Willie Huber

Willie Huber
German-born Hamiltonian played with Fincups, Team Canada, and Detroit Red Wings

For someone who never really thought of hockey as a career, Willie Huber certainly made his mark in the sport.

Born in 1958 in Germany, the infant Huber came to Hamilton with his family. It wasn’t until he was about 10 years old that he even laced up some skates. He excelled at the game over the next 10 years, and made his career choice.

“Dad made a rink in the back yard and I started to play hockey at Macklin (Coronation Park),” Huber said in a 1978 interview. “The next year I was with the Westdale Saints All-Stars and we played against district teams. After that I went through the Police Minor system.”

Huber began his junior career with the Fincups for the 1975-76 season, his first of three years with the team, the first two years in Hamilton, and then in Saint Catharines when the owners moved the club out of Hamilton.

During his tenure as a Fincup, Huber was on the Memorial Cup-winning team, won the silver medal at the World Juniors in Czechoslovakia in 1977, and was selected to play for Team Canada in the World Championship of Junior Hockey.

Willie Huber when he played for Team Canada in the World Juniors. Photo courtesy of the Hamilton Spectator

Then he got the call from the Detroit Red Wings. He was chosen in the first round, ninth overall in the 1978 NHL Amateur Draft. He scored seven goals in 68 games with Detroit. Before going to Detroit, there was talk of playing with Edmonton and the New York Rangers, but he said after Detroit was the place for him.

“It was like a dream come true,” he said. “I feel a lot happier going to Detroit. There isn’t as much pressure, especially from the press, as there is in New York.”

Huber was one of the largest players in the NHL, and at 6-foot-five and 228 pounds was an intimidating presence at his right defensive position. But he did not use his size and strength in a bullying capacity, instead providing solid play for his team.

During his four seasons with the Red Wings, Huber scored seven goals with the team in his first year, but had 17 goals in the 1979-80 season, and 15 goals in his 1980-81 and 1981-82 years with the club, and 14 goals in his 1982-83 season. He was known for his consistency and agile skating.

After a nasty contract dispute with Detroit, and a knee injury, Huber went to the NY Rangers in 1983, and remained with the team until 1987-88 when he went to play the rest of that season with the Vancouver Canucks. He finished his NHL career with the Philadelphia Flyers in 1987-88. He scored four goals in 35 games with the Canucks, and also scored four goals with the Flyers in 10 games.

Huber said he was especially proud of his time playing in the World Championships in 1978.

“It was a feeling you can’t describe,” he said. “When I walked in the dressing room and saw my uniform with CANADA on the front, I kept telling myself ‘wow’. I was a member of a team that was going to represent Canada in a world tournament. That’s when I really felt proud.”

Huber was also in attendance as part of a special Hamilton Hometown Hockey Heroes celebration honoring former hometown greats at a Hamilton Bulldogs game in 2004.

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