	14	48	5th in Norris	Missed Playoffs
Winnipeg Jets	1979–80	77	18	48	11	(51)	5th in Smythe	(fired)
Winnipeg Jets	1980–81	28	1	20	7	(32)	6th in Smythe	(interim coach)
New Jersey Devils	1983–84	60	15	38	7	(41)	5th in Patrick	Missed Playoffs
New Jersey Devils	1990–91	13	4	5	4	(79)	4th in Patrick	Lost in First Round (PIT)
New Jersey Devils	1991–92	80	38	31	11	87	4th in Patrick	Lost in First Round (NYR)
Total		462	125	264	73

2 playoff appearances, 0 Stanley Cups

WHA coaching record

Team	Year	Regular season						Post season
		G	W	L	T	Pts	Finish	Result
Winnipeg Jets	1978–79	19	11	8	0	(84)	3rd in WHA	Won Avco Cup Championship (EDM)

1 Avco Cup Championship

External links

• Tom McVie at the Internet Movie Database
• Biographical information and career statistics from NHL.com, or Eliteprospects.com, or ESPN.com, or Eurohockey.com, or Hockey-Reference.com, or The Internet Hockey Database

Preceded by Milt Schmidt	Head coach of the Washington Capitals 1975–78	Succeeded by Danny Belisle
Preceded by Larry Hillman Bill Sutherland	Head coach of the original Winnipeg Jets 1979–80 1980	Succeeded by Bill Sutherland
Preceded by Bill MacMillan John Cunniff	Head coach of the New Jersey Devils 1983–84 1991–92	Succeeded by Doug Carpenter Herb Brooks
Preceded by Bob Francis	Head coach of the Providence Bruins 1997–98	Succeeded by Peter Laviolette