Hockey Columnist Larry Brooks Was Dealing With a Medical Issue Before His Death

The hockey community was left with a heavy heart on Nov. 13, 2025, after the New York Post announced its legendary hockey writer, Larry Brooks, had passed away. He was 75 at the time of his death. Larry joined the Post way back in 1975, working overnight as a part-time clerk, per the NHL. Who would have thought that job would spark a decades-long career, ultimately making him one of the Post’s biggest contributors to turning New York Rangers coverage into “a must-read”?

It was a mission he held close, often saying, “The Post has to be not just a first-read, but the must-read." While he saw himself as just “a small part of that,” the Post made it clear he was far more: “He was a huge, larger-than-life part of it."

It’s truly devastating to lose such a defining voice in the sport, and naturally, people are trying to piece together what happened. Here are the details on Larry’s cause of death and what he was dealing with in the months leading up to his passing.

New York Post columnist Larry Brooks passed away after a “brief” battle with cancer on the morning of Nov. 13, 2025, the outlet revealed. Just a month earlier, on Oct. 22, 2025, the Post reported that Larry was taking a break from his role to address a “medical issue.” That announcement immediately sparked concern, and while the Post didn’t disclose details about his condition at the time, it now appears he may have been dealing with the cancer that would soon take his life.

At the time of what was supposed to be a brief departure, Post Executive Sports Editor Chris Shaw issued this statement to reassure fans anxious questioning when Larry would return: “We’ve received so many queries about Larry’s absence from our Rangers coverage to start the season. We miss him too, but we know he’ll be back as soon as possible and once again creating must-read Rangers content for Blueshirts and NHL fans alike.”

Sadly, just three weeks after that, the outlet would be reporting on his passing.

There’s no question that Larry was truly a staple in the hockey world and at the Post, and while he may be gone, his work and impact on the industry will continue to keep his legacy alive.

Larry is survived by his son, Jordan, daughter-in-law, Joanna, and two grandchildren: Scott, 14, and Reese, 12, per the New York Post. His wife, Janis, passed away years earlier on May 8, 2020. According to her obituary, she worked as a day camp director at Elmwood Day Camp in Greenburgh, N.Y.

Larry’s talent as a journalist and columnist was widely recognized by many, enough so that he was enshrined in the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2018. Though not inducted the way a player would be, Larry was officially recognized and honored as part of the Hall of Fame, earning a place in its media section.

He received the Elmer Ferguson Award that same year and told the NHL after accepting it, “I appreciate the recognition. I think it's something when my name is up on a plaque, that will be spectacular for my grandson and granddaughter to be able to see. To be in the company of people like Red Fisher, Frank Orr, Fran Rosa, and Michael Farber, it's special.”