Men's Hockey | 1/7/2019 6:51:00 PM

MONTREAL -- Kelly Burnett, a long-time golf pro who once skated for the New York Rangers and later coached the McGill University men's hockey team, passed away in Halifax on Dec. 22, 2018. He was 92.

An accomplished athlete and artist, he had an 18-year hockey playing career and upon retirement, was offered a head coaching position with the McGill Redmen in 1961 and served in that capacity for three seasons, compiling a 15-15-5 regular season record. He later served as general manager of a Jr. A team know as the Halifax Atlantics.

A son of the late James Burnett and Agnes MacDonald, he was born James Kelvin Burnett on June 16, 1926 in Lachine, Que. The 5-foot-10, 161-pound centre played junior for the Montreal Jr. Canadiens, followed by stints with the Barrie Flyers, Victoriaville Tigres and Sherbrooke Red Raiders in the old Quebec Professional Hockey League.

In 1949, Burnett graduated to the American Hockey League, where he posted a 109-222-331 record with 64 penalty minutes in 304 games from 1949 to 1954, with stops in Springfield and Syracuse. In 1952-53, Burnett had a brief NHL stint with the Rangers, scoring one goal in three games. That season, he made the AHL second all-star team. Two years later, he won the Byng of Vimy Trophy as MVP of the Quebec Hockey League, meriting all-star status and leading all players with 76 points, including 30 goals in  62 contests.

Burnett competed in the Memorial Cup playoffs in 1945 and 1946, followed by the Allan Cup play-downs in 1948. He concluded a lengthy hockey career by suiting up for seven seasons with the old Montreal Royals, a team in the Quebec senior and Eastern professional leagues.

His second passion was golf and he was employed as assistant pro at Summerlea Golf Club in Montreal. He then accepted a head pro position at Valleyfield Golf Club. In 1964, Burnett moved with his family to Halifax where he became the head pro at Ashburn Golf Club for the next 28 years until retirement.

In his later years, Kelly took up oil painting with the same passion that he had for sports.

He is survived by Janet Lee-Burnett, his second wife of 17 years, along with two daughters, Janice Wright of Porters Lake, N.S., Laurie Burnett of Bedford, Que., sons Robbie of Woodstock, N.B. and Raymond of Halifax, sister Eleanor Parkinson of Morris, Man., and sister-in-law Sharon Burnett of Dorval, Que.

Donations in his memory may be made to the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Nova Scotia. Online condolences may be directed to: www.jasnowfuneralhome.com