No stranger to laying down the law Former NHLer suiting up for police service for charity hockey game against firefighters in Winnipeg By: Mike McIntyre Posted: 5:49 PM CST Friday, Jan. 31, 2025

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This article was published 31/01/2025 (556 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Frazer McLaren is no stranger to protecting and serving. The Winnipeg product spent nine professional hockey seasons having the backs of teammates and was known for a rugged, hard-nosed playing style that led to him being a fan favourite.

After playing in the Western Hockey League with the Portland Winter Hawks and Moose Jaw Warriors, the 6-5, 230-pound forward was drafted in the seventh-round, 203rd-overall, by the San Jose Sharks in 2007.

McLaren appeared in 102 NHL games with the Sharks and Toronto Maple Leafs, scoring four goals, chipping in seven assists and racking up 264 penalty minutes.

He played another 259 games in the AHL in which he produced 13 goals, 18 assists and 701 minutes in the sin bin.

He was, without question, one tough customer on the ice.

However, since retiring in 2016, the only thing McLaren is enforcing these days is the law. The 37-year-old is a constable with the Winnipeg Police Service who sees plenty of similarities between his past and present careers.

“They are both physical, active jobs, and they kind of have a team-oriented feel to them,” McLaren told the Free Press this week about swapping his blades for a badge.

“I was looking for something that would somewhat emulate what I came from? That can be hard to do when you switch from hockey to something out in the real world, but both those jobs, I think, kind of checked a lot of boxes for me. That’s why I ultimately went that route.”

Besides, McLaren can still get his hockey fix as a member on the WPS team. And he’s got some pretty talented teammates on the beat and on the ice.

Other ex-pro players on the squad include:

• Shaun Heshka (16-year pro career including two seasons with the Manitoba Moose),
• Alex Kampen (Selkirk Steelers, then Germany),
• Craig Lazaruk (ECHL, UHL),
• Brett Stovin (U of Manitoba Bisons, then Scotland),
• Shaun Limpright (AHL, ECHL, Europe),
• Chris Benias (U of M Bisons, SPHL),
• Mark Dutiaume (AHL, ECHL, Europe) and
• Jared Walker (U of M Bisons, ECHL).

There are others who played high-level junior and/or college and university hockey, too.

“We want this to be something Winnipeg rallies behind.”–Det. Mike Evans

McLaren and company will be in action on Saturday, Feb. 15 (4 p.m.) as part of the Guns ‘N Hoses charity hockey game, which pits members of the WPS (“The Heat”) against members of the Winnipeg Fire and Paramedic Service (“The Smoke”).

The annual fundraiser is shifting to Canada Life Centre this time around with the idea of being bigger and better than ever.

All proceeds will go to Project 11 (50/50 sales), Special Olympics (WPS) and the Never Alone Cancer Foundation (WFPS) and $10 gets you in the door.

Access Credit Union and Smitty’s have signed on as major sponsors.

“We want this to be something Winnipeg rallies behind,” said Det. Mike Evans, who is one of the two goaltenders on the team and, as he points out, one of the few players “without a HockeyDB page.”

“We’ve seen what happens with these games in New York and Boston. Obviously they have bigger cities and bigger services to draw from. But there’s no reason why something like that can’t become an institution in Canada.”

Evans has also enlisted the services of Olivia Steadman to sing the anthem prior to puck drop.

The 22-year-old Winnipeg woman — blind at birth as a result of a stroke in the womb and living with cerebral palsy — recently crossed off a bucket list item by performing at a Jets game.

The hope is to draw at least 5,000 fans — “maybe even 10,000,” said Evans — and build from there.

“And it will be good hockey,” Evans notes.

Indeed. But, given what they’ll have on the roster, it has to be advantage WPS, right?

“I think we have a little more of a talented team than they do. But they skate and play a lot more than the WPS guys do. So they’re always in way better shape, and their systems are a lot better,” said McLaren.

Funny enough, McLaren could have been lining up against the WPS had things gone a little differently.

“I actually originally tried to become a firefighter,” he said.

“(After finishing his hockey career), I went to fire college, and then I applied for the WFPS. After I interviewed with them, they had some sort of hiring freeze so I was on their waiting list. Then, after a couple of years, I got impatient and applied for WPS, and they hired me.”

McLaren said the WFPS hockey team has some strong players as well, including former Portage Terriers star Jeremy Dawes, who is the younger brother of Nigel Dawes.

“We played them in the World Police and Fire Games — I think we won 3-2 — and they had a very good team,” said McLaren.

Making it to the NHL was a dream come true — one McLaren admits lasted longer than he could have imagined.

“It’s a hard league to get into, and to stay in,” he said.

“I have very fond memories, and am very proud of the time I spent playing there. In the American League, too. That’s a very good league and to do it for almost a decade is something I’m very proud of.”

“Any time you can raise money for these kinds of charities, it’s a really good thing. And it’s a win-win because it’s such a fun event for us.”–Frazer McLaren

McLaren’s final year of hockey was with the San Jose Barracuda of the AHL, where a young defenceman named Dylan DeMelo was just getting his feet wet.

DeMelo, of course, is now a staple on the Jets blue-line in the top pairing with Josh Morrissey.

These days, McLaren is content to skate at a much more leisurely pace, although he suspects the competitive juices will start flowing during the upcoming fundraiser.

“Any time you can raise money for these kinds of charities, it’s a really good thing. And it’s a win-win because it’s such a fun event for us,” said McLaren.

Added Evans, who currently works in the sex crimes unit: “This is a chance for us to show our passion and what we enjoy and at the same time give back to the community, who might only see us sometimes on the worst day of their lives.”

Tickets for the game are on sale now and available through Ticketmaster.

mike.mcintyre@freepress.mb.ca

X and Bluesky: @mikemcintyrewpg