Basil McRae

Basil McRae (born Basil Paul McRae on January 5, 1961) is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player.

He is a part owner and alternate governor of the London Knights in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) and the director of player personnel for the Columbus Blue Jackets of the National Hockey League (NHL).

Playing Career
Basil 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 him in the third 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).

Basil 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, he signed as a free agent with the Detroit Red Wings, but was traded back to his original team, the Nordiques along with John Ogrodnick & Doug Shedden for Brent Ashton, Gilbert Delorme and Mark Kumpel.

At the start of the 1987 season, Basil signed with the Minnesota North Stars, the team he would have the most success with. The 1987–88 season saw him play the whole 80 game season with the North Stars, the first time he played a full season in the NHL.

Basil 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 signed with the Chicago Blackhawks in 1996 and only managed to play in eight games before retiring from professional hockey.

Post-Playing Career
Basil McRae is a part owner of the London Knights with Dale Hunter and Mark Hunter.

On October 21, 2014, the Knights announced that he would become the general manager and alternate governor of the team, replacing Mark Hunter (who had vacated the general manager position to become the director of player personnel for the Toronto Maple Leafs). He previously worked as a pro-scout for the Columbus Blue Jackets and St. Louis Blues.

On July 6, 2016, Basil stepped down as general manager of the London Knights to become the director of player personnel for the Columbus Blue Jackets. He was replaced by former assistant general manager and former assistant coach of the London Knights, Rob Simpson.

Personal Life
Basil is the older brother of Chris McRae & the father of Philip McRae.