Barrie Colts F Ben Hawerchuk – Draft Eligible Prospects with NHL Bloodline’s

Barrie Colts F Ben Hawerchuk – Prospects with NHL Bloodline’s

Barrie Colts F Ben Hawerchuk is number nine on our list in a series dedicated to draft-eligible prospects with current or past family ties to the NHL. Ben is the son of Hall of Fame NHLer Dale Hawerchuk, drafted 1st overall by Winnipeg back in 1981.

Matthew Tkachuk, Jakob Chychrun, Alex Nylander, Kieffer Bellows, and Logan Brown are the first names to come to mind for 2016 draft-eligible prospects with current/or former NHL bloodline’s.

Both Keith Tkachuk and Michael Nylander had long, successful careers. Brian Bellows played nearly 1200 games, producing more than 1000 points. Jeff Brown also had a solid career posting 585 points in 747 points from the back-end. Jeff Chychrun was a 1984 draft pick, a veteran of 262 games playing until 1993-94, finishing his career with AHL Cape Breton.

We are featuring 15 draft-eligible prospects with NHL bloodline’s/family ties. The 2016 NHL Entry Draft will be held on June 24-25 in Buffalo, New York at the First Niagara Center.

NHL Bloodline’s: Barrie Colts F Ben Hawerchuk

Barrie Colts F Ben Hawerchuk
Father: Dale Hawerchuk

This NHL legend has an extremely long resume. It began back in the QMJHL, winning back-to-back Memorial Cup Championships with Cornwall, topping 100 points in both seasons en route to numerous individual awards. Dale also represented Canada at the World Juniors in 1981, posting nine points in five games. The CHL’s top player was taken 1st overall that same year.

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Dale Hawerchuk had a memorable NHL rookie season in 1981-82, producing 45 goals, 58 assists (103 points) in 80 games. He added 91 points in 1982-83, and 102 points in 1983-84. Named Winnipeg Jets captain in 1984-85, Hawerchuk tallied 53 goals, 77 assists (130 points) – a single season career high.

He continued to play for Winnipeg through 1989-90, posting 379 goals, 550 assists (929 points) over his 713-game tenure with the Jets.

Hawerchuk was traded at the 1990 NHL Draft in a blockbuster trade (at the time). Winnipeg traded Dale Hawerchuk, 1st Round Pick (Brad May), and future considerations to Buffalo in exchange for Scott Arniel, Phil Housley, Jeff Parker, and a 1st Round Pick (Keith Tkachuk).

After nine years in Winnipeg, Dale spent the next six seasons in Buffalo, posting 110 goals, 275 assists (385 points) in 342 games. After signing in St.Louis in 1995-96, Dale appeared in 66 games (41 points), then was moved to Philadelphia at the trade deadline in exchange for Craig MacTavish. He produced 20 points in 16 games down the stretch with Philly, adding nine points in 12 games during the playoffs. He played one more final NHL season with the Flyers in 1996-97, tallying 34 points in 51 games, with seven points in 17 final playoff appearances.

Dale Hawerchuk accumulated 1188 games of NHL experience over his 16-year career. He scored 518 goals, 891 assists (1409 points), adding 99 points in 97 playoff games.

Since retiring, Dale took over as head coach OHL’s Barrie Colts in 2010-11, where he currently still resides (coaching his son Ben). When he took over, the Colts went 15-49-4 his first season behind the bench. His coaching record is since 162-95-15, evolving into one of the CHL’s top coaches.

Dale Facts:

More from NHL Draft

– He won the Calder Trophy in 1981-82 (103 points) as the NHL’s top rookie
– Dale represented Canada at three World Cup of Hockey events (’82,’86,’90), and two Canada Cup tournaments (’87,’91)
– Wore the “C” for seven years in Winnipeg, dawned the “A” for all five years with Buffalo.
– Produced 183 points in 72 games with QMJHL Cornwall his Draft year
– Hawerchuk is a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame (HHOF), Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame, and Buffalo Sabres Hall of Fame.
– His number 10 was retired by the Arizona Coyotes.
– Dale was first NHLer to produce 1000 points before reaching his 31st birthday.
– Owns a shared record for most goals in a Memorial Cup tournament with eight.
– Only NHL player to appear in 1000 games before 31st birthday
– Hawerchuk is the youngest player to post 100 points, five days before his 19th birthday.

Barrie Colts F Ben Hawerchuk – 159th Ranked North American Skater (NHL Central Scouting Mid-Term Rankings)

At 5’10 157lbs, Ben still needs to add some more weight, and strength to his undersized frame. A product of the GTHL (Toronto Titans AAA), he joined Barrie in 2014-15, appearing in 59 games, posting nine points playing limited ice-time.

His point totals and ice-time have increased in 2015-16, but he’s certainly not getting that coach/son favoritism you often find immersed in hockey politics. The owner of the Flint Firebirds already proven the OHL will not tolerate that. While Dale does not play favorites with Ben, one must wonder if it works opposite – not being given enough ice-time for fear of how it may look. We shall find out in 2016-17 when Barrie loses some key players to NHL/or AHL teams.

More puck prose: Top 20 Goaltenders Under 25 Years Old

Below is a Rogers TV video highlighting the NHL connections in the OHL in 2015-16.

Gene Pereira via Hockey’s Barrie Examiner,

Futures

For Dale and Ben Hawerchuk, when it comes to skating it’s like father, like son.

Or should we say of the Barrie Colts head coach and Colts winger, like Ducky, like Ducky Jr.

“A couple of my dad’s old buddies, they call him Ducky,” Ben revealed with a chuckle. “Guys on my team now are calling me Ducky Jr.”

One of the National Hockey League’s all-time great players, Dale had a unique skating style throughout his hall-of-fame career.

A similar skating style that is easy to spot when both he and Ben take to the ice for a Colts practice at the Barrie Molson Centre.

“Some people have said that,” Dale explained. “(Ben has) a little hop in his step, kind of like I had and maybe a little bit of a heel clicker as well. I always told people the guys that skate a little different, they’re harder to defend because you don’t know which way they’re going.

“Kirk Muller was like that. He was a real heel clicker, too,” Dale added. “I remember watching him when he was young and thinking, ‘Man!’ Even playing against him, wondering ‘which way is this guy going?””

For Ben, now it’s just about making that skating style even stronger and to that end the younger Hawerchuk has taken a big step forward in his second season with Barrie.

“With (Ben), we see his speed’s picked and he’s poised with the puck,” Dale said. “He’s matured as a player in a year, for sure.”

Next: NHL Bloodline's: Prospect Ben Hawerchuk

2016 Draft-Eligible Prospects With NHL Bloodline’s:
*NHL family ties in parentheses

In 2015-16, Barrie Colts F Ben Hawerchuk has seven goals, eight assists (15 points) in 53 games, including 72 penalty minutes.