The Legacy of Ron Ringler
From the moment you met him, Ron Ringler would have a lasting impression on your life. Dedicated to what he loved and with a passion for hockey, Ringler has left a legacy that no one can deny. Ron and his wife Linda, along with their sons Peter and James, created a life they loved, celebrated by many along the way.
Ringler played for the Petes in the ‘67/’68 season under the late Roger Nielson. That season, he became one of the Petes leading scorers, tallying 41 points in 54 games. After moving on from the OHL, Ringler stepped away from hockey altogether. He worked as a carpenter, but it wouldn’t be long until he was back. Ringler returned to the OHL as a scout and worked for the North Bay Centennials, Oshawa Generals, and Saginaw Spirit. Ringler also had a short stint in North Bay as the assistant coach for the 00/01 season.
Ringler rejoined the Petes in the 2010-11 season as a scout for the Northern Ontario region. Ringler had an eye for talent and brought a great knowledge of hockey and the OHL to the Petes. During games, Ringler could be found standing by the glass observing the talent, eager to discuss his observations with fans and staff alike.
“I was fortunate enough to cross paths with Ron at a hockey tournament in my OHL draft year. He met my parents in the parking lot by chance and initiated a conversation with them before my game,” Steve Lorentz, Peterborough Petes alumnus, mentioned. “After the game, my parents talked to me about a wonderful gentleman they met, who scouted for the Peterborough Petes, and that they had a nice chat with him outside. The Petes were the only team to contact me my entire draft year and after being selected, I knew that Mr. Ringler was the reason I would be coming to Peterborough.”
Continuing on, Lorentz explained, “Fast forward many years, and I was about to play in my first NHL game with the Hurricanes. Mike Oke called me and as soon as I picked up, he passed the phone and I knew who he was giving the phone to right away. I couldn’t help but get a little bit choked up because at that moment I knew, the man on the other end of the line opened a door for me to make my ultimate dream of playing in the NHL become a reality.”
Outside of his love of hockey, Ringler was also a huge fan of horses and canoeing. Ringler would go riding through the trails of Foss Mill then load his canoe into the back of his truck, ‘old grey’ as he would call it, to explore the waters around his community.
On September 24th, the hockey community lost a great hockey mind and an even better person. Ringler passed peacefully in his sleep at the age of 75. “It is a sad day for the Petes organization, losing someone who has done so much for the team throughout our history. You would be hard-pressed to find anyone in the junior hockey community who wasn’t impacted by Ron’s dedication to the game,” commented Petes General Manager, Michael Oke. “Ring was a valued member of our organization and a great man. He will be missed by the entire OHL and hockey community.”
Ringler dedicated his life to hockey and the community in which he thrived. Leaving a mark on everyone that he met that will carry on for generations. Ringler’s legacy will live on throughout the hockey community and beyond.
