Hockey world mourns passing of Templeton

Bert Templeton created a legacy as a hockey coach, one that will not soon be forgotten.

Templeton passed away on Friday morning at the age 63 after a battle with cancer. After suffering a fall in his home earlier in recent days, Templeton was rendered paralyzed from the chest down due to complications from the illness and fall.

Templeton ended his 26-year coaching career in the Ontario Hockey League less than nine months ago with the Sudbury Wolves as the second all-time winningest coach in Canadian major junior hockey history behind Ottawa's Brian Kilrea.

"The Ontario Hockey League has lost a great friend today in Bert Templeton," said OHL commissioner David Branch in a release.

"His passion for the game of hockey and dedication to excellence was an inspiration to us all. Bert's legacy as a teacher of the game is unparalleled in the OHL and throughout the hockey world with the hundreds of players that he guided during his career. Our deepest sympathies are shared with Sandy and his entire family."

During his OHL career which began in 1974, Templeton won a Memorial Cup with the Hamilton Fincups in 1974, won the OHL coach of year honours in 1975 and 1994, won the OHL executive of the year award in 1992 and 1996, won eight division championships and set a Canadian Hockey League record by guiding the expansion Barrie Colts to 28 wins during the 1995-96 season.

In all, Templeton won complied 907 wins, 680 losses and 148 ties for 1,963 points and a .566 winning percentage with the Fincups, Niagara Falls Flyers, North Bay Centennials, Barrie and Sudbury.