BCHL Hockey: Wenatchee Wild Alumn, cancer survivor invited to Senators camp

Former Canisius College defenseman Chris Rumble has been invited to the Ottawa Senators training camp, which was announced by the National Hockey League club on Tuesday.  Rumble also took part in the Senators rookie camp just last week..

The 25-year-old defenseman of the Senators' ECHL affiliate, Evansville (Indiana) IceMen, previously lived in Kent and finished his collegiate career at the Buffalo-based college this past spring.  In three consecutive seasons with the Golden Griffins, Rumble tallied up 46 points (14 goals, 32 assists), 55 penalty minutes in 84 games.

Prior to starting on the collegiate level, he played two years with the then-North American Hockey League member Wenatchee Wild, where he would tally up 49 points (10 goals, 39 assists) and amassing 139 penalty minutes between 2009-10 and 2010-2011.

After completing his collegiate playing career in March, Rumble immediately finished out his playing season with the IceMen, where he earned two points (both assists) and four penalty minutes in six games.  Rumble is among 21 defensemen (61 players overall) on the Senators training camp roster, which begins on Thursday at the Canadian Tire Centre in Kanata, Ontario.

Chris is the son of former NHL player Darren Rumble, who was an assistant coach with the Seattle Thunderbirds from 2011 through 2013.   Darren is currently the head coach of the Moncton (New Brunswick) Wildcats in the QMJHL - Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.

Chris will forever be remembered for raising the hopes and spirits up to many pediatric patients at Seattle Children's Hospital by making a music video dedicated to kids through their cancer treatments after he, himself, was diagnosed with leukemia at the age of 22.

The video, which was shot on May 5, 2012, inspired many others to be "Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)", the name of the song performed by Kelly Clarkson.  Chris and other kids in the video lip-synced in the video that went so viral throughout YouTube that not only did it receive well over 64,000 views, but also the real Kelly Clarkson herself commented on the video.

Chris and staff members from Seattle Children's Hospital were even interviewed by CBS.  Chris also earned the third and final recipient nomination to KING 5's New Day Hero Award given out by Sterling Bank in 2013.

You can check out more of Chris' inspiring video with behind the scenes footage and more in the "On the Pulse" section of SeattleChildrens.org.