Rest easy, Brent Jarrett
Brent Jarrett, who rose from the frigid outdoor and chilly indoor rinks of Sault Ste. Marie to become an unlikely superstar with the Windsor Spitfires of the Ontario Hockey League and the minor pro Kalamazoo K-Wings, has passed away at the age of 65.

In 1977, Jarrett was seemingly at his peak as an 18 year old with his hometown Soo Thunderbirds of the old International Jr. B Hockey League. However, in a twist of fate, the Soo Greyhounds, who were short on players, called the 5 foot 9, 160 pound center up to the OHL for what was supposed to be only a few games. But Jarrett would never return to the Jr. B level, becoming an OHL standout instead.
After parts of two seasons with the Greyhounds, for whom he averaged close to a point per game, Jarrett was traded to Windsor for fellow center Dave Hannan, who had fallen out of favour with Spitfires coach and general manager Wayne Maxner. Under Maxner, Jarrett became an OHL sensation in Windsor.
In parts of two seasons with the Spitfires — including an overage campaign — Jarrett busted loose for 44 goals, 124 assists, 168 points in only 90 games. With speed to burn and a peppery attitude, Jarrett earned his place as one of the more productive Spitfires in franchise history.
In his only full season in Windsor, the ’79-80 campaign, Jarrett finished second on the Spitfire score sheet with 30 goals, 88 assists, 118 points in 63 games. His teammates included 63 goal slinger Blaine Barnes, 48 goal scorer Paul Gagne and 40 goal man Ernie Godden. (In ’80-81, Godden would set the OHL single season record for most goals with 87.)
Following his exploits in Windsor, Jarrett’s hockey journey was far from over.
After a National Hockey League tryout with the Detroit Red Wings, the pint sized pivot was assigned to the aforementioned Kalamazoo K-Wings, who were then members of the old International Hockey League.
As was the case when he was an assist making machine in the OHL, providing the helper was the strongest part of Jarrett’s game across six seasons in a Kalamazoo uniform — ’81-82, ’83-87, ’88-89 — and he took that same mentality into his post playing career after deciding to stay in Kalamazoo to raise his family and assist numerous hockey programs.
Just recently, on Jan. 18, 2025, the K-Wings lifted his No. 11 jersey to the rafters at Wings Event Center.
Jarrett’s sister, Jamie Freamon, told Hockey News North that her brother was diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer on October 20, 2024.
Brent’s February 1, 2025 passing came less than two weeks after his older Bart Jarrett passed away on January 20 at the age of 66 after a battle with lymphoma. Bart was well known as a former coach in the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League with the Soo Thunderbirds, Blind River Beavers and Northern Michigan Black Bears.
Condolences are extended to the entire Jarrett family.
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