Larry Regan

REGAN, Larry (1930-2009) After a courageous battle that was typical of how he lived his life, Larry Regan passed away on March 9, with beloved wife Pauline at his side. Born August 9, 1930 in North Bay, Ontario to Charles and Aveline Regan, Larry is pre-deceased by sisters Nora and Mary, and brother Charlie. He is survived by brothers Tom (and Ursula), Jim (and Mary), step-daughter Natalie (and Jim), and will always be remembered by his extended family Michael, Ann, and Allison Calcutt; Luanne Calcutt, Joel, Josh, Jesse, Maryse, and Jarred Cohen; John and Courtney Calcutt; Tony, Cheryl-Ann and Cody Calcutt; and by his many cherished nieces and nephews. In February of this year, Larry's early hockey career with the Ottawa Senators of the Quebec Senior Hockey League (along with those of several others, including his dear friend and fellow NHL veteran Lude Check), was celebrated by leading members of Ottawa's sports community at a special luncheon in their honour. Larry's blood, sweat and toil in the rough and tumble Eastern and Quebec Hockey Leagues was rewarded in 1956, when he was drafted by the Boston Bruins. That season he won the Calder Trophy for outstanding NHL rookie of the year. Larry went on to play 280 games in five seasons with the Bruins and the Toronto Maple Leafs, including five appearances in the Stanley Cup finals. He was later a popular and spirited player/coach on the European hockey circuit, where he spent three seasons in Innsbruck, Austria. He was then named the first General Manager and Head Coach of the NHL's Los Angeles Kings upon league expansion in 1967. His contributions to the sport he loved didn't stop there. He served on the board of directors of the NHL Alumni Association, and for over 15 years as the President of the Canadian Oldtimers Hockey Association. He was commissioned by the federal Minister of Sport to co-author an influential paper titled "the Status of Hockey in Canada," and was a founding and serving director of the Terry Fox Humanitarian Awards Program -- an association of which he was especially and rightfully proud. Larry Regan was a sportsman, a businessman, a family man and a friend. He was a leader of his generation, and a role model to those that follow. He is already dearly missed. Family will receive friends on Friday, March 13, at Pinecrest Visitation Centre (2500 Baseline Road, Ottawa) from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. and 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. A Celebration of Larry's life will be held on Saturday, March 14, at St. Patrick's Basilica (281 Nepean Street, off Kent Street) at 11:00 a.m. A reception will follow in the Church Hall. The family thanks our angel Betty Woods, and the dedicated and compassionate staff at the Ottawa Hospital Civic Campus, for their kindness and professionalism during Larry's final days. In memory of Larry, donations to the Parkinson's Society or Ottawa Hospital Foundation Cancer Research would be appreciated.