A hockey hall of famer and former first overall pick in the NHL has died after a year-long battle with stomach cancer.
Dale Hawerchuk died on Tuesday at the age of 57 after being diagnosed with the disease last August.
He served as head coach of the OHL's Barrie Colts for nine seasons before he was forced to step away in September 2019 to seek treatment.
Hawerchuk played two seasons of junior hockey with the Cornwall Royals, who eventually moved to Newmarket and then to Sarnia to become the Sting.
He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2001 after putting up 518 goals and 1,409 points across 1,188 career NHL games.
Hawerchuk was selected first overall by the Winnipeg Jets in the 1981 NHL draft and also suited up for Buffalo, St. Louis and Philadelphia over his 16-year NHL career.
