Basil McRae

Basil Paul McRae (born January 5, 1961) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He is a part owner and alternate governor of the London Knights in the Ontario Hockey League and he is the director of pro scouting for the Columbus Blue Jackets. McRae was known as an enforcer with over 2,000 penalty minutes in his career.

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 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 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 and Doug Shedden for Brent Ashton, Gilbert Delorme and Mark Kumpel.

At the start of the 1987 season, McRae signed with the Minnesota North Stars, 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, leading the league in penalty minutes with 351 in 1990. The Tampa Bay Lightning claimed him in the 1992 NHL Expansion Draft and traded him to the St. Louis Blues in 1993.

McRae made a cameo appearance in the movie The Mighty Ducks along with then-teammate Mike Modano.

Post-NHL McRae is a part-owner of the London Knights with Dale Hunter 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 and is the father of Philip McRae.

Career statistics Bold indicates led league

Regular season Playoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 1977–78 Seneca Nationals MetJHL 36 21 38 59 80 — — — — — 1978–79 London Knights OMJHL 66 13 28 41 79 7 0 0 0 0 1979–80 London Knights OMJHL 67 23 35 58 116 5 0 0 0 18 1980–81 London Knights OHL 65 29 23 52 266 — — — — — 1981–82 Quebec Nordiques NHL 20 4 3 7 69 9 1 0 1 34 1981–82 Fredericton Express AHL 57 11 15 26 175 — — — — — 1982–83 Quebec Nordiques NHL 22 1 1 2 59 — — — — — 1982–83 Fredericton Express AHL 53 22 19 41 146 12 1 5 6 75 1983–84 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 3 0 0 0 19 — — — — — 1983–84 St. Catharines Saints AHL 78 14 25 39 187 6 0 0 0 40 1984–85 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 1 0 0 0 0 — — — — — 1984–85 St. Catharines Saints AHL 72 30 25 55 186 — — — — — 1985–86 Detroit Red Wings NHL 4 0 0 0 5 — — — — — 1985–86 Adirondack Red Wings AHL 69 22 30 52 259 17 5 4 9 101 1986–87 Detroit Red Wings NHL 36 2 2 4 193 — — — — — 1986–87 Quebec Nordiques NHL 33 9 5 14 149 13 3 1 4 99 1987–88 Minnesota North Stars NHL 80 5 11 16 382 — — — — — 1988–89 Minnesota North Stars NHL 78 12 19 31 365 5 0 0 0 58 1989–90 Minnesota North Stars NHL 66 9 17 26 351 7 1 0 1 24 1990–91 Minnesota North Stars NHL 40 1 3 4 224 22 1 1 2 94 1991–92 Minnesota North Stars NHL 59 5 8 13 245 — — — — — 1992–93 Tampa Bay Lightning NHL 14 2 3 5 71 — — — — — 1992–93 St. Louis Blues NHL 33 1 3 4 98 11 0 1 1 24 1993–94 St. Louis Blues NHL 40 1 2 3 103 2 0 0 0 12 1994–95 Peoria Rivermen IHL 2 0 0 0 12 — — — — — 1994–95 St. Louis Blues NHL 21 0 5 5 72 7 2 1 3 4 1995–96 St. Louis Blues NHL 18 1 1 2 40 2 0 0 0 0 1996–97 Chicago Blackhawks NHL 8 0 0 0 12 — — — — — NHL totals 576 53 83 136 2,457 78 8 4 12 349