The Essex 73’s are pleased to announce the Wall of Honour Class of 2024 which will include two players named to the Player category, and one player named to the Honourary Category.

Dan Mahon joins Dave Gagnon, Mark Miller, Warren Rychel, Brian Hills, Colton Fretter and Dan O’Halloran in the Honourary Category, while Tanner Gallant and Tyler Scott will join 27 others already inducted to the Player Category.
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In all, the Wall of Honour now consists of 44 elected members.
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“The selection committee worked hard over the summer months, sifting through all the statistical data on hundreds of 73’s players of yesteryear, and in the end, we believe we have landed on three very worthy inductees,” said Joe Garon, chair of the Essex 73’s Wall of Honour Selection Committee. “We are super excited for our new inductees.”
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The induction ceremony weekend is November 15-16, 2024.
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Mahon, from Maidstone ON, is widely considered by many in the hockey circle locally to be one of the most gifted hockey players not to have made the NHL. An intimidating presence on the ice with a quick, heavy shot, Mahon played two seasons in Essex with the 73’s (1981, 1982) and amassed 38 goals and 76 points in just 53 games played.
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His first season, as a 15-year old, he scored 20 goals in 19 games and helped his team reach the Ontario finals where they would eventually lose to Bowmanville, 4-2.
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After another season in Essex, the OHL was next up for Mahon as he was drafted by the Kingston Canadiens where he would register 20 points in 49 games as a rookie to the league.
 
The following year, Mahon was traded to the Windsor Spitfires and he would flourish in Windsor, scoring 31 goals and 59 points in 64 games, becoming a fan favourite at the Ol’ Barn in Windsor.
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Year three, Mahon put up 21 goals and 49 points in 63 games, and after the OHL season, he signed a professional hockey contract with the Kalamzaoo Wings of the IHL. The next season, Mahon returned home to play one last year of junior.
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His last year was split between the Spits and the Soo Greyhounds where he added another 35 points in 40 games.
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Mahon closed out his Major Junior A career with 68 goals, 163 points in 216 games played.
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After three years of not playing any hockey, Mahon was recruited by the Windsor Lancers Men’s hockey team. Mahon enjoyed four seasons of university hockey and ultimately became the third highest scorer in Lancer history.
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Mahon scored 87 goals and had 85 assists for 172 points, behind only Rick Pickersgill and Ken Minello, who each played five years of CIAU hockey.
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“I think if Dan had just a little more drive when he played junior, there’s no doubt in my mind he had the skills necessary to play professional hockey at some level,” said Cottam resident, and long-time hockey scout, Mike Sadler. “As a 15-year old playing junior in Essex, he fit in like a 20-year old. He was quite gifted."
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Tanner Gallant is from Essex ON and played 5 years with the 73’s (2007 – 2011) and although not known for his size, he was an all-round quality player, a major factor in helping the 73’s win 3 league championships as well as 1 Schmalz Cup.
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Gallant was a captain - a leader - and was awarded Regular Season MVP in 2009, the season Essex went 51-1-1-1 en route to the Ontario championship, on perhaps the best 73’s team of all-time. He also won several other team awards over his career in Essex, most notably Rookie of the Year, Most Consistant Player in 2008 and 2011, and Most Dedicated Player in 2010 and 2011.
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In 171 games played, Gallant scored 60 goals and 164 points.
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“We had many good players that ’08-09 season – (R.J.) Hotts, (Anthony) Iaquinta, (Mike) Dobric, (Cory) Hamilton… but Tanner was unbelievable that entire year,” said 73’s long-time assistant coach, Jamie McDermott. “Not sure if we win that year without Tanner’s contributions game after game.”
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Like Gallant, Tyler Scott was also another player on the smaller side of things who fans gravitated to due to his tenacious style of play, speed and spark. Scottie, as his teammates called him, was passed over by Lakeshore Canadiens early on in his career, and found himself in the 73’s plans for 4 years.
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“Tyler lives and bleeds Essex 73’s Orange, Black and White,” says Garon. “He’s always attending the games and 73’s events when he can, and is most deserving of this honour.”
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From Lakeshore ON, Scott was a fan favourite and one of the most likable players of all-time.
 
Tyler is a 7-time 73’s team award winner. That’s 2nd to only R.J. Hotts and Aaron Mulcaster.
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He led the team in scoring nd was awarded MVP in 2017, and was also awarded Rookie of the year (2014), Most Consistant Player (2015, 2016), Most Dedicated Player (2015) and Most Sportsmanlike Player (2016).
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He is a 4-time league champion, a 2-time OHA semi-finalist, a 1-time OHA finalist and a Schmalz Cup champion (2015).
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In 152 games played, Scott had 71 goals and 161 points.