WATCH: The hockey community on Vancouver Island is as strong as any across the country and earlier this week the Peninsula Panthers Jr. B Hockey Club paid tribute to a former player who left us far too soon.
Derek Turnbull was the type of hockey player you didn’t wanna mess with. He played for the Panthers from 99 to 2004. A heart and soul guy, he was a tough kid when the league was super tough but off the ice, a different Derek came to light
“He had this really tough persona where everyone was ‘oh he’s this tough guy’ but deep down he was so loving especially once he had kids,” said Derek’s wife Melissa.
Derek’s love and toughness both were fully revealed when he faced his toughest test — a lengthy battle with a rare form of pancreatic cancer.
Jeff King
