Ron Barkwell
Encyclopedia
Ron Barkwell is a former ice hockey
centre
who was drafted 1st (9th overall) by the Detroit Red Wings
, but never played in the National Hockey League
.
of the TBJHL. He was soon moved to the Flin Flon Bombers
of the MJHL
where he was a proficient at both centre and right wing
. The Detroit Red Wings took a gamble by selecting Barkwell with their first pick in the 1967 NHL Entry Draft
. The Wings hoped that Barkwell would continue to develop and become an active member of the organization. However, Barkwell would never play in the NHL. He joined the Johnstown Jets
of the Eastern Hockey League
in 1967 and only put up 8 points in 21 games. The following season he joined the Port Huron Flags
of the International Hockey League and only put up 3 points in 18 games. He was quickly downgraded to the WIHL
, where he joined the Nelson Maple Leafs
. He continued to disappoint and was dropped after the 1968–69 season. Barkwell would retire from hockey, having never found a way to excel in the higher leagues.
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
centre
Centre (ice hockey)
The centre in ice hockey is a forward position of a player whose primary zone of play is the middle of the ice, away from the side boards. Centres have more flexibility in their positioning and are expected to cover more ice surface than any other player...
who was drafted 1st (9th overall) by the Detroit Red Wings
Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...
, but never played in the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
.
Playing career
Barkwell starting play in his hometown of Moose Jaw with the Moose Jaw CanucksMoose Jaw Canucks
The Moose Jaw Canucks were a junior ice hockey team based in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. They were one of the founding members of the Western Canada Junior Hockey League in 1966 following a rebellion within the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League...
of the TBJHL. He was soon moved to the Flin Flon Bombers
Flin Flon Bombers
The Flin Flon Bombers are a junior ice hockey team and current member of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League , and are based in Flin Flon, Manitoba, Canada. The team moved and became the Edmonton Oil Kings in 1978, but the Flin Flon Bomber name was retained...
of the MJHL
Manitoba Junior Hockey League
The Manitoba Junior Hockey League is a Junior 'A' ice hockey league operating in the Canadian province of Manitoba. The MJHL is one of eleven Junior 'A' Hockey Leagues in Canada and is a member of the Canadian Junior Hockey League ....
where he was a proficient at both centre and right wing
Winger (ice hockey)
Winger, in the game of hockey, is a forward position of a player whose primary zone of play on the ice is along the outer playing area. They typically work by flanking the centre forward. Originally the name was given to forward players who went up and down the sides of the rink...
. The Detroit Red Wings took a gamble by selecting Barkwell with their first pick in the 1967 NHL Entry Draft
1967 NHL Amateur Draft
The 1967 NHL Amateur Draft was held June 7, 1967 at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.-Selections by round:Listed below are the selections in the 1967 NHL Amateur Draft.-Round one:-Round two:-Round three:-External links:*...
. The Wings hoped that Barkwell would continue to develop and become an active member of the organization. However, Barkwell would never play in the NHL. He joined the Johnstown Jets
Johnstown Jets
The Johnstown Jets were a professional ice hockey team from Johnstown, Pennsylvania. The Jets were founded in the Eastern Amateur Hockey League for the 1950–51 season, playing at the newly constructed Cambria County War Memorial Arena...
of the Eastern Hockey League
Eastern Hockey League
-Eastern Amateur Hockey League :The league was founded in 1933 as the Eastern Amateur Hockey League . The league was founded by Thomas Lockhart, who served as its commissioner from 1933 to 1972...
in 1967 and only put up 8 points in 21 games. The following season he joined the Port Huron Flags
Port Huron Flags
The Port Huron Flags were a minor league professional ice hockey team located in Port Huron, Michigan. The Flags competed in the International Hockey League between the 1962 and 1981 seasons. For three of those season from 1971 to 1974, Port Huron was a farm team of the Detroit Red Wings, and were...
of the International Hockey League and only put up 3 points in 18 games. He was quickly downgraded to the WIHL
Western International Hockey League
The Western International Hockey League was a senior level ice hockey league that featured teams from the Western United States and Western Canada. It operated from 1946–62 and 1963–88...
, where he joined the Nelson Maple Leafs
Nelson Maple Leafs
The Nelson Maple Leafs were a senior men's ice hockey team. They won the British Columbia Senior Championship, the Savage Cup, seven times . They played in, but lost, the 1965 Allan Cup Final....
. He continued to disappoint and was dropped after the 1968–69 season. Barkwell would retire from hockey, having never found a way to excel in the higher leagues.