Basil Paul McRae (born January 5, 1961) is a
Canadian
Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...
former professional
ice hockey
Ice hockey (or simply hockey) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an ice skating rink with lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. In ice hockey, two opposing teams use ice h ...
player. He is a part owner and alternate governor of the
London Knights
The London Knights are a junior ice hockey team from London, Ontario, Canada, playing in the Ontario Hockey League, one of the leagues of the Canadian Hockey League. The Knights started out in 1965 as the London Nationals but changed to their cu ...
in the
Ontario Hockey League
The Ontario Hockey League (OHL; french: Ligue de hockey de l'Ontario (LHO)) is one of the three major junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League. The league is for players aged 16–19. There are exceptions for overa ...
and he is the director of player personnel for the
Columbus Blue Jackets
The Columbus Blue Jackets (often simply referred to as the Jackets) are a professional ice hockey team based in Columbus, Ohio. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference ...
.
Playing career
McRae played his major junior hockey with the London Knights of the
Ontario Hockey Association (OHA).
In the 1980 NHL Entry Draft, the
Quebec Nordiques
The Quebec Nordiques (french: Nordiques de Québec, pronounced in Quebec French, in Canadian English; translated "Quebec City Northmen" or "Northerners") were a professional ice hockey team based in Quebec City. The Nordiques played in the W ...
drafted McRae in the third round, 87th overall. He played twenty regular season games and nine playoff matches with the big club in 1981, later spending some time with the Fredericton Express of the American Hockey League (AHL). He was traded to the
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs (officially the Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club and often referred to as the Leafs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Div ...
for
Richard Turmel and spent a couple of years toiling in the minors with the St. Catharines Saints of the AHL. In 1985 McRae signed as a free agent with the
Detroit Red Wings but was traded back to his original team, the Nordiques along with
John Ogrodnick
John Alexander Ogrodnick (born June 20, 1959) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey left winger who played fourteen seasons in the National Hockey League from 1979–80 through 1992–93, with the Detroit Red Wings, Quebec Nordiques, and N ...
and
Doug Shedden for
Brent Ashton,
Gilbert Delorme
Gilbert Delorme (born November 25, 1962, in Boucherville, Quebec) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who was a defenceman for five NHL teams. He played for the Montreal Canadiens, St. Louis Blues, Quebec Nordiques, Detroit Red Wi ...
and
Mark Kumpel.
At the start of the 1987 season, McRae signed with the
Minnesota North Stars
The Minnesota North Stars were a professional ice hockey team in the National Hockey League (NHL) for 26 seasons, from 1967 to 1993. The North Stars played their home games at the Met Center in Bloomington, Minnesota, and the team's colors for ...
, the team he would have the most success with. The 1987–88 season saw McRae play the whole 80 game season with the North Stars, the first time he played a full season in the NHL. He formed a tough enforcer duo along with
Shane Churla
Shane Churla (born June 24, 1965) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He was drafted in the sixth round, 110th overall, by the Hartford Whalers in the 1985 NHL Entry Draft. He is currently the director of amateur scouting for th ...
, leading the league in penalty minutes with 351 in 1990. The
Tampa Bay Lightning
The Tampa Bay Lightning (colloquially known as the Bolts) are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. They play th ...
claimed him in the
1992 NHL Expansion Draft
The 1992 NHL Expansion Draft was an expansion draft held by the National Hockey League (NHL) to fill the rosters of the league's two expansion teams for the 1992–93 season, the Ottawa Senators and the Tampa Bay Lightning. The draft was held on ...
and traded him to the
St. Louis Blues
The St. Louis Blues are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Louis. The Blues compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference. The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the ...
in 1993.
After a couple of seasons in the Blues organization, McRae signed with the
Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks (spelled Black Hawks until 1986, and known colloquially as the Hawks) are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago. The Blackhawks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division i ...
in 1996 and only managed to play in eight games before retiring from professional hockey.
McRae made a cameo appearance in the movie ''
The Mighty Ducks'' along with then-teammate
Mike Modano
Michael Thomas Modano Jr. (; born June 7, 1970) is an American former professional ice hockey player, who played primarily for the Minnesota North Stars/Dallas Stars franchise. He spent the final season of his NHL career with his hometown Detroi ...
.
Post-NHL
McRae is a part-owner of the London Knights with
Dale Hunter
Dale Robert Hunter (born July 31, 1960) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and the former head coach of the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League and current co-owner, president, and head coach of the London Knights ...
and
Mark Hunter. On October 21, 2014, the Knights announced that he would become the general manager and alternate governor of the team, replacing Mark Hunter, who had vacated the general manager position to become the director of player personnel for the Toronto Maple Leafs. McRae previously worked as a pro scout for the Columbus Blue Jackets and St. Louis Blues.
On July 6, 2016, McRae stepped down as general manager of the London Knights to become the director of player personnel for the Columbus Blue Jackets. He was replaced by former assistant general manager and former assistant coach of the London Knights, Rob Simpson.
Personal life
McRae is the older brother of
Chris McRae
Chris McRae (born August 26, 1965) is a Canadians, Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played 21 games in the National Hockey League. He played with the Toronto Maple Leafs and Detroit Red Wings.
As a youth, he played in the 1978 ...
and is the father of
Philip McRae
Philip Christopher "Phil" McRae (born March 15, 1990) is an American former professional ice hockey player who last played for Orli Znojmo in the Austrian Hockey League (EBEL). He was selected by the St. Louis Blues in the 2nd round (33rd overall) ...
.
Career statistics
Bold indicates led league
See also
*
List of NHL players with 2000 career penalty minutes
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:McRae, Basil
1961 births
Living people
Adirondack Red Wings players
Canadian ice hockey left wingers
Chicago Blackhawks players
Columbus Blue Jackets executives
Columbus Blue Jackets scouts
Detroit Red Wings players
Fredericton Express players
Ice hockey people from Ontario
London Knights players
Minnesota North Stars players
People from Brock, Ontario
Peoria Rivermen (IHL) players
Quebec Nordiques draft picks
Quebec Nordiques players
St. Catharines Saints players
St. Louis Blues players
St. Louis Blues scouts
Tampa Bay Lightning players
Toronto Maple Leafs players