Vladimir Bure, an NHL coach, father, and four-time Olympian, passed away on Tuesday.
As per the hockey publication Over The Boards, the 73-year-old was convalescing following a cardiac arrest that occurred a few weeks prior. He passed away in Miami, where he currently resides.
Bure, whose full name is Владимир Валeрьевич Буре, was raised in the USSR. As a member of the Soviet 4×200 freestyle relay, he won his first international medal at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics. At the Munich Olympics in 1972, he went on to win two more relay titles and a bronze in the individual 100-free event. Through 1977, he competed for the national team, earning more medals from World and European championships and qualifying for a third Olympics.
Pavel and Valeri are the two sons he fathered throughout his swimming career. The three brothers relocated to the US in 1991 in order to seek NHL opportunities. Both boys were early hockey stars. Both Pavel and Valeri were NHL players who had a brief stint together with the Florida Panthers. The brothers competed for Russia’s hockey team in 1998 and 2002, winning medals in the Olympics alongside their father. In 2012, Pavel was admitted to the NHL Hall of Fame.
In the 1990s and 2000s, Vladimir also served as a conditioning coach in the NHL. He was a two-time Stanley Cup winner while coaching the Jersey Devils.
Valeri’s wife, actress Candace Cameron Bure, paid tribute to Vladimir on her Instagram account.
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We are in deep sorrow over the passing of Val’s father, Vladimir Bure. I had a deep love for this man. He stood for the gift of life—my husband—for which I will always be thankful, as well as fortitude, commitment, drive, fortitude, love, and willpower. He was, in my opinion, the embodiment of each of those terms and, in a manner, somewhat superhuman. Vladimir was a two-time Stanley Cup winning coach for the New Jersey Devils and a four-time Olympian swimmer. He was a devoted coach, a proud spouse, a parent, and a grandfather. I am aware of his deep affection for his family beyond anything else. We appreciate your prayers for the Bure family as we grieve together ❤️🩹💔🙏🏻.♥️ You will always hold a special place in our hearts, Vladimir.