Hawerchuk was a young prodigy who received his first pair of skates at age two and, according to his father Ed, "was skating before he could walk."[2] Beginning competitive hockey at age four, Hawerchuk demonstrated superior skills almost immediately. At the Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament, he scored all eight goals during an 8–1 victory in the finals, smashing the longstanding record by the legendary Guy Lafleur. By age 15, the famed Oshawa Generals offered him a tryout, though he did not make the team. In 1979, Hawerchuk was selected sixth overall by the Cornwall Royals of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, and became somewhat of a rarity: a Toronto-born player starring in the QMJHL. He recorded 103 points and was named Rookie of the Year. Hawerchuk was the playoff MVP and led the Royals to the Memorial Cup championship. In his second junior year, he scored 81 goals and 183 points and led the Royals to their second consecutive Memorial Cup title. He was named a QMJHL First Team All-Star, the Canadian Major Junior Player of the Year, and Memorial Cup MVP.
The Winnipeg Jets selected Hawerchuk first overall in the 1981 NHL Entry Draft, ahead of fellow future Hall of Famers Ron Francis, Grant Fuhr, and Chris Chelios. Hawerchuk immediately became Winnipeg's star attraction, leading the Jets to what was at the time the largest single-season turnaround in NHL history, a 48-point improvement. He set the NHL record for most points by an 18-year-old, finishing with 103, and won the Calder Memorial Trophy as the NHL's Rookie of the Year. He also played in that season's All-Star Game. Hawerchuk recorded 91 points in his second season, then hit the 100-plus point plateau for the next five consecutive years, including a career-high 53 goals and 130 points in 1984–85.
During the 1990 NHL Entry Draft, Hawerchuk was involved in a blockbuster trade. Along with Winnipeg's first-round choice (14th overall pick, Brad May) in the draft, he was dealt to the Buffalo Sabres for Phil Housley, Scott Arniel, Jeff Parker and Buffalo's first-round choice (19th overall, Keith Tkachuk). Over the next four years, he recorded no fewer than 86 points in a season. His point totals fell off during an injury-plagued and lockout-shortened 1994–95 season. In 1995, with the Sabres looking to slash team salary, he signed a three-year contract with the St. Louis Blues,[3] recording 41 points in 66 games before a trade to the Philadelphia Flyers in March 1996. He finished the season strongly, with 20 points in the final 16 regular-season games and adding nine points in the playoffs. The next season, he was plagued by injuries but managed 34 points and played in his fifth All-Star Game. Hawerchuk announced his retirement following the 1996–97 season at age 34 due to a degenerative left hip.[4] His appearance with the Flyers in the 1997 Stanley Cup Finals marked the only time any of his teams advanced past the second round of the playoffs.
He played for Team Canada in the 1987 Canada Cup tournament, and had a goal and two assists in the decisive third game of the Finals against the Soviets. Late in the third period, he won the face-off that led to Canada's most famous goal and tied up with the Russian player who tried to check Mario Lemieux at centre ice, allowing Lemieux to take Wayne Gretzky's pass in the slot for the series winner. Hawerchuk was named Canada's MVP for that decisive game. Commentators remarked on his ability in the series to switch from being a goal scorer to a mucker and grinder. Hawerchuk was also key to Canada's 1991 Canada Cup victory.
In a poll of NHL general managers during the mid-1980s asking them to select the player they would start a franchise with, Hawerchuk was voted third behind only Gretzky and Paul Coffey. He retired with 518 goals, 891 assists and 1,409 points, placing him 18th on the career NHL points list. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2001.
The Phoenix Coyotes (successor to the Jets) retired Hawerchuk's No. 10 during the 2006–07 NHL season.
On June 4, 2010, the Barrie Colts of the Ontario Hockey League named Hawerchuk as their head coach and director of hockey operations.[5] The 2010–11 season was a rebuilding one for the Colts, as the team went 15–49–2–2, missing the playoffs for the first time in team history. In his sophomore year, the 2011–12 season, Hawerchuk amassed a record of 40–23–3–2; a significant improvement over his rookie season as bench boss of the Colts.[6]
Personal life
Hawerchuk was born in Toronto, Ontario, but grew up in Oshawa, Ontario. He was married to Crystal, whom he met in Manitoba while playing for the Jets. The couple had three children.[7]
Hawerchuk's son Ben Hawerchuk plays professional hockey as a forward for the Cincinnati Cyclones of the ECHL. Ben had previously played for the Barrie Colts.[8]
Illness and death
In 2019, Hawerchuk announced he would be taking a leave of absence from the Colts for health reasons,[9] which was later revealed to be stomach cancer. Hawerchuk completed a course of chemotherapy in April 2020, but died on August 18, 2020, at the age of 57.[7] He was buried in Thornton Cemetery in Oshawa.
The new incarnation of the Jets, as a tribute to Hawerchuk, would include said tribute as part of their 10th anniversary logo for the 2020/21 season (the logo also being worn as a patch on all team jerseys), with his number 10 in the center enclosed in a black circle.[10]
Inducted into the Buffalo Sabres Hall of Fame in 2011[11]
Inducted into the Phoenix CoyotesRing of Honor in 2007,[1] joining Bobby Hull and Thomas Steen. The Jets/Coyotes franchise retired his number 10 on April 5, 2007. Unlike Hull and Steen, who were honored in Jets colors, Hawerchuk's number was retired in Coyotes apparel, despite the fact that Hawerchuk never played in Phoenix.
Honored by the second Winnipeg Jets franchise: named captain of the Jets' alumni squad at the 2016 Heritage Classic, inducted into the team's Hall of Fame in 2017, and by a statue near the Canada Life Centre, the Jets' current arena located in downtown Winnipeg. Out of respect for Hawerchuk, number 10 has not been worn by any Jets player since that team relocated to Winnipeg in 2011.
Holds the record for most assists in a period, with five in the second period of Winnipeg's 7-3 win at Los Angeles on March 6, 1984 [2][3].
