40 Facts About Murray Costello

James Murray Costello was a Canadian ice hockey player, executive, and administrator.

Murray Costello played four seasons in the National Hockey League and was the younger brother of Les Costello.

Murray Costello was a lawyer by trade and president of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association from 1979 to 1994.

Murray Costello oversaw the foundation of the Canada women's national ice hockey team and the inaugural 1990 IIHF Women's World Championship.

Murray Costello was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, the IIHF Hall of Fame, the Ottawa Sport Hall of Fame, and the Canada's Sports Hall of Fame, was an Officer of the Order of Canada, and a recipient of the Order of Hockey in Canada.

Murray Costello was born on February 24,1934, in South Porcupine, Ontario.

Murray Costello grew up in Schumacher, Ontario, in a household with three brothers, one sister, and a father who worked at the Dome Mine.

Murray Costello was the younger brother of professional hockey player Les Murray Costello.

Murray Costello was noticed by scouts as a teen and was convinced by his older brother, Les, to enroll at St Michael's College School, to play hockey to pay for his education.

Murray Costello was traded to the Boston Bruins for Frank Martin on October 4,1954.

Murray Costello played 162 games in four NHL seasons, scoring 13 goals, 19 assists, and 32 points.

Murray Costello felt that he had the skills to play in the NHL, but not "the mindset to be an NHL player, the way they sacrificed their bodies".

Murray Costello finished his playing career with the Windsor Bulldogs in OHA senior hockey, while he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Assumption University in 1959.

Murray Costello later became publicity director for the Western Hockey League.

Murray Costello rose the ranks to become director of hockey operations for the Totems, and his team won consecutive Lester Patrick Cup championships in 1967, and 1968.

Murray Costello moved to Ottawa in 1973, did contract work with the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association teaching and working on coaching certification programs, worked as a scout for the Phoenix Roadrunners, and studied at the University of Ottawa Faculty of Law.

Murray Costello completed his law degree in 1977, then worked in the legal department of the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, and later as an arbitrator for the World Hockey Association Players' Association.

Murray Costello was formally called to the bar on April 9,1979.

Murray Costello was recruited to become the first paid staff to lead the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association in 1979, when the membership voted to have a full-time president instead of a volunteer executive committee.

Murray Costello was chosen because he had previously worked for the CAHA on contract work, and had a legal background.

The first major project by Murray Costello was to address the lack of success by the Canada men's national junior ice hockey team at the IIHF World U20 Championship.

Murray Costello proposed a "Program of Excellence" at the 1981 CAHA annual general meeting in St John's, which entailed Canada sending the best eligible junior players from the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, Ontario Hockey League, Western Hockey League, to a summer evaluation camp, and lending the same players during Christmas holidays to create a true Team Canada.

Murray Costello oversaw the formation of the Canada women's national ice hockey team, and the inaugural 1990 IIHF Women's World Championship, which led to the development of women's hockey in Canada.

Murray Costello felt that "there is a tendency in Canada for parents to want their kids to play up in higher competition, thinking they will learn more", and that "we really cater to the upper half of our society".

Murray Costello felt that year-round training for youth would lead to burn out, and advocated for youth to play other sports during summer month to benefit their skill sets.

Murray Costello retired as president of Hockey Canada, effective July 1,1998, at the annual general meeting.

Murray Costello was succeeded by vice president Bob Nicholson, who said that Costello was a great mentor, and "made every decision based on what he thought was the best interest of the sport".

Murray Costello was a member of the International Ice Hockey Federation council from 1998 to 2012, after retiring from Hockey Canada.

Murray Costello resigned as vice president of the IIHF, effective September 30,2012.

Murray Costello says it was partially due to the decision to wear pink jerseys, but he was prouder to have showcased the talent in the women's game to the International Olympic Committee.

Murray Costello is credited with growing the game worldwide, specifically in the United States.

Murray Costello facilitated the spread of knowledge and ideas for ice hockey and collaborated with USA Hockey on coaching education.

Murray Costello was honoured with the Wayne Gretzky International Award in 2012, which was established by the United States Hockey Hall of Fame, for international individuals that made major contributions to the growth and advancement of hockey in the United States.

Murray Costello resided in Ottawa with his wife Denise, and they had six children.

Murray Costello's older brother Les played with the Toronto Maple Leafs, was an ordained priest, founded the Flying Fathers in 1963, and died in 2002.

Murray Costello was on the board of directors for the Hockey Hall of Fame for 17 years and was on the selection committee.

Murray Costello had spoken out against the rising cost of minor competitive hockey, calling it an elitist sport.

Murray Costello himself was able to reach the NHL coming from a poor background by using hand-me-down equipment, but he feared that "hockey is becoming an opportunity only for the people who can pay their way in", and suggested a return to wooden sticks for minors.

Murray Costello died at age 90 from heart failure, on July 27,2024.

Murray Costello's funeral was held on August 20,2024, at St Patrick's Fallowfield Roman Catholic Church, in Nepean, Ontario.