A well-known and well-respected local sports icon has passed away.
Butch Turcotte passed away surrounded by family members on Tuesday morning at the Nipissing Serenity Hospice in North Bay.
He was 82.
"Earlier today, my Dad lost the biggest fight of his life. He impacted myself and so many others in the community and I will be forever grateful," said Darren Turcotte, Butch's son and former NHLer on social media Tuesday afternoon.
"I wish that I could impact half as many people as he did but know this is not possible. He taught me to be humble and to work for what I wanted. All I can hope is that I made him proud and that he knew that I loved him."
"Over the past 5 weeks, I have truly come to understand the impact my dad had on both the community and on young people he taught or coached," stated Alyson Roynon, Butch's daughter.
"The words of thanks from so many for 'changing their lives' were so comforting to all who were present to hear them."
Social media threads through the North Bay area were flooded with posts and comments in reaction to the news of his passing.
Don ‘Butch’ Turcotte was a hockey innovator who started coaching while in his teens in Kapuskasing.
On coming to North Bay to teach at Ecole secondaire Algonquin in North Bay in the late 1960s, he began coaching the Barons hockey and football clubs. In 1975, he assumed coaching duties with the Tier Two North Bay Trappers in the POHA and led them to the championship in an emotional roller coaster eight-game final over North York in the 1975-76 championship. The next season, they lost in the finals to those same Rangers and in 1978 Turcotte ended his junior coaching career and successfully lobbied for and helped establish the controversial “AAA” hockey program.
Butch coached the North Bay Pinehill team on which his son Darren was a standout player. That team captured an Air Canada Cup national midget championship in 1984, knocking off former NHL coach Ken Hitchcock's Sherwood Park team in the semifinal in double overtime before beating Notre Dame 5-3 in the final.
The 1992 North Bay Sports Hall of Fame inductee is also remembered for the countless hours spent operating the Labreche Forum for more than 40 years.
The legendary outdoor rink off Labreche Drive in the West Ferris area of North Bay had the reputation of being the first outdoor rink to open and the last to close due to Butch's passion for keeping the rink, located in his backyard, operating for his family and neighbourhood.
See related: 40 years of outdoor rink dedication recognized
See also: Legendary local outdoor rink celebrates 40 years of ice
Butch Turcotte made his last public appearance taking part in the ceremonial ball drop to start the Noah Strong Ball Hockey Tournament at the Bill Barber Complex in Callander in early June.
See related: Noah Strong Ball Hockey Day honours Turcotte family
Butch also wrote many columns for BayToday about some special North Bay hockey history in "Views from Section 8" and "Views from Section 9" that can be found in our archives.
See: Views from Section 9 with Butch Turcotte, Views from Section 9 - the Pinehill reunion and Views from Section 8 - Leading up to the Air Canada Cup
The family invites friends and family to join them for a Celebration of Life at the NUSU building, 221 College Drive, on Tuesday, July 9, 2024, from 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm.Please come prepared with your best story about Butch/Mr. Turcotte/Coach.
