Brent Ashton (NHL 1979-1993, Canucks 1979-1981) | 15 | LW

[Kevin Biestra]

Brent "come on coaches you couldn't have played me TWO more games?!" Ashton was drafted 26th overall by the Canucks in 1979 and played 998 games in his NHL career.

 

He scored 284 goals and 629 points, and peaked in 1986-87 with 40 goals and 75 points (in a run that included seven 50+ point seasons, and four with 60+ points).

 

He was the prospect with the good future (e.g. Cam Neely, Rick Vaive, Bill Derlago, Murray Bannerman) that we traded to acquire aging but effective international and Czech hockey legend Ivan Hlinka (yes the guy the tournament is named after).  The trade worked out well for both teams...Hlinka set our rookie scoring record that lasted until Pavel Bure and also was a notable part of the 1982 run to the Stanley Cup Final.  Ashton went on to a very good career after his 124 Canuck games...but was the original Mike Sillinger, bouncing from team to team to team to team (traded a record 9 times), because there was always a team that wanted to acquire him.  After the Canucks he played on four teams that don't exist anymore, the Colorado Rockies, Minnesota North Stars, Quebec Nordiques and the original Winnipeg Jets.

 

He was named the 7th best LW in the NHL at his peak as a hockey player.

 

 

The Ashton family of Saskatoon bred good hockey stock, as Brent's brother Ron also played for the Winnipeg Jets in the WHA (with Bobby Hull).

 

 

 

Edited Thursday at 09:06 PM by Kevin Biestra