The Toronto Maple Leafs picked him first overall in June’s entry draft and the team’s championship-starved fans dream the Whitehorse born-and-bred star will be their saviour. So, we expect Gavin McKenna to play his first National Hockey League game on September 29, when the Leafs host the Montreal Canadiens. But he isn’t the first Northerner to hit the big league. True, many of those who went before him didn’t last long—just a proverbial cup of coffee—but not all. Here’s a look at their careers.
1. Whitehorse
Drafted seventh in 2019, Dylan Cozens has played 444 games for the Buffalo Sabres and the Ottawa Senators. Known as “the Workhorse from Whitehorse,” the centre has already enjoyed 31-goal and 28-goal seasons... After five years in the World Hockey Association, defenceman Bryon Baltimore played two games during the Edmonton Oilers’ inaugural NHL season in 1979-80... The same year, winger Peter Sturgeon began his six-game career with the Colorado Rockies.
2. Inuvik
Winger Zac Boyer appeared in three games for the Dallas Stars in the mid-’90s.
3. Yellowknife
A first-round pick of the Atlanta Flames in 1973, winger Vic Mercredi suited up for two games with the team before joining the Calgary Cowboys of the World Hockey Association for three games. (Yes, weirdly, Northerners played for a lot of now-defunct clubs)... Greg Vaydik, another first-round selection, played five games for the Chicago Blackhawks during the 1976-77 season... Defenceman Ronan Seeley made his debut with the Carolina Hurricanes last season and will try to extend his one-game career with the Stanley Cup champs this year.
4. Hay River
Geoff Sanderson can claim the longest career of any Northerner (so far): 1,104 games. Drafted by the Hartford Whalers in 1990, he scored 355 goals and 700 points over 17 seasons with seven teams... The only goalie on this list, Rob McVicar minded the Vancouver Canucks’ net for three minutes a decade ago.
5. Rankin Inlet
Like many Kivalliq babies, Jordin Tootoo was born in Churchill, Manitoba, but he’s the pride of Nunavut, especially Rankin Inlet, his hometown. The first Inuk in the NHL, the five-foot-nine-inch winger was a fearless shift disturber who racked up 1,010 penalty minutes during his 723-game career. His feisty style made the “Tootoo Train” a fan favourite, especially during his eight seasons with the Nashville Predators.
