Shane Willis | |||
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Born |
Edmonton, AB, CAN |
June 13, 1977 ||
Height | 6 ft 1 in (185 cm) | ||
Weight | 195 lb (88 kg; 13 st 13 lb) | ||
Position | Right Wing | ||
Shot | Right | ||
Played for |
Carolina Hurricanes Tampa Bay Lightning |
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NHL Draft | 56th overall, 1995 Tampa Bay Lightning 88th overall, 1997 Carolina Hurricanes |
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Playing career | 1998–2009 |
Shane Willis (born June 13, 1977) is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey right winger. Willis was born in Edmonton, Alberta, but grew up in Sylvan Lake, Alberta.
Willis was originally drafted by Tampa Bay 56th overall in the 1995 NHL Entry Draft, but unable to come to terms, he re-entered the draft and was selected 88th overall by the Carolina Hurricanes in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft. Willis was drafted from the Western Hockey League where he played for the Prince Albert Raiders and Lethbridge Hurricanes.
In 1999, his first full professional season, Willis won the Dudley "Red" Garrett Memorial Award as the top rookie of the American Hockey League, while playing for the Beast of New Haven. Shane made his NHL debut for the Hurricanes in the 1998–99 before breaking out in the 2000–01 season, enjoying career highs of 20 goals and 24 assists.
Carolina qualified for the postseason in 2001 and faced the New Jersey Devils in the conference quarterfinals. Late in game 2, Willis was leveled by a Scott Stevens hit. He sat out the rest of the series.
In 2005–06, he played in Europe for Davos in Switzerland and for Linköpings HC in Sweden. He returned to North America for the 2006–07 season, signing with the Carolina Hurricanes on July 18, 2006. However, Willis spent the year playing with the Hurricanes affiliate, the Albany River Rats.