'A genuine, caring man': Allan Andrews remembered for developing leaders, not just NHL stars

Allan Andrews may be best known for founding the P.E.I. hockey school that helped develop the careers of NHL stars such as Sidney Crosby, Nathan MacKinnon and Brad Richards.

But those close to him say he was just as proud of the students who did not make it to the pros but instead became leaders in their communities.

"Allan had an ability to look beyond the sport. It wasn't just about hockey for him;it was creating little people who were going to be ready for the world and take it on," Jason Malone, program director at Andrews Hockey in Charlottetown, said Tuesday.

"He just had that ability to connect and want to be a part of people's lives for the right reasons. [He] was just a genuine, caring man who wanted the best for anyone who came into contact with him."

Andrews, 83, was found dead after being reported missing in the Canoe Cove area Monday evening, withsocial media posts saying there was urgency to find him because he was "not well."Facebook posts by RCMPabout his disappearance, the ensuing search, and the notice that his body had been found were shared more than 5,700 times.

On Tuesday, RCMP told CBC News that his death was "not acriminalmatter."

'He's influenced so many people': Allan Andrews remembered for impact on young hockey players

20 days ago

Duration 1:42

Allan Andrews, who died Monday at 83, had an outsized impact on the lives of generations of hockey players through his school in P.E.I. CBC's Wayne Thibodeau spoke to the school's program director, Jason Malone, about Andrews' legacy and how it transcended the sport.

Tributes have been pouring in ever sincefor the man who started Andrews Hockey School 45 years ago, and went on to becomea member of the Order of Canadaand the P.E.I. Sports Hall of Fame.

"I want to extend my condolences to the Andrews family on the passing of Allan a visionary founder of Andrews Hockey Growth Programs in Prince Edward Island;a devoted husband, father and grandfather," Premier Dennis King said in a statement.

"Allan's passion for the game and his unwavering commitment to developing young talent left a lasting mark on the sport of hockey, not just on Prince Edward Island but across the globe."

One of those young talents was Brad Richards, the Murray Harbour, P.E.I., native who went on to play 16 years in the NHL, winning two Stanley Cups and a Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoff MVP in 2004.

Richards said he first met Andrews when he was six years old. He was a student at the hockey school and also worked there startingwhen he was about 12 years old.

"He had a good way about him and just a smile on his face, and caring, kind of like a grandfather figure to me growing up," Richards said in an interview with CBCNews on Tuesday.

From the archives: Allan Andrews answers 5 questions on CBC News: Compass

20 days ago

Duration 4:15

Back in 2010, ahead of the Vancouver Olympics, Allan Andrews spoke with then-Compass host Bruce Rainnie about his memories of working with NHL star Sidney Crosby at Andrews Hockey School. Andrews died Monday at the age of 83.

When Richards turned 14, Andrews used his connections to help him enrolat Athol Murray College of Notre Dame in Saskatchewan. Richards said it was a turning point in his career.

"From there, my whole hockey path changed. And, you know, [I] don't know what would happen without Allan making that call and supporting me and putting his faith in me to go out to Saskatchewan."

Crosby, the native of Cole Harbour, N.S., who went on to become one of the best hockey players of his generation with the Pittsburgh Penguins, also credits Andrews with some of his success.

He and his family were so good to me and made such an impact on my life.Sidney Crosby

"I have such great memories of Allan and attending his hockey school. Both he and his family were so good to me and made such an impact on my life," he said in a statement.

"He was passionate about not only developing us as hockey players but also as people as well. Allan was a special person that took time to get to know the kids and their families as well. He did an amazing job of making everyone feel like they were part of a family, and we were with Andrews Growth program.

"He was a good friend and he will be missed."

Late to the game

Andrews himself came to organized hockey relatively late by today's standards. He played shinny on ponds in Freetown, P.E.I., but didn't joinhis first team until he was 15.

He did his undergraduate degree at the University of New Brunswick and went on to become a teacher and coach. In 1979, he founded Andrews Hockey Growth Programs, which has since grown into a major hockey school attracting thousands of youth every year from all over the world.

P.E.I.'s Brad Richards explains how Allan Andrews helped him reach hockey superstardom

20 days ago

Duration 2:24

Murray Harbour native Brad Richards is a Conn Smythe winner and two-time Stanley Cup champion, and Andrews Hockey School in P.E.I. was an instrumental part of his road to the top of the NHL. CBC's Wayne Thibodeau hears how school founder Allan Andrews, who died Monday, touched Richards' life.

In a statement, Hockey P.E.I. president Robert MacMillan said Andrews was "more than a coach. He was a mentor, a visionary, and a pillar of our hockey community. His impact on the sport is immeasurable."

That legacy is evident in the dozens of framed photos with words of praise and thanks on the wallof Andrews Hockey School and not just from those who went on to play professional hockey.

"On that wall, there's firefighters, there's doctors, there's people who just have an influence on society in so many other different ways," Malone said.

"And I think that's the mark that he's going to leave: that he had an ability to improve people within a sport, but in the bigger picture, he was for the most part able to improve their overall lives."