Larry Mavety facts for kids

Lawrence Douglas "Larry" Mavety (born May 29, 1942 – died December 4, 2020) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player. He also became a successful coach and manager in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). Larry worked with two well-known teams: the Belleville Bulls and the Kingston Frontenacs.

Playing Career: Larry Mavety's Time on the Ice

Larry Mavety was a strong defence player in ice hockey. He played for many different teams during his career. He was known for his tough play and helping his teams win.

Starting Out: Toledo Blades (1963-1964)

Larry began his professional hockey journey in the 1963–64 season. He played for the Toledo Blades in the International Hockey League (IHL). He scored 20 points and helped the Blades have the best record. The team even won the Turner Cup, a big championship for their league.

Success with the Port Huron Flags (1964-1967)

After a short time with another team, Larry joined the Port Huron Flags in the IHL. In the 1965–66 season, he had an amazing 62 points. The Flags also won the Turner Cup that year. Because of his great play, Larry was named to the IHL Second All-Star Team.

The next season, 1966–67, was even better for Larry. He scored 73 points. He won the Governor's Trophy as the best defenceman in the IHL. He was also named to the IHL First All-Star Team.

Moving West: Vancouver and Denver (1967-1971)

In 1967–68, Larry moved to the Western Hockey League (WHL). He played for the Vancouver Canucks. He recorded 25 points in 72 games.

Then, he joined the Denver Spurs in the WHL. In his second season there, 1969–70, he scored 57 points. He was named to the WHL Second All-Star Team. The next year, he had 63 points and was again a Second All-Star.

New League: World Hockey Association (1972-1977)

In 1972, a new league called the World Hockey Association (WHA) started. Larry played for several teams in this league. He started with the Los Angeles Sharks and then the Philadelphia Blazers.

He found a home with the Chicago Cougars. In 1972–73, he scored 49 points. The next season, he had 51 points. He helped the Cougars reach the Avco Cup Finals, which was their league championship. Larry had 12 points in those playoff games.

After the Cougars, Larry played for the Toronto Toros. He helped them reach the playoffs. He also played for the Denver Spurs again and the Indianapolis Racers. Larry Mavety retired from playing professional hockey after the 1976–77 season.

Career Statistics

Coaching Career: Leading the Teams

After retiring as a player, Larry Mavety became a highly respected coach and general manager. He spent many years shaping young hockey players in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL).

Building the Belleville Bulls (1979-1988)

Larry started coaching the Belleville Bulls in 1979. This was a new junior team. In 1980–81, he led them to a great record of 35 wins. The team won the league championship! They even played for the national championship, the Manitoba Centennial Trophy.

In 1981–82, the Bulls joined the major junior Ontario Hockey League (OHL). Larry helped them improve each year. By 1984–85, the Bulls had their first winning season with 42 wins. They made it deep into the playoffs. The 1985–86 season was also very successful. The Bulls reached the J. Ross Robertson Cup finals, which is the OHL championship.

Moving to Kingston (1988-1990)

In 1988, Larry left Belleville to coach the Kingston Raiders. The team was renamed the Kingston Frontenacs in 1989. In the 1989–90 season, the Frontenacs had an amazing 42 wins. Larry Mavety won the OHL Coach of the Year award for his excellent work!

Return to Belleville (1990-1997)

Larry returned to coach the Belleville Bulls for the 1990–91 season. The team continued to be strong under his leadership. They made the playoffs almost every year. In 1993–94 and 1994–95, they won several playoff rounds.

Back to Kingston (1997-2020)

In 1997, Larry Mavety went back to the Kingston Frontenacs. This time, he was both the head coach and the general manager. As general manager, he was in charge of the team's players and overall strategy.

The team had a good season in 1997–98, winning their first playoff series. In 1999, Larry made a key trade to get a great goalie, Andrew Raycroft. This helped the Frontenacs have a strong 1999–2000 season.

Larry stepped down as head coach in 2002 to focus on being the general manager. He hired new coaches like Jim Hulton and Bruce Cassidy. In 2007–08, he briefly coached the team again. In 2008, he brought in former NHL star Doug Gilmour as the new head coach.

Larry Mavety remained with the Kingston Frontenacs until his death in 2020. His last role was as a senior consultant, continuing to help the team he loved.

Coaching Record

Death

Larry Mavety passed away in Kingston on December 4, 2020. He was 78 years old.