Hockey community mourns loss of Cole Hamblin

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This article was published 06/11/2014 (3876 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The local and Manitoba hockey communities have been stunned by the loss of 21-year-old Cole Hamblin. Hamblin, from St Adolphe, was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer less than two months ago.

Hamblin, a big strong skating defenceman with offensive skills, was a standout with the ‘AAA’ midget Eastman Selects as a 15-and-16-year-old before cracking the line-up of the Western Hockey League’s Spokane Chiefs the following year. Hamblin would go on to play for the Chiefs and Regina Pats in the WHL and also played in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League with the Selkirk Steelers, Winnipeg Blues, Portage Terriers and Virden Oil Capitals.

With his junior hockey career over, Hamblin was set to play CIS university hockey this year with the Guelph Gryphons. He was with the team in September when he first took ill and returned to Manitoba in late September.

Hamblin’s passing has resulted in a Hanover Tache Junior Hockey League game between the Niverville Clippers and Grunthal Red Wings, scheduled for Friday night, to be postponed to a later date. Several members of the Clippers hockey team were friends with Hamblin. A memorial service for Cole Hamblin will be held Monday, Nov. 10 at 2:00 p.m. at the St. Adolphe Community Centre.