Ray Sawada’s number 27 will be raised to the rafters of Minoru Arena in Richmond on November 16th, 2023.
The Richmond Sockeyes will retire Ray’s jersey during a pre-game ceremony before the Sockeyes face the Grandview Steelers. Puck drop is set for 7 PM at Minoru Arena “The Fish Tank”.
Sawada was a star with the Richmond Sockeyes 20 years ago from 2001-2003. Ray had played in 39 games with Richmond and had 8 goals and 17 assists and tallying 161 PIM’s. Sawada spent the majority of his eight-year pro career in the American Hockey League and played 11 games with the NHL Dallas Stars. He graduated from the Sockeyes to the Junior A Nanaimo Clippers of the B.C. Hockey League and then went on to play four seasons at Cornell University. Sawada was drafted by Dallas in the second round of the 2004 NHL entry draft.
Paterson, President of the Richmond Sockeyes said “Sawada was a great guy who gave back to hockey by coaching his daughters and by staying involved with the Sockeye alumni, Richmond Ravens, and Richmond community.”
