Background
Willis was born in Edmonton, Alberta, but grew up in Sylvan Lake, Alberta.
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Shane Willis
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Willis was originally drafted by Tampa Bay 56th overall in the 1995 National Hockey League Entry Draft, but unable to come to terms, he re-entered the draft and was selected 88th overall by the Carolina Hurricanes in the 1997 National Hockey League Entry Draft. Willis was drafted from the Western Hockey League where he played for the Prince Albert Raiders and Lethbridge Hurricanes. Shane made his National Hockey League debut for the Hurricanes in the 1998-1999 before breaking out in the 2000-2001 season, enjoying career highs of 20 goals and 24 assists.
Carolina qualified for the postseason in 2001 and faced the New Jersey Devils in the conference quarterfinals.
Late in game 2, Willis was leveled by a Scott Stevens hit. He sat out the rest of the series.
In 2005-2006, he played in Europe for Davos in Switzerland and for Linköpings The Human Context in Sweden. He returned to North America for the 2006-2007 season, signing with the Carolina Hurricanes on July 18, 2006.
However, Willis spent the year playing with the Hurricanes affiliate, the Albany River Rats.
On July 5, 2007, Willis signed a one-year contract with the Nashville Predators but after his first game with affiliate, the Milwaukee Admirals, he was ruled out for the season. In the 2008-2009 season Willis had signed a tryout contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets for the 2008-2009 season but was subsequently released on September 25, 2008. On January 13, 2009, Shane was signed by the Wheeling Nailers of the ECHL to a player/coach role.
After one game Willis was then signed by former team the Springfield Falcons of the AHL to a professional try-out contract on January 16, 2009.
Willis has played 174 career National Hockey League games, scoring 31 goals and 43 assists for 74 points. On September 8, 2011, Willis was hired as the Youth and Amateur Hockey Coordinator for the Carolina Hurricanes.
1997-1998 WHL East First All-Star Team.
