OHL mourns the loss of Frank Bonello
The Ontario Hockey League is saddened by news of the passing of former two-time Memorial Cup champion, integral builder and long-time NHL Central Scouting Director Frank Bonello, who passed away on Wednesday at the age of 91.
Bonello was general manager, and served brief stints as head coach of the OHL’s Toronto Marlboros over a span of 17 years from 1971-88, steering the franchise to J. Ross Robertson Cup and Memorial Cup titles in 1973 and 1975. Bonello replaced close friend Jim Gregory as Director of NHL Central Scouting in 1988, a post he held until 2005. He served as a consultant for two years that followed.
Joining forces with coach George Armstrong through the early years of his Marlboros tenure, Bonello’s teams developed such names as Mark Howe, Bruce Boudreau, John Tonelli, Mark Napier and John Anderson. The club would later develop NHL talent in Steve Thomas, Peter Zezel, Yvon Corriveau and goaltender Sean Burke.
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman credited Bonello for “expanding the (Central Scouting) department’s scope exponentially during a significant period of domestic and international growth for the League,” in a statement this past week.
During his time at Central Scouting, some of the greatest players in the history of the NHL were selected No. 1 in the NHL Draft, including Mats Sundin (1989), Joe Thornton (1997), Marc-Andre Fleury (2003), Alex Ovechkin (2004) and Sidney Crosby (2005).
Prior to his time in management, Bonello played his junior career with the Galt Black Hawks of the OHA in 1952-53 before competing for both the Chatham Maroons and Whitby Dunlops Senior A programs where he won a World Championship in Oslo, Norway in 1958.
For more on the life and career of Frank Bonello, visit nhl.com.
Statement from NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman on the Passing of Frank Bonello. https://t.co/X5j7jbDJgz pic.twitter.com/NJ23L2cNHz
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) May 2, 2024