Vince Malette Heartbreak Leaves Void in Ottawa

Vince Malette is gone at 64. That number hits hard. It is way too young for a guy who brought so much life to every room he entered.

He wasn't just a coach. He was the guy cracking jokes on the bench, making Brian Kilrea laugh, and treating every player like family.

You know the resume. Malette spent nine seasons running the Ottawa 67's bench alongside Bert O'Brien. He helped drive that legendary 1999 Memorial Cup win at the Civic Centre.

When Matt Zultek buried the OT winner against Calgary, Malette was the first one airborne. That moment is etched in this city's history.

He later took his talents to Germany, helping the Berlin Eisbaren snag three DEL championships between 2010 and 2015. He was a winner everywhere he went.

But the scoreboard doesn't tell the real story here.

Eleven years ago, the brutal news dropped. Early onset Alzheimer’s. Malette was only 53.

Think about that. 53. Just when you should be enjoying the ride, life threw a curveball that no one deserves.

His wife Joana and daughters Alyssa and Amanda fought that battle with him every single day. They posted Wednesday that loving him was the "greatest gift," and you can feel that weight.

Malette never lost his sense of humor, even when things got tough. He once got fired from a CJHL gig via a letter in the mail and joked that he hoped the postman didn't ring twice.

That is character. He didn't have an ego. He just loved the game and the people in it.

Peter Lee said it best: Malette treated the fourth-liners the exact same way he treated the superstars. That is why he was elite.

He is finally at peace now, free from the disease that tried to steal his memories.

Raise a glass for Vince tonight—he earned it.