Hawerchuk signs with Stingrays

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. - The South Carolina Stingrays, ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League's Washington Capitals and American Hockey League's Hershey Bears, announced today that the club has signed forward Ben Hawerchuk to a contract for the 2024-25 season. 

Hawerchuk, 26, puts pen to paper with the Stingrays after being acquired in a trade with the Cincinnati Cyclones. Hawerchuk's acquisition completed a Nov. 25, 2023 trade in which the Stingrays sent defenseman Cole Fraser to Cincinnati in exchange for future considerations. 

Hawerchuk is entering his sixth season of professional hockey and has 104 games of ECHL experience. Last season, he skated in seven games for the Cyclones and tallied eight points (2g-6a). 

From 2021-23, Hawerchuk accumulated 41 points (20g-21a) and 156 penalty minutes in 83 regular-season games with Jacksonville, and he helped the Icemen win playoff rounds in both the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons. In 18 career ECHL playoff games, Hawerchuk has six points (3g-3a) and 23 penalty minutes.

Hawerchuk's professional career has also included stints in Sweden, Italy and the United Kingdom. He has skated in 51 career games overseas, split between Östersunds IK (HockeyEttan), Meran/Merano (AlpsHL), and the Fife Flyers (EIHL).

Hawerchuk's father, Dale Hawerchuk, was a five-time NHL All-Star and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2001. Sadly, he passed away in 2020 due to stomach cancer at the age of 57.