Date of Birth: 1956
Place of Birth: Botwood, NL
Inducted: 2001 (Player Category)

A 17-year career filled with leadership, on and off the ice, and a multitude of individual and team accomplishments marks Gene Faulkner’s hockey achievements. The Bishop’s Falls native was a standout performer in various levels of hockey from 1974 to 1994 as he established himself as a solid team player who utilized impressive skills and talents for several clubs but mostly for teams from Grand Falls-Windsor.

While he did not have the opportunity to play minor hockey, Faulkner developed his natural talents to such an extent that he earned a spot on the Grand Falls Junior Beothuks for the 1974-75 season. His play was such that he was called up to the senior Cataracts for a couple of games. His first full provincial senior season came in 1975-76 when the 19 year-old rookie scored 17 goals and added 22 assists to take the scoring title, the only time by a rookie. He had five more scoring titles, either in the senior or intermediate leagues.

His two Herder Memorial Trophy championships came in 1981 and 1982 with the Grand Falls Cataracts. While he also played for the Port aux Basques Mariners, Faulkner’s team was Grand Falls and during his time with the team he was always among its best players and certainly one of its best leaders. A supreme playmaker, who was often responsible for goals by his teammates, he contributed to Grand Falls teams as an organizer and fundraiser as well as a playing-coach.

Faulkner’s first national competition came in the 1978 Hardy Cup playoffs when the Gander Flyers added him to their roster. He skated with Gander until the 1980 Allan Cup competition and was a member of the Grand Falls Cataracts in the 1981 and 1982 Allan Cup play, including 1982 when the Cataracts made the finals. In all his actions against teams from outside the province, Gene Faulkner was as good as any player on the ice.