Hawerchuk’s son in wonder of Winnipeg’s “Whiteout” conditions

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This article was published 23/04/2024 (503 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Dale Hawerchuk and the Winnipeg Jets will forever be linked, and a statue of the late, great “Ducky” that stands outside the downtown rink serves as a permanent reminder.

That deep bond has been re-enforced this week as Hawerchuk’s son, Eric, has returned to his birthplace to experience his first “Whiteout”.

“My whole family has felt a big connection to this city for a long time, but especially since they put the statue up,” Eric told the Free Press on Tuesday, a few hours before the puck was dropped in Game 2 between the Jets and Colorado Avalanche.

“I feel like I’m connected to my dad here. This place meant so much to him, and it meant a lot to us. It’s nice to come and visit friends and family. I’ve never seen the city like this.”

Hawerchuk was drafted first overall by the Jets in 1981, playing his first nine seasons in Winnipeg in which he racked up plenty of franchise records and was one of the best players in the game.

Now 34, Eric was just one year old when his father was traded to the Buffalo Sabres in 1990, so he never got to experience Winnipeg in full playoff frenzy during his childhood.

Although he heard plenty of stories from his family, nothing could have prepared him for what he experienced Sunday night inside Canada Life Centre. A late flight from his current home in Arizona meant he missed the first period, which ended in a 3-3 tie.

“I walked in, sat down and boom, we scored. And the place just goes nuts,” Eric said of the go-ahead goal in the middle fame scored by Jets captain Adam Lowry.

“I was like, ‘Holy, smokes.’ I’ll never forget that. It was something else. It was just electric in here.”

“I feel like I’m connected to my dad here. This place meant so much to him, and it meant a lot to us. It’s nice to come and visit friends and family. I’ve never seen the city like this.”–Eric Hawerchuk

The emotional roller-coaster continued until the final buzzer, with the Jets holding on for a 7-6 victory. Moments later, there was Eric sharing a hug with Jets co-owner and chairman Mark Chipman,.

“It’s funny. The older I’m getting, the more I’m understanding why this city meant so much to my dad. And why he loved it here,” said Eric.

“It is a special place. I think the players that are here now are seeing that, too.”

Those heavy feelings kept coming after the game, as Eric spotted hundreds of jubilant fans posing for pictures with his father’s bronzed likeness, with plenty tagging him on social media to express their love and admiration.

“It gave me chills, honestly,” he said.

“This whole trip already, I’ve only been here 48 hours, but I’ve had chills multiple times. I’m getting choked up now just thinking about it. It’s awesome.”

Hawerchuk died of stomach cancer in August 2020 at the age of 57, and the statute was unveiled prior to the 2022-23 season, with dozens of family members, former teammates and opponents flying in for the first-of-its-kind ceremony for the Jets organization.

“For them to embrace Dale the way they did when the Jets came back, it meant so much to him. Being born here, I want to support the city and support the Jets,” Eric said, of why it’s so important to maintain connections.

To that extent, he’s developed a close friendship with Jets centre Mark Scheifele, who was previously coached and mentored by Hawerchuk in junior (Barrie Colts).

The family has also launched “Ducky’s Dills,” which is based on a pickle recipe passed down through multiple generations.

They’re now being sold at Red River Co-op locations around Winnipeg and at Mottola Grocery, just steps away from the statue in True North Squarewhere Eric spent some time Tuesday meeting fans.

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Although he didn’t inherit his father’s hockey talents, Eric has carved out a career as a professional golfer including 15 events on the PGA Tour Canada. He’s got some upcoming tournaments to play south of the border but plans to attend as many Jets games as he can over what he hopes is the next couple months.

Perhaps the end result can be something his father wanted so desperately for his beloved hockey home — a Stanley Cup.

“I think the vibes are as high as they can be,” said Eric.

“I think the players feel that. I think you know as a team when you have it, and these guys have it. And they know it. They know if they play the right way we can get this done. And I just want to be a part of it.”

mike.mcintyre@freepress.mb.ca

X: @mikemcintyrewpg

Mike McIntyre
Reporter

Mike McIntyre is a sports reporter whose primary role is covering the Winnipeg Jets. After graduating from the Creative Communications program at Red River College in 1995, he spent two years gaining experience at the Winnipeg Sun before joining the Free Press in 1997, where he served on the crime and justice beat until 2016. Read more about Mike.

Every piece of reporting Mike produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press’s history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.