Rob Hartnell

Home-Grown Legend Makes Championships Look Easy

Rob Hartnell is being inducted into the Wetaskiwin and County Sports Hall of Fame as an Athlete-Builder recognized for his athletic ability and coaching expertise. As a teenager he won two Provincial Championships in hockey and two Provincial Championships in fastball. As an adult Rob played professional hockey in four different professional hockey leagues on ten different teams. After his professional hockey career, he returned to amateur hockey and won the Allan Cup emblematic of the Canadian Senior Men’s Championship. Rob spent five years as the head coach of the Wetaskiwin Icemen Junior Hockey team and led the team to their most successful accomplishments with two league championships and three bronze medals at the Provincial Championships.

Hockey was his Passion

Growing up in Wetaskiwin, Rob was a sports enthusiast and a determined athlete with a competitive nature. Besides competing in school sports, he competed in community hockey and fastball and excelled in all of his sporting endeavours. However, hockey was his passion. Rob began playing hockey in the Wetaskiwin Minor Hockey Association (WMHA) as a Mighty Mite and played through the age groups, each year improving his hockey skills and developing his work ethic. At the Bantam Level, Rob played with the Wetaskiwin Legion 86’s under coach Brian Brown. The 86’s won the League Title and the Provincial Championship in both 1986-87 and 1987-88 seasons and were inducted into the WCSHF in 2012. Rob also won Provincial Championships with the Falun Bantam “A “ Fastball Team in 1988 and the Falun Midget “A” Fastball Team in 1990, again under coach Brian Brown. Both of those fastball teams were inducted into the WCSHF in 2015. According to one of his teammates who played both hockey and fastball with Rob: “Rob was a natural leader and led by example. He made everyone around him better and had the command of the dressing room, the players bench, the field or the rink as well as the respect of the opposing teams. Rob played with heart and everything he did had a purpose.”

In 1989-90 as a 17 yr old, Rob played in the Alberta Junior Hockey League with the Hobbema Hawks. The next year after he had graduated from high school he was picked up by the Lethbridge Hurricanes of the Western Hockey League where he played for the team from 1990 until 1993. In his second year with the Hurricanes, in 57 games played Rob scored 41 goals and was credited with 49 assists, a commendable season. Partway through his third year with the Hurricanes he was traded to the Tri-City Americans and finished the season with the team. In 48 games with the Americans, he scored 25 goals and made 34 assists, another impressive year.

"Hart of the Game" Organizer Embarks on 11-year Pro Career

During his three years in the WHL Rob returned to Wetaskiwin in the summer organizing and teaching at the “Hart of the Game” Hockey School thereby passing on his knowledge to young hockey players in his home community. He recruited former Wetaskiwin team-mates, as well as a few out-of-town fellows, to help with the teaching. The hockey school was very successful with more than 150 participants in each year.

In 1993 Rob embarked on his eleven-year professional career. He was scouted by teams in the East Coast Hockey League and after a successful tryout camp, he started his career with the Richmond Renegades. From 1993-2004 he played in three different professional leagues: The East Coast Hockey League with the Richmond Renegades, the Dayton Bombers, the Huntington Blizzard and the Idaho Steelheads; the Western Pacific Hockey League with the El Paso Buzzards, the Waco Wizards, the Austin Ice Bats, the Amarillo Rattlers and the Munroe Moccasins and in the West Coast Hockey League with the Idaho Steelheads (before they moved to the ECHL). For part of the 1995-96 season Rob left the ECHL and played in the British Hockey League with the Dumfries, Scotland Border Vikings. He had an amazing time amassing 28 goals and 29 assists in the 14 games he played. In his most successful years as a professional he was fifth twice and seventh once in total points for his team. Rob returned to playing amateur hockey in 2009 and played Senior Men’s hockey with the Bentley Generals from 2006-2009. The Generals won the Canadian Men’s Senior Championship and were awarded the Allan Cup in 2009.

Leading the Icemen to Championship

Rob loved working with young athletes and sharing his passion for fitness and working out. He was involved in Wetaskiwin community sport’s programs coaching his son’s hockey teams for three years and his son’s soccer teams for five years. He also ran the hockey program at Sacred Heart School for a number of years.

In 2014 Rob became the head coach of the Wetaskiwin Icemen Junior Hockey team. In 2015-16, his second year as coach, the team lost in the league finals but ended up winning the Provincial Bronze Medal. In 2016-17 the team won the league championship for the first time in Icemen history on their 25th anniversary year and repeated as Bronze Medalists in the Provincials. In 2017-18, the Icemen were again league champions. In 2018-19, Rob’s final year of coaching, the team lost in the league finals, but for the third time, the Icemen were Bronze Medalists in the Provincials. The Icemen hosted the 2019 Provincial Championship and Rob was instrumental in the bid to bring the tournament to Wetaskiwin. In his five-year tenure with the team, the team’s accomplishments and Rob’s influence on the players and the club are immeasurable and are still having an effect on the Iceman organization to this day. Rob coached with the same zeal he had as a player and passed on his ideals to the players on the team.

Zealous Coach Honored through
"Hart of the Game Foundation"

Rob was unable to continue coaching the Icemen because of his bout with cancer, and sadly he passed away in 2021. He left behind a legacy of community spirit and support. He was never one to be in the spotlight, however, he impacted so many people, through his generosity, caring manner, love for his family and friends and healthy competitive spirit. To honour Rob and his contributions to our community, the Rob Hartnell “Hart of the Game Foundation” has been established by the Wetaskiwin Minor Hockey Association. The focus of the Rob Hartnell Hart of the Game Fund is to support players within WMHA to participate in physical activity as well as acknowledging stewardship in their communities. Each year a fund-raising golf tournament is held to raise funds for the foundation. In the third annual event in 2023 over 200 golfers took part, a testament to Rob’s worthiness and his impact on our community.

Rob was well respected as a coach and teacher not only for improving the skills of his young charges but also for instilling in them a respect for the game and each other and ultimately making them into better human beings. Many of the young men he coached in the Junior program have gone on to coach themselves, giving back to their communities like Rob taught them. As well, many of them have gone on to play on Senior teams across Alberta continuing their love of hockey that they learned playing for Rob.

Rob Hartnell is certainly worthy of being inducted into the WCSHF. His athletic and coaching accomplishments are impressive. His efforts contributed greatly to young hockey players in Wetaskiwin and through the Hart of the Game Foundation Rob will continue contributing. We are indeed proud to induct Rob Hartnell into the Wetaskiwin and County Sports Hall of Fame.

Rob Hartnell

Rob Hartnell & Larry Lee