Ben Hawerchuk set to bring grit and skill to Fife Flyers’ forward line

Ben Hawerchuk, a 25-year old hard checking feisty forward, is the son of NHL legend, Dale Hawerchuk - and he has already made his mark in the sport.

The winger was offered a try out contract with AHL side Manitoba Moose, coached by former Flyers’ head coach Mark Morrison.

In interviews with the Winnipeg Sun and Free Press news sites, Mo said: “This kid competes. That’s what we’re trying to do here. We’re trying to compete hard all of the time. Compete for jobs. That’s why he’s here. He’s going to compete for a job. He’s a mucker, grinder on the puck, comes out of the corners with the puck.”

Hawerchuk is the eighth new import forward added to Flyers’ roster for the 2023-24 campaign, and could well light up the rink. Icing with the Jacksonville Iceman in the ECHL in 2021-22 he registered 35 points and 117 PIMs from 65 games.

Hawerchuck said: “I’m excited to be joining the team this year. I’m really looking forward to learning the culture in Scotland and hopefully going on a successful journey with the team. I’m a hard forechecking forward with a heavy shot and I have a good mind for the game.”

He comes from a hockey family, with his dad posting 1400 points in the NHL with Winnipeg Jets, Buffalo Sabres and Philadelphia Flyers. - he was also the the first NHL player to reach 1000 career games before turning 31.

Born in St Louis, Ben spent five seasons with the Barrie Colts in the OHL under the tutelage of his father, and wore the ‘A’ for two of them. He split last season between Merano in the Alps Hockey League and Jacksonville Icemen, and will have at a least a couple of familiar faces in the dressing-room - he iced with defenceman Jonas Emmerdahl during the 20/21 season with Östersunds IK in Sweden and was a team mate of Lucas Chiodo in his Barrie Colts days.

Flyers’ head coach Tom Coolen said “Ben is the type of player who can fill many roles for our Club. He can kill penalties and play on the power play. First and foremost, he is a competitor and the type of player that every team needs."