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Hockey Hall of Famer Dale Hawerchuk, 57, dies from stomach cancer

Hockey Hall of Famer Dale Hawerchuk, who was the face of the Winnipeg Jets during his 16-year career in the NHL, died after battling stomach cancer. He was 57.

Hawerchuk’s death was confirmed by one of his sons, Eric Hawerchuk, in a Twitter post Tuesday.

“After an incredibly brave and difficult battle with cancer, our dad has passed away,” Eric Hawerchuk wrote. “My family is so proud of him and the way he fought. #HawerchukStrong.”

Hawerchuk was the No. 1 overall pick in the 1981 NHL entry draft. As a rookie, Hawerchuk scored 103 points as an 18-year-old winning the Calder Trophy, ESPN reported.

The forward topped 100 points six times during his nine seasons in Winnipeg. He held franchise records for goals (379) and points (929) until Shane Doan broke those marks during the 2015-16 season, NHL.com reported. Doan, the last member of the original Jets still active in the NHL, broke the record as the captain of the Arizona Coyotes. The franchise moved to the Southwest from Winnipeg in 1996.

Hawerchuk, nicknamed “Ducky,” also played five seasons for the Buffalo Sabres, two for the Philadelphia Flyers and one with the St. Louis Blues. He finished his career with 518 goals, 891 assists and 1,409 points. He played in Western Canada while Edmonton and Calgary dominated the era, but Hawerchuk missed the playoffs only once during his career. According to the Hockey Hall of Fame, he averaged more than a point a game for 13 consecutive seasons.

“The National Hockey League mourns the passing of Dale Hawerchuk, an instant and enduring star who captured the hearts of two hockey-loving cities, represented his country with class and distinction, and is one of the most decorated players in our game’s history,” NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said in a statement.

“He reached out to a lot of his friends. Maybe he didn’t get to everybody but I had the pleasure of being able to talk to him last night. It’s very sad,” former Sabres winger Brad May told The Buffalo News. “His son called me, and they were sitting in their living room. Of course, he probably wasn’t doing very well, but he sounded as good as ever. You didn’t even hear his voice being weak. We had a nice talk for 5-10 minutes, and less than 24 hours later, he’s gone. It’s crazy.”

Current and former NHL players posted condolences on social media.

“What an incredible human being,” fellow Hall of Famer Teemu Selanne posted on Twitter. “I’m thankful that Ducky was my friend and I had a chance to talk with him yesterday and say goodbye. The world is not (the) same place without him.”

“A low-maintenance superstar,” Craig Heisinger, Winnipeg’s senior vice-president and director of hockey operations, told SportsNet Canada.

“I was fortunate to see Dale come into the league,” Jets chairman Mark Chipman told the website. “I think we were all still very much in awe of the fact the Winnipeg Jets had joined the National Hockey League. I think it was Dale’s arrival that really cemented the future of the franchise and I think we all have recollections of that first year, that Calder (Trophy) year and then everything that would follow.

“He was truly a superstar as a hockey player, but I think why he was so loved here was not just that but largely the fact that he made this his home and became one of us. I think everybody shared that sense of pride in Dale’s career as a player.”

Hawerchuk coached the Ontario Hockey League’s Barrie Colts, from 2010 to 2018, the News reported. He took a leave of absence in September after his initial diagnosis of stomach cancer, ESPN reported.

Calgary Flames defenseman Rasmus Andersson, a former Colt, paid tribute to Hawerchuk hours before his team’s playoff game against the Dallas Stars in Edmonton.

“Rest In Peace Dale, was an honor to play for you,” Andersson said.

“He was such an important part of the fabric of not only the Jets but the city of Winnipeg,” Hall of Famer Wayne Gretzky told NHL.com. “He was a first pick overall with a lot of pressure. He went into a great hockey market and he embraced it and they embraced him.”

Hawerchuk was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2001 and was added to the Coyotes’ ring of honor in 2007.