R. I. P. Rodney Carl Zaine

After playing in the NHL and the WHA, Rodney Carl Zaine coached the Northumberland Whiskey Jacks to the Canada-New York title in 1998.

Rodney Carl Zaine, born in Ottawa on May 18, 1946, passed peacefully on July 7, 2022. Son of Veronica (McGoff) and Nick Zaine.

He is survived by his sister Bev and brother Rick, as well as being the proud father of Tony (Kristen), Andrew (Lisa), Amy, Jessie and Emily (Arthur). He will be dearly missed by his grandchildren Nicholas, A.J., Bradley and Reid as well as niece Tracey (Pierre) and great-nieces Katlyn, Jenna, Makayla and Madison.

Affectionately known to his children, grandchildren, nieces, great-nieces and all of their friends as “Rod Old Buddy”, Rodney Carl was a lover of hockey and baseball.

Rodney Carl managed the Northumberland Whiskey Jacks to the Canada-New York league playoff title at Kingston’s Megaffin Stadium in 1998. The Whiskey Jacks played their home games at Donegan Park in Cobourg after two years in Port Hope.

The Ottawa-Nepean Canadians executive, led by Gord Hamilton, almost hired Rodney Carl as their manager in 1980 but a commitment at the Ottawa Athletic Club prevented Rodney Carl from making the interview on time.

Rodney Carl played 61 games in the NHL with the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Buffalo Sabres, as well as 219 games in the WHA with the Chicago Cougars.

He was a charismatic, he was generous to a fault, as well as being a funny man with an endless number of jokes, anecdotes and stories that he would tell to captivate audiences. A local sports legend, Rodney Carl was always on the go, walking and biking farther than most of us can drive.

When not enriching the lives of his family, friends and anyone in need he would settle in for some of his favorite past times, cribbage, euchre, crosswords, reading and watching Seinfeld.

A visitation will be held Friday, July 15, 4-to-9 p.m. at the Kelly Funeral Home (Barrhaven Chapel, 3000 Woodroffe Ave, Nepean, 613-823-4747).

The family invites you to a Celebration of Life on Saturday, July 16, 3-to-6 p.m. at the Ron Kolbus Lakeside Centre in Ottawa, 102 Greenview Ave.