Former NHL stars will visit us in Novojavorivsk!
The Canadian Friends of Hockey in Ukraine, CFHU, located in Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada and hockey club «Halytski Levy» are pleased to announce that Wayne and Dave Babych, veteran NHL stars will be travelling to Ukraine on Tuesday, November 6, 2018. During their trip to Ukraine, we will welcome them as a guests at the second round of the Carpathian Junior Hockey League, Bears division, which be held in Novojavorivsk on November, 9-11.
Wayne and Dave Babych grew up in Edmonton, Alberta dreaming of playing in the National Hockey League. Both would become stars in the NHL and are the highest selected Canadian brothers (2nd and 3rd) in the NHL entrance draft.
Regarding the upcoming trip, Wayne Babych commented, “We are always interested to pass along our knowledge of the game we love to play.”
The Babych brothers will also travel to Brody, Ukraine to visit the Babych ancestral home and community.
Wayne Joseph Babych is a Ukrainian Canadian retired professional ice hockey right winger who played in the NHL for the St. Louis Blues, Pittsburgh Penguins, Quebec Nordiques, and Hartford Whalers. Wayne Babych played his junior career with the Edmonton Oil Kings and Portland Winter Hawks of the Western Canada Hockey League. In Portland he scored back to back 50 goal seasons and scored a hat trick (3 goals) in a span of 25 seconds.
Wayne was drafted 3rd overall by St. Louis Blues in the 1978 Amateur Draft. Wearing # 10 he played 67 games along side the Blues top guns, Bernie Ferderko and Brain Sutter, on the “Kid Line”. He scored 26 goals, 36 assists and 63 points and set the rookie record for the St. Louis franchise. In his third year Wayne erupted for a 54 goal and 96 point season. He was the first St. Louis Blues player to hit the 50 goal mark. Wayne represented Canada. In International play on two different occasions. He is now living in the Winnipeg, Manitoba and operates the Babych Hockey School.
David Michael Babych is an Ukrainian-Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman who played 19 seasons in the National Hockey League. He played in two NHL All-Star Games and played for the Winnipeg Jets, Hartford Whalers, Vancouver Canucks, Philadelphia Flyers and Los Angeles Kings. He is the younger brother of Wayne. He was the first NHL player to wear the number 44 on a permanent basis
Considered a franchise talent after a standout junior career in the Western Hockey League (WHL) with the Portland Winter Hawks, Babych was selected second overall in the 1980 NHL Entry Draft by the Winnipeg Jets. David went straight to the NHL without a game in the minors, suiting up for 69 contests with the Winnipeg Jets in 1980-81. By 1983, he was an NHL All-Star, and he went on to score 74 points that year, a career high. Dave Babych played 1,195 in the NHL and finished with 723 points. Dave lives in Vancouver and works in the Vancouver Canucks organization.
