The most unbelievable man in hockey went missing (and was found alive) | Ernie "Punch" McLean - EP49

Ernie "Punch" McLean has to be the most unbelievable person in hockey history. There's so many stories he has and we could get only get through so many.

You'd never know he's 93 if you were to meet Ernie. He's got a ton of energy and still sharp as ever.

I'm proud to be part of The Ernie Punch McLean Legacy Foundation, as we work towards recognizing Punch with a statue potentially right outside Queen's Park Arena, where he achieved 4 straight championships for the New Westminster Bruins.

The Foundation has a simple yet powerful vision: to bring lasting meaning and presence to the stories and memories that connect us. The goal goes beyond the statue itself. The Foundation aims to create a shared space that sparks conversation, remembrance, and pride within the community. Every community deserves a tangible symbol of its spirit, a place where legacy meets inspiration.

Community members can support the campaign by signing the public petition and making donations at https://punchlegacy.com. The Foundation is also seeking a major corporate partner to help accelerate the project timeline.

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We sat down with Ernie Punch McLean, a true BC hockey legend and one of the most memorable people in Canadian junior hockey. At 93 years old, Punch is still sharp, still mining for gold up north, and has so many stories from a life that sounds like it’s from a movie.

He built a junior hockey dynasty with the New Westminster Bruins, leading them to four straight championships in the Western Canada Hockey League (also known as WHL history) and winning back-to-back Memorial Cup titles in 1977 and 1978. Before that he coached the Estevan Bruins and helped set up farm teams like the Chilliwack Bruins. His teams played old school hockey with real hockey toughness, a big aggressive roster that earned them the nickname McBride Street Bullies in the Broad Street Bullies era. He emphasized positional hockey, team culture, hockey leadership, and building a strong farm team system so talent kept flowing through.

Punch shares how he got the nickname, his wild hockey referee stories, throwing a garbage can on the ice, and the time he jumped onto the ice to defend a player. He talks about moving the team to Queen's Park Arena in New Westminster, the packed crowds that sometimes pushed the Vancouver Canucks to the third page of the sports section on the local newspapers. We hear about players he developed like Stan Smyl, Barry Beck, and Billy Ranford, plus the Wayne Gretzky story from when he coached a young Gretzky on Team Canada. He brings up insights about hockey scouting, hockey draft secrets, hockey rivalries, and what made the 1970s junior hockey scene so unforgettable.

Beyond the rink, Punch opens up about his life as a pilot and construction businessman, surviving a plane crash that cost him his left eye, and his wilderness survival story while working as a gold prospector in BC gold mining. He also reflects on Saskatchewan hockey, the prairie hockey roots with teams like the Humboldt Indians (original name of the Humboldt Broncos), connections to legends like Scotty Munro, Bill Hunter, and Nat Bailey, and run-ins with teams like the Portland Winterhawks and Flin Flon Bombers.

We touch on hockey coaching legend tales, hockey coaching tactics, hockey in the 1970s, CHL history, Canadian hockey legends, BC sports history, his BC Sports Hall of Fame induction, and thoughts on the modern game.

At 93 years old, Punch still rides the SkyTrain to Canucks and Vancouver Giants games. This man is a BC Sports Hall of Fame and Hockey Hall of Fame name, and if New Westminster ever builds a proper sports Hall of Fame, his should be the first plaque on the wall.