Across a ten-year period, Ron Hoover established himself as a solid professional hockey player, competing in multiple leagues, including the NHL, where he suited up for the Boston Bruins and the St. Louis Blues.
Hoover, who had made his home in Brantford for many years, grew up in Oakville, Ontario, playing both hockey and golf.
“I played for the Blades and Rangers growing up in Oakville. But I was actually more interested in golf than hockey at the time. I was a pretty good junior golfer, and that was my number one aspiration…But I would then pivot, focusing mostly on hockey, when I had a couple of really good years with the Blades. I would get several scholarship offers from universities in the United States, and ended up going to Western Michigan,” he recalled. “I had a good career there and was captain for a couple of years. I was able to put up enough points to get some interest from the NHL. I was actually drafted by Hartford, but didn’t end up playing for them. They didn’t want to offer a contract, so I went to a free agent camp. One day into it, I would sign with the Boston Bruins.”
However, before making it into the NHL, the prolific scorer had a strong four years at Western Michigan University, starting a lifelong friendship with a native of Brantford.
“That was a great experience. The first year I got there, we had a very good team…we made it to the final eight, but ended up losing to Harvard. So right away, I was lucky to play on a very competitive team with great role models, including the coaches and players like Paul Polillo. We were roommates, and he was my line mate,” Hoover reflected. “He was a big reason why I was able to put up the numbers that I did from a goal-scoring standpoint. One year, I scored 39 goals in 42 games…[and] he probably assisted on 37 of them. It really showed the great chemistry we had together. And honestly, of all the years I’ve played hockey…I put Paul easily in the top five passers I’ve ever played with or seen at any level. And there was our head coach, Bill Wilkinson…and he was one of the main reasons why I went to Western Michigan. He was a great human being and a great coach, and all the players respected him. He would go on to have a long career there, and he was a big influence on me and many of the players.”
Along with making it to the final eight in his first year, another highlight for Hoover was winning against another university within Michigan.
“A highlight while at Western Michigan was winning the Great Lakes Invitational. We beat Michigan State at Joe Louis Arena in front of close to 21,000 people. It was incredible to be out there and win, in front of such a big crowd, especially pro-Michigan fans and in a historic arena,” he said.
While Hoover would get picked by the Hartford Whalers in the eighth round, 158th overall at the 1986 NHL Entry Draft, he would end up getting his start with another team.
“It was certainly a great thrill…as a young kid who had dreams of always getting a chance to play in the NHL. To be honest, I didn’t even think I would make it to D1 hockey, but with a lot of hard work, dedication and, perseverance…it really gave me an opportunity to get drafted….it certainly motivates you to take things to another level by working extremely hard over those next few years to get the best chance to make the NHL,” he reflected. “Hartford ended up deciding not to sign me…so I asked if I could go elsewhere. I was then allowed to pursue another option, and went to a free agent camp in the summer with the Boston Bruins. I scored three goals in a scrimmage-type game, and the next day, I was offered a contract.”
Hoover would play 137 games in the AHL with the Maine Mariners, eventually getting a chance to play in the NHL.
“That was a great experience. I was lucky to live in Portland, Maine which was a beautiful spot right on the ocean. They had a good team and a great coach. Rick Bowness was one of the most legendary coaches in the NHL who is now coaching the Columbus Blue Jackets. I played for him for a couple of years, and he was certainly a great teacher…and showed me how to be a true professional, both on and off the ice,” he explained.
However, he remembered the first goal he scored in the NHL and then in a regular season game.
“My first goal I scored was in Madison Square Gardens in a preseason game. It was my first shift, and my first shot against Mike Richter. I remember it was within the first minute of the game. Unfortunately, it was an exhibition game, so it didn’t count. But my first official goal was against Kirk McLean of Vancouver in the Boston Gardens. That was quite the thrill to be honest. As a kid, you always dream of scoring one of those goals where you crash the net and getting a backhander upstairs. It’s one of those things that you’ll never forget,” he recalled.
And playing with the Bruins, the young player had a chance to play with several NHL greats.
“When you first arrived in Boston…it was really an eye opener for a young kid who followed hockey…realizing the talent level that was there with players like Ray Bourque and Cam Neely. At that time, they were still fairly early into their careers….and since then…it’s quite obvious what each one of them have done. Obviously, Ray is a Hall of Famer and Cam is arguably one of the best power forwards to have played the game. So, I was very fortunate to be able to play with them,” he said. “And we had Andy Moog as our starting goalie [and] we had Craig Janney, Glenn Wesley, and a lot of great role players. We weren’t the most skilled team in the NHL, but collectively, we played great together and we were very close, and I think that was one of the reasons why we made it to game six of the semifinals of the Stanley Cup playoffs. And if we didn’t lose to the Pittsburgh Penguins that year, we would have probably won the Cup.”
After playing 15 regular season games in 1990/91, Hoover would get a taste of playoff hockey.
“I actually played more games in the playoffs then I did in the regular season that year. Although I didn’t play against Hartford in the first series, I did play against the Montreal Canadiens in the second round. Montreal players like Shayne Corson, Stéphane Richer, and Brian Skrudland, and were really causing some havoc for us, so, our coach, Mike Milbury put me in a shutdown role, and I ended up playing against Richer on a regular basis. It’s always a lot of fun to play at that level of hockey, but there’s a big difference between regular season and playoff hockey. In the playoffs…it’s a quicker pace, with harder hitting and the excitement level is higher…certainly from a fan perspective. The intensity of every game, and every shift, is elevated to a whole other level too,” Hoover reflected. “I’ll never forget it…in game seven against the Habs, we ended up winning two-one, and it was so loud you couldn’t even hear yourself think. Those were great memories for me as a young hockey player who always dreamed of playing in the NHL. But there you are starting in game seven at the Gardens against one of the teams you grew up as a little kid watching on Hockey Night in Canada.”
Fresh off a solid performance in the playoffs, Hoover entered the off season as a free agent, and eventually playing in the IHL and with the Peoria Rivermen where he would go on to play 359 regular season games, and enshrined in the Peoria Rivermen Hall of Fame in April 2026.
“I immediately became a free agent after my contract was up. I got an offer from the St Louis Blue and signed it right away, which, in hindsight, was probably…a big mistake. Rick Bowness ended up becoming the head coach in Boston that next year. The Bruins had a number of injuries and where I could have had a better chance to play as a result. Also, I was the first player to sign with the Blues…so other players became available to be signed like Brendan Shannon, Craig Janney, and Dave Christian, and a few other free agents. So, if I had to do it all over again, and if I were to give any advice, maybe the grass isn’t always greener on the other side,” he noted. “I was then sent down after about a month with the Blues to play with the Peoria Rivermen. We had some great teams with some great players…some of which either had played in the NHL before or were young players who went to go play in the NHL and have good careers. But Peoria was a place where we stayed for five years [and] both our kids were born there. It was a great experience and I was fortunate to go back recently and have the induction ceremony in the Peoria Rivermen Hall of Fame.”
Nevertheless, Hoover would go on to play five seasons for the Rivermen, hitting the 20-goal plateau on four occasions, while enjoying success with a perennial contender.
“We always had competitive teams. They won the Turner cup the year before I got there [and] the final three seasons I was there…included a 51-win season, and being crowned Division and Eastern Conference Champions. Paul McLean was our coach and would go on to have a strong career coaching in the NHL….while we were fortunate to have him as well as having great veteran leadership around us. Carver Arena was a great place to play in and Peoria was an amazing spot for us to spend five years in the IHL,” he said.
The veteran would round out his time in the IHL with both the Cincinnati Cyclones and San Antonio Dragons, and coming to a realization it was time to plot his next step in his career, moving to Brantford.
“San Antonio was near the end of my career, and then I got traded to Cincinnati. I was only there for about four games and I blocked a shot and broke my leg. I ended up having surgery, getting a plate and screws, and after eight weeks later, I was ready to play again, But the team sent me back to San Antonio. At that point, the kids were getting a little bit older, and I’d been in a league for a total of almost nine years. For me, it was time to turn to the next chapter of my career,” he said. “My wife and I decided to come back home. I played 41 games with the Brantford Smoke. The main reason I came here was because of Paul Polillo, who called me and asked me to play with him on the Smoke for the rest of the season. We had a chance to play together again and that was so much fun. It brought back some great memories from our Western Michigan days.”
After playing with the Smoke, Hoover made another important step in his career while helping his son in his own hockey journey.
“I transitioned into getting a regular job. I was fortunate to run into an old golfing competitor of mine, and he was working for Molson’s at the time, so I immediately stepped into a job with them. I did that for a year, [and] then went into the medical field…working for a medical device company for the next 15 years,” he said. “I would also coach minor hockey for a number of years while my son was playing. I helped coach him all the way up while he was still in Brantford, but then he left at age 16 to go to prep school in the United States. He left home at an early age, and once he went down south, that marked the end of my time as a coach. But I still help out kids from a mentorship perspective, or talk to kids’ or their parents [when] they ask for advice regarding hockey or their potential future in the sport.”
However, in looking back, Hoover had a chance to play with many Hall-of-Famers, except one.
“I think the biggest thing for me was getting a chance to play a game that I loved. From a young boy, and then getting to do that professionally and being able to play at the highest level and to get as close as you can to winning the Stanley Cup was incredible. And to play along with some of the greatest players that have ever played the game was truly a thrill and an honor including Mario Lemieux, Jaromir Jagr, and Ray Bourque, Doug Gilmour, and Wendell Clark. These were the players as a kid you always dreamed of getting a chance to step on the ice with, [but] my only regret is never getting to step on the ice with Wayne Gretzky. That would be the one thing that I missed doing in my career,” he stated.
From starting with the Oakville Blades to playing in the semi-finals of the Stanley Cup playoffs with the Boston Bruins and to skating with the Brantford Smoke for his final competitive hockey game in 1997/98, Hoover reflected on what he’s learned from the game.
“I think the biggest thing you learn from any professional sport is perseverance, resiliency, dedication, and commitment….all the things that help make you successful. And it’s one of those careers that not every day is a great day. There’s a lot of peaks and valleys, and you have to learn how to celebrate success and not get too deflated when things aren’t going your way. So, I learned how to adapt to any situation. and just try to be the best person I could be every single day,” he said.
