SPORTS FLASHBACK 2003: Ian White takes Halifax by storm

He is the toast of Steinbach. He is the toast of Swift Current. He is the toast of Manitoba, and now Ian White is the toast of the entire nation, as he has taken Halifax and the 2003 World Junior Hockey Championship by storm.

Those who have followed the exploits of Ian White over the past few seasons, first playing minor hockey in Steinbach, then, at the age of 14 and 15, becoming the top player in the Manitoba ‘AAA’ Midget Hockey League with the Eastman Selects, before going on to star with the Swift Current Broncos the past three years, have seen what Ian White can accomplish on the ice. Now, the rest of the country is seeing firsthand why the 18-year-old is without question one of the most talented junior hockey players in the world.

The Steinbach native, just 18, graduated from the Steinbach Regional Secondary School last June, where his father teaches, and has become an instant celebrity at hockey crazed Halifax, the host city of the World Juniors. When White scored two goals and set up a third in Canada’s Boxing Day 8-2 thrashing of Sweden, it was a coming-out party for Ian White.

A media frenzy converged on the young superstar following the game.

Sportswriter Randy Turner, covering the goings on in Halifax for the Winnipeg Free Press said with White being the only Manitoban on the team, he expected he would have easy access to White for interviews, but that is certainly not the case. Although Jordin Tootoo is still the number one media attraction in Halifax, Turner suggests White is running a close second.

“The media were lined up three or four rows deep following the Sweden game, hoping to get a chance to talk to Ian.”

The youngest defenceman on Team Canada, Ian White has become a national story, seemingly overnight. The Toronto Maple Leafs are thanking their lucky stars they finally selected the talented defenceman in the sixth round, 191st overall, in the NHL entry draft. Listed on the Team Canada roster at 5 feet 9½ inches tall and weighing 182 lbs, White not only is the youngest defenceman on the team, but is also the smallest.

The NHL usually considers that to be too small for a defenceman. But after watching what White has done through the first three round-robin games for Canada, garnering two goals and three assists as he runs the power play with Carlo Colaiacovo, eyes are being opened.

The talk among some of the legions of NHL scouts on hand for the World Juniors is they believe White can run a power play for an NHL club, like Brian Rafalski does for the New Jersey Devils. Seeing White perform at the world championship, some NHL clubs are probably kicking themselves for not taking him earlier in the draft.

Used only on the power play in the first game against Sweden, Coach Marc Habscheid has been using White more and more in each game in regular strength situations as well, with his skating ability, heavy shot and puck sense. As he is able to direct his shot through traffic, TSN commentators have said he is lethal from the point. Both his goals against Sweden were almost identical, as they were absolute rockets from the blue line with pinpoint accuracy.

Back on Ian’s home turf in Steinbach, he has been the talk of the city throughout the Christmas holidays. Even non-hockey fans are hunkering down in front of their television sets, hoping White will perform his magic once again for Team Canada.

With files from Terry Frey