Hockey Hall of Famer Dale Hawerchuk Died at 57 from Stomach Cancer

The legendary former superstar player of the Winnipeg Jets and the Buffalo Sabres, Dale Hawerchuk, has lost his battle with stomach cancer as he has passed away at the age of 57 years old on Tuesday, August 18^th, 2020. Hawerchuk was deservingly inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2001 on his second year of eligibility.

More recently Hawerchuk was the head coach of the Ontario Hockey League’s Barrie Colts, but he had to take a leave of absence from that position in September of 2019 when he was initially diagnosed with stomach cancer. Unfortunately, Dale was never able to return to coaching as he lost his fight to cancer just this week.

NHL Playing Career with the Winnipeg Jets

 Hawerchuk was the first overall selection of the Winnipeg Jets in the 1981 NHL Entry Draft. Amazingly he was chosen ahead of fellow future Hall of Famers Ron Francis, Grant Fuhr, and Chris Chelios. His impact with the Winnipeg Jetswas felt immediately. Dale became the youngest NHL player in history to reach 100 plus points as he tallied 103 points in his rookie season. That NHL record was recently broken by Sidney Crosby in 2006.

He won the Calder Memorial Trophy in 1982 as the NHL’s Rookie of the Year as well as playing in the National Hockey League’s All Star Game during his rookie campaign. The left handed center scored 91 points throughout his second NHL season, and then followed that up with 100 point plus seasons over the next five consecutive years. His career high 53 goals as well as 130 points was recorded during the 1984 – 1985 season in the National Hockey League.

Trade to the Buffalo Sabres

 In the 1990 NHL Entry Draft Hawerchuk was implicated in a blockbuster trade between the Winnipeg Jets and the Buffalo Sabres. Dale as well as the Winnipeg Jets’ 1^st round pick (14^th overall selection who ended up being Brad May) in the draft was sent to the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for Phil Housley, Scott Arniel, Jeff Parker, and the Buffalo Sabres’ 1^st round pick (19^th overall selection who ended up being Keith Tkachuk) who all went to the Winnipeg Jets in this unbelievable trade agreement.

Throughout his first four seasons with the Buffalo Sabres Hawerchuk scored no less than 86 total points, but his point totals plummeted during the 1994 – 1995 NHL season due to injuries as well as the lockout shortened year of the National Hockey League. His popularity and success with the Buffalo Sabres was highly noticeable just like his time with the Winnipeg Jets.

The Final Three Seasons of Hawerchuk’s NHL Playing Career

 In 1995 Dale signed with the St. Louis Blues where he recorded 41 points and 13 goals in 66 games prior to being traded to the Philadelphia Flyers in March of 1996. Hawerchuk finished the remainder of that season extremely strong by tallying 20 points in the year’s final 16 regular season games as well as adding 12 points in the 1995 – 1996 NHL playoffs.

The following season Hawerchuk was riddled with injuries although he managed to score 34 points, and he made it to his fifth and final NHL All Star Game. Dale helped his Philadelphia Flyers reach the 1997 Stanley Cup Finals which happened to be the only time any of his teams advanced past the 2^nd round of the NHL playoffs. Unfortunately, the Philadelphia Flyers lost the 1997 NHL Stanley Cup Finals to the Detroit Red Wings in a four game sweep.

After the 1996 – 1997 season of the National Hockey League Hawerchuk announced his retirement from playing professional ice hockey at the age of 34. The main cause of his retirement was due to a degenerative left hip. Dale hung up his skates with a total of 518 goals, 891 assists, and 1,409 points. That placed him 18th overall on the career NHL points list. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2001. His number 10 was retired by the successor of the Winnipeg Jets in the Phoenix Coyotes NHL franchise during the 2006 – 2007 season of the National Hockey League. The Hockey Hall of Famer, Hawerchuk, will be greatly missed and remembered by many.

NHL Career Statistics

 NHL Standard

NHL Playoffs

The Winnipeg Jets NHL Franchise History

 The Buffalo Sabres NHL Franchise History

 Media Statements

Eric Hawerchuk tweeted: “After an incredibly brave and difficult battle with cancer, our dad has passed away. My family is so proud of him and the way he fought. #HawerchukStrong”

“What an incredible human being,” Teemu Selanne explained. “I’m thankful that Ducky was my friend and I had a chance to talk with him yesterday and say goodbye. The world is not [the] same place without him.”

The Winnipeg Jets tweeted: “The Winnipeg Jets Hockey Club, our players, our alumni, and our fans will miss Dale Hawerchuk dearly, and we will forever be inspired by his passion for the game, his commitment to his team, and his love for our community. #RememberingDucky #HawerchukStrong”

The Buffalo Sabres tweeted: “You will be greatly missed, Dale. #HawerchukStrong” 

“The National Hockey League mourns the passing of Dale Hawerchuk, an instant and enduring star who captured the hearts of two hockey-loving cities, represented his country with class and distinction, and is one of the most decorated players in our game’s history,” says the commissioner of the National Hockey League, Gary Bettman.