Hawerchuk made an everlasting impact on the game of hockey
By Will MacLaren | Photo credit: TheCornwallRoyals.com
Dale Hawerchuk ranks no. 10 on the CHL’s Top 50 Players of the Last 50 Years
Very few players have made the most of their time in the game as Dale Hawerchuk. The personification of reliability and likability, his time in the CHL was punctuated by both personal and team triumphs.
A Toronto native, Hawerchuk was drafted by the Cornwall Royals during that organization’s time in the QMJHL. His undeniable talent was on display immediately. A 103-point regular season was followed up by a 20-goal, 45-point postseason as the Royals captured the ‘Q’ playoff title in 1980. During the Memorial Cup, Hawerchuk made his first appearance on the national stage count, averaging over a point per game as the Royals brought the CHL title back to the QMJHL for the first time in nine years.
The following year, Hawerchuk put together an encore for the ages, leading not only the league with 81 goals and 183 assists but also the Royals to another postseason Championship, earning QMJHL and CHL Player of the Year accolades along the way. That year’s Memorial Cup would be the cherry on top of one of the CHL’s signature campaigns. Hawerchuk set a new tournament record (since tied twice) of eight tournament goals as the Royals captured back-to-back CHL titles, still the only club from the QMJHL to achieve such a feat. Hawerchuk took home Memorial Cup MVP honors.
Hawerchuk’s remarkable play would continue with the Winnipeg Jets, who cashed in with that top pick in ’81. Playing in the most contentious division in the NHL during the 1980’s, team victories were tough to come by for a nonetheless respectable Jets squad. On the ice, his seven 40-goal and six 100-point seasons led the way. Off the ice, he became a fixture in the community around the Manitoba capital while proudly wore the ‘C’ for six years. By the time he retired in 1997, Hawerchuk registerd 518 goals and 1409 points. On the international stage, he claimed Canada Cup titles in 1987 and 1991 while also earning bronze and silver medals at the IIHF World Hockey Championship. In 2001, Hawerchuk took his rightful place as an honored member of the Hockey Hall of Fame.
Beyond all of that, Hawerchuk was every bit a Hall of Fame person. Making his way to Barrie in 2010, he would coach the Colts for nine seasons. The man known as ‘Ducky’ during his playing days would become a beloved figure to a new generation of players. Hawerchuk passed away on August 18, 2020 following a battle with stomach cancer. The hockey world mourned the loss of a man who not only won on the ice – especially during his CHL days – but won at life as well.
