Hockey legend Ernie ‘Punch’ McLean killed in a crash in Northern B.C.
Posted May 9, 2026 11:23 am.
Last Updated May 9, 2026 11:24 am.
Legendary hockey coach Ernie ‘Punch’ McLean has died in a crash in Northern B.C., the BC RCMP has confirmed.
McLean was the longtime head coach of the New Westminster Bruins in the Western Hockey League through the 1970s and parts of the 1980s.
Under McLean, the Bruins won four WHL Championships and two Memorial Cups while playing out at Queen’s Park Arena.
The coaching legend was a mainstay at Vancouver Canucks and Giants games and was known for his passion for the game.
McLean was involved in a single-vehicle collision just after noon on Friday. Mounties say the crash occurred around 30 km south of Dease Lake in Upper Gnat Pass.
“Early investigation indicates the lone male occupant of the vehicle swerved and went off road and appears to have been ejected from the vehicle,” the BC RCMP said.
“No criminality is suspected.”
The cause of the crash is unknown, police say.
He was 93.
— With files from Marcus Fitzgerald.
