Basil McRae

Basil McRae (born January 5 1961, Beaverton, Ontario) 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 3rd 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 1989. The Tampa Bay Lightning claimed him in the 1992 NHL Expansion Draft and traded him to the St. Louis Blues in 1993. After a couple of seasons in the Blues organization, Basil McRae signed with the Chicago Blackhawks in 1996 and only managed to play in 8 games before retiring from professional hockey.

He currently is a part-owner of the London Knights and also serves as a scout for the Blues. His son Philip is also a member of the team, and has been drafted by the St. Louis Blues.