Enforcer Advent Calendar – December 11th – Basil McRae
The December Enforcer Advent Calendar continues with some legends you may know, and some you may not. Just like the Advent Calendars you opened as a kid, you might find a chocolate reindeer, candy cane or bell, you never know, it’s all random! This calendar is no different, you never know what enforcer you’re going to open up and find. Every enforcer that appears in this calendar was/is a warrior and should be applauded for their battles on-the-ice and off. For many of you, this will be a reminder of some of your favourites, for others, you may learn something about a player that you didn’t know. Either way, let’s have some fun celebrating these fellas!
Past Poster Boys –
December 1st – John “Fergy” Ferguson Sr. December 2nd – Tony “Twister” Twist
December 11th – Basil McRae
When you watch Basil McRae you can tell he knew how to fight. Not just with brute strength, but tactically and strategically as well. I guess the apple doesn’t fall from the tree because McRae’s cousin was Walter Henry, the former Commonwealth Games flyweight boxing champion. The Ontario native played for 7 teams in his NHL career but none more memorable than his time in Minnesota with the North Stars. Minnesota went on a Cinderella Cup run in 91’ falling just short when they ran into Lemieux and the Pittsburgh Penguins. McCrae went on to be a fan-favourite during his 5 years in Minnesota. Fans at the Met Center always knew when Basil McRae was on the ice and the opposition quickly learned the same.
Basil McRae vs Ken Daneyko – February 28, 1988 – 1st period – 13:26
You know a fight is long one when the announcers can list both fighters’ previous season stats and have a little small talk in the middle of it. The fight started off with McRae pinned up against the boards, but he was still able to land a flurry of rabbit left hands. Once McRae got free, the two jostled and wrestled, before trading a couple hooks each. To the delight of the fans at Brendan Byrne Arena, Daneyko was able to get McCrae’s helmet off and just missed landing a huge uppercut that – had it connected – would have likely TKO’ed McRae. The linesmen let the two warriors wrestle and jockey for position until McRae found his second wind and landed two big right hooks and even tossed a slick body-shot during the storm. Ken Daneyko was a lifelong Devils player and fan-favourite, but there is no denying the cheers were for McRae and his dominance at the end of this tilt. This bout kicked off an eventful night that included 6 Unsportsmanlike conduct penalties and a thrilling 8-6 win for the Devils. McRae got the decision and the Devils got the win.
Basil McRae vs Dave Manson – March 01, 1989 – 3rd period – 3:29
Dave Manson was running everybody that night, even the popcorn guy would have been hit if he’d crossed Manson’s path. The Chicago Stadium loved seeing big hits but McRae aimed to put an end to Manson’s antics. The two tangled up after Manson delivered a huge hit on Dave Gagner and McRae sought out some retribution. Manson was a tough fighter and even tougher after he got his jersey off. Basil McRae was never out of a fight because of his superhuman ability to just keep going. Maybe it’s his boxing background paying dividends, because his endurance was second to none. Manson started this bout strong and landed a good uppercut that was followed up by two big right hooks. The ability to throw unrestricted bombs definitely benefited Manson, but you can tell how exhausted he became at about the halfway mark. That’s when McRae started to shine, with two huge body shots that winded Manson even more than he already was. The former London Knight then threw a storm of left hooks before the linesmen ended the battle. Overall, the judges would likely score this bout a draw, but fighting his jersey-less opponent for that long made McRae’ performance truly impressive. Although McRae tried to jumpstart his team and hold Manson accountable, it was all Chicago that Wednesday night as the Hawks cruised to a 5-1 win.
Basil McRae vs Terry Carkner – November 21, 1993 – 2nd period – 3:15
Before getting traded to St. Louis, McRae played half a season in Florida after being selected by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 1992 expansion draft. Blues fans welcomed the grittiness McRae brought to the lineup and he quickly became a fan-favourite. After a first period tilt with Carkner that left McRae on the losing end, redemption was on the mind of the Ontario native. His wish was granted when Carkner stepped onto the ice at the start of the second period for a good old round 2. McRae came out of the gates fast with a big right hook that looked to catch Carkner off-guard. The two wrestled for a bit. McRae landing a couple shots, until he was able to get inside on Carkner and looked to have landed a big elbow right between Carkner’s eyes. McRae wanted his redemption and there is no doubt that he walked away the victor in the 2nd round bout. Thanks to two goals from Brett Hull, the Blues had a 2-1 lead going into the third that night but Keith Primeau was able to tie the game up late in third, leaving St.Louis with a point. McRae would tally 103 penalty minutes in only 40 games with the Blues that 1993-94 season. While the Blues made the playoffs that year, they were swept by the Dallas Stars in their inaugural season in the Lone Star State.
During his first 5 years in the league, McRae was up and down between the NHL and the AHL. But after a few productive seasons in Detroit, he signed a lucrative deal with Minnesota that kept him in the NHL until he retired in 1997. Taking an amateur scout position with the Blues and becoming a part owner of the storied London Knights, Basil McRae has continued to be active in hockey since he left the ice. McRae also served as General Manager for the Knights during the 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons until he made the jump to the NHL as first director of player personnel. in 2019 he was promoted to Assistant General Manager for the Columbus Blue Jackets. While there is no denying the former Quebec Nordiques’ impact on-the-ice, it’s clear that his savviness in the front office might land him an NHL General Manager position and add to an already impressive hockey resume. Further, The McRae’s are legends in their hometown of Beaverton and, after the passing of his father Paul in 2015, the outpour from the community was beautiful. This made it clear that McRae has been a legend both in and out of the arena.
Twitter:@Jonesinthezone
