Hockey Hall of Fame member Pronovost dies at 84

Marcel Pronovost, a Hockey Hall of Fame member who won the Stanley Cup five times as a player and three times as a scout, died Sunday. He was 84 years old.

Pronovost had 345 points in 1,206 games in 21 seasons as a defenseman with the Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs.

"A Hall of Fame defenseman, a respected coach and for five seasons a valued member of the National Hockey League's Central Scouting Bureau, Marcel Pronovost devoted his life to the pursuit of excellence in our sport," NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said. "We send condolences to Marcel's family, his friends, the teams he served and the countless young players whose potential he recognized."

He won the Cup for the first time before he played a regular-season game. The Red Wings recalled him from their minor-league affiliate in Omaha during the 1950 Stanley Cup Playoffs to fill in when Red Kelly was moved from defense to forward to replace an injured Gordie Howe. Pronovost had one point in nine games as the Red Wings beat the Maple Leafs in the semifinals and the New York Rangers in the Cup Final.

Pronovost also was part of Cup championship teams with the Red Wings in 1952, 1954 and 1955. He never had more than the 11 goals and 32 points he had in 1958-59 but he made four consecutive NHL All-Star teams, including First Team in 1960 and 1961.

He was traded to the Maple Leafs in 1965 and was a key part in the Maple Leafs winning the Cup in 1967.

Pronovost retired in 1971 and went into coaching. He spent parts of two seasons as head coach of the Buffalo Sabres and parts of two others as an assistant coach with the Red Wings.

He also worked for NHL Central Scouting, and since 1990 had been an Ontario-based scout for the New Jersey Devils, where he helped build Cup champions in 1995, 2000 and 2003.

"The entire hockey world is saddened by the loss of Marcel Pronovost," Devils president and general manager Lou Lamoriello told the Devils website. "Marcel was a caring individual who dedicated his life to his family and to the game of hockey. He was a long-time member of our Devils family, a lifetime friend to the hockey community and will be missed. Our thoughts and prayers are with the entire Pronovost family."

Pronovost came from a hockey family; three of his brothers played in the NHL, and his grandnephew is Detroit Red Wings top prospect Anthony Mantha.

The HHOF is saddened to learn of the passing of Honoured Member, Marcel Pronovost. Thoughts & wishes to his family pic.twitter.com/8tsQzleQF8

— Hockey Hall of Fame (@HockeyHallFame) April 27, 2015