Providence, RI (November 24, 2005): John Hanna, a rugged defenseman who played professional hockey for 20 years, died in his home town of Sidney, Nova Scotia, on Sunday, November 20.

Hanna died after a courageous two-year battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 70.

Though he played only 10 games for Providence in the American Hockey League in 1957-58, Hanna had been a member of the R. I. Reds Heritage Society for the past two years.

A hard-hitting, hard-shooting blueliner, Hanna played parts of 5 seasons in the National Hockey League with the New York Rangers, Montreal Canadiens and Philadelphia Flyers. He also spent a full season in the World Hockey Association with the Cleveland Crusaders in 1972-73.

With Cleveland he was a teammate of former Reds’ players Ray Clearwater, Wayne Muloin and Jim Wiste, plus Rich Pumple, today a resident of this state. All four teammates are members of the R. I. Reds Heritage Society.

Hanna is survived by his former wife Gloria, his son John, Jr., a daughter, Lorene Hanna, and a grandson, John Michael Hanna.

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