During his two seasons with the Detroit Red Wings, Murray Costello set a unique and forgettable standard. The right-shot center donned the winged wheel for 31 NHL games – 24 regular-season games in 1955-56, three more in 1956-57, and four playoff games in the spring of 1956 – and never collected a single point.

Costello’s overall contribution to the sport of hockey, however, is immeasurable.

The Hockey Hall of Fame and its members are deeply saddened by the passing of honorary member and former HHOF Board of Directors member Murray Costello.

We extend our sincere condolences to the Costello family during this difficult time. photo.twitter.com/Vno0zK275W

— Hockey Hall of Fame (@HockeyHallFame) July 29, 2024

Costello, who died Monday at age 90, was president of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association and later Hockey Canada. He even played a key role in the merger of the CAHA and Hockey Canada in the mid-1990s.

As president of Hockey Canada, he was a tireless advocate for the growth of women’s hockey. Costello was a key figure in the organization of the first Women’s Hockey World Cup in 1991.

On the world stage, Costello served on the IIHF Council from 1998 to 2012. He served as Vice-Chair of the Council for five years. In 2005, Costello was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame as a Builder. He was also inducted into The Order Of Canada.

Red Wings one of four NHL teams

Costello began his NHL career with the Chicago Blackhawks in 1953-54. The following season, he would move to the Boston Bruins.

On January 16, 1956, the Bruins traded Costello and Lorne Ferguson to the Red Wings in exchange for Real Chevrefils and Jerry Toppazzini.

In my almost 25 years in international hockey, Murray Costello was the most decent person I have met. He combined integrity, knowledge with a backbone and he had a huge influence on the IIHF Council. Murray was also a great storyteller. > https://t.co/6Z8CZHByye

— Szymon Szemberg (@Sz1909_Szemberg) July 29, 2024

“It was fun to play the game and it was fun to be around guys like Gordie Howe for the short time that I was there, but there’s no way any of us could have imagined it would end the way it did,” Costello told the Hockey Hall of Fame website about his time in Detroit. “It was a thrill for a young guy to be able to play with those established stars.

“(When I was with the Red Wings) I lived with Red Kelly, Metro Prystai and Bill Dineen at (landlord) Ma Shaw’s. That was a very special experience and one I will never forget.”