Ian White Signs With Norfolk Admirals
Some people just love the game. Former NHL defenseman Ian White has signed a contract with the Norfolk Admirals of the ECHL, after starting the season in the FPHL.
The 38-year-old White made a comeback last season, when he joined the Columbus River Dragons after a six-year absence from professional hockey. He scored 23 points in 37 games and returned to the FPHL with the Motor City Rockers this time around.
It’s been a long road for White, who has openly talked about his struggles with addiction. His wife Tess has lobbied the NHLPA for better treatment and support of their athletes, and the two were subjects of a mini-documentary from CTV/TSN’s Rick Westhead called “Left Behind.”
Returning to professional hockey is an achievement on its own, but climbing the ranks at age 38 is even more impressive. Perhaps it shouldn’t be surprising, though, given how solid White was at the highest level. A silver medalist at both the World Juniors and World Championship, he played more than 500 games in the league and racked up 179 points.
Ian White Signs In FPHL
The last time Ian White played professional hockey, he racked up 23 points in 42 AHL games, mostly for the Milwaukee Admirals. That was in 2015. Nearly seven years later, he’s pulling on another minor league sweater, signing a contract with the Columbus River Dragons of the Federal Prospects Hockey League.
White, 37, made his debut for the Georgia-based club last night in a win over the Port Huron Prowlers, a team they will face again tonight.
It’s not often that you find a veteran of more than 500 NHL games in the low minors, but that’s exactly what White brings to the table. A sixth-round pick of the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2002, he won silver with Team Canada at the World Juniors before growing into a solid two-way contributor at the NHL level. In 2009, he represented Canada again on the World Stage, winning silver at the World Championship.
After more than half a decade on the sidelines, White returns to the game to help the River Dragons win the Commissioner’s Cup.