By Nolan Kowal, Sport Performance Specialist
It is with a heavy heart that we note the passing of Dale Hawerchuk on August 18, 2020 as he lost his ongoing battle with cancer.
Inducted into the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame in 2013 as an Athlete in Hockey, Hawerchuk spent nine fabulous seasons with the original NHL Winnipeg Jets. Drafted 1st overall in the 1981 NHL draft, he did not disappoint, winning the Calder Trophy as NHL Rookie of the Year.
He topped 100 points six times and was named an NHL 2nd Team All-Star in 1985 at the height of Wayne Gretzky’s prowess and at a time when Denis Savard and Steve Yzerman were also in their prime years of scoring. He was the runner up to Gretzky in Hart Trophy voting as NHL MVP. His key faceoff win leading towards the winning goal in the 1987 Canada Cup was another fond memory for Jets’ fans.
Dale married a Gimli girl and our sincere condolences go out to Crystal and her entire family for their tragic loss.
Bobby Hull may have been the Winnipeg Jets’ first superstar, but Dale Hawerchuk, the man they called “Ducky”, was definitely their next true superstar.
Read Dale Hawerchuk’s Honoured Member Bio
