The Nuts and Bolts:
There are 265 forwards and defensemen who have skated for the Florida Panthers, and 24 goaltenders. I looked at each season, player by player, and the point shares they each earned on the season. If the collective point shares did not equal total team points (for example, the composite point shares for this past season was 81.1, but the team finished with 94), then I introduced an equalizing multiple into the equation.
Then I had to account for playoffs. In each regular season game, two points are awarded for a win, one for an overtime loss (or tie) and zero points for a loss. I took a graded approach to Panthers history. In the Conference quarterfinals, a win counted for three points. In the Conference semifinals, a win counted for four points. In the Conference Finals, six points, and for a win in the Stanley Cup Finals (which we never earned), eight points. For each postseason loss I did not award any points, as nothing positive was earned.
After I added all the regular season point shares to the postseason point shares, I noticed an alarming tendency that I’ll call “goalie bias.” Goaltenders get a lot of credit for each win. I’d say they get more than is deserved, so I gave each goaltender an additional multiple of 0.7. What is left is your list of 289 Panthers.
Since we didn’t have 289 days to do this, I started at the bottom, beginning with five names per day, then four, three, two, and the top 20 on the list each got an entry to themselves (I’m sure they are all breathing collective sighs of relief). Below is the entire countdown which ran throughout the summer of 2012:
289. Peter Worrell
Worrell starts out our list due to season after season of negative point shares exceeding any other Panther. Florida selected the left winger in the seventh round of the 1995 NHL Entry Draft, with th 166th overall pick. After a few years spent in juniors with the QMJHL Hull Olympiques, Worrell started 1997-98 with the AHL Beast of New Haven. He made his NHL debut with the Panthers later that season, earning 153 penalty minutes in only 19 games, finishing with a minus-4 rating and not scoring a single point.
The following season, Worrell finished third in the NHL with 258 penalty minutes. It was his only Florida season in which he did not finish with a negative plus/minus rating, at even. He scored four goals on 50 shots along with five assists.
In 1999-00, Worrell missed a substantial portion of the season with a knee injury, but still managed to rack up 169 penalty minutes, scoring three goals and six assists, along with a minus-7 rating in 48 games. He also scored one of six Florida goals in the Panthers four game postseason sweep at the hands of the New Jersey Devils. Worrell was also involved in an incident with Devil defenseman Scott Niedermayer, per Wikipedia:
After a collision along the boards where Worrell appeared to elbow Niedermayer in the face, Niedermayer hit Worrell on the top of the helmet with his stick. A scrum ensued and as Worrell was being escorted off the ice by the referees he made throat-slashing gestures to the Devils bench. Niedermayer was suspended 10 games (the Devils 9 final regular season games and their first playoff game). Worrell missed the Panthers next game due to headaches, dizziness and nausea.
Scott Niedermayer hits Peter Worrell (via fracases)
All-time statline: Six seasons, 342 games, 16 goals, 26 assists, 42 points, minus-50, 1375 PIM, -0.9 KAPS (Kevin’s Adjusted Point Share)
288. Rob Globke
Globke, a center, was drafted by the Panthers in the second round of the 2002 NHL Entry Draft, with the 40th overall pick. After graduating from the University of Notre Dame in 2004, where he averaged just over a point per game during his Senior season, he split the season between the AHL San Antonio Rampage and the ECHL Texas Wildcatters. He earned his first NHL call-up the following season in December, scoring his only career goal against the Atlanta Thrashers in February and posting an even rating along with six penalty minutes in 18 NHL games.
In 2006-07, he split time between the Rampage and the Panthers. In a career high 19 NHL games, he logged one assist against the Philadelphia Flyers in March and racked up a minus-3 rating.
In 2007-08 he made the club out of camp, but failed to register a point in his first five games along with a minus-2 rating. He played the balance of the season in San Antonio, but rejoined the Panthers in February for five more games. He has since appeared with the Frederikshavn White Hawks in Denmark and the Krefeld Pinguine in Germany before joining the Sheffield Steelers in 2010-11.
All-time statline: Three seasons, 46 games, one goal, one assist, two points, minus-6, 8 PIM, -0.7 KAPS
287. Craig MacDonald
MacDonald, a left winger, was drafted by the Hartford Whalers out of Harvard in the 1996 NHL Entry Draft. He spent his first professional seasons between the AHL Beast of New Haven and the IHL Cincinnati Cyclones, playing 11 NHL games with the Carolina Hurricanes in 1998-99. He played 47 more games for the Hurricanes between 2001-03 before joining the Panthers for the 2003-04 season.
For the Panthers, MacDonald joined a line with Marcus Nilson and Byron Ritchie, dubbed the John Deere line, so named for their “nose to the grindstone” work ethic. In 34 games for the Panthers, MacDonald managed three assists, a minus-5 rating and 25 penalty minutes. He was placed on waivers by Florida in January, where the Boston Bruins picked him up.
He has since appeared with the Calgary Flames, the Chicago Blackhawks, the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Columbus Blue Jackets, most recently in January 2009. Since leaving the NHL, he has played in the German League, with the DEG Metro Stars and Adler Mannheim.
All-time statline: One season, 34 games, zero goals, three assists, three points, minus-5, 25 PIM, -0.5 KAPS
286. Dave Morriset
Morriset was originally drafted by the St. Louis Blues in the second round of the 2000 NHL Entry Draft with the 65th overall pick. He appeared with Seattle of the WHL in 2000-01, where he scored 68 points in 61 contests.
The following season, he appeared with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers of the AHL, earning a call-up to the Panthers. 20-year old Morriset’s performance left a little to be desired, as the right winger played four games, did not score and accrued a minus-7 rating, along with five penalty minutes. He was out of professional hockey after spending 30 games with the AHL San Antonio Rampage in 2002-03.
All-time statline: One season, four games, zero goals, zero assists, zero points, minus-7, five penalty minutes, -0.4 KAPS
285. Mike Duco
Duco spent five seasons with the OHL Kitchener Rangers, scoring 191 points in 242 contests. The scrappy left winger played for the Panthers AHL affiliate, the Rochester Americans in 2008-09, scoring 14 goals and 14 assists in 68 games.
He earned his first callup to the Panthers in December of 2009, playing 10 games. He didn’t score, registered a minus-3 rating, and earned 50 penalty minutes in his short time with the club (he earned 77 minutes of ice time). The following season he played two games for the Panthers in March, earning a minus-1 rating and 10 more penalty minutes.
Just after the Panthers overhauled their roster last July 1st, Duco was traded to the Vancouver Canucks for Sergei Shirokov in a minor league deal. He appeared with the club for six games last season, scoring two assists.
All-time statline: Two seasons, 12 games, zero goals, zero assists, zero points, minus-4 rating, 60 PIM, -0.4 KAPS
Duco vs. Dallas’ Benn (via traintrackzzz)
284. Kenndal McArdle
McArdle, a left-handed shooting left winger, was selected by the Panthers in the first round of the 2005 NHL Entry draft, with the 20th overall pick. In 2005-06, he scored 71 points in 72 games for the WHL’s Moose Jaw Warriors. He spent 2006-07 between two WHL franchises, the Warriors and the Vancouver Giants. 2007-08 would see him split time between the AHL Rochester Americans and the ECHL Florida Everblades.
In 2008-09, he spent most of the season with the Americans, but joined the Panthers for his NHL debut, playing three games in December. He earned a minus-1 rating and two penalty minutes.
McArdle played 19 games for Florida in 2009-10. He collected eight hits in a 3-2 victory over the New York Rangers in November, and later scored his first (and to date only) NHL goal in a 2-0 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs in January. He also ended up with two assists, a minus-4 rating and 29 penalty minutes.
As in seasons past, McArdle spent the balance of the season with the Americans, joining the Panthers for 11 games over three callups to the NHL. He racked up 27 hits over his final six games with the club, finishing the season at minus-3, with 16 penalty minutes.
McArdle was traded to the Winnipeg Jets on July 9th, 2011 for Angelo Esposito. See video:
McArdle levels Kris Versteeg [HD] (via NHLArchive)
All-time statline: Three seasons, 33 games, one goal, two assists, three points, minus-8, 47 PIM, -0.4 KAPS
283. Scott Timmins
Timmins was drafted in the sixth round of the 2009 NHL Entry Draft by the Panthers. He scored 54 points in 56 games for the OHL Windsor Spitfires in 2009-10.
The left handed center spent the first half of the 2010-11 season in the AHL Rochester Americans before joining the Panthers for his NHL debut in February. He scored his first career goal in only his second game with the club, a 3-2 loss at the hands of the Montreal Canadiens. After 19 games, he had just that one point, along with a minus-8 rating and eight penalty minutes.
This season, he has scored 27 points in 70 games for the San Antonio Rampage, and is currently skating in the Calder Cup playoffs, still sporting a playoff beard.
Timmins on the perfect Playoff Beard (via sanantoniorampage)
All-time statline: One season, 19 games, one goal, zero assists, one point, minus-8, eight PIM, -0.4 KAPS
282. Serge Payer
Payer, a center for the OHL Kitchener Rangers, signed a free agent contract with the Panthers in 1997. He would remain with the Rangers through 2000, including for a spell in 1999 when he was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome, a condition which nearly ended his hockey career.
After starting the 2000-01 season with the AHL Louisville Panthers, Payer joined Florida in November, playing 43 NHL games. He scored his first career goal on November 18th, in a 5-2 loss to Ottawa. He would finish the campaign with five goals and one assist, an even rating and 21 penalty minutes.
After missing most of the 2001-02 season with a back injury, he spent the balance of the 2002-03 season with the AHL San Antonio Rampage. He was traded to the Ottawa Senators for a ninth round pick after the season. Payer only played five games for the Senators that season, and Florida resigned him just prior to the never played 2004-05 season as a free agent for the 2005-06 season.
Payer played 71 games for Florida that year, scoring two goals and four assists with a minus-7 rating and 26 penalty minutes. After the season, he signed again with Ottawa, again playing only five games with the parent club in 2006-07.
After spending the 2007-08 season with the Minnesota Wilds’ AHL affiliate, the Houston Aeros, Payer went on to Germany, playing two seasons with Krefeld Pinguine, then one season with a Norwegian team before retiring after the 2011 season. He currently works as an agent for high-end hockey talent through his company, Unlimited Sports Management.
Daymond Langkow vs Serge Payer 12/27/00 (via jayc948)
All-time statline: Two seasons, 114 games, seven goals, five assists, 12 points, minus-7, 47 PIM, -0.3 KAPS
281. Jeff Ware
Ware, a 6’4″ defenseman, was originally selected by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the first round of the 1995 NHL Entry Draft with the 15th overall pick. He spent most of his first season with the OHL Oshawa Generals. He would make his NHL debut for the Leafs on opening day of 1996, ultimately playing a grand total of 13 games with the club before spending most of the season with the Generals.
In 1997-98, Ware spent all but two games with the AHL’s St. John’s Maple Leafs. Toronto traded him to Florida for David Nemirovsky in early 1999. Nemirovsky played in his Panther debut in April of 1998-99, playing six games at the end of the season. He posted one assist, a minus-6 rating, and six penalty minutes.
Ware would never return to the parent club, instead spending 1999-00 with the AHL Louisville Panthers. He signed a free agent contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets, spending two seasons with their AHL affiliate the Syracuse Crunch before announcing his retirement in January, 2002 after five knee surgeries.
All-time statline: One season, six games, zero goals, one assist, one point, minus-6, six PIM, -0.3 KAPS
280. Jason Podollan
Podollan, a right winger, was drafted by the Panthers from the WHL Spokane Chiefs in the second round of the 1994 NHL Entry Draft with the 31st overall pick. He scored 146 points over the next two seasons with Spokane in 128 games.
He opened the 1996-97 season with the AHL Carolina Monarchs before making his NHL debut with the Panthers in November. He scored his first career goal in a 5-4 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers on December 10th. It was the only goal he would score as a member of the Panthers. He returned to the Monarchs for the month of January, again earning a recall to the Panthers in February. After a total of 19 games, he had collected one goal and one assist with a minus-3 rating and four penalty minutes. He was traded in March to the Toronto Maple Leafs, with whom he played 14 games over two NHL seasons.
Podollan later played seven games with the Los Angeles Kings and one game for the New York Islanders. He then played four professional seasons abroad, three in Germany and one in Japan.
All-time statline: One season, 19 games, one goal, one assist, two points, minus-3, four PIM, -0.3 KAPS
279. Jeff Daniels
Daniels, a left winger, was originally drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the sixth round of the 1986 NHL Entry Draft, with the 109th overall pick. Over three and a half seasons with the club, he scored eight goals and 11 assists in 134 games, with a minus-6 rating and 36 penalty minutes. The Penguins traded him to the Panthers for Greg Hawgood near the end of the 1993-94 season.
Daniels made his Panther debut soon after, playing seven games at the end of the season. He had no measurable impact, with zero points, an even rating and no penalty minutes.
Daniels spent most of 1994-95 with the IHL Detroit Vipers, appearing with the Panthers for three games around the mid-season all-star break. Again, he did not have any measurable impact, signing with the Hartford Whalers after the season. He would total 12 games with the Whalers/Carolina Hurricanes over the next two seasons.
He later played nine games with the Nashville Predators, returning to the Hurricanes for 260 games over four seasons to close out his career.
All-time statline: Two seasons, 10 games, zero goals, zero assists, zero points, even rating, zero PIM, -0.3 KAPS
278. Dave Tomlinson
Tomlinson was a 5’11” center who scored 179 points over 152 games with the Boston University Terriers. He signed on with the Toronto Maple Leafs after college, excelling with their St. John’s AHL affiliate, notching 59 goals and 82 assists over 145 games with the club from 1991-93. During the same time, he earned two call-ups to the parent club, appearing in a total of six games. He did not score, and collected four penalty minutes and a minus-1 rating. He was traded by the Leafs to the Panthers for cash in the 1993 offseason.
Florida traded him to the Winnipeg Jets for Jason Cirone just four days later. For the Jets, he played 31 games, scoring his only career goal on February 8th in a 6-5 loss to the St. Louis Blues. He finished the season with three assists, a minus-12 rating and 24 penalty minutes, signing with Florida as a free agent following the season.
For the Panthers, Tomlinson played a total of five games over the 1994-95 season, registering a minus-2 rating in a February call-up from the IHL Cincinnati Cyclones. For the Cyclones, he scored 206 points in 159 games over two seasons.
Tomlinson later played nine seasons in Germany, mostly with Adler Mannheim. He is currently the color commentator for the Vancouver Canucks.
All-time statline: One season, five games, zero goals, zero assists, zero points, minus-2 rating, zero PIM, -0.2 KAPS
277. Darcy Hordichuk
Hordichuk is a 6’1″ left winger from Kamsack, Saskatchewan, drafted originally by the Atlanta Thrashers in the sixth round of the 2000 NHL Entry Draft, 180th overall. Hordichuk has been retained on NHL rosters throughout his career largely due to his toughness. He has only 41 points through 538 NHL games.
He spent most of his first season with the Thrasher’s IHL affiliate, the Orlando Solar Bears, also appearing in 11 games for the parent club, logging a minus-3 rating with 38 penalty minues.
In 2001-02, Hordichuk started the season with the AHL Chicago Wolves, earning a 33-game call-up to the Thrashers in late October. He scored a goal and an assist with 127 penalty minutes before a trade brought him to the Phoenix Coyotes. Over parts of two seasons, he played a total of 26 games with the club, failing to score and earning 96 penalty minutes. He was traded to the Panthers on March 8th, and appeared in three games with the club, earning a minus-1 rating and 15 penalty minutes by incurring a five-minute fighting major in each contest.
Hordichuk opened the 2003-04 season with the Panthers, scoring his first Panthers goal in a 4-3 loss to the Minnesota Wild. Over the course of the season, he added two more goals and an assist, a minus-10 rating, and 158 penalty minutes (earned mostly by his inclusion in 15 fights). He was traded to the Nashville Predators just before the 2005-06 season, where he would play for three seasons.
Before the 2008-09, Hordichuk trained with UFC former champion Chuck Liddell in order to make him a better on-ice pugilist. He signed with the Vancouver Canucks as a free agent, and would play two years with the team before a trade again made him a Panther for the 2010-11 season. For his second go-round with the team, he would score one goal and four assists with a minus-1 rating and 76 penalty minutes over 64 games. After signing a free agent contract after the season with the Edmonton Oilers, he promised to take a run at the Sedin twins the next time he saw them. He instead injured his knee when the two teams met.
There’s a lot of videos available highlighting Hordichuk’s fights, so instead here’s a video of him in a lighter moment:
Darcy Hordichuk falls off the Panthers bench (via mokyboy11)
All-Time statline: Three seasons, 124 games, four goals, five assists, nine points, minus-12 rating, 249 PIM, -0.2 KAPS
276. Dwayne Hay
Hay, a 6’1″ left winger for the Guelph Storm, was originally drafted in the second round of the 1995 NHL Entry Draft by the Washington Capitals with the 43rd overall pick. He played with the Storm for one season prior to being drafted and finished two more years with the club afterwards, scoring 71 goals and 75 assists in 157 games.
In 1997-98, Hay spent most of the season with the AHL Portland Pirates, earning a two game cup of coffee with the Capitals at the end of October. Washington traded him to Florida for Esa Tikkanen in March. He finished the season with the OHL Beast of New Haven. Hay started the 1998-99 season with the Panthers, appearing in nine games with the team through October. He earned a minus-1 rating and did not score, taking three shots on goal. Sent back to New Haven, he played 46 games with the club through the season.
In 1999-00, Hay again started the season with New Haven, but was called up in mid-October to fill in with the Panthers. In six games he finished with a minus-2 rating and two penalty minutes, again failing to score while taking three total shots. Florida traded him (along with Ryan Johnson) to Tampa Bay on March 14th for Mike Sillinger. In 13 games with the Lightning that season, Hay scored a goal and an assist.
Hay was claimed off waivers after the season by the Calgary Flames, scoring four points in 49 NHL games with the club. He did not make any further NHL appearances after the 2000-01 season, bouncing around the AHL, the ECHL, and the CHL through 2008-09.
All-time statline: Two seasons, 15 games, zero goals, zero assists, zero points, minus-3 rating, two PIM, -0.2 KAPS
275. Craig Fisher
Fisher, a 6’3″ center, was originally drafted by the Philadelphia Flyers in the third round of the 1988 NHL Entry Draft with the 56th overall pick. After selection, he played two seasons in the CCHA with the Miami University Redskins, scoring 59 goals and 49 assists in 76 games. He made his NHL debut with the Flyers late in the 1989-90 season without ever appearing with a minor league affiliate, playing two games. His only impact on the scoresheet was in the team leading five shots on goal he fired in a 3-3 tie with the Detroit Red Wings on April 1st.
In 1990-91, Fisher spent most of the season with the AHL Hershey Bears, scoring 79 points in 77 games. He did appear in two more games for the Flyers, again failing to crack the scoresheet. Along with Scott Mellanby and Craig Berube, he was traded to the Edmonton Oilers following the season for Dave Brown, Corey Foster and Jari Kurri.
He never played an NHL game for Edmonton, Spending two and a half seasons with the AHL Cape Breton Oilers. Fisher was traded midway through the 1993-94 season to the Winnipeg Jets for cash, spending most of the year with the Moncton Hawks. He did earn a March call-up to the Jets, and played four games with the club, earning a minus-1 rating and two penalty minutes.
He spent the next two seasons with the Chicago IHL affiliates Indianapolis Ice in 1994-95, and the Orlando Solar Bears in 1995-96. Eventually, Fisher signed a free agent contract with the New York Islanders in the 1996 offseason, playing 15 games with the IHL Utah Grizzlies before the Isles traded him to the Panthers for cash in December.
Hay played 42 games with the AHL Carolina Monarchs in 1996-97, earning a four game call up to play with the Panthers in February and March. In four games, he earned a minus-2 rating. Later, Hay appeared in the German league with Kolner Haie, and later played parts of two seasons with the Rochester Americans before retiring due to concussion symptoms.
All-time statline: One season, four games, zero points, zero assists, zero points, minus-3 rating, two PIM, -0.2 KAPS
274. Greg Jacina
Jacina was a 6′ left winger who scored 19 goals and 47 assists over 56 games for the Mississauga IceDogs in 2002-03. He signed a free agent contract with the Panthers during the 2003 offseason. He spent his first professional season, 2003-04, between the ECHL Augusta Lynx and the AHL San Antonio Rampage, scoring 15 goals and 27 assists in a combined 71 games for the two clubs.
With the 2004-05 NHL season cancelled, Jacina played the entire year with the Rampage, scoring 11 goals and 20 assists in 78 games. He started the 2005-06 season with the Rampage, earning a five game call-up to the Panthers in November. In 46 shifts he took five shots on goal, making no other impact to the scoresheet. He earned his second callup in January, tabbing his first (and only) NHL point, an assist to Nathan Horton in a 4-3 shootout loss to the Carolina Hurricanes. He closed the season with 11 NHL games, scoring one point and a minus-1 rating with four penalty minutes.
He was again recalled to the Panthers near the start of the 2006-07 campaign, appearing in three games, a minus-1 rating and two penalty minutes. He played most of the season with the Rochester Americans, scoring 35 points in 61 games. Jacina has since played pro hockey in the Finnish league.
Here’s a video of Jacina whooping Jan Platil as a member of the Americans in 2006.
All-Time Statline: Two seasons, 14 games, zero points, one assist, one point, minus-2, six PIM, -0.2 APS
06-01-06 Jan Platil vs Jacina (via DtM2222)
273. Craig Ferguson
Ferguson was a 5’11” center with the Yale University Bulldogs, where he scored 37 goals and 45 assists in 108 games over four seasons. He was selected in the seventh round of the 1989 NHL Entry Draft by the Montreal Canadiens with the 146th overall pick, after his freshman season.
After graduating in 1992, Ferguson started his professional career with the ECHL Wheeling Thunderbirds, earning a promotion after scoring 11 points in his first nine games to the AHL Fredericton Canadiens, where he spent most of the season.
In 1993-94, Ferguson played most of the season with the Fredericton Canadiens, scoring 61 points in 57 games. His performance earned him a look by Montreal, with whom he made his NHL debut in December. He scored his first career assist in his second game, an 8-1 victory over the Boston Bruins, returning to Fredericton for the rest of the season.
1994-95 would see him score 62 points in 80 games for Fredericton. He also played one game with Montreal, a 3-2 loss to the Quebec Nordiques in April. He registered no points, taking three shots on goal. Ferguson joined Montreal for 10 games near the start of the 1995-96 season. He scored his only career NHL goal in a 4-3 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs on October 21st. He was traded with Yves Sarault to the Calgary Flames for an eighth round draft pick on November 26th. After eight games with the Flames, he was sent to their AHL affiliate, the St. John Flames. After 18 games, he was traded to the Los Angeles Kings organization for Pat Conacher, and would finish the season with their IHL affiliate, the Phoenix Roadrunners.
Before the 1996-97 season, he signed as a free agent with the Panthers. Most of the next four seasons were spent with Florida’s AHL affiliates, the Carolina Monarchs, the Beast of New Haven, and the Louisville Panthers. In 260 total games he scored 100 goals and 123 assists for the three teams. He earned his first call-up to Florida in February, 1997, posting a minus-1 rating and taking five shots on goal over three games. His second call-up occured three seasons later, and would see Ferguson post a minus-2 rating and take two shots on goal over three games.
After the 1999-00 season, Ferguson jumped the pond to join HC Fribourg-Gotteron of the Swiss League for three seasons. He later played three more years with the German League ERC Ingolstadt.
All-Time Statline: Two seasons, six games, zero goals, zero assists, zero points, minus-3, zero PIM, -0.2 APS
272. Alexander Karpovtsev
Karpovtsev was a 6’3″ defenseman for Dynamo Moscow. He was selected originally by the Quebec Nordiques in the eighth round of the 1990 NHL Entry Draft with the 158th overall pick. He never played a game for Quebec, getting traded to the New York Rangers for Mike Hurlbut in the 1993 offseason. In 280 games over six seasons with the Rangers, he scored 22 goals while assisting on 75 others, posting a plus-21 rating and 211 penalty minutes.
Starting in the middle of the 1998-99 season, Karpovtsev played 125 games over two seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs, scoring five goals and 39 assists with a plus-47 rating and 106 penalty minutes.
Over the next four seasons beginning in 2000-01, Karpovtsev played 182 games with the Chicago Blackhawks, scoring seven goals and 39 assists with a minus-19 rating and 105 penalty minutes. He finished the 2003-04 season playing three games with the New York Islanders. Florida signed him to a free agent contract on July 14th, 2004. With the season cancelled, Karpovtsev joined the Russian league for the year.
Karpovtsev played six games with the Panthers near the start of the 2005-06 season, failing to score a point and logging a minus-3 rating while racking up four penalty minutes. He soon after joined Sibir Novosibirsk in Russia, playing 57 games over the next two seasons.
Karpovtsev, as an assistant coach with Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, perished when the team’s chartered airplane crashed on September 7, 2011.
All-Time Statline: One season, six games, zero goals, zero assists, zero points, minus-3, four PIM, -0.2 APS.
Tribute to KHL Lokomotiv Yaroslavl (via thekingof8)
271. Wade Belak
Belak was a 6’5″ right winger playing with the WHL Saskatoon Blades when selected in the first round of the 1994 NHL Entry Draft by the Quebec Nordiques, 12th overall. In the four total seasons with the Blades (two before being drafted and two after), Belak played in 211 games, scoring 11 goals and 42 assists while earning 746 penalty minutes. After the conclusion of the 1995-96 season, he joined the Nordiques AHL affiliate, the Cornwall Aces for five games.
Belak spent most of the 1996-97 and 1997-98 seasons with the AHL Hershey Bears, joining the relocated Nordiques franchise (now the Colorado Avalanche) for 35 games over three seasons. He scored one NHL goal and one assist with a minus-6 rating and 109 penalty minutes while a member of the franchise.
Colorado traded Belak to the Calgary Flames in February, 1999, along with Rene Corbet, Robyn Regehr and a second round draft choice for Theoren Fleury and Chris Dingman. Over parts of three seasons with Calgary, Belak played 72 games, scoring two assists, a minus-3 rating and 224 penalty minutes. Calgary put him on waivers in February, 2001, where the Toronto Maple Leafs picked him up.
Belak played the bulk of his NHL career in Toronto, playing 318 games over parts of seven seasons. He racked up a total of 763 penalty minutes along with a minus-27 rating, seven goals and 17 assists. Toronto traded him to the Panthers for a fifth round draft pick in February, 2008.
Belak played the end of 2007-08 and the beginning of 2008-09 with Florida. He totalled 32 games without scoring, registering an even rating, and earning 37 penalty minutes. The Panthers traded him to the Nashville Predators in November, 2008 for Nick Tarnasky.
Belak played 92 games for the Predators, earning four assists, a minus-2 rating, and 120 penalty minutes. He officially retired from playing on March 8, 2011, staying with the Predators organization. Belak was found dead at a hotel in Toronto on August 31, 2011, a suspected but unconfirmed suicide. He had previously admitted to being depressed. Belak’s family believes the death was accidental.
All-Time Statline: Two seasons, 32 games, zero points, zero assists, zero points, even rating, 37 PIM, -0.2 APS.
Derek Boogaard vs Wade Belak Oct 16, 2008 (via hockeyfightsdotcom)
270. Tanner Glass
Glass, a 6’1″ left winger, was drafted by Florida in the ninth round of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft, 265th overall. Glass then went to Dartmouth, playing four seasons for the Big Green, scoring 31 goals and 51 assists in 124 games. At the end of the 2006-07 season, he joined the Panther AHL affiliate, the Rochester Americans for four games.
In 2007-08, Glass split the season between the Amerks and the Panthers. He scored his first career goal in a 5-3 victory over the Ottawa Senators on January 22nd (see video). In total, he played 41 games for the Cats that season, adding an assist and a minus-5 rating with 59 penalty minutes.
Senators @ Panthers 1/22/08 (via NHLVideo)
Glass was a victim of the numbers game in 2008-09, spending most of the season in Rochester. In three games with the Panthers, he earned seven penalty minutes.
During the 2009 offseason, Glass signed a free agent contract with the Vancouver Canucks. He played 140 games for the Canucks over the next two seasons, totalling seven goals and 14 assists, 187 penalty minutes and an even rating.
Glass spent last season as a member of the Winnepeg Jets, earning career highs with 78 games, five goals and 11 assists. He finished the season with a minus-12 rating and 73 penalty minutes.
All-Time Statline: Two seasons, 44 games, one goal, one assist, two points, minus-5, 46 PIM, -0.2 APS.
269. Marco Sturm
Sturm was a 6′ left winger with EV Landshut of the German League when selected in the first round of the 1996 NHL Entry Draft by the San Jose Sharks with the 21st overall pick. He would join the Sharks as a fresh faced 19-year old for the 1997-98 season, scoring 10 goals and 20 assists as a rookie. In 553 games over seven and a half seasons with San Jose, Sturm totalled 128 goals and 145 assists with a plus-42 rating and 242 penalty minutes. He ranks seventh on the Sharks all-time goals scored list, eclipsing the 20-goal barrier in his last three full seasons with the team.
A quarter of the way through the 2005-06 season, Sturm (along with Brad Stuart and Wayne Primeau) was traded to the Boston Bruins for Joe Thornton. In 302 games over parts of five seasons with the team, he scored 106 goals and 87 assists with a plus-24 rating and 156 penalty minutes. He scored over 20 goals on four occasions as a Bruin.
Sturm split the 2010-11 campaign between the Los Angeles Kings and the Washington Capitals, totalling five goals and 11 assists in 35 games with a plus-6 rating and 23 penalty minutes. He signed as a free agent with the Vancouver Canucks on July 1, 2011.
Six games into the 2011-12 season, Sturm, along with Mikael Samuelsson, was traded to the Panthers for David Booth, Stephen Reinprecht, and a 2013 third-round draft selection. Some considered it a salary dump for the Panthers, but most considered it a needed roster shakeup after the Cats lost consecutive 3-0 shutouts to the Capitals and Buffalo Sabres.
Sturm immediately joined the Panther lineup, scoring two goals and one assist in his first 27 games with the club before sustaining a possible concussion. The head injury kept him out of action for 14 games. After Sturm returned to the lineup on a February 1st 4-2 win over the Capitals, he was again shelved, this time for a lower body injury, for 13 more games. He played 14 more games through the end of the campaign, only breaking the seal of his scoresheet on one occasion, his lone two point game for Florida, with a goal and an assist in a 5-4 overtime loss to the Winnipeg Jets on April 3rd. For the season, he totalled three goals and two assists with a minus-8 rating and 23 penalty minutes. In the seven game series with the New Jersey Devils, he earned a minus-3 rating and four penalty minutes in 81 minutes of ice time.
Sturm’s future is still up in the air. He is currently an unrestricted free agent. With the numbers game looking the way they do, it’s unlikely that Sturm gets another chance at a 20-goal campaign, at least not in Sunrise.
All-Time Statline: One season, 42 games, three goals, two assists, five points, minus-8, 23 PIM, APS: -0.1
268. Ryan Johnson
Johnson was a 6’1″ center for the USHL Thunder Bay Flyers when picked up by Florida in the second round of the 1994 NHL Entry Draft, 36th overall. He would then play two seasons with the University of North Dakota, scoring eight goals and 39 assists over 59 games.
At the start of the 1996-97 season, Johnson joined the Carolina Monarchs, scoring 42 points on 18 goals and 24 assists over 79 AHL games. After Florida changed their AHL affiliation over the offseason, he opened the 1997-98 season with the Beast of New Haven, scoring 19 goals and 48 assists in 64 games. During the course of the season, he was twice called up to the Panthers, scoring two assists and logging a minus-4 rating in 10 NHL games.
1998-99 would see Johnson spend the balance of the season with New Haven, where he scored 27 points in 37 games. He did appear for the Panthers near the end of the season, scoring his first career goal in a 5-2 loss to the Boston Bruins on April 7th. It was the only NHL game that he appeared in during the season.
Johnson opened the 1999-2000 season on the Panthers NHL roster. He had his first career two point game, when he logged two assists in a 3-1 victory over the Buffalo Sabres on November 13th. On February 12th he had a goal and an assist in a 5-1 Florida victory over the Boston Bruins. He was traded along with Dwayne Hay for Mike Sillinger to the Tampa Bay Lightning on March 14th. In 66 games during the course of the season, he totalled four goals and 12 assists with a plus-5 rating and 14 penalty minutes.
Johnson played 94 games over two seasons with the Lightning, totaling seven goals and 16 assists. In the 2001 offseason, he was traded back to the Panthers for Vaclav Prospal. During the 2001-02 season, he was limited by injuries to only 29 games, scoring one goal and three assists, a minus-5 rating and 10 penalty minutes.
Johnson opened the 2002-03 season with the Panthers, in 58 games scoring two goals and five assists with a minus-13 rating and 38 penalty minutes. Florida waived him in February, where he was picked up by the St. Louis Blues. He played 289 games for the Blues over the next five seasons, scoring 19 goals and 30 assists with a minus-32 rating and 122 penalty minutes. Johnson later played 120 games over two seasons with the Vancouver Canucks, most recently spending 2010-11 as a member of the Chicago Blackhawks.
All-Time Statline: Five seasons, 164 games, eight goals, 22 assists, 30 points, -21 rating, 50 PIM, -0.1 APS
267. Bracken Kearns
Kearns is a 6′ center who played four seasons with the University of Calgary. In 136 matches from 2001-02 through 2004-05. he scored 31 goals and 52 assists.
He spent most of 2005-06 with the ECHL Toledo Storm, scoring 33 goals and 36 assists in 71 games. 2006-07 saw him promoted to the AHL Milwaukee Admirals, where he scored 26 points in 79 games.
in 2007-08, Kearns split the season between the newly relocated Norfolk Admirals and the ECHL Reading Royals, scoring a combined 43 points in 70 games. He spent three more seasons in the AHL, playing for the Admirals, the Rockford IceHogs, and the San Antonio Rampage.
In 2011-12, Kearns played most of the season with the Rampage, scoring 22 goals and 30 assists in 69 games. He earned two callups to the Panthers during the course of the season, playing two games in October and three in December. In 46 shifts, he won 50% of his faceoffs and earned 10 penalty minutes from two five-minute fighting majors. See video:
Kearns vs Colin Fraser Dec 1, 2011 (via hockeyfightsdotcom)
266. Jack Skille
Skille is a 6’1″ right winger from Madison, Wisconsin. He was skating with the US Team Developmental Program when drafted in the first round of the 2005 NHL Entry Draft by the Chicago Blackhawks, seventh overall.
Skille started his freshman campaign at the University of Wisconsin in 2005-06, scoring 13 goals and eight assists in 41 games. After an injury plagued Sophomore campaign, Skille signed on with the Blackhawks AHL affiliate, the Norfolk Admirals, scoring four goals and four assists in nine games at the end of the 2006-07 season.
Skille spent most of the next three seasons with the Rockford IceHogs, scoring 59 goals and 69 assists in 180 AHL games. During that time, he earned several call-ups to Chicago, scoring five goals and three assists over 30 games.
In 2010-11, Skille scored seven goals and 10 assists in his first 49 games of the season with the Blackhawks. Chicago traded him (and Hugh Jessiman) to the Panthers for Micheal Frolik and Alexander Salak on February 9th. He scored his first Panther goal on April 2nd in a 4-2 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins, finishing his Florida season with one goal, one assist, a minus-12 rating and four penalty minutes in 13 games.
Skille would open the 2011-12 season as part of the new look Panthers. He looked like one of the fastest, most aggressive Panthers on the ice, but his shots weren’t sinking. It took him until his 32nd shot in the 14th game of the season to light the lamp, in the first period of a 5-1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs on November 8th. Skille was snakebitten with the injury bug, spending a sizable portion on the DL with a shoulder injury. He totalled four goals and six assists, a minus-9 rating and 28 penalty minutes over 46 games.
All-Time Statline: Two seasons, 59 games, five goals, seven assists, 12 points, -21 rating, 32 PIM, -0.1 APS.
Remember this?
Skille drives to net, scores clutch goal 3/4/12 (via NHLVideo)
265. Kyle Rossiter
Rossiter was a 6’3″ defenseman from Edmonton with the WHL Spokane Chiefs when drafted by Florida in the second round of the 1998 NHL Entry Draft with the 30th overall pick. He would stay with the Chiefs for two more seasons, his four year totals: 245 games, 21 goals, 58 assists, and 616 PIM.
He made his professional debut in 2000-01 with the Louiville Panthers, finishing his 78 games with a minus-19 rating and seven points. 2001-02 would see Rossiter spend most of the season with the AHL Utah Grizzlies, playing 74 games. In a late season callup to the Panthers, he played 37 shifts over two games, earning a minus-1 rating.
Rossiter played 67 games with the San Antonio Rampage in 2002-03, earning another look at the big league level. Over the course of two separate callups, he played three games with the Panthers, earning a minus-2 rating over 44 shifts.
Rossiter started the 2003-04 season with the Rampage, playing a total of 51 games with the club. He appeared in four more Florida games during that time, in 72 shifts earning a minus-1 rating and seven penalty minutes. He was traded to the Atlanta Thrashers on March 8th for Kamil Piros, scoring his first NHL point, an assist, on April 3rd in a 2-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning.
In 2004-05, Rossiter split the season between the AHL franchises Chicago and the Wilkes-Barre Penguins. He has since appeared in Finnish and Italian hockey leagues.
All-Time Statline: Three seasons, nine games, zero goals, zero assists, zero points, minus-4 rating, nine PIM, -0.1 APS.
264. Jamie Rivers
Rivers (above) was a 6’1″ defenseman with the OHL Sudbury Wolves when selected by the St. Louis Blues in the third round of the 1993 NHL Entry Draft with the 63rd overall pick. He completed a total of four seasons (two before being drafted and two after) with Sudbury, totalling 56 goals and 201 assists in 228 games.
In 1995-96, Rivers made his professional debut with the AHL Worcester IceCats, scoring 52 points in 75 games. He earned two callups to St. Louis during the season, playing a total of three games and totalling a minus-1 rating and two penalty minutes. Over four seasons with the Blues, he compiled six goals and 14 assists over 153 games with a minus-3 rating and 91 penalty minutes.
Waived by the Blues prior to the 1999-00 season, Rivers was claimed by the New York Islanders. In his only season with the club, he scored one goal and a career high 16 assists with a minus-4 rating and 84 penalty minutes.
After starting 2000-01 with the IHL Grand Rapids Griffins, Rivers joined the Ottawa Senators for the season and the start of 2001-02, earning 48 penalty minutes and scoring two goals with four assists and a plus-three rating over 47 games. Placed on waivers early in the season, he was snapped up by the Boston Bruins and played in 64 games, scoring a career high four goals along with two assists, a plus-6 rating and 45 penalty minutes.
In November 2002, Rivers signed a contract with the AHL San Antonio Rampage, and spent 50 games with the club. He was called up for one game with the Panthers, a 12-2 loss to the Washington Capitals. He finished the game with a minus-2 rating and two penalty minutes, totalling 23 shifts. He is one of 10 Panthers to play in only one game with the club.
Rivers went on to play three more NHL seasons, split between the Detroit Red Wings and the Phoenix Coyotes before rejoining the Blues for 31 games in 2006-07. He later played in Russia with Spartak Moscow, in Chicago with the AHL Wolves, and the in the Swiss league with HC Ambri-Piotta.
Rivers suffered a ruptured spleen after completing a check as a member of KHL Medvescak of the Austrian Hockey League on December 16, 2010. After initially going undiagnosed, a few days later Rivers was rushed to hospital and underwent emergency surgery. Suffering a large amount of internal bleeding, Rivers heart stopped before he was electronically defibrillated back to life.
All-Time Statline: One season, one game, zero goals, zero assists, zero points, minus-2 rating, two PIM, -0.1 APS
263. Mike Casselman
Casselman was a 5’11” center for the Clarkson Golden Knights for four collegiate seasons. He totalled 48 goals and 71 assists over 129 games, graduating after the 1990-91 season. He was selected by the Detroit Red Wings in the 1990 NHL Supplimental Draft.
He spent most of the 1991-92 year with the ECHL Toledo Storm, totalling 99 points in 61 games. 1992-93 would see him promoted to the AHL Adironack Red Wings, with whom he spent most of the next three seasons. With Adironack, he scored 46 goals and 100 assists over 198 games, and making the All-Star team in 1992.
Casselman signed a free agent contract with the Panthers on Halloween, 1995, reporting to the AHL Carolina Panthers (not a typo). Over the 1995-96 season, he posted his most impressive AHL numbers, scoring 34 goals and 68 assists in 70 games. His play earned him a look in Florida, where over three games in February and March he totalled a minus-1 rating while taking two shots on goal.
Casselman spent the next two seasons in Florida’s and San Jose’s minor league systems, with the Cincinnati Cyclones and the Rochester Americans. He later played several seasons in Germany before returning to the Cyclones for two seasons starting in 2002-03.
All-Time Statline: One season, three games, zero goals, zero assists, zero points, minus-1 rating, zero PIM, -0.1 APS.
262. Viacheslav Butsayev
Butsayev, a 6’2″ center from the former USSR, was selected by the Philadelphia Flyers in the sixth round of the 1990 NHL Entry Draft, 109th overall. He would see his first NHL action two seasons later, making the Flyers roster out of the 1992-93 training camp. In 52 games he scored two goals and a career high 14 assists with a plus-3 rating and 61 penalty minutes.
Butsayev spent the 1993-94 season split between the Flyers and the San Jose Sharks, after a February trade. He scored a career high 12 goals along with 11 assists and an even rating with 68 penalty minutes over 59 games.
In 1995-96 and 1996-97, Butsayev totalled 13 NHL games between the Sharks and the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, scoring three goals with a minus-6. He spent the balance of those seasons with the AHL Baltimore Bandits and in Sweden. Florida signed him to a free agent contract in the 1998 offseason.
Butsayev spent 71 games that season with the IHL Fort Wayne Comets, earning a callup to the Panthers for a March 3rd loss to the Colorado Avalanche, 7-5. He totalled a minus-1 rating with two penalty minutes in 22 shifts. He was traded to the Ottawa Senators five days later for a sixth round draft pick, and would appear in five games over the next two seasons with the club. He also played with the Tampa Bay Lightning for two games in 1999-00.
Butsayev returned to Russia following the season, and spent the next five seasons with several Russian teams.
All-Time Statline: One season, one game, zero goals, zero assists, zero points, minus-1 rating, two PIM, -0.1 APS.
261. Herbert Vasiljevs
Vasiljevs was a Latvian 5’11” right winger from Riga, USSR. He joined the Guelph Storm in the OHL as a 19-year old free agent in 1995-96, scoring 34 goals and 33 assists in 65 games with the club. 1996-97 would see him with the AHL Carolina Monarchs for 54 games, scoring 31 points.
Vasiljevs played the 1997-98 season with the Beast of New Haven, scoring 36 goals and 30 assists in 76 games. He earned his first NHL callup the following season, a five game cup of coffee with the Panthers. In 74 shifts he took six shots on goal and spent two minutes in the box with a minus-1 rating. Most of the year was spent as a point-per-game player with the AHL Kentucky Thoroughblades.
Starting in 1999-00, Vasiljevs played 28 games at the NHL level with the Atlanta Thrashers, scoring five goals and five assists with a minus-14 rating and 18 penalty minutes. He appeared in 2001-02 for 18 games with the Vancouver Canucks, scoring three goals and two assists, closing his NHL career.
After playing the 2002-03 season with the AHL Manitoba Moose, Vasiljevs moved back to Russia, playing one season with Amur Khabarovsk before playing the next nine seasons in the German League. He is still playing with Krefeld Pinguine.
All-Time Statline: One season, five games, zero goals, zero assists, zero points, minus-1 rating, two PIM, -0.1 APS.
260. Jamie Linden
Linden was a 6’3″ right winger from Medicine Hat, Alberta. In 1988-89 he joined the WHL as a member of the Portland Winter Hawks, spending the next four seasons with four different WHL teams. He totalled 77 points in 263 games.
Just before Florida’s inaugural 1993-94 season, Linden was signed to a minor league contract, and made his IHL debut with the Cincinnati Cyclones, splitting the season with the ECHL Birmingham Bulls. In 63 games, he scored a combined four goals and 12 assists.
Linden started 1994-95 with the Cyclones, totalling nine points over 51 games. He earned a callup to Florida in February, and in four games totalled a minus-1 rating and 17 penalty minutes. It was the only NHL action of his career.
Over the next three seasons, Linden appeared throughout the AHL and the IHL. His brother is 19-year NHL veteran and two-time All-Star Trevor Linden.
All-Time Statline: One season, four games, zero goals, zero assists, zero points, minus-1 rating, 17 PIM, -0.1 APS.
259. Brad Smyth
Smyth was a 6′ right winger from Ottawa. He was part of the Panther organization from the genesis of the franchise, playing the 1993-94 season between the IHL Cincinnati Cyclones and the ECHL Birmingham Bulls, scoring 33 goals and 33 assists in 59 games.
In 1994-95, Smyth continued his assault on minor-league goaltending, scoring 35 goals and 46 assists over 62 games between the Bulls, the Cyclones, and the AHL’s Springfield Indians. 1995-96 would see him open the season on the AHL Carolina Panthers, scorching the opposition with 68 goals and 58 assists in 68 games on the season. His performance couldn’t be ignored forever, and Florida sent for him in February, where he made his NHL debut for seven games with the Panthers. On March 11th, he scored his first career goal in an 8-4 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks. Smyth totalled one goal and one assist with a minus-3 rating and four penalty minutes while with the club.
Smyth opened 1996-97 with the Panthers, and over eight games totalled one goal, a minus-3 rating and two penalty minutes. On November 28th, he was traded to the Los Angeles Kings for a third-round draft choice (who turned out to be Vratislav Cech – yeah, me neither). After leaving, he was asked what he missed the most about the Panthers, according to Karen Crouse, SunSentinel:
Attendance at the Forum has fallen off accordingly, with the Kings playing before an average of 3,954 empty seats in the outdated 16,005-seat building. Asked what he misses most about South Florida, Smyth replied without hesitation, “The fans. They’re great down there. Going to a Panthers game is an event there. It makes for an exciting atmosphere.”
In 53 games with the Kings over the next two seasons, Smyth achieved his highest level of NHL success, scoring nine goals and 11 assists.
He would later appear with the New York Rangers (five games), the Nashville Predators (three games) and the Ottawa Senators (12 games).
Meanwhile, Smyth spent parts of 10 seasons in the AHL, scoring a total of 326 goals and 341 assists in 610 games. Starting in 2006-07, he joined the Hamburg Freezers in the German League.
All-Time Statline: Two seasons, 15 games, two goals, one assist, minus-6 rating, six penalty minutes, -0.1 KAPS
258. Mikhail Yakubov
Yakubov is a 6’3″ center from Barnaul, USSR. He was selected by the Chicago Blackhawks in the first round of the 2000 NHL Entry Draft with the 10th overall pick.
In 2001-02, Yakubov joined the WHL Red Deer Rebels, scoring 32 goals and 57 assists in 71 contests. He spent most of the next three seasons with the AHL Norfolk Admirals, playing in 172 games and scoring 27 goals and 38 assists.
While with the Admirals, Yakubov earned two callups to the Blackhawks in 2003-04, totalling 30 games. He scored one goal and seven assists with a minus-12 rating and eight penalty minutes. After the 2004-05 season was cancelled, he earned another callup to Chicago in January, 2006. In 10 games he scored one goal and two assists with an even rating and eight PIM. He was waived on January 29th, where the Panthers snatched him up.
In February and March, Yakubov appeared in 13 games for the Panthers, assisting on one goal and earning a minus-1 rating and four penalty minutes. He was sent back to the Admirals for eight games at the end of the season, and returned to Russia, where he has appeared with several teams in the last six years.
All-time statline: One season, 13 games, zero goals, one assist, minus-1 rating, four penalty minutes, -0.1 KAPS
257. Eric Boguniecki
Boguniecki, a 5’8″ center, was originally drafted by the St. Louis Blues in the eighth round of the 1993 NHL Entry Draft with the 193rd overall pick. He spent the next four seasons playing with the University of New Hampshire, scoring 78 goals and 91 assists in 142 games.
In 1997-98, Boguniecki played 61 games between the ECHL Dayton Bombers and the IHL Fort Wayne Komets, totalling 23 goals and 26 assists in 61 games. He spent the entire 1998-99 season with the Komets, scoring 32 goals and 34 assists in 72 games.
Boguniecki signed a free agent contract with the Panthers on July 7, 1999. Most of the season was spent with the Panthers AHL affiliate, the Carolina Panthers. He earned a callup in March, and played four games with the club, posting a minus-1 rating and two penalty minutes. He took five shots on goal over 34 total shifts.
Boguniecki was with the AHL Panthers when the St. Louis Blues decided they wanted him back, trading Andrei Podkonicky to the Panthers on December 17th. In 2002-03, he scored 22 goals and 27 assists with the Blues over 80 games, by far the best season of his career. He would spend the next five seasons in the Blues organization, later playing with the Pittsburgh Penguins and the New York Islanders. He is currently an assistant coach with the AHL Bridgeport Sound Tigers.
All-time statline: One season, four games, zero goals, zero assists, zero points, minus-1 rating, two PIM, -0.1 KAPS
256. Stefan Meyer
Meyer, a 6’2″ left winger for the Medicine Hat Tigers, was selected by the Panthers in the second round of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft with the 55th overall pick. In five seasons with the Tigers ending in 2004-05, Meyer scored 123 goals and 123 assists in 282 games.
In 2005-06, Meyer would join the Rochester Americans, Florida’s AHL affiliate, for most of the next four seasons. He scored 64 goals and 66 assists, spending 363 minutes in the penalty box over 266 games.
During that time, Meyer earned three separate callups to the Panthers, all in 2007-08. A 4-3 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers in October, back-to-back losses to the Carolina Hurricanes and the Atlanta Thrashers in December, and a 2-1 overtime loss to the Montreal Canadiens in February. In his four games he earned a minus-1 rating in 10 minutes on ice. After the 2009 season, Florida traded him to the Phoenix Coyotes for Steve Reinprecht.
Meyer later resurfaced for 16 games with the Calgary Flames in 2010-11, earning two assists and 17 PIM.
All-time statline: One season, four games, zero goals, zero assists, zero points, minus-1 rating, zero PIM, -0.1 KAPS
255. Garth Murray
Murray was a 6’2″ center from Regina Saskatchewan when drafted in the third round of the 2001 NHL Entry Draft by the New York Rangers, with the 79th overall pick. He joined the AHL Hartford Wolf Pack for four games in 2001-02, after the WHL Regina Pats finished their playoff run.
Murray would spend most of his time through the cancelled 2004-05 season with the Wolf Pack, totalling 25 goals and 30 assists in 186 games. He recieved two callups to the Rangers in the second half of the 2003-04 season, totalling 20 games. He scored one goal and posted a minus-5 rating and 24 PIM.
The Rangers traded Murray to the Montreal Canadiens for Marcel Hossa just prior to the 2005-06 season. He would play 80 games with the Canadiens over then next three seasons, scoring seven goals and two assists. He was waived by the Habs on November 13, 2007, where the Panthers picked him up. In six games for Florida he did not score, earning an even rating and 19 penalty minutes. He spent 64 games that season with the San Antonio Rampage, scoring 11 goals and 10 assists, along with a minus-22 rating and 146 penalty minutes.
The Phoenix Coyotes picked him up as a free agent after the 2008-09 season, where he played 10 NHL games. He later appeared with the AHL Abbotsford Heat and Manitoba Moose and the ECHL Victoria Salmon Kings.
All-time statline: One season, six games, zero goals, zero assists, zero points, even rating, 19 PIM, -0.1 KAPS
254. Lee Goren
Goren was a 6’3″ right winger about to start a college hockey career with the University of North Dakota when drafted by the Boston Bruins in the third round of the 1997 NHL Entry Draft with the 63rd overall pick. In three WCHA seasons, he posted 63 goals and 61 assists in 111 contests.
In the 2000-01 season, Goren made his professional debut with the AHL Providence Bruins, scoring 15 goals and 18 assists in 54 games. During the season, he received call-ups to Boston on three occasions, for one game in December, for four games in January, and then in February, for the last 16 games of the season. He managed two goals while finishing with a minus-3 rating and seven penalty minutes.
A victim of the numbers game in 2001-02, Goren spent the entire season in Providence, playing 71 games and scoring 11 goals out of 37 total points.
In 2002-03, Goren averaged over a point per game in Providence, totalling 69 points in 65 games. During that time, he was called up to Boston on four occasions, in 14 games scoring two goals with an assist, a minus-2 rating and seven PIM. During the 2003 offseason, he signed a free agent contract to be a Florida Panther.
Goren played 65 games with the Panthers AHL affiliate, the San Antonio Rampage in 2003-04, scoring 27 goals with 22 assists in 65 games. He earned a call from Florida at the end of October, and played in a grand total of two games with the club (did you blink?) He managed to collect one assist, but left with a minus-4 rating over 37 total shifts.
After the season, Goren signed another free agent contract, this time with the Vancouver Canucks. He spent most of the next three seasons with the AHL Manitoba Moose, appearing for a total of 30 games with the Canucks, scoring one goal with two assists, a minus-7 and 30 PIM. He has since appeared in Swedish, Swiss, Finnish, and German pro hockey.
All-Time Statline: One season, two games, zero goals, one assist, one point, minus-4, zero PIM, -0.1 APS.
253. Eric Messier
Messier was a 6’2″ left winger from Drummondville, Quebec. He played with the Sherbrooke Faucons in the QMJHL, scoring 10 goals and 52 assists in 176 games over three years. While with the University of Quebec at Trois-Rivieres, he signed a free agent contract with the Colorado Avalanche in the 1995 offseason.
Messier spent 1995-96 exclusively with the Avalanche AHL affiliate, the Cornwall Aces. He scored five goals and nine assists over 72 games with the club.
He spent most of the 1996-97 season with the AHL Hershey Bears, earning his first callup to Colorado in November. He did not score in 21 games, but finished the season with a plus-7 rating.
Messier opened the 1997-98 season with the Avalanche, and would spend the bulk of the next six seasons in Colorado. Over seven total seasons, he scored 25 goals with 47 assists, a plus-1 rating and 130 PIM in 385 total games. He also played in 72 playoff contests with the Avalanche, scoring three goals and five assists. He was part of the Stanley Cup Champion team of 2000-01.
In the 2003 offseason, the Florida Panthers traded Peter Worrell and a second round draft choice to Colorado for Messier and Vaclav Nederost. Messier appeared in 21 contests with the Panthers, earning three assists and a minus-2 rating with 16 penalty minutes. He injured his wrist on his first shift of a November 21st matchup with the Atlanta Thrashers, a 6-3 loss. He never returned to the ice, retiring at the age of 30.
All-Time Statline: One season, 21 games, zero goals, three assists, three points, minus-2 rating, 16 penalty minutes, -0.1 APS.
252. Steve MacIntyre
MacIntyre is a 6’5″ left winger from Brock, Saskatchewan. He skated in several leagues through his early 20’s, appearing with the St. Jean Mission of the QSPHL (10 games, 68 PIM) and the UHL’s Muskegon Fury (54 games, 279 PIM) during the 2002-03 season. He scored a combined three goals and two assists during the season.
MacIntyre spent most of the time from 2003-04 through 2005-06 with the ECHL Charlotte Checkers, in 168 games earning 669 penalty minutes, while scoring five goals and 10 assists. He signed his first NHL contract in the 2005 offseason with the New York Rangers, but failed to make an impact through camp.
He signed a free agent contract with the Panthers in the 2008 offseason, but again failed to make an NHL roster. He was waived following training camp and picked up by the Edmonton Oilers. Over parts of two seasons with the Oilers, he played 26 regular season games, scoring two goals and one assist with a minus-5 and 64 PIM. He was waived by Edmonton four games into the 2009-10 season, where Florida again picked him up on November 10th.
During the 2009-10 season with the Panthers, MacIntyre played 18 games, earning his only career Panther point, an assist, in a 6-2 loss to Buffalo on March 31. He finished the season with a minus-3 rating and 17 PIM. The Oilers picked him up again, where he played 34 games during the 2010-11 season. He spent the 2011-12 season with the Pittsburgh Penguins organization, appearing in 12 games.
All-Time Statline: One season, 18 games, zero goals, one assist, minus-3 rating, 17 PIM, -0.1 APS.
Donald Brashear vs MacIntyre Nov 25, 2009 (via hockeyfightsdotcom)
251. Nick Smith
Smith was a 6’2″ center from Hamilton, Ontario, playing with the OHL Barrie Colts when drafted by the Panthers in the third round of the 1997 NHL Entry Draft with the 74th overall pick.
After two more seasons with the Colts (three seasons total), Smith had played 194 games, scoring 42 goals and 73 assists. He opened the 1999-00 season with the Panthers then AHL affiliate, the Louisville Panthers, scoring 12 points in 53 games.
Smith injured his knee in training camp on September 25, 2000, and missed most of the season. He returned to action for 23 games with Louisville late in the season, earning 25 PIM and scoring one goal with two assists.
Smith split the 2001-02 season between two AHL teams, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers and the Saint John Flames, also making two appearances in Florida. He played in three games for the Panthers in December, over 28 shifts winning seven of 16 faceoffs. He resurfaced with the club on March 20th, spending the last 12 games of the season with the parent club. He closed the season with zero points in 15 games played, registering a minus-1 and taking two shots on goal.
Smith signed a free agent contract with the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim in the 2002 offseason, but has not appeared in the NHL since his time with the Panthers. He was out of professional hockey after spending two seasons with the Ducks AHL affiliate, the Cincinnati Mighty Ducks, from 2002-04.
In 2007-08, Smith showed up in the OHA-Sr. league with the Dundas Real McCoys. Over three seasons, including playoffs, he has scored 59 goals and 119 assists in 79 games.
All-Time Statline: One season, 15 games, zero goals, zero assists, zero points, minus-1 rating, zero PIM, -0.1 APS.
250. Matt Herr
Herr was a 6’2″ center from Hackensack, New Jersey. After a high school career which saw him score 102 goals and 70 assists in 90 games, he was selected in the fourth round of the 1994 NHL Entry Draft by the Washington Capitals with the 93rd overall pick.
Herr then played college hockey, pursuing a degree in education and psychology at the University of Michigan. In four seasons with the Wolverines, he scored 72 goals and 61 assists in 151 games, graduating with the class of 1998.
Herr opened the 1998-99 season with the Capitals, before having spent any time in the Caps minor league system. In 30 games with Washington, he scored two goals and two assists with a minus-7 rating and eight penalty minutes. Most of the season was spent with the AHL Portland Pirates, scoring 15 goals and 14 assists in 46 games.
In 1999-00, Herr played the whole season in Portland, finishing with 22 goals and 21 assists in 77 games. 2000-01 would see Herr again start the season in Portland, but injuries forced the Caps to call him up in December. Herr played well, in 22 games with Washington he scored two goals and three assists with a plus-3 rating and 17 penalty minutes. After being sent back to the Pirates, the Caps organization traded him to the Philadelphia Flyers for Dean Melanson.
During the offseason, Herr signed a free agent contract with the Panthers. He would spend 61 games out of the 2001-02 season with the AHL Hershey Bears, scoring 34 points. During the season, he was twice called up to fill in with the Cats, in November and again in January. In three games total he accrued a minus-2 rating and took one shot on goal over 32 shifts. He signed on with the Boston Bruins after the season, and would play three games with the NHL club. He burnt up most of two seasons with the AHL Providence Bruins, scoring 52 goals and 64 assists in 148 games.
When the NHL lost the 2004-05 season, Herr played one year with the DEG Metro Stars Dusseldorf in Germany, in 44 games scoring 13 goals and seven assists.
Herr left professional hockey after the season, and now teaches history and psychology in Connecticut, at the Kent School. He also coaches the baseball and hockey teams.
All-Time Statline: One season, three games, zero goals, zero assists, zero points, minus-2 rating, zero PIM, -0.1 APS.
249. Doug Barrault
Barrault was a 6’2″ right winger from Golden, British Columbia, skating with the WHL Lethbridge Hurricanes when selected by the Minnesota North Stars in the eighth round of the 1990 NHL Entry Draft, 155th overall.
After selection, Barrault finished another season in the WHL, with the Seattle Thunderbirds. In three WHL seasons overall, he scored 72 goals with 73 assists in 176 games. Beginning with the 1991-92 season, he reported to the North Stars IHL franchise, the Kalamazoo Wings.
In two seasons with Kalamazoo, Barrault totalled 37 goals and 48 assists in 138 games. He received his first call-up for NHL action in a December matchup against the Ottawa Senators (a 3-1 victory), and a second for a January matchup with the Tampa Bay Lightning (Barrault went minus-1 in a 2-2 tie).
Barrault officially joined the North Stars for the move to Dallas in the 1993 offseason (on June 9th), but left unprotected in the Expansion Draft, was selected by Florida just 15 days later.
For the 1993-94 season, Barrault joined the Panthers IHL affiliate, the Cincinnati Cyclones, scoring 36 goals with 28 assists in 75 games. He earned a two-game NHL callup in February, not scoring while posting a minus-2 rating, with two shots on goal. Florida lost to the Detroit Red Wings, 7-3, then the Buffalo Sabres, 4-1. Barrault was sent back to Cincinnati, where he spent the entire 1994-95 season, scoring 20 goals and 40 assists in 74 games.
Barrault played three more seasons afterwards in the IHL with the Atlanta Knights and the Chicago Wolves, never again appearing in an NHL game.
All-Time Statline: One season, two games, zero goals, zero assists, zero points, minus-2 rating, zero PIM, -0.1 APS.
248. Hugh Jessiman
Jessiman is a 6’6″ behemoth right winger from New York City, skating with the Dartmouth Big Green. Aptly, he was drafted by the New York Rangers in the first round of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft, with the 12th overall pick. Over three seasons in Dartmouth ending in 2004-05, Jessiman scored 40 goals and 42 assists in 80 games.
Starting in 2005-06, Jessiman languished between the AHL Hartford Wolf Pack and the ECHL Charlotte Checkers for three seasons. He scored 25 goals and 20 assists with 108 PIM in 45 games for the Checkers, also collecting 32 goals and 42 assists with 299 PIM in 166 games with Hartford.
After six games with the Wolf Pack in 2008-09, Jessiman was traded to the Nashville Predators. Over the next two seasons, he played with Nashville’s AHL affiliate, the Milwaukee Admirals, totalling 40 goals and 29 assists with 211 PIM in 141 games played.
Jessiman signed on as a free agent with the Chicago Black Hawks just prior to the 2010-11 season. After 25 games with the AHL Rockford IceHogs, he was traded to the Panthers along with Jack Skille for David Pacan and Michael Frolik. He played 25 games with the Rochester Americans, earning his first call-up eight seasons after getting drafted. He played 20 shifts over two games with the Panthers, finishing with a minus-1 rating and five PIM from a memorable fight with the Carolina Hurricanes Troy Bodie.
Jessiman is currently playing with the AHL Lake Erie Monsters, affillate of the Colorado Avalanche.
All-Time Statline: One season, two games, zero goals, zero assists, zero points, minus-1 rating, five PIM, -0.1 APS.
Jessiman vs Troy Bodie – March 1, 2011 (via hockeyfightsdotcom)
247. David Emma
Emma was a 5’10” center from Cranston, Rhode Island when drafted out of Boston College in the sixth round of the 1989 NHL Entry Draft by the New Jersey Devils, 110th overall. For the Eagles, the Class of 1991 product scored 112 goals and 127 assists in 147 games over four seasons, winning the 1991 Hobey Baker Award. Concurrently with his BC responsibilities, he was also part of the US National Team parts of five seasons, from 1987-88 through 1991-92 playing in 85 games and scoring 22 goals with 19 assists.
In 1991-92, Emma joined the AHL Utica Devils, scoring four goals and seven assists in his 15 game professional debut. He spent the balance of the 1992-93 season in Utica, scoring a point per game over 61 games. He earned his first NHL action in November, as the Devils lost twice to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Emma did not score, taking two shots on goal.
Emma joined the AHL Albany River Rats in 1993-94, scoring 55 points in 56 games. He performed well in an extended 15-game callup to the Devils in December and January, totalling five goals (two game winners) and five assists.
1994-95 would see Emma skate with the Devils for six games, collecting one assist and a minus-2 rating. After scoring 30 goals with 32 assists with the IHL Detroit Vipers in 1995-96, he would sign as a free agent with the Boston Bruins.
Emma spent the balance of the 1996-97 season with the AHL Providence Bruins, earning an unproductive five game look with Boston. He signed for the next three seasons with the Austrian team, Klagenfurter AC.
On August 1, 2000, Emma signed a free agent contract with Florida. He played 55 games with the Louisville Panthers, scoring 50 points. For 71 shifts over six games in November, he filled an NHL roster spot, not scoring while taking six shots on goal, and finishing with a minus-1 rating. The Panthers traded him to the Washington Capitals for Remi Moyer on March 3rd, where he finished the season with the Portland Pirates.
After missing the entire 2001-02 season with a back injury, Emma announced his retirement on July 28, 2002.
246. Chris Wells
Wells was a 6’6″ center from Calgary, Alberta. He had just finished his third season with the WHL Seattle Thunderbirds when drafted in the first round of the 1994 NHL Entry Draft by the Pittsburgh Penguins with the 24th overall pick. Over four seasons in Seattle, ending in 1994-95, Wells played 265 games, scoring 106 goals and 152 assists with 489 PIM.
Wells spent the entire 1995-96 season with the Pittsburgh Penguins, scoring two goals and two assists in 54 games, registering a minus-6 rating with a career high 59 penalty minutes. In 1996-97, after 15 games with the IHL Cleveland Lumberjacks, he was traded to Florida for Stu Barnes and Jason Woolley.
Wells immediately joined the NHL Panthers, skating in 47 contests and scoring two goals and six assists, posting a career high plus-5 rating, and earning 42 minutes in the penalty box. He was a nonfactor in Florida’s 1997 postseason, earning one healthy scratch and a minus-1 rating in three games.
Wells enjoyed the best numbers of his NHL career in 1997-98, over 61 Panthers games he scored five goals and 10 assists with a plus-4 rating and 47 PIM.
In 1998-99, Wells was limited by injury, playing 20 Florida games starting in February. He collected two assists and a minus-4 rating with 31 penalty minutes. He had less of an impact the following season, in 1999-00, over 13 games earning a minus-5 rating with 14 penalty minutes. Florida traded him to the New York Rangers for future considerations on March 13th.
Wells spent the succeeding three seasons in the Rangers minor league system, with the IHL Utah Grizzlies, the AHL Portland Pirates and the ECHL Wheeling Nailers. He split the 2002-03 season between the Russian team, Amur Khabarovsk and the ECHL Peoria Rivermen before calling it quits.
All-Time Statline: Four seasons, 141 games, seven goals, 18 assists, 25 points, even rating, 134 PIM, -0.1 APS.
245. Eric Beaudoin
Beaudoin was a 6’5″ left winger from Ottawa with the OHL Guelph Storm when drafted in the fourth round of the 1998 NHL Entry Draft by the Tampa Bay Lightning, 92nd overall. After the three seasons with the Storm, ending in 1999-00, Beaudoin had scored 75 goals and 90 assists in 196 games, earning 248 PIM.
In 2000-01, Beaudoin opened the season with Florida’s AHL affiliate, the Louisville Panthers. He tallied 15 goals and 10 assists in 71 games. Florida’s AHL affiliation in 2001-02 was the Utah Grizzlies, and after 44 games with the club, Beaudoin got his first NHL callup in March. In eight games, he totalled three assists and a minus-2 rating with four penalty minutes. He also scored his first NHL goal, a game winner on April 3rd in a 3-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins.
2002-03 would see Florida’s AHL affiliate again change, this time to the San Antonio Rampage. Beaudoin scored 14 goals with 23 assists in 41 games with the club. In three separate callups to the Panthers, he totalled 15 games, scoring one assist with 25 PIM and a minus-7 rating.
After starting the 2003-04 season with the Rampage, and scoring 20 goals and 22 assists in 38 games, Beaudoin was called up to Florida in mid-January. He would spend the rest of the season with the club, in 30 games scoring two goals and four assists with a minus-6 rating and 12 penalty minutes.
When the 2004-05 season was cancelled, Beaudoin played 32 games with the Rampage. San Antonio “loaned” him to the Edmonton Roadrunners, where he played 24 games. After the season, he signed a free agent contract with Jokerit Helsinki, spending the next six seasons in Swedish, Swiss and Finnish leagues. Beaudoin most recently signed a contract with the Detroit Red Wings, in February, 2011.
To date, Beaudoin, along with goaltender John Vanbiesbrouck, are the only Panthers in history with all five vowels in their last names. Beaudoin’s is more impressive, IMO, because he did it with a shorter name.
All-Time Statline: Three seasons, 53 games, three goals, eight assists, 11 points, minus-15 rating, 41 PIM 0.0 APS.
244. Alex Hicks
Hicks was a 6′ left winger from Calgary skating with the IHL Las Vegas Thunder when the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim signed him to a free agent deal in the 1995 offseason. He made his NHL debut with the Ducks a month into the 1995-96 regular season, after scoring two goals and 10 assists through 13 games with Anaheim’s AHL affiliate, the Baltimore Bandits.
Hicks performed pretty well in his NHL debut, scoring two goals on four shots with an assist in a 7-3 Anaheim victory over the Colorado Avalanche on November 15th. It was one of three two goal games from Hicks during his rookie season. He finished up with 10 goals and 11 assists, a plus-11 rating and 37 PIM in 64 NHL games.
After scoring two goals with six assists through the first 18 games of the 1996-97 season, the Ducks traded Hicks, along with Fredrik Olausson to the Pittsburgh Penguins for Shawn Antoski and Dmitri Mironov. Hicks played 55 games with the Penguins, scoring five goals and 15 assists.
Hicks would remain with Pittsburgh through the 1997-98 season, scoring seven goals and 13 assists in 58 games. He was not resigned by the Penguins after the season, instead signing a free agent contract with the San Jose Sharks.
In 1998-99, Hicks played only four games with the Sharks, logging one assist before the team shipped him, along with a fifth round draft choice, off to Florida for Jeff Norton. As a new Panther, Hicks played 51 games, not scoring any goals on 47 shots. He collected six assists and a minus-4 rating, along with 58 PIM.
Hicks was injured for most of the 1999-00 campaign, rehabbing for 17 games with the AHL Louisville Panthers, scoring six goals and five assists in 17 games. He was recalled to Florida for the stretch run, playing the final eight games of the season with the club. He scored one goal and two assists over eight games, tacking on another assist through four playoff games.
Starting in 2000-01, Hicks joined the German League, playing first for EHC Eisbaren Berlin, then later with Kolner Haie.
All-Time Statline: Two seasons, 59 games, one goal, eight assists, nine points, minus-1 rating, 62 PIM, APS: 0.0
243. Ty Jones
Jones was a highly regarded 6’3″ right winger from Richland, Washington, with early comparisms to Keith Tkachuk. He was in his second season with the WHL Spokane Chiefs when his name was called in the first round of the 1997 NHL Entry Draft by the Chicago Blackhawks, with the 16th overall pick. He would play with the Chiefs for another season.
Jones opened the 1998-99 season on the Chicago roster, not scoring through eight games. It would be a long road back to the NHL. Sent back to the Spokane Chiefs, he played 26 games before getting traded to the WHL Kamloops Blazers. In four total WHL season, Jones totalled 75 goals and 110 assists in 207 games.
Jones spent the next four seasons with the IHL Cleveland Lumberjacks (10 games), the ECHL Florida Everblades (48 games), the AHL Norfolk Admirals (119 games), and the WCHL Anchorage Aces (12 games).
In 2003-04, Jones opened the season with the Admirals, scoring four goals and five assists through 37 contests. Chicago traded him to the Panthers on March 2nd for “future considerations.” After two games with the AHL San Antonio Rampage, he was called up for a look in Florida. He did not score through six games, earning seven PIM with an even rating over 30 shifts. Jones retired following the season. He is regarded by many as one of the biggest busts in NHL Draft History.
All-Time Statline: One season, six games, zero goals, zero assists, zero points, even rating, seven PIM, 0.0 APS.
242. Tim Kennedy
Kennedy is a 5’10” left winger from Buffalo, New York. He had just finished his second season with the USHL Sioux City Musketeers when selected in the sixth round of the 2005 NHL Entry Draft by the Washington Capitals, with the 181st overall pick. He was instantly traded to his hometown Buffalo Sabres for a 2006 sixth round draft choice.
Kennedy started skating with the Michigan State Spartans in the 2006-07 season. The team won the NCAA Championship in his freshman season, Kennedy contributed a goal and an assist in the winning game. In three seasons with the Spartans, Kennedy scored 42 goals and 61 assists in 113 games.
In 2008-09, Kennedy played the bulk of the season with the Sabres AHL team, the Portland Pirates, scoring 18 goals with 49 assists in 73 games. He was called up to fill in for one game during the season, a 4-3 shootout victory over the New York Islanders on December 27th. Kennedy got third line minutes, skating 15 shifts and taking one shot on goal.
Kennedy spent the 2009-10 season with the Sabres, posting his best NHL numbers (so far). In 78 games he scored 10 goals on 98 shots, including three game winners, with 16 assists. He logged a minus-3 rating with 50 PIM. He also contribute a goal and two assists in six playoff games, a series loss to the Boston Bruins.
The Sabres chose not to resign Kennedy, who instead signed a free agent contract with the New York Rangers during the 2010 offseason. Per Wikipedia:
At the end of the 2009-10 season, Kennedy’s entry-level contract expired resulting in a contract dispute with the Sabres. Kennedy went to arbitration to settle the contract dispute for the 2010–11 season. This resulted in an arbitration ruling of $1,000,000. In the dispute, Kennedy wanted a higher valued contract that was one-way to remain at the NHL level over the lesser two-way contract the Sabres were offering him that would have him split time between the Sabres and their AHL affiliate in Portland. The Sabres didn’t want to pay the additional amount. So on August 2, 2010, the Sabres waived Kennedy.
After scoring 42 points in 53 games with the Rangers AHL affiliate, the Connecticut Whale, he was traded along with a third round draft choice (Logan Shaw) to the Panthers for Bryan McCabe on February 26th. He reported to the AHL Rochester Americans playing 13 games with the club. He earned two callups to the Panthers late in the season, assisting one goal with an even rating, and taking two shots on goal.
2011-12 would see Kennedy open the season on Florida’s new AHL affiliate, the San Antonio Rampage. In two callups, he totalled one goal – a game winner in a 4-2 Panthers victory over the New York Islanders – and one assist. He logged four penalty minutes with a dreadful minus-11 rating. Kennedy was sent back to the Rampage, and soon after was traded to the San Jose Sharks for Sean Sullivan.
All-Time Statline: Two seasons, 33 games, one goal, two assists, three points, minus-11 rating, four PIM, -0.6 APS.
Note concerning Kennedy – I mistakenly left out Kennedy’s 2011-12 stats when making final tabulations for this list, his APS reflects this shortsight. For those perfectionists out there who must know, he should have been number 287.
241. Rocky Thompson
Thompson was a 6’2″ defenseman from Calgary with the WHL Medicine Hat Tigers when drafted in the third round of the 1995 NHL Entry Draft by the Calgary Flames with the 72nd overall pick. In three total seasons with the Tigers, Thompson scored 11 goals with 30 assists, and 646 penalty minutes in 202 games.
After earning 33 penalty minutes in only four games with the St. John Flames at the end of the 1995-96 campaign, Thompson would split the following season between two WHL franchises, the Tigers and the Swift Current Broncos, scoring 23 points and earning 260 penalty minutes in 69 collective games.
In 1997-98, Thompson spent most of the season with the AHL Flames, 51 games. He earned two callups to Calgary, in 12 games he had seven fights for 61 penalty minutes. He did not score, and finished with an even rating.
Slowed by injury in 1998-99, Thompson appeared in 27 games with St. John. In a January callup to Calgary, he earned 25 penalty minutes in only six minutes of ice-time over three games.
Thompson opened the 1999-00 season with the AHL Flames, scoring 10 points with 125 PIM in 53 games. Calgary traded him to the Panthers for Filip Kuba on March 16th, and Thompson finished the season with the Louisville Panthers, earning an incredible 54 penalty minutes in only three games.
Thompson played 55 games in 2000-01 with Louisville, playing four games with the NHL Panthers in March. In six minutes of ice time he earned 19 penalty minutes, and did not score.
2001-02 would see Thompson spend the bulk of the season with the AHL Hershey Bears, earning another March callup to Florida. Over six games he took one shot on goal in 24 minutes of ice time, spending 12 minutes in the box. It was the last time Thompson would see NHL action.
Jim McKenzie vs Rocky Thompson (via pjstock20)
Thompson spent five more seasons in the AHL, with the San Antonio Rampage, the Toronto Roadrunners, the Edmonton Roadrunners, and the Peoria Rivermen. He earned 1,919 penalty minutes in 566 career AHL games, scoring 17 goals and 52 assists.
Thompson joined the coaching ranks after retiring following the 2006-07 season, with the Edmonton Oil Kings. He is currently an assistant with the Oklahoma City Barons.
All-Time Statline: Two seasons, 10 games, zero goals, zero assists, zero points, even rating, 31 PIM, 0.0 APS.
240. Pokey Reddick
Reddick was a 5’8″ 170 lb. goaltender from Halifax, Nova Scotia. He was tending for the IHL Fort Wayne Komets in 1985-86 when signed to a free agent contract with the Winnipeg Jets.
Reddick stepped right in as the Jets number one goalie, posting a 21-21-4 record over 48 games in 1986-87, with an .881 save percentage and a 3.24 GAA. Over three seasons with Winnipeg he put up a 41-51-14 record with a 3.73 GAA and a .873 save percentage.
During the 1989 offseason, Reddick was traded to the Edmonton Oilers for future considerations. He played in 13 games for Edmonton over the next two seasons, posting a 5-6-2 record with an .883 save percentage and a 3.31 GAA.
In 1991-92 and 1992-93, Reddick posted a 44-24-9 AHL record between the Fort Wayne Komets and the Cape Breton Oilers. He signed a free agent contract with the Panthers during the 1993 offseason. He played most of the season with the Cincinnati Cyclones, posting a 3.05 GAA and a 31-12-6 record. He was called up to the Panthers in February to cover as Florida’s number two goaltender while John Vanbiesbrouck recovered from a slight injury. In two games he posted a 0-1-0 record with a 6.00 GAA and an .822 save percentage.
Reddick spent the next five seasons in the IHL, with the Las Vegas Thunder, the Grand Rapids Griffins, the San Antonio Dragons, the Kansas City Blades and the Fort Wayne Komets. In 1999-00 he joined the Frankfurt Lions in Germany for three seasons before retiring. He is the NHL’s record holder for most games goaltended without a shutout, with 132.
All-Time Statline: One season, two games, 80 minutes of ice time, 0-1-0 record, eight goals allowed, 37 saves, 45 shots faced, .822 save percentage, 6.00 GAA.
239. Petr Tatíček
Taticek was a 6’3″ center from Rakovnik, Czechoslovakia. He was playing with the OHL Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds when drafted by Florida in the first round of the 2002 NHL Entry Draft, with the ninth overall pick. He would play one more season with the Greyhounds, totalling 33 goals and 87 assists in 114 games.
2003-04 and 2004-05 would see Taticek spend a total of 130 games with Florida’s AHL team, the San Antonio Rampage, scoring 11 goals and 30 assists.
Taticek started the 2005-06 season with the AHL Houston Aeros, scoring 30 points in 44 games before his first NHL callup in January. In three games with the Panthers, Taticek managed three shots on goal in 18 minutes of ice time, failing to impact the scoresheet in any other fashion. After being sent back to Houston, he was soon after traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins for Ric Jackman. Pittsburgh kept him with their Wilkes-Barre AHL franchise for 17 games.
The Washington Capitals signed Taticek to a free agent contract for the 2006-07 season. Taticek played one game with the Hershey Bears before heading back to Czechoslovakia, with HC Rabat Kladno. He has spent the last six seasons with HC Davos of the Swiss National League.
All-Time Statline: One season, three games, zero goals, zero assists, zero points, even rating, zero PIM, 0.0 APS.
238. Paul Brousseau
Brousseau was a 6’2″ right winger from Pierrefonds, Quebec. He was skating with the Hull Olympiques of the QMJHL when drafted in the second round of the 1992 NHL Entry Draft by the Quebec Nordiques, with the 28th overall pick. In four QMJHL seasons, Brousseau scored 109 goals and 199 assists in 240 games.
Brousseau joined the AHL Cornwall Aces for the 1993-94 season spending most of the next three seasons with the club. He totalled 58 goals and 65 assists in 189 games. He enjoyed his first NHL callup in January, 1996 to the Colorado Avalanche, scoring one goal (against Florida) and one assist in eight games.
In the 1996 offseason, Brousseau signed a free agent contract for the Tampa Bay Lightning. He spent most of the next two seasons with the Adirondack Red Wings, but also totalled 17 NHL games during that time with Tampa Bay, logging 27 PIM along with two assists. He was left unprotected in the 1998 expansion draft, and was picked up by the Nashville Predators.
After one season with the Predators AHL team, the Hershey Bears, Brousseau signed a free agent contract with the Panthers prior to the 1999-00 season. Limited by a knee injury, he played 36 games with the AHL Louisville Panthers, scoring 43 points.
In 2000-01, Brousseau again started the season with Louisville, scoring 68 points in 73 games. He earned a callup to Florida in March to face the Columbus Blue Jackets, played for one minute and 39 seconds of ice time, then was sent back to Louisville. Florida lost the game, 7-6 in overtime.
After the season, Brousseau played the next three seasons in Finnish, Swedish, Swiss and German Leagues, retiring after the 2003-04 season.
All-Time Statline: One season, one game, zero goals, zero assists, zero points, even rating, zero PIM, 0.0 APS.
237. Patrick Rissmiller
Rissmiller was a 6’4″ left winger from Belmont, MA. He played four seasons of college hockey with College of the Holy Cross, scoring 53 goals and 90 assists in 131 games. After graduating in 2002, he signed a free agent contract with the AHL Cleveland Barons, scoring 14 goals and 26 assists in 72 games.
The San Jose Sharks showed interest during the 2003 offseason, signing him as a free agent. During 2003-04, he scored 45 points in 75 games with the Barons, making his NHL debut with the Sharks for four games in November.
With the 2004-05 NHL season cancelled, Rissmiller played the entire season with Cleveland, scoring 44 points in 69 games. He also played most of the 2005-06 season with the Barons, earning an extended look in San Jose in March. In 18 games he scored three goals on 26 shots with three assists. In the Sharks postseason run, he scored two goals with an assist.
Rissmiller spent the next two seasons as a Shark, scoring 15 goals and 24 assists over 158 NHL games, with a minus-7 and 52 penalty minutes. The New York Rangers signed him to a free agent contract during the 2008 offseason. After two games with the Rangers, he was reassigned to the AHL Hartford Wolfpack, scoring 54 points in 64 games.
After another minor league season, the Rangers packed him along with Donald Brashear to the Atlanta Thrashers for Todd White just prior to the 2010-11 season. He skated with the Thrashers for one game before Atlanta sent him back to the AHL. Florida sent Radek Dvorak to Atlanta for Rissmiller and Niclas Bergfors in February. Rissmiller played nine games with the Panthers, assisting one goal and posting an even rating. He spent the 2011-12 season with the Avalanche AHL affiliate, the Lake Erie Monsters.
All-Time Statline: One season, nine games, zero goals, one assist, one point, even rating, zero PIM, 0.0 APS.
236. Nolan Yonkman
Yonkman was a 6’6″ defenseman from Punnichy, Saskatchewan. He was with the WHL Kelowna Rockets when selected by the Washington Capitals in the second round of the 1999 NHL Entry Draft, with the 37th overall pick. In four plus seasons with the Rockets, plus most of 2000-01 with the Brandon Wheat Kings, Yonkman totalled 12 goals and 26 assists with 431 PIM in 259 WHL games.
In 2001-02, Yonkman spent most of the season with the AHL Portland Pirates. He joined the Capitals for two games in January, later playing the last nine games of the season with the team. He scored his only career NHL goal on April 6th in a 5-4 loss to the New York Islanders, finishing the season with a plus-3 rating and four PIM.
Yonkman spent most of the next three seasons dealing with an assortment of injuries, totalling 60 games with the Pirates, and scoring one goal with seven assists and 119 PIM. He played one NHL game during that time, skating for five minutes in a 4-1 loss to the St. Louis Blues on October 18, 2003.
Yonkman got most of his NHL experience with the Caps in 2005-06, playing 38 games, making seven assists with a plus-1 rating and 86 PIM. He signed on with the Nashville Predators during the 2006 offseason.
Yonkman never appeared with the Predators, playing 283 games over the next four seasons with the AHL Milwaukee Admirals. He put up eight goals and 31 assists with 466 PIM. He signed a free agent contract with the Phoenix Coyotes prior to the 2010-11 season.
The San Antonio Rampage were at the time the Coyotes AHL affiliate, and Yonkman spent the whole season there. He signed another free agent contract after the season, this time with the Panthers. Yonkman played 66 games with the Rampage through the season, scoring two goals with 11 assists and 102 penalty minutes. He made his Panthers debut on February 19th, skating nine shifts in a 2-0 Ducks victory. Yonkman is currently in the midst of the AHL playoffs, and has two assists through the first nine games.
All-Time Statline: One season, one game, zero goals, zero assists, zero points, even rating, zero PIM, 0.0 APS.
March 2, 2012- Catching Up With Strachan & Yonkman (via sarampage)
235. Mike Green
Green was a 5’11” center from Calgary with the WHL Kootenay Ice when signed as a free agent by Florida in 2000. In four WHL seasons (the first two with the Edmonton Ice), he totalled 93 goals and 122 assists in 218 games.
Green opened the 2000-01 season with the AHL Louisville Panthers, also skating with the US team and the UHL teams Port Huron Border Cats and the Knoxville Speed. 2001-02 was spent between the ECHL Macon Whoopee and the AHL Cincinnati Mighty Ducks.
2002-03 would see Green spend 80 games with the AHL San Antonio Rampage, scoring 26 goals and 34 assists. He opened the 2003-04 season with the Rampage, earning his first NHL action with the Panthers in February. In 11 games he posted one assist with an even rating and two PIM. Florida waived him in March, where he was claimed by the New York Rangers. He would finish the season in New York, scoring his only career NHL goal in his last NHL game, a 3-2 overtime loss to the Washington Capitals.
Green has since appeared in the German League with the Nurnberg Ice Tigers (2004-05), the Hannover Scorpions (2005-06, 2007-08) and the Wolfsburg Grizzly Adams (2008-09). He made one last appearance in the AHL, in 2006-07 between the Iowa Stars and the Hershey Bears.
All-Time Statline: One season, 11 games, zero goals, one assist, one point, even rating, two PIM, 0.0 APS.
234. Kristian Kudroc
Kudroc was a 6’7″ defenseman from Michalovce, Czechoslovakia. He was playing in the Slovak-2 league when drafted by the New York Islanders in the first round of the 1999 NHL Entry Draft with the 28th overall pick.
In 1999-00, Kudroc made his QMJHL debut with the Quebec Remparts, scoring 31 points in 57 games. He was traded along with goaltender Kevin Weekes and a draft pick to the Tampa Bay Lightning following the season, for three draft picks.
He made his pro debut in 2000-01, appearing in 44 games with the IHL Detroit Vipers. Kudroc earned a one game callup to the Lightning in November, later playing in 21 more after being called up for a second time in January. He scored two goals with two assists and 36 penalty minutes.
Kudroc spent most of the 2001-02 season between the AHL franchises Springfield Falcons and the Philadelphia Phantoms. He earned two single-game callups to the Lightning, not impacting the scoresheet.
Kudroc skated a total of 35 games with Springfield in 2002-03, missing the bulk of the campaign after suffering a concussion when playing against the Providence AHL franchise on opening night. He was not again recalled to Tampa Bay, and the franchise did not tender him any sort of contract. Florida signed him as a free agent in the 2003 offseason.
Kudroc appeared for 47 games with the AHL San Antonio Rampage, finally making an appearance with the Panthers in January, skating in back to back wins against the Washington Capitals and the Boston Bruins. He signed on with Hammarby in the Swedish League when the 2004-05 NHL season was cancelled, and has since appeared in other Swedish and Finnish professional ice hockey leagues.
All-Time Statline: One season, two games, zero goals, zero assists, zero points, even rating, two PIM, 0.0 APS.
233. Jon Matsumoto
Matsumoto was a 6′ center from Ottawa attending Bowling Green University when selected by the Philadelphia Flyers in the third round of the 2006 NHL Entry Draft with the 79th overall pick. He continued to skate with the college for another season before joining the AHL Philadelphia Phantoms in 2006-07, bringing his CCHA totals to 49 goals and 64 assists in 110 contests.
Matsumoto spent the next four seasons with the Phantoms, for three seasons in Philadelphia and after their move and name change to Adirondack in 2009-10. In 251 games he scored 81 goals and 92 assists with a minus-30 rating and 189 PIM. In the 2010 offseason, the Flyers traded him to the Carolina Hurricanes for their seventh round draft choice.
Matsumoto spent most of the 2010-11 season with the Charlotte Checkers, in 65 games scoring 20 goals and 28 assists. He was called up to join the Hurricanes twice, in 13 total games scoring two goals (both in a November 3rd victory over the New York Islanders, 7-2) along with a minus-4 rating and four penalty minutes.
Matsumoto opened the 2011-12 season with the Checkers, but after 41 games was traded to Florida, where he appeared for most of the season with the Rampage, scoring a combined 23 goals and 37 assists in 76 games. He was called up for one game with the Panthers. He skated nine shifts and did not figure on the scoresheet, finishing up the season with the Rampage by scoring four goals and nine assists in 10 playoff games.
All-Time Statline: One season, one game, zero goals, zero assists, zero points, even rating, zero PIM, 0.0 APS.
232. Jim Campbell
Campbell was a 6’2″ right winger from Worcester, MA in high school when drafted in the second round of the 1991 NHL Entry Draft by the Montreal Canadiens with the 28th overall pick. He would spend the next two seasons with the QMJHL Hull Olympiques, scoring 83 goals with 73 assists in 114 games.
After having appeared in 14 games with the US National team over the prior two seasons, Campbell joined the US squad full time for the 1993-94 season of international play. He made his AHL debut late in the season, scoring 23 points in 19 games for the Fredericton Canadiens.
Campbell remained with Fredericton for the duration of the 1994-95 season, in 77 games scoring 27 goals with 24 assists. After 44 games with the club in 1995-96, Campbell was traded to the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim for Robert Dirk. He played 16 games with the AHL Baltimore Bandits, earning his first NHL action in a 16 game callup starting in early February. He played well, scoring two goals and three assists with 36 penalty minutes.
During the 1996 offseason, Campbell signed a free agent contract with the St. Louis Blues, spending the bulk of the next four seasons in the NHL. In 201 games he scored 49 goals and 60 assists with a minus-5 rating an 173 penalty minutes. He was victimized by the numbers game in 1999-00, spending 66 games with the AHL Worcester IceCats.
During the 2000 offseason, he signed a free agent contract to play for the Canadiens, the team that originally drafted him. He scored nine goals and 11 assists in 57 games. Campbell spent most of the next season between AHL franchises, appearing in nine games for the Chicago Blackhawks in 2001-02. He signed on with the Panthers prior to the 2002-03 season.
In 64 games that season with the AHL San Antonio Rampage, Campbell scored 16 goals and 37 assists. He skated 14 shifts in one game on November 13th with Florida, not impacting the scoresheet as the Panthers tied the New York Islanders, 3-3.
Campbell spent the next several seasons between AHL franchises and Swiss and Russian leagues. He appeared in one more NHL game, with the Tampa Bay Lightning in January, 2006.
All-Time Statline: One season, one game, zero goals, zero assists, zero points, even rating, zero PIM, 0.0 APS.
231. Jeff Taffe
Taffe is a 6’3″ center out of Hasting, MN. He was skating with the University of Minnesota when drafted in the first round of the 2000 NHL Entry Draft with the 30th overall pick by the St. Louis Blues. He would total three seasons with the Golden Gophers, scoring 56 goals and 59 assists in 120 contests through the 2001-02 season.
During the 2001 offseason, the Phoenix Coyotes sent Keith Tkachuk to the Blues for Taffe, Michal Handzus, Ladislav Nagy, and a first round draft choice. He would make his NHL debut with the Coyotes near the start of the 2002-03 season, and totalled 20 games with the parent club, scoring three goals and an assist with a minus-4 rating and four PIM. He improved on those numbers in 2003-04, in 59 games scoring eight goals and 10 assists.
Before the 2005-06 season, Taffe was traded to the New York Rangers for Jamie Lundmark. He appeared in two games with the club before they traded him back to the Coyotes for Martin Sonnenberg. Taffe appeared in 19 more games for Phoenix over the next two seasons, spending the balance of his playing time with the Coyotes then AHL affiliate, the San Antonio Rampage.
The Pittsburgh Penguins would sign Taffe to a free agent deal during the 2007 offseason. He appeared in 53 games with the club over then next two seasons, scoring five goals and nine assists. He joined Florida as a free agent during the 2009 offseason.
Taffe scored 28 goals and 28 assists in 2009-10 for the AHL Rochester Americans over 61 games. He was called up to the Panthers five times during the season to fill in for day-to-day injuries through the lineup, tabbing a goal and an assist through 21 games. After the season, Florida sent him to the Chicago Blackhawks for Marty Reasoner.
Taffe played one game for Chicago in 2010-11, spending most of the season with the AHL Rockford IceHogs. In 2011-12, Taffe played five games with the Minnesota Wild. It’s become clear at this point that Taffe will never mean more than a fifth line center for an injury decimated NHL team.
All-Time Statline: One season, 21 games, one goal, one assist, two points, minus-1 rating, four PIM, 0.0 APS.
Jeff Taffe (via hitthefivehole)
230. Jeff Greenlaw
Greenlaw was a 6’1″ left winger from Toronto with the Canadian National team in 1986. The Washington Capitals took him in the first round of that season’s draft with the 19th overall pick.
As an 18-year old rookie, Greenlaw appeared in 21 games for the Caps in 1986-87, assisting on three goals and racking up 44 penalty minutes. Most of the ensuing seven seasons were spent with the Capitals AHL affiliates, the Binghampton Whalers and the Baltimore Skipjacks. In 261 AHL games he scored 58 goals and 65 assists.
Greenlaw only appeared in a total of 53 Washington games over his seven seasons in the Capital’s system. Florida signed him as a free agent prior to their inaugural skate, in the 1993 offseason. He totalled four games with the Cats on two separate callups from the IHL Cincinnati Cyclones. He was never again called back to the NHL, but spent the next five seasons as a Cyclone. In 283 Cincinnati games he scored 53 goals with 66 assists.
Greenlaw joined the WPHL Austin IceBats prior to the 1998-99 season, and after two seasons with the club as a player stayed on as a coach.
All-Time Statline: One season, four games, zero goals, one assist, one point, minus-1 rating, two penalty minutes, 0.0 APS.
229. Igor Kravchuk
Kravchuk was a 6’1″ defenseman from Ufa, USSR with CSKA Moscow. He was drafted at the age of 24 by the Chicago Blackhawks in the fourth round of the 1991 NHL Entry Draft with the 71st overall pick. He would join Chicago in February, 1992 for the last 18 games of the season, scoring a goal with eight assists and a minus-3 rating. The Blackhawks made a run at the Stanley Cup that season, as Kravchuk scored two goals and six assists in 18 playoff games that season.
After 38 games with Chicago through the 1992-93 season, Kravchuk, along with Dean McAmmond, was dealt to the Edmonton Oilers for Joe Murphy. He would remain an Oiler until halfway through the 1995-96 season, totalling 27 goals and 61 assists with a minus-48 rating and 57 PIM through 160 NHL games. He was traded along with Ken Sutton to the St. Louis Blues for Jeff Norton and Donald Dufresne just after the new year.
Kravchuk would finish out the campaign with the Blues, and played in 82 games in 1996-97 for the franchise. In total, he played 122 games, scoring seven goals and 36 assists with a plus-1 rating and 59 PIM. St. Louis traded him to the Ottawa Senators just prior to the 1997-98 season for Steve Duchesne.
In just over four seasons as a Senator, Kravchuk appeared in 239 games, scoring 19 goals with 65 assists, 74 PIM and a minus-6 rating. Ottawa waived him just 15 games into the 2000-01 season, where the Calgary Flames picked him up.
In 115 games with the Flames, Kravchuk scored four goals and 30 assists with a minus-9 and 23 PIM through the 2001-02 season.
After sitting out most of the 2002-03 season, the Panthers signed Kravchuk as a free agent on March 11. In seven Panthers games, the team posted a 1-6-0 overall record. Kravchuk’s only point came in Florida’s only win with him in the lineup. He collected an assist in a March 16th win over the Pittsburgh Penguins, 4-2. He would later go on to coach for Harrington College.
All-Time Statline: One season, seven games, zero goals, one assist, one point, minus-3 rating, four PIM, 0.0 APS.
228. Greg Rallo
Rallo (pictured above, #37) is a 6′ center from Gurnee, IL. He skated on the Ferris State University Bulldogs for four seasons, graduating with the Class of 2006. In 152 career matches, he scored 46 goals and 62 assists. Undrafted after college, Rallo signed on with the Idaho Steelheads, the ECHL affiliate of the Dallas Stars. In 83 games with the Steelheads over three seasons, Rallo scored 32 goals and 39 assists. He also made a 28 game stop with the Stars AHL team, the Iowa Stars in 2006-07.
In 2007-08, Rallo started with the Steelheads (39 games), moving on to AHL teams the Albany River Rats (Carolina Hurricanes, five games), the Rockford IceHogs (Chicago Blackhawks, two games) and the Manitoba Moose (Vancouver Canucks, 13 games). He would remain with the Moose through the 2008-09 season, scoring nine points in 55 games.
Starting in 2009-10, Rallo played two seasons with the AHL Texas Stars, scoring 45 goals and 53 assists in 147 contests. He joined the San Antonio Rampage for the 2011-12 season, scoring 22 goals and 20 assists in 72 regular season games. He made his NHL debut at the age of 30 with the Panthers on December 18th, skating for three and a half minutes and taking one shot on goal. He played in four Calder Cup Playoff games after returning to the Rampage, collecting two assists.
All-Time Statline: One season, one game, zero goals, zero assists, zero points, even rating, zero PIM, 0.0 APS.
227. Grant McNeill
McNeill was a 6’2″ defenseman from Vermillion, Alberta. He was playing for the WHL Prince Albert Raiders when drafted by the Panthers in the third round of the 2001 NHL Entry Draft with the 68th overall pick.
McNeill was a notable fighter, and in 260 games with the Raiders accrued 929 penalty minutes while scoring 11 goals and 21 assists. He would join the San Antonio Rampage as a 20-year old in 2003-04, not collecting a point but earning 110 minutes in the box through 33 AHL games. He earned a callup to the Panthers in November, playing three games with the Panthers, skating 10 shifts, and getting in one fight (see video).
Simon vs McNeill Nov 26, 2003 (via hockeyfightsdotcom)
Beginning in 2004-05, McNeill started a minor league hockey odyssey that has seen him through to the present day. He has since skated one more season with the Rampage, followed by stops in the ECHL with the Texas Wildcatters (24 games), the Florida Everblades (31 games), the Wheeling Nailers (63 games) and the South Carolina Stingrays (93 games). He has also logged time in the AHL with the Rochester Americans (two games), the Wilkes-Barre Penguins (two games), and the Hershey Bears (87 games).
All-Time Statline: One season, three games, zero goals, zero assists, zero points, even rating, five PIM, 0.0 APS.
226. David Brine
Brine was a 6’1″ center from Truro, Nova Scotia. He skated three seasons with the QMJHL Halifax Mooseheads, totalling 70 goals and 128 assists in 207 career games, including a 100 point season in 2005-06.
Brine got his big break when he participated in the Canadian reality series, “Making the Cut: Last Man Standing.” Although he was not the last of the 68 players “standing,” he did impress Florida’s then GM Mike Keenan enough to offer him a minor league deal.
Making the Cut – Brine & Mushaluk in Keenan’s Office (via MakingTheCut)
Brine split the 2006-07 season between the ECHL Florida Everblades and the AHL Rochester Americans, scoring a total of 13 goals and 25 assists in 74 games.
2007-08 would see Brine open the season in Rochester, earning his first NHL callup in February. In nine games, he tallied one assist, to Steve Montador in an 8-0 blanking of the Toronto Maple Leafs. He totalled 54 minutes of ice-time, taking three shots on goal over 80 shifts.
Brine would spend the next three seasons with Florida’s AHL affiliates the Americans and later the Rampage. He would total 105 AHL points over 303 games. Last season, Brine skated with Zagreb Medvescak KHL in Austria.
All-Time Statline: One season, nine games, zero goals, one assist, one point, minus-1 rating, four PIM, 0.0 APS.
225. Dave Duerden
Duerden was a 6’2″ left winger from Oshawa, Ontario with the Peterborough Petes when selected by the Panthers in the fourth round of the 1995 NHL Entry Draft with the 80th overall pick. In 198 total games over three seasons with the Petes, he scored 91 goals and 116 assists.
In 1997-98, Duerden split the season between the UHL Port Huron Border Cats (seven games), the IHL Fort Wayne Komets (seven games) and the AHL Beast of New Haven (36 games). 1998-99 would see more of the same, as Duerden spent 13 games with the ECHL Miami Matadors and 36 games with the AHL Kentucky Thoroughblades.
In 1999-00, Duerden spent 74 AHL games with the Louisville Panthers, scoring 25 goals and 38 assists. He earned his only NHL callup in January, going scoreless in two games. He played a total of three minutes and 11 seconds, taking one shot on goal.
Duerden split 2000-01 between AHL franchises Louisville (34 games) and the Hartford Wolf Pack (43) games. Florida traded him to the New York Rangers for future considerations in the 2001 offseason. He spent the entire 2001-02 season with the ECHL Charlotte Checkers, scoring 31 goals and 47 assists in 68 games.
All-Time Statline: One season, two games, zero goals, zero assists, zero points, even rating, zero PIM, 0.0 APS.
224. Craig Martin
Martin was a 6’2″ right winger from Amherst, Nova Scotia with the QMJHL Hull Olympiques beginning in the 1987-88 season, noted more for his fighting than for his skating or scoring ability. He was drafted in the fifth round of the 1990 NHL Entry Draft by the Winnipeg Jets, with the 98th overall pick. He would skate for a total of 256 games in the junior league, including 35 games with the St. Hyacinthe Laser to close out the 1990-91 season. In four seasons, he scored 46 goals and 81 assists, along with 953 penalty minutes.
Martin would open 1991-92 with the AHL Moncton Hawks, splitting the season with the IHL Fort Wayne Komets. In 35 games he scored a goal, an assist, and spent 185 minutes in the box. You may notice a trend concerning Martin developing here.
After racking up 198 penalty minutes in 64 games for the Hawks in 1992-93, Martin would sign a free agent contract with the Detroit Red Wings. In 1993-94, he would demonstrate a previously unwitnessed scoring touch, lighting the lamp 15 times along with 24 assists and 297 penalty minutes in 76 games with the AHL Adirondack Red Wings.
Martin would sit the first part of 1994-95 with an injury, after clearing waivers in January he was reclaimed by the Jets. After six games with the AHL Springfield Indians, he would make his NHL debut in February, ultimately spending 20 games with the Jets, assisting one goal and collecting a subdued 19 penalty minutes with a minus-4 rating.
In 1995-96, Martin played 48 games with the Falcons, scoring 11 points to go with 245 penalty minutes. After the season he signed a free agent contract with the Panthers. With the Carolina Monarchs in 44 games that season, he spent 239 minutes in the box, getting called up to play with the Panthers for one game in November, a 3-2 overtime loss to the Buffalo Sabres. He took one shot on goal and earned a five minute fighting major when he fought noted Sabres pugilist Rob Ray to a draw (see video).
Rob Ray vs Craig Martin PANTHERS vs SABRES (via fightarchives)
Martin later played with the IHL San Antonio Dragons (21 games), the IHL Quebec Rafales (24 games), the IHL Manitoba Moose (30 games), the German league Berlin Capitals (45 games), the UHL Adirondack IceHawks (seven games), the WCHL Phoenix Mustangs (70 games), the WCHL Bakersfield Condors (44 games), and the QSPHL Laval Chiefs (34 games). His well traveled career featured a total of 3,803 penalty minutes in 863 games, nearly a five minute major per contest.
All-Time Statline: One season, one game, zero goals, zero assists, zero points, even rating, five PIM, 0.0 APS.
223. Brian Foster
Foster was a 6’1″ goaltender from Pembroke, NH. He was chosen in the fifth round of the 2005 NHL Entry Draft by the Panthers. He would later attend the University of New Hampshire for four years of college, graduating with the class of 2010. In his four collegiate seasons he posted a 40-29-15 record.
2010-11 would see Foster split the season between the CHL Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs (9-9-1) and the ECHL Cincinnati Cyclones (11-6-1, .918, 2.30).
In 2011-12, Foster opened the season as Cincinnati’s primary netminder, ultimately going 16-11-2 through the season. He also posted a 4-6-0 record with the San Antonio Rampage. He made his first and only NHL appearance to date on February 4th, relieving a shellshocked Scott Clemmensen for five minutes to close the second period of a 6-3 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning. Foster boasts the best save percentage in Florida Panthers history, making a save on the only shot that he faced.
All-Time Statline: One season, one game, 0-0-0 record, five minutes, one shot faced, one save, 0.00 GAA, 1.000 save percentage.
222. Brett Harkins
Harkins was a 6’1″ left winger from North Ridgefield, OH. He was skating with the Detroit Compuware Ambassadors when the New York Islanders selected him in the seventh round of the 1989 NHL Entry Draft with the 133rd overall pick.
After getting drafted, Harkins elected instead to pursue a college degree. For four seasons he skated with the Bowling Green Falcons, graduating with the Class of 1993. In 150 collegiate games he scored 60 goals and 148 assists.
Harkins spent 80 games with the AHL Adirondack Red Wings in 1993-94, scoring 22 goals and 47 assists. After the season, the Boston Bruins signed him to a free agent contract. He scored 23 goals and 69 assists in 80 games for the Bruins AHL affiliate in Providence. Boston gave him a one game look late in the season. Harkins earned an assist as the Bruins dropped a 5-3 contest to the New York Islanders.
Prior to the 1995-96 season, Harkins signed a free agent contract with Florida. He continued to light up the AHL, scoring 23 goals and 71 assists in 55 games with the Panthers affliliate, the Carolina Panthers. He was called up to Florida in January, then again in March. In eight games he did not score a goal, collecting three assists. He had his first two point game in a 4-1 victory over the San Jose Sharks, with two assists earning one of the three stars on the night. After the season, Boston resigned him to another free agent deal.
Harkins enjoyed his most prolific NHL campaign in 1996-97 with Boston. In 44 games he scored four goals and 14 assists, also collecting 40 points in 28 AHL contests. Following the season he joined the IHL Cleveland Lumberjacks, where he would spend the entirety of the next three seasons, followed by another IHL season with the Houston Aeros. He scored 331 points in 311 games over that span.
After the 2000-01 season, he signed on with the Columbus Blue Jackets. He scored two goals and 12 assists over three callups to the club, spanning 25 games. For the next five seasons he played in assorted Swedish and Finnish leagues, retiring following the 2006-07 season. He is currently the head coach of the Midget Minor Cleveland Barons.
All-Time Statline: One season, eight games, zero goals, three assists, three points, minus-2 rating, six PIM, 0.0 APS.
221. Alexander Salak
Salak was a 6’1″ goaltender from Strakonice, Czechoslovokia. He posted a 27-32-15 over two seasons with TPS Turku in Finland when the Panthers signed him to a free agent contract prior to the 2009-10 season.
Salak posted a respectable 29-14-0 record with the Rochester Americans that season. Salak was called up to the Panthers twice. On October 9th, starter Tomas Vokoun allowed five goals on 26 shots to the Carolina Hurricanes through the first two minutes of the third period. Salak stopped five of seven shots, but Vokoun took the 7-2 loss. Salak got his first start two months later, on December 3rd against the Washington Capitals. His save percentage got only slightly better, as Salak allowed four goals on 33 shots before being pulled in favor of Scott Clemmensen as the Caps pulled out a squeaker, 6-2.
In 2010-11, Salak spent the season with the Swedish Farjestads BK Karlstad. He would return stateside in 2011-12 to play 21 games with the AHL Rockford IceHogs, posting a 6-10-0 record.
All-Time Statline: One season, two games, 0-1-0 record, 67 minutes, 40 shots faced, 34 saves, 5.37 GAA, .850 save percentage.
220. John Madden
Madden was a 5’11” center from Barrie, Ontario. In the two seasons comprising 1991-93, he scored 99 goals and 129 assists in 85 games with the Barrie Colts of the COJHL. He would play the next four seasons for the University of Michigan.
As a four-year letterman Wolverine, Madden scored 80 goals and 100 assists through 160 CCHA games, graduating with the Class of 1997. He was again passed over in the NHL draft, but was offered a free agent contract by New Jersey Devils GM Lou Lamoriello. He scored 154 points in 149 games over two seasons with the AHL Albany River Rats, and would open the 1999-00 season on the Devils roster.
Madden played with the Devils for 10 seasons. In 712 career contests (11th on New Jersey’s all-time leaderboard), he scored 140 goals and 157 assists. His 17 career shorthanded goals is a New Jersey NHL record. He also collected a plus-35 rating and 193 penalty minutes. He was the 2000-01 winner of the Frank J. Selke trophy, given annually to the NHL’s top defensive forward. He helped the Devils to two of their three (so far) Stanley Cups. In 112 Devils playoff contests, he scored 20 goals, including four game winners, and 21 assists.
In 2009-10, Madden played with the Chicago Blackhawks, scoring 10 goals and 13 assists in 79 games. He scored a goal and an assist through 22 playoff games, winning his third Stanley Cup.
2010-11 would see Madden spend the season as a Minnesota Wild – uh – player. He would score 12 goals and 13 assists through 76 games.
After sitting out the first part of the 2011-12 season, the Panthers, dealing with seven forwards out with injuries, signed Madden for the rest of the season. After not getting onto the scoresheet through his first 19 games with the club, Madden scored three in the final 12 games of the season. Through seven playoff games, he did not score, and finished with a minus-3 rating.
There are those that think the Panthers may be done with Madden, but you can bet if given the chance, he would love to help the Panthers bring the cup down south, because it’s the cup (and he wants his fourth).
All-Time Statline: One season, 31 games, three goals, zero assists, three points, minus-4 rating, four penalty minutes, 0.1 APS.
219. Andrej Podkonicky
Podkonicky was a 6’2″ left winger from Zvolen of the Czech Republic. The St. Louis Blues picked him up with their eighth round pick of the 1996 NHL Entry Draft with the 196th overall pick.
Beginning in the 1996-97 season, Podkonicky spent 135 games over two seasons with the WHL Portland Winter Hawks, scoring 55 goals and 90 assists.
For the 1998-99 season, Podkonicky joined the Blues AHL affiliate, the Worcester IceCats. He would play with the club for the next 134 games, culminating in a trade to the Panthers for Eric Boguniecki on December 17th, 2000. His IceCats totals: 37 goals and 52 assists. He would spend most of the season with Florida’s AHL affiliate, the Louisville Panthers, totalling six goals and 10 assists in 41 contests. He would make his NHL debut in March, as Florida gave him a six game look. He scored his first NHL goal in a 3-3 tie with Montreal on March 20th. To date, it remains his only NHL point.
For the next two seasons, Podkonicky appeared in Slovakian, German, and Finnish leagues. Prior to the 2003-04 season, he signed a deal with the Washington Capitals. He scored 26 points in 56 games with the Portland Pirates, making a two game return to the NHL in March. Since that time, he has spent the last eight seasons in the Slovakian League.
All-Time Statline: One season, six games, one goal, zero assists, one point, even rating, two PIM, 0.1 APS.
218. Alexander Sulzer
Sulzer (number 2, pictured above) was a 6’1″ defenseman from Kaufbeuren,Germany. The Nashville Predators selected him with their third round pick of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft with the 92nd overall pick while he was skating with the German League Hamburg Freezers.
Sulzer would play the next four seasons with the DEG Metro Stars in the German League, scoring 16 goals and 23 assists in 180 total games. He would join the Predators AHL affiliate beginning in the 2007-08 season, the Milwaukee Admirals. He ended up scoring 22 goals and 74 assists in 145 AHL contests with Milwaukee. During the three and a half seasons Sulzer spent in the Nashville organization, he was also called up to play with the Predators on nine occasions, totalling one goal and five assists in 53 games. Nashville traded him to the Panthers in February, 2011 for “future considerations.”
Sulzer would immediately join the Panthers, ultimately playing in nine contests for Florida throughout the rest of the 2010-11 season. He totalled one assist and seven shots on goal, logging a minus-3 rating.
Sulzer signed a free agent contract with the Vancouver Canucks prior to last season. The Canucks dealt him to the Buffalo Sabres on the trade deadline date, along with forward Cody Hodgson, in exchange for defenseman Marc-Andre Gragnani and forward Zack Kassian.
All-Time Statline: One season, nine games, zero goals, one assist, one point, minus-3 rating, zero PIM, 0.1 APS.
217. Stephane Richer
Richer was a 5’11” defenseman from Hull, Quebec. In four seasons with the QMJHL Hull Olympiques, he totalled 49 goals and 168 assists in 236 games, ending with the 1986-87 season.
In 1987-88, Richer made his professional debut with the AHL Baltimore Skipjacks, totalling three assists through 22 games. Midway through the season, he signed a minor league deal with the Montreal Canadiens, joining their AHL affiliate in Sherbrooke for the remainder of the season, as well as the next two. In 171 contests he scored 21 goals with 45 assists.
Prior to the 1990-91 season, Richer signed with the Los Angeles Kings. He signed back with Montreal after a season spent with the Kings IHL and AHL teams. 1991-92 would see him score 17 goals with 47 assists in 80 AHL contests for the Fredericton Canadiens. The offseason would see him on the move again, signing with the Tampa Bay Lightning prior to the 1992-93 season. After three NHL games in October, Tampa Bay traded him to the Boston Bruins for Bob Beers. He scored one goal and four assists over 21 games, spending most of the season with the AHL Providence Bruins.
The Panthers picked up Richer from the Bruins in the 1993 Expansion Draft. He spent 146 games with the IHL Cincinnati Cyclones over the next two years, appearing with the Panthers in three games. He scored his only Florida point in a 3-2 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks in November 1993.
Richer would never again suit up in the North American Hockey Leagues, instead spending the next seven seasons with Adler Mannheim of the German League, scoring 212 points in 346 games. After coaching for several seasons, he moved on the the General Manager ranks, and is currently the GM of the Hamburg Freezers.
All-Time Statline: Two seasons, three games, zero goals, one assist, one point, minus-1 rating, two PIM, 0.1 APS.
216. Jamie Leach
Leach was a 6’1″ right winger from Winnipeg, Manitoba. He was with the OHL Hamilton Steelhawks when selected in the third round of the 1987 NHL Entry Draft by the Pittsburgh Penguins, with the 47th overall pick. In 186 overall OHL contests with the Steelhawks and later the Niagra Falls Thunder, Leach totalled 81 goals and 100 assists. In 1988-89 he totalled 107 points in only 58 games.
1989-90 would see Leach open the season with the AHL Muskegon Lumberjacks, scoring 22 goals and 36 assists in 72 games. He made his first NHL appearance in November with the Penguins, collecting three assists over 10 games in November and December. It was the same story in 1990-91, as he spent the bulk of the season with the Lumberjacks scoring 55 points in 43 games. He joined the Penguins for seven games in March, scoring two goals. Pittsburgh won the Stanley Cup that season, but Leach’s name was not featured as he did not meet the minimum games played for the honor.
In 1991-92, Leach played 38 games with the Penguins, scoring five goals and four assists. The Penguins won their second consecutive Stanley Cup, and this time Leach’s name was included on the engraving. He was waived after playing just five games with Pittsburgh through October in 1992-93. He was soon thereafter picked up by the Hartford Whalers, with whom he would spend 19 games in December and January of that season, scoring three goals and two assists.
Leach signed with the Panthers as a free agent during the 1993 offseason. After a few games with the Cincinnati Cyclones, he was called up to Florida in November, playing in two games for the club. He would score his only Panthers goal on the third, in a 6-3 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs. In total that season, he scored 34 points in 74 Cyclone games.
Leach would spend the next two seasons in various levels of the Panthers organization, with the AHL Rochester Americans (47 games), the IHL Cyclones (11 games), and the ECHL South Carolina Stingrays (five games). After it became apparent that he would not soon be recalled to the NHL, he signed on for one season with the British Sheffield Steelers. He joined the rival Nottingham Panthers (not an affiliate of Florida) for four more seasons before announcing his retirement.
All-Time Statline: One season, two games, one goal, zero assists, one point, minus-2 rating, zero PIM, 0.1 APS.
215. Ryan Jardine
Jardine was a 6′ left winger from Ottawa with the OHL Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds when Florida selected him in the fourth round of the 1998 NHL Entry Draft with the 89th overall pick. After selection, he remained with the Greyhounds for two more seasons, totalling 98 goals and 100 assists in 198 OHL contests.
The 2000-01 season would see Jardine graduate to the Panthers AHL team in Louisville. He scored 12 goals and 14 assists in 77 games, spending the whole season with the club.
In 2000-01, Jardine opened the season with the Panthers new AHL affiliate, the Utah Grizzlies, scoring 16 goals and 16 assists in 64 games. He earned a callup to Florida in March, and in eight games he collected two assists as the Panthers posted a 1-4-3 record with him in the lineup.
Jardine was never again called up to the NHL, spending the next three seasons as a member of the San Antonio Rampage, scoring 34 goals and 38 assists in 163 contests.
In 2005-06, Jardine joined the German League Hamburg Freezers, and would later move on to the Swedish League, playing with Mora IK in 2006-07.
All-Time Statline: One season, eight games, zero goals, two assists, two points, even rating, two PIM, 0.1 APS.
214. Jamie Allison
Allison was a 6’1″ defenseman from Lindsay, Ontario. He was manning the blueline for the OHL Detroit Jr. Red Wings when selected by the Calgary Flames in the second round of the 1993 NHL Entry Draft with the 44th overall pick. He would play two more seasons with the Junior Wings, totalling three goals and 49 assists over 151 OHL games ending in 1994-95. He was called up for his NHL debut in January of 1995 as the Flames dropped a 5-1 decision to, ironically, the Detroit Red Wings.
Allison spent the entire 1995-96 season with the AHL Saint John Flames, scoring 19 points in 71 contests, and racking up 223 penalty minutes, one of three players on the roster to collect over 200 minutes in the sin bin.
In 1996-97, Allison spent 46 games with Saint John, joining Calgary for a total of 20 games through four callups. He didn’t score, ending the season with a minus-4 rating and 35 penalty minutes. He played most of 1997-98 with Calgary, scoring his first NHL points with three goals and eight assists through 43 contests, along with 104 penalty minutes.
After opening the 1998-99 season back in Saint John, Allison was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks with Marty McInnis and Erik Andersson for Jeff Shantz and Steve Dubinsky in October. Three seasons in Chicago would see Allison score four goals and eight assists in 142 games, totalling 217 penalty minutes.
Calgary would reclaim Allison from Chicago in the 2001 Waiver Draft. After 37 games in Calgary, he would be traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets for Blake Sloan. In parts of two seasons in Columbus, Allison would skate in 55 contests, collecting one assist and a minus-19 rating and 127 PIM.
Just before the 2003-04 season, Allison signed a free agent deal with the Nashville Predators. He would skate in 67 games over the following two seasons (covering three calendar years), scoring four assists and 121 Predator penalty minutes. Nashville waived him on February 13, 2006, where Florida plucked him off the wire.
It was a long, labored road that saw Allison make his hockey odyssey that ended with the Panthers, but his NHL career ended with a fizzle instead of a bang, in seven Panther games he skated for 83 minutes and took four shots on goal, earning 11 penalty minutes. After the season, he signed on with the Ottawa Senators, but would never again play in the NHL, instead spending the 2006-07 season with the AHL Binghampton Senators.
Allison is currently an assistant coach for the Brampton Battalion of the Ontario Hockey League.
All-Time Statline: One season, seven games, zero goals, zero assists, zero points, even rating, 11 PIM, 0.1 APS.
213. Anthony Stewart
Stewart was a 6’3″ right winger from LaSalle, Quebec. He was playing for the OHL Kingston Frontenacs when Florida selected him in the first round of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft with the 25th overall pick. He would play two more seasons in Kingston, bringing his four season OHL totals to 118 goals and 120 assists, collected over 248 contests.
When the 2004-05 season was cancelled, Stewart spent most of the season with the Canadian National Team, also appearing in 10 games with the AHL San Antonio Rampage. He would open the 2005-06 season with the Panthers new AHL affiliate, the Rochester Americans, scoring two goals and three assists in his first four games. The Panthers recalled him soon afterward. He collected an assist in his NHL debut, a 4-3 loss to the New Jersey Devils on October 18th. In his next game, he scored his first NHL goal in the first period of a 3-2 victory over the Washington Capitals. His promising season was cut short when he suffered a wrist injury against the Carolina Hurricanes on November 11th, after scoring two goals and one assist through 10 games.
In 2006-07, Stewart scored 13 goals and 14 assists in 62 AHL contests with the Americans, joining the Panthers for 10 more games and finishing the NHL season with one assist. In 2007-08, he again spent the bulk of the season with the Americans, but also appeared in 26 Panthers contests, collecting a lone assist for his troubles.
2008-09 would see Stewart set a new career high with 59 NHL games with Florida. He would enjoy his first career two point game in a November 6th loss to the Los Angeles Kings, 3-2 with a goal and an assist. Ultimately, he finished the season with two goals and five assists.
After the season, the Atlanta Thrashers signed Stewart to a free agent deal. He spent the 2009-10 season with the AHL Chicago Wolves, scoring 12 goals and 19 assists in 77 games.
The Thrashers would reap some of Stewart’s early promise in 2010-11, as he played in 80 NHL games scoring 14 goals and 25 assists. After the season, Stewart signed on with the Carolina Hurricanes.
Last season, Stewart spent the whole season with the Canes, scoring nine goals and 11 assists in 77 games. He is signed with the team through next season.
Does anyone remember this?
Stewart breakaway goal on Cam Ward (via weallbleedredd)
All-Time Statline: Four seasons, 105 games, four goals, eight assists, 12 points, minus-4 rating, 38 PIM, 0.1 APS.
212. Nick Tarnasky
Tarnasky (pictured above) was a 6’2″ center from Rocky Mountain House, Alberta. He was skating with the WHL Lethbridge Hurricanes when the Tampa Bay Lightning selected him in the ninth round of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft with the 287th overall pick. In three WHL seasons ending in 2003-04, he played 150 games with the Hurricanes, the Vancouver Giants, and the Kelowna Rockets, scoring 36 goals and 43 assists.
2004-05 would see Tarnasky spend 80 games with Tampa Bay’s AHL affiliate, the Springfield Falcons. He earned 176 penalty minutes, along with seven goals and 10 assists.
Tarnasky opened the 2005-06 season in Springfield, but was twice called up to play with Tampa Bay, totalling one assist through 12 games. He would spend the entire 2006-07 and 2007-08 season with the NHL team, finishing with 11 goals and nine assists in 169 games, also earning 162 penalty minutes. The Bolts shipped him off to the Nashville Predators prior to the 2008-09 season for a sixth round draft choice.
After totalling one assist 11 games into the 2008-09 season, Tarnasky was traded to the Panthers for Wade Belak. He scored five assists through 34 games with Florida, also spending 33 minutes in the penalty box. His first Panthers goal came in the last game of the season into an empty net, as Florida defeated the playoff bound Washington Capitals, 7-4.
Aaron Voros vs Nick Tarnasky Apr 3, 2010 (via hockeyfightsdotcom)
While gearing up for the 2009-10 season with the Panthers, Tarnasky suffered an eye injury in the preseason, forcing him to miss a great deal of the season. He would join Florida in December, ultimately scoring a goal and two assists in 31 NHL games, along with 85 penalty minutes.
After 66 games with the Springfield Falcons in 2010-11, Tarnasky signed on with the KHL Chekhov Vityaz, spending the 2011-12 season in Moscow.
All-Time Statline: Two seasons, 65 games, two goals, seven assists, nine points, minus-7 rating, 118 PIM, 0.1 APS.
211. Esa Tikkanen
Tikkanen was a 6’1″ left winger from Helskini, Finland. He was picked up by the Edmonton Oilers in the fourth round of the 1983 NHL Entry Draft with the 80th overall pick. After making his NHL debut with the Oilers in the 1984-85 Stanley Cup Playoffs, he would play with the club for eight seasons, playing 522 regular season games, ranking 20th all-time for Edmonton. He ranks eighth on their all-time list with 178 goals and 436 points, ranking 12th with 258 assists. In 114 Stanley Cup contests, he added 51 goals and 46 assists, helping the Oilers to four Stanley Cups. Near the end of the 1992-93 season, he was traded to the New York Rangers for Doug Weight.
TIkkanen won his fifth Stanley Cup as a member of the 1993-94 Rangers. He totalled 98 games over two seasons with New York, scoring 24 goals and 37 assists. The Rangers traded him, along with Doug Lidster, to the St. Louis Blues for Petr Nedved during the 1994 offseason.
Tikkanen played 54 games for the Blues, with 13 goals and 27 assists before again being traded in November 1995, this time to the New Jersey Devils for a third round draft choice. Just three weeks later, he would be sent off to the Vancouver Canucks for a second round draft choice. He scored 25 goals and 39 assists in 100 Vancouver contests. He was shipped back to the Rangers in March, 1997, along with Russ Courtnall, for Sergei Nemchinov and Brian Noonan. He played 14 games during his second tour with the Rangers.
The Panthers signed Tikkanen prior to the 1997 offseason. Over 28 games, he took 34 shots on goal, only scoring once. He also tabbed eight assists and a minus-7 rating with 16 PIM. Florida traded him to the Washington Capitals for Dwayne Hay in March. He would join the Rangers for a third time in 1998-99, playing 32 games. He announced his official retirement after the 2000-01 season, and has since been in coaching overseas, most recently with Jokipojat in Finland
All-Time Statline: One season, 28 games, one goal, eight assists, nine points, minus-7 rating, 16 PIM, 0.1 APS.
210. Chris Allen
Allen was a 6’3″ defenseman from Chatham, Ontario. After finishing his second season with the OHL Kingston Frontenacs, he was chosen in the third round of the 1996 NHL Entry Draft by Florida with the 60th overall pick. Two more seasons with Kingston brought his OHL career stats to 76 goals and 109 assists in 225 contests.
Allen made his NHL debut with Florida after the 1997-98 OHL season concluded, playing in the final game of the season, a 2-2 tie with the Tampa Bay Lightning. He skated 20 shifts, taking one shot on goal and earning two penalty minutes.
In 1998-99, Allen scored 35 points in 58 AHL games with the Beast of New Haven. He would again play in the final game of the season with the Panthers, collecting a plus-1 rating in 12 minutes of ice time as the Panthers took a 6-2 victory.
Allen would never again approach the NHL, spending the next several seasons in various levels of the minor leagues. This includes time spent wtih the Louisville Panthers (AHL, 43 games), the Port Huron Border Cats (UHL, 10 games), the Binghampton Icemen (UHL, 25 games), The Greensboro Generals (ECHL, 51 games), the Mississippi Sea Wolves (ECHL, 11 games) and the South Carolina Stingrays (ECHL, 68 games).
All-Time Statline: Two seasons, two games, zero goals, zero assists, zero points, plus-1 rating, two PIM, 0.1 APS.
209. Stephane Matteau
Matteau was a 6’4″ left winger from Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec. He was playing with the QMJHL Hull Olympiques when the Calgary Flames selected him in the second round of the 1987 NHL Entry Draft with the 25th overall pick. He would complete two more seasons with Hull, bringing his four season QMJHL totals to 94 goals and 141 assists in 245 career matches through 1988-89. Additionally, he also scored 16 goals and 27 assists in 39 playoff games.
Matteau joined the IHL Salt Lake Golden Eagles for the 1989-90 season, scoring 58 points in 81 games. He joined the Flames the following season, scoring 15 goals and 19 assists in 78 games. Just four games into the 1991-92 season, he injured his thigh, missing most of the season. He was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks for Trent Yawney while still on the disabled list, ultimately appearing in 164 games over three seasons, scoring 35 goals and 42 assists.
Most of the way through the 1993-94 season, Matteau was traded along with Brian Noonan to the New York Rangers for Tony Amonte and Matt Oates. He played 85 regular season games over three seasons with the Rangers, helping them to their first Stanley Cup in 54 seasons with nine points in 23 playoff games.
New York parted company with Matteau in December of 1995, trading him away to the St. Louis Blues for Ian Laperriere. In 120 Blues contests he racked up 23 goals and 33 assists. For the first time in his career, a team decided to trade him during the offseason, as the Blues sent him off to the San Jose Sharks for Darren Turcotte prior to the 1997-98 season.
Matteau would spend five full seasons as a Shark, collecting 55 goals and 64 assists in 345 San Jose contests. He signed a free agent contract to play with Florida prior to the 2002-03 season. In 52 games, Matteau scored four goals and four assists with a minus-9 rating and 27 PIM. He announced his official retirement before the 2003-04 training camp.
All-Time Statline: One season, 52 games, four goals, four assists, eight points, minus-9 rating, 27 PIM, 0.1 APS.
208. Mark Cullen
Cullen (pictured above) was a 6′ center from Virginia, MN. He attended Colorado College, playing four seasons with the Tigers. He totalled 53 goals and 114 assists in 153 career WCHA games, graduating with the Class of 2002. Soon after, he joined the Houston Aeros, the AHL affiliate of the Minnesota Wild. In three seasons as an Aero, Cullen scored 42 goals and 77 assists in 189 games.
In 2005-06, Cullen signed a free agent contract with the Chicago Blackhawks, splitting the season between the AHL Norfolk Admirals and the Blackhawks. In 29 NHL contests, he totalled seven goals and nine assists.
2006-07 would see Cullen sign on with the Philadelphia Flyers. He spent most of the season with the AHL Philadelphia Phantoms, scoring 52 points in 56 games. He also joined the Flyers for three games in November, he registered a minus-3 rating, took four shots on goal, and did not score.
Starting in 2007-08, Cullen appeared in four minor league systems over the next four seasons. First with the Detroit Red Wings (Grand Rapids Griffins, 59 games, 16 G, 31 A). Next, in 2008-09 with the Vancouver Canucks (Manitoba Moose, 56 games, 14 G, 25 A). In 2009-10 with the Chicago Blackhawks (Rockford IceHogs, 62 games, 21 G, 32 A), and finally with the Panthers (Rochester Americans, 28 games, five goals, nine assists).
In 2011-12, Cullen opened the season with the AHL San Antonio Rampage, scoring 10 goals and 36 assists in 58 games. He was called up for his first NHL action in five seasons in November, appearing in six Panther games and making an assist on a Bill Thomas goal in the second period of a 5-3 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs. He is currently an unrestricted free agent.
All-Time Statline: One season, six games, zero goals, one assist, one point, plus-2 rating, two PIM, 0.1 APS.
207. Colby Robak
Robak was a 6’3″ defenseman from Dauphin, Manitoba. He was playing with the WHL Brandon Wheat Kings when the Panthers selected him in the second round of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft with the 46th overall pick. He would play two more seasons in Brandon, bringing his four year WHL totals to 37 goals and 106 assists in 246 contests.
In 2010-11, Robak spent his first professional season with the AHL Rochester Americans, playing 76 games and scoring seven goals and 17 assists. He would stay with the Panthers organization when the team changed AHL affiliates from Rochester to the San Antonio Rampage in 2011-12, and he scored nine goals and 30 assists in 73 games. He was called up for his first NHL action in February, playing three Panthers games, skating 52 shifts and taking one shot on goal.
Robak is signed through the 2012-13 season, and may see some playing time with the club this year when the dust settles on signing day. Keaton Ellerby may be moved, and Jason Garrison may sign elsewhere, hypothetically making Robak sixth on the Panthers depth chart.
Calder Cup 2012 Promo (Colby Robak #25 San Antonio Rampage) (via PoorBirdie)
206. Richard Shulmistra
Shulmistra was a 6’2″ goaltender from Sudbury, Ontario. He played collegiate hockey with the University of Miami (Ohio) Redskins. In four seasons, he posted a 40-35-9 record. The Quebec Nordiques selected him after his sophomore season in the 1992 NHL Supplimental Draft.
He made his professional debut with the 1994-95 AHL Cornwall Aces, over two seasons posting a 13-27-4 overall record and a save percentage of .873. He signed a free agent contract with the New Jersey Devils on the last day of 1997, playing 23 games with the AHL Albany River Rats (5-9-2, .916, 2.43 GAA). He made his NHL debut on January 1, 1998, losing a 2-1 overtime match with the Panthers, saving 28-of-30 shots on goal.
1998-99 would see Shulmistra split the season between the IHL Manitoba Moose (25-11-7) and the AHL River Rats (6-4-0). He signed a free agent contract with Florida after the season.
In 1999-00, Shulmistra played 27 games with the AHL Louisville Panthers (12-11-2). He made his second and final NHL appearance on December 27th, stopping 20-of-21 shots in a 6-1 Panthers victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Over the next season and a half, Shulmistra played with the IHL Orlando Solar Bears (5-1-3), the ECHL Florida Everblades (2-0-0), the IHL Kansas City Blades (1-3-0), the IHL Chicago Wolves (20-8-0), and the Louisville Panthers (0-1-0).
In 2001-02, Shulmistra signed on with the Berlin Polar Bears of the German League, playing two seasons with the team before playing one season with the Mannheim Eagles. He currently is a goalie coach in North Carolina.
All-Time Statline: One season, one game, 1-0-0 record, 21 shots faced, 20 saves, one goal allowed, .952 save percentage, 1.00 goals against average, 0.1 APS.
205. Ryan Carter
Carter was a 6’1″ center from White Bear Lake, Minnesota. He played with the USHL Green Bay Gamblers for two seasons starting in 2002-03, scoring 41 goals and 40 assists in 114 games. He then spent two seasons playing collegiate hockey with the Minnesota State-Mankato Mavericks, scoring 34 goals and 24 assists in 76 games.
Carter signed a contract with the Anaheim Ducks prior to the 2006-07 season, spending most of the year with the AHL Portland Pirates, scoring 16 goals and 20 assists in 76 games. He made his NHL debut in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, appearing in four games for the Ducks as Anaheim earned their first (and thus far only) Stanley Cup.
Carter spent the bulk of the next three seasons with the Ducks, ultimately playing in 138 games and scoring 12 goals and 17 assists. One month into the 2010-11 season he was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes for Stefan Chaput and Matt Kennedy. After assisting on three goals over 32 games, the Hurricanes sent him along with a fifth round draft choice to the Panthers for Cory Stillman. In 12 games for the Panthers near the end of the season, Carter scored two goals and an assist with a plus-3 rating and 22 penalty minutes.
In 2011-12, Carter spent the first seven games of the seasons with Florida earning fourth line minutes. The New Jersey Devils claimed him off waivers in October, and he played 65 games with the team, scoring four goals and four assists. The Panthers would pay for their lack of faith in Carter, as he posted a goal and two assists, playing in each of the seven games of the Panthers/Devils Eastern Conference Quarterfinals. (as I’m writing this Carter just scored on Lundqvist with four minutes left in game five).
All-Time Statline: Two seasons, 19 games, two goals, one assist, three points, plus-2 rating, 28 PIM, 0.1 APS.
204. Jerred Smithson
Smithson was a 6’3″ center from Vernon, British Columbia who played five seasons with the WHL Calgary Hitmen. In 319 career contests he scored 47 goals and 64 assists through the 1999-00 season.
Undrafted, Smithson signed an entry level free agent contract with the Los Angeles Kings. He spent the 2000-01 season between the AHL Lowell Lock Monsters (24 games) and the ECHL Trenton Titans (three games). In 2001-02, the Kings employed the Manchester Monarchs as their AHL affiliate. Smithson played 78 games, scoring five goals and 13 assists on the season.
2002-03 would see Smithson open the season with the Monarchs, earning his first callup to the NHL near the end of December. In two callups he played a total of 22 games, averaging nine minutes of TOI and finishing with two assists and a minus-5 rating. He also scored four goals and 21 assists in 38 games with Manchester.
In 2003-04, Smithson spent the bulk of the season with the Monarchs, scoring seven goals and 13 assists in 66 AHL games. In an eight game callup beginning in November, he assisted on one Kings goal, taking two shots on net and averaging 16 shifts per game.
Just prior to the never-played 2004-05 season, Smithson signed a contract with the Nashville Predators. Instead of sitting at the house, he played 80 games with the AHL Milwaukee Admirals, scoring 11 goals and 11 assists, helping the Admirals to the Calder Cup Playoffs (where they lost in the first round).
Smithson began the 2005-06 season with the Admirals, appearing in eight games before his final callup to the NHL. He spent the better part of the next seven seasons with the franchise, ranking sixth on their all-time list with 497 games played. Although he was never a big scoring threat, Smithson excelled on the penalty kill, and is also sixth on the Predators all-time list with five shorthanded goals. His Nashville career ended with 36 goals and 50 assists, a minus-30 rating, and 313 penalty minutes.
Smithson was traded to the Panthers for a sixth-round draft pick on February 24th. He made one assist in 16 games for Florida, adding another in five playoff games. He plowed nine New Jersey Devils in the Panthers 3-0 victory in game five of the 2012 Eastern Conference Quarterfinal, adding seven more in the Panthers 3-2 two overtime loss in game seven.
Throughout his career, Smithson’s defensive prowess has roughly equalled his offensive shortcomings, resulting in a career point share of -0.1 in 543 NHL contests.
All-Time Statline: One season, 16 games, zero goals, one assist, one point, plus-1 rating, four PIM, 0.2 APS.
203. Steve Bernier
Bernier was a 6’2″ right winger from Quebec City. He was playing in the QMJHL with the Moncton Wildcats when the San Jose Sharks selected him in the first round of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft with the 16th overall pick. In his four seasons with the Wildcats ending in 2004-05, he scored 151 goals and 162 assists in 271 games played. In 34 Memorial Cup Playoff games, he scored 14 goals with 23 assists.
2005-06 would see Bernier split the season between the AHL Cleveland Barons (49 games, 20G, 23A) and the Sharks, (39 games, 14G, 13A). He would remain in the Sharks organization for most of three seasons in total, scoring 42 goals and 39 assists in 160 games. On February 26th, the Sharks traded him with a first round pick to the Buffalo Sabres for Brian Campbell (!) and a seventh round pick. He would appear in 17 games with the Sabres, scoring three goals and six assists.
Buffalo packed Bernier off to the Vancouver Canucks following the season for a second and a third round draft pick. He would total 26 goals and 28 assists in 140 regular season games, adding six goals and three assists through 22 playoff games. During the 2010 offseason, Canucks traded him along with a first round draft pick (eventually Quinton Howden) and Michael Grabner to Florida for Keith Ballard and Victor Oreskovich.
Bernier began the 2010-11 season as a member of the Panthers. In his Florida debut, he collected assists on both of the Panthers goals in a 3-2 season opening loss to the Edmonton Oilers. On December 1st, Bernier scored twice and added an assist in Florida’s 5-3 loss to the Anaheim Ducks. He would total 68 games that season with the Panthers, scoring five goals and 10 assists.
Bernier crunches Toby Enstrom (via NHLArchive)
Bernier was not tendered a contract by Florida prior to the 2011-12 season. He was invited to the New Jersey Devils training camp, and was offered a two-way contract, initially turned down. After a month, he decided to sign on with New Jersey’s AHL franchise, the Albany Devils. He eventually reconsidered his initial reticence in signing a two way contract, and received a callup to New Jersey at the end of January. In 32 games, he scored one goal with five assists. Through the current postseason, he has played 17 games, scoring two goals and three assists for the Devils, including a goal and an assist against the Panthers in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals.
All-Time Statline: One season, 68 games, five goals, 10 assists, 15 points, minus-14 rating, 21 PIM, 0.2 APS.
202. Peter Andersson
Andersson was a 6′ defenseman from Orebro, Sweden. He was originally selected in the fourth round of the 1983 NHL Entry Draft by the New York Rangers with the 75th overall pick. He spent the next six seasons with the Swedish League Farjstads BK Karlstad. He played 208 games, scoring 44 goals and 74 assists for the club, ending in 1988-89.
1989-90 would see Andersson join rival Swedish League team Malmo IF. He played three more seasons, scoring 32 goals and 51 assists in 90 games.
In 1992-93, Andersson made his North American debut with the AHL Binghampton Rangers. After putting up 11 goals and 22 assists in only 27 games, concurrently, Andersson also played 31 games with New York, scoring four goals and 11 assists.
1993-94 would see Andersson used sparingly with New York, totalling eight games through March. The Rangers traded him to Florida for a ninth round draft choice on March 21st. He would then play eight games with the Panthers, scoring one goal and one assist.
After the season, Andersson rejoined Malmo IF, later playing two seasons for Dusseldorfer EG (Germany), four seasons for HC Lugano (Swiss), and four seasons with MIF Redhawks Malmo (Sweden).
All-Time Statline: One season, eight games, one goal, one assist, two points, minus-5 rating, zero PIM, 0.2 APS.
201. Patrick LeBeau
LeBeau was a 5’10” left winger from St-Jerome, Quebec. He was playing with the QMJHL St-Jean Castors when the Montreal Canadiens chose him in the eighth round of the 1989 NHL Entry Draft with the 167th overall pick. In four QMJHL seasons, he played with the Shawinigan Cataractes (136 games), the Castors (49 games), the St-Jean Lynx (57 games), and the Victoriaville Tigres (15 games). He scored 199 goals and 301 assists in 257 career games.
LeBeau opened the 1990-91 season with the Fredericton Canadiens, Montreal’s AHL affiliate. In two seasons there he scored 83 goals and 89 assists in only 124 games. In a two game callup in February, 1991, he scored a goal and an assist.
LeBeau opened the 1992-93 season with the Salt Lake Eagles, scoring 100 points in 75 IHL games. He was called up to play one game with the Calgary Flames. He did not impact the scoresheet, as Calgary defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning 5-3 on November 14th. After the season, he signed a free agent contract with the Panthers.
In 1993-94, LeBeau played 74 games with Florida’s IHL Cincinnati Cyclones, scoring 47 goals and 42 assists. He was called up to the Panthers near the end of October, collecting a goal and an assist.
LeBeau played eight more NHL games, scoring one goal with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1998-99. He also played with the Swiss Zurcher SC (85 games), the German League Dusseldorfer EG (17 games), the Swiss HC La Chaux-de-Fonds (45 games), the Swiss ZSC Lions Zurich (25 games), and the Swiss HC Ambri-Piotta (44 games). Starting in 2002-03, he played five seasons with the German League Frankfurt Lions, in 206 games, scoring 98 goals and 183 assists.
LeBeau had a long career with success at every level other than the NHL. What I can’t figure out is why noone game him more than a cursory glance at the Major League level. A total of 15 NHL games. He racked up 172 points in 124 AHL games, 302 points in 223 German matches, 189 points in 149 IHL contests, 274 points in 196 Swiss League games, and 500 points in 257 QMJHL matches, well over a point per game at every level.
All-Time Statline: One season, four games, one goal, one assist, two points, even rating, four penalty minutes, 0.2 APS.
200. Byron Bitz
Bitz was a 6’5″ right winger from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. He was skating with the BCHL Nanaimo Clippers when the Boston Bruins selected him in the fourth round of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft, with the 107th overall pick. In his only season with the Clippers, he finished with 27 goals and 46 assists in 58 games.
Beginning in 2003-04, Bitz joined the Cornell Big Red for four seasons of collegiate hockey. In 124 games, he scored 28 goals and 60 assists.
2007-08 would see Bitz play 61 games, spending the entire season with the AHL Providence Bruins, scoring 13 goals and 14 assists.
Bitz started 2008-09 with Providence, scoring three goals and seven assists through 37 games. He was called up for his first NHL action with Boston on January 9th against the Carolina Hurricanes, collecting an assist in the 5-1 Boston victory. In 35 total NHL games that season with the Bruins, he scored four goals and three assists. He added a goal and an assist in five Stanley Cup Playoff games.
Bitz played most of the 2009-10 season in Boston, scoring four goals and five assists in 45 games. They traded him along with Craig Weller and a second round draft pick for Dennis Seidenberg and Matt Bartkowski to Florida on March 3rd. After two games with the Panthers, he sustained a lower body injury, missing two weeks. He scored his only Panther goal in his first game back, a 3-1 loss to the Buffalo Sabres. After four more games in the lineup, he hurt his elbow, missing the rest of the season.
2010-11 would see Bitz miss the entire season with a groin injury/sports hernia. Florida did not tender him an offer in 2011-12, making him an unrestricted free agent. Eventually, he signed a two-way contract with the Vancouver Canucks, splitting the season with the AHL Chicago Wolves.
All-Time Statline: One season, seven games, one goal, one assist, two points, plus-1 rating, two PIM, 0.2 APS.
199. Kamil Piros
Piros was a 6′ left-handed shooting center from Most, Czechoslovakia. He was picked up by the Buffalo Sabres in the eighth round of the 1997 NHL Entry Draft by the Buffalo Sabres with the 212th overall pick. He had ben skating with the Czech Republic Juniors until that point, totalling 63 goals and 53 assists in 123 matches. After the draft, he joined HC Chemopetrol Litvinov in the Czech Majors, playing most of his Czechoslovakian career with the club. In 207 career matches he finished with 32 goals and 49 assists.
Piros’ rights were traded along with a fourth round pick to the Atlanta Thrashers for Donald Audette. He made his North American debut with the Thrashers on opening night of the 2001-02 season. He totalled one assist in eight NHL games. Most of the season was spent with the AHL Chicago Wolves, scoring 19 goals and 30 assists in 64 games.
2002-03 would see Piros open the season with the Wolves, totalling 10 goals and nine assists in 51 games. After the AHL season was over, he was called back to the Thrashers. He collected one assist through his first two games. In the Thrashers final game of the season, he scored a hat trick, along with another assist.
Piros opened the 2003-04 season to high hopes after his offensive outburst at the close of the prior season. His hat trick, however, represented his last three goals with Atlanta. Through 14 games he collected one assist. Concurrently, he scored 10 goals and 20 assists in 50 games with the Wolves. He was traded to the Panthers for Kyle Rossiter in mid-March, scoring one goal in three games, and two goals with five assists in 14 games.
To date, he has never again played hockey in North America. He has spent the last eight seasons with Russian, Swiss, German, Swedish, and Finnish Leagues. He is currently contracted with HV 71 Jokoping of the Swedish Elite League. He scored 12 goals with 27 assists with 54 games last season.
All-Time Statline: One season, three games, one goal, zero assists, one point, minus-one rating, zero PIM, 0.2 APS.
198. Josh Olson
Olson was a 6’5″ left winger from Grand Forks, North Dakota. He was chosen in the sixth round of the 2000 NHL Entry Draft with the 190th overall pick by Florida.
After selection, Olson reported to the WHL Portland Winter Hawks. In 144 games over two seasons, he scored 62 goals and 86 assists. He added nine goals and seven assists in 23 postseason contests.
2002-03 would see Olson split the season between the AHL San Antonio Rampage (23 games, one assist), and the ECHL Jackson Bandits (39 games, 10 goals, 17 assists).
Olson started the 2003-04 season with the Rampage, eventually scoring 22 goals and 16 assists in 73 games. He was called up for his first NHL action on March 11th, scoring a goal in a 3-2 Florida victory over the Montreal Canadiens. It was the only point he would score in 41 shifts over five NHL games.
In 2004-05, Olsen scored nine goals and seven assists in 53 Rampage games, he was loaned player-for-player to the Hershey Bears for Andre Savage. He scored a goal and two assists in 23 games.
After two seasons with the AHL Houston Aeros (121 games, 19 goals, 17 assists), Olson joined SV Renon in Italy for the 2007-08 season. He posted 20 goals and 26 assists in only 31 games.
All-Time Statline: One season, five games, one goal, zero assists, one point, plus-1 rating, zero PIM, 0.2 APS.
197. Drew Larman
Larman was a 6’3″ center from Canton, Michigan. He was playing with the OHL London Knights when Florida signed him to a free agent contract just before the 2005-06 season. In three overall OHL seasons he played 205 games, scoring 26 goals and 42 assists.
2005-06 would see Larman spend 44 games with the Rochester Americans, scoring seven goals and eight assists. He also played six games with the ECHL Florida Everblades.
In 2006-07, Larman opened the season with the Americans, totalling 11 goals and 10 assists in 54 AHL games. He was called up to the Panthers four times during the season, totalling two goals on 15 shots over 16 games.
Drew Larman 2nd NHL Goal (via rjohnnyb)
Larman played 54 games for the Americans in 2007-08 (10 goals, 22 assists). He was recalled to Florida for six February games, collecting one assist. He played the entire 2008-09 season in Rochester (61 games, 10 goals, 13 assists).
Larman signed a free agent contract during the 2009 offseason with the Boston Bruins. He spent most of the season with the AHL Providence Bruins, scoring six goals and six assists in 55 games. He played four games in Boston in January. It was the last time he would see NHL action.
2010-11 would see Larman rejoin the Panthers organization. He played 57 ECHL contests with the Florida Everblades, scoring three goals and eight assists.
All-Time Statline: Two seasons, 22 games, two goals, one assist, three points, minus-2 rating, four PIM, 0.2 APS.
196. Martin Lojek
Lojek was a 6’5″ defenseman from Brno of the Czech Republic. He was in his first season with the OHL Brampton Battalion when the Panthers selected him in the fourth round of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft with the 105th overall pick. He spent two more seasons in the Battalion, totalling only five goals with 42 assists in 191 contests.
2005-06 would see Lojek make his pro debut with the ECHL Florida Everblades (45 games, three goals, 11 assists), later getting promoted to the AHL Rochester Americans (15 games, one goal, one assist).
In 2006-07, Lojek spent most of the season with the Americans (69 games, six goals, 13 assists), earning a three game callup to the Panthers in February. He scored his first NHL point in his third and final game of the season, an assist in a 5-2 victory over the Phoenix Coyotes. He also logged a plus-3 rating in the game.
Lojek spent the balance of the 2007-08 season in Rochester (72 games, six goals, five assists). He earned a two game callup near the end of December, registering a minus-1 rating and not impacting the scoresheet in any other way.
For the last four seasons, Lojek has played 172 games in the Czech League with Pardubice HC (12 games) and Trinec Ocelari HC (160 games). Overall, he has collected 11 goals and 18 assists.
All-Time Statline: Two seasons, five games, zero goals, one assist, one point, plus-1 rating, zero PIM, 0.2 APS.
195. Gaetan Duchesne
Duchesne was a 5’11” left winger from Les Saulles, Quebec. He was with the QMJHL Quebec Remparts when the Washington Capitals selected him in the eighth round of the 1981 NHL Entry Draft with the 152nd overall pick. In 120 QMJHL contests, Duchesne totalled 36 goals and 73 assists.
Without having appeared in the Capitals farm system, Duchesne began the 1981-82 season on the Washington roster, scoring nine goals and 14 assists in 74 NHL games as a rookie. In 451 games over six seasons in Washington, he totalled 87 goals and 138 assists (including a career high 35 in 1986-87) with a plus-68 and 251 penalty minutes. He added 10 goals and six assists through 33 Stanley Cup Playoff games.
During the 1987 offseason, Duchesne was traded with Alan Haworth and a first round pick to the Quebec Nordiques for Clint Malarchuk and Dale Hunter. In two seasons with the Nordiques, he scored 32 goals (including a career high 24 in 1987-88) and 44 assists in 150 games.
The Nordiques traded him to the Minnesota North Stars for Kevin Kaminski during the 1989 offseason. He completed four seasons in Minnesota, totalling 45 goals and 55 assists in 297 matches. He would also play in 37 playoff games, scoring two goals and three assists.
After the North Stars became the Dallas Stars, the team traded Duchesne to the San Jose Sharks during the 1993 offseason for a sixth round draft choice.
In one and a half seasons with the Sharks, he would score 14 goals with 25 assists in 117 games. Florida traded a sixth round pick to the Sharks for him on April 7, 1995.
Duchesne spent the last 13 games of the 1994-95 campaign with Florida, assisting on two goals. He scored his first and last Panther goal in the last game of the season, a 4-3 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins on May 3rd.
After the season, Duchesne missed one season, later playing 69 games over two years with the IHL Quebec Rafales. On April 16, 2007, Duchesne died of an apparent heart attack in Quebec City. He was 44 years old. The Capitals have chosen to honor his memory by annually awarding the Gaetan Duchesne Trophy to the winning intra-squad team during training camp scrimmages.
All-Time Statline: One season, 13 games, one goal, two assists, three points, plus-3, zero PIM, 0.2 APS.
194. Gilbert Dionne
Dionne was a 6′ left winger from Drummondville, Quebec. He was skating with the OHL Kitchener Rangers when the Montreal Canadiens chose him in the fourth round of the 1990 NHL Entry Draft with the 81st overall pick. In two seasons in Kitchener, he scored 59 goals and 90 assists in only 130 games.
Dionne made his pro debut with the 1990-91 AHL Fredericton Canadiens, scoring 40 goals and 47 assists in 77 games. Montreal called him up twice during the season.
In 1991-92, Dionne split the season between Fredericton and Montreal. He scored 19 goals and 27 assists wih only 29 AHL contests, while collecting a career high 21 goals in only 39 NHL games, also making 13 assists. In parts of five Montreal seasons he finished with 60 goals and 60 assists in 196 games.
The Canadiens traded Dionne along with Eric Desjardins and John LeClair to the Philadelphia Flyers for Mark Recchi and a third round draft pick on February 9th, 1995. In 22 Flyers games over two seasons, he totalled seven assists.
Dionne signed a free agent contract with the Panthers on January 29th, 1996, playing 55 games with the AHL Carolina Panthers and scoring 43 goals and 58 assists. In April, he made a five game appearance with Florida, earning an assist in each of his first two games. He scored his first Florida goal in a 5-1 victory over the New York Rangers on April 14th.
Dionne played 1996-97 with the newly named Carolina Monarchs, scoring 41 goals and 47 assists in 72 matches. The four succeeding seasons were spent with the IHL Cincinnati Cyclones, where Dionne scored 134 goals and 202 assists in 313 games.
In 2001-02, Dionne played with Krefeld Pinguine in the German Elite League, scoring 15 goals and 26 assists in 57 games. 2002-03 would see him remain in the German League with the Hannover Scorpions, scoring 17 goals and 29 assists in 51 matches.
Starting in 2003-04, Dionne spent three seasons with the Cambridge Hornets of the OHA-Senior League, collecting 49 goals and 73 assists in 63 games.
All-Time Statline: One season, five games, one goal, two assists, three points, even rating, zero PIM, 0.2 APS.
193. Evgeny Davydov
Davydov was a 6′ left winger from Chelyabinsk, USSR. He was on CSKA Moscow when the Winnipeg Jets selected him in the 12th round of the 1989 NHL Entry Draft with the 235th overall pick. In 246 total games with the club he collected 85 goals and 53 assists.
He made his professional debut in 1991-92 with the Jets, splitting the season with his time in Moscow. In 12 games he scored four goals with three assists. He spent the entire 1992-93 season with Winnipeg, tallying 28 goals and 21 assists in 79 games.
Just prior to the 1993-94 season, Florida sent a fourth round draft choice to Winnipeg for Davydov. He spent half a season with the Panthers, logging an assist in four of his first five Florida games. He made a goal and an assist in a 4-3 overtime loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on October 21st, ultimately ending up with two goals and six assists in 21 Panthers games. The Panthers traded him along with Scott Levins, a sixth round pick and a fourth round pick to the Ottawa Senators for Bob Kudelsi on January 6th.
With the Senators, Davydov played the final 40 games of the season, plus three the following season. He totalled six goals and nine assists. He also played 29 IHL games scoring 12 goals and 13 assists split between the San Diego Gulls and the Chicago Wolves.
Starting in 1995-96, Davydov spent the next nine seasons in Swiss, French, Swedish, Russian, Finnish, German, and Italian Leagues.
All-Time Statline: One season, 21 games, two goals, six assists, eight points, minus-3 rating, zero PIM, 0.3 APS.
192. Brad Norton
Norton was a 6’4″ defenseman from Cambridge, Massachusetts. He was originally selected in the ninth round of the 1993 NHL Entry Draft by the Edmonton Oilers with the 215th overall pick. In four collegiate seasons with UMASS-Amherst, he totalled eight goals and 47 assists and 304 penalty minutes in 119 games, graduating with the class of 1998. He played 33 games with the AHL Detroit VIpers later in 1997-98, scoring one goal and four assists with 56 PIM.
In 1998-99, Norton was promoted to the AHL Hamilton Bulldogs. He would play there for 144 games over three seasons, scoring nine goals with 35 assists and 352 PIM. After the 2000-01 season, he signed a free agent contract with the Panthers.
Norton started the 2001-02 season with the AHL Hershey Bears, assisting 10 goals in 40 games. He earned his first NHL callup in January, ultimately playing 22 games with the Panthers and collecting two assists with 45 penalty minutes. The Panthers elected not to extend him a contract after the season, so he signed on with the Los Angeles Kings.
Norton went on to score three goals and four assists in 73 contests over the next two seasons with the Kings. He later played for the Washington Capitals (16 games, one assist), the Ottawa Senators (seven games), and the Detroit Red Wings (six games, one assist).
All-Time Statline: One season, 22 games, zero goals, two assists, two points, minus-2 rating, 45 PIM, 0.3 APS.
191. Eric Cairns
Cairns was a 6’5″ defenseman from Oakville, Ontario. He was with the Detroit Compuware Ambassadors of the OHL when the New York Rangers selected him in the third round of the 1992 NHL Entry Draft with the 72nd overall pick. He spent two more seasons with the club after they changed their name to the Detroit Junior Red Wings, totalling 11 goals and 59 assists in 187 contests.
In 1994-95, Cairns made his pro debut with the AHL Binghampton Rangers (27 games, three assists), also logging 11 games in Birmingham with the ECHL Bulls (11 games, one goal, three assists). 1995-96 was spent mostly in Binghampton, where he scored one goal and 13 assists in 46 games.
Cairns opened 1996-97 with the NHL Rangers. In two seasons with the club he ended up playing 79 games and assisting on four goals with 239 PIM. They placed him on waivers in December of 1998, where the New York Islanders picked him up.
Most of the next six seasons would see Cairns remain on the Islanders NHL roster, playing 327 games and scoring nine goals and 27 assists and 714 PIM. Florida signed him as a free agent during the 2004 offseason. When the 2004-05 season didn’t happen, he spent the season in the British League, playing 22 games with the London Racers, scoring two goals and six assists.
2005-06 would see Cairns open the season on the Panthers NHL roster. In 23 goals he collected one assist and 37 penalty minutes. The Panthers traded him to the Pittsburgh Penguins for a sixth round draft choice on January 18th. In 27 games over the rest of the season, plus one game in the following season, he scored one goal with 92 PIM. He retired after the season, and is currently a scout for the New York Islanders.
Eric Godard vs Cairns Nov 19, 2005 (via hockeyfightsdotcom)
All-Time Statline: One season, 23 games, zero goals, one assist, one point, plus-1 rating, 37 PIM, 0.3 APS.
190. Janis Sprukts
Sprukts was a 6’3″ center from Riga, Latvia. He was playing with the Latvian National Team when the Panthers selected him in the eighth round of the 2000 NHL Entry Draft with the 234th overall pick. He would continue to appear with the Latvian team through 2009-10. He also appeared in professional Latvian, Finnish, Danish and Russian Leagues through the 2011-12 season. For the last three seasons he has played with the KHL Riga Dynamo, scoring 32 goals and 65 assists in 159 contests.
Sprukts made his North American Professional debut with the Rochester Americans in 2006-07, scoring 18 goals and 41 assists in 58 games. He was called up the Florida on three occasions over the course of the season. He scored his first career NHL goal in a 7-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning on April 6th. He would finish the season with that goal plus two assists in 13 NHL games.
After another season overseas, Sprukts rejoined the Panthers organization in 2008-09, playing 59 games for the Americans and scoring 16 goals with 31 assists. He also made one more NHL appearance, not impacting the scoresheet as the Boston Bruins shut out the Panthers 4-0 on December 6th.
Janis Sprukts – First goal in NHL (via chiekurs16)
All-Time Statline: Two seasons, 14 games, one goal, two assists, three points, plus-1 rating, two PIM, 0.3 APS.
189. Matt Bradley
Bradley was a 6’3″ right winger from Stittsville, Ontario. He was with the OHL Kingston Frontenacs when the San Jose Sharks selected him in the fourth round of the 1996 NHL Entry Draft with the 102nd overall pick. In three OHL seasons he managed 67 goals and 88 assists in 175 contests.
Bradley made his professional debut in 1996-97, playing one game with the AHL Kentucky Thoroughblades. His next appearance in the pros wouldn’t be until 1998-99 with Kentucky. Over the next two seasons, he appeared exclusively with the club, scoring 45 goals and 39 assists in 159 games.
In 2000-01, Bradley made his first NHL appearance, earning four callups to the Sharks over the course of the season. In 121 games over three years, he scored 12 goals and 17 assists with 99 PIM.
The Sharks sent him off to the Pittsburgh Penguins for Wayne Primeau on March 11th, 2003. In the 2003-04 season, Bradley played all 82 Penguins games, scoring seven goals and nine assists with a minus-27 rating and 65 penalty minutes. When the 2004-05 season was cancelled, Bradley signed on for one season with Dornbirn of the Austrian-2 League, scoring seven points in six games.
2005-06 would see the NHL return to action, and Bradley returned to North America as a member of the Washington Capitals. He would spend six years in the nation’s capital, playing 427 games and scoring 37 goals and 59 assists and a minus-10 rating with 367 penalty minutes. He added three goals and eight assists in 37 playoff games.
On July 2nd, 2011, Bradley signed a two-year contract with Florida. 2011-12 would see him skate 489 minutes through 45 games, missing a substantial chunk of the season with a concussion. He ended up scoring three goals on 33 shots, assisting on five others with a minus-3 rating and 31 penalty minutes. The Panthers went 20-16-9 (.544) with Bradley on the ice.
Bradley is a fearless agiator, but considering his size will always be limited in the enforcer capacity. His low end offensive skillset will always relegate him to the fourth line. Aside from this, he’s a great presence for the Panthers and never goes at half-speed. He is signed for the 2012-13 season for $1 million.
All-Time Statline: One season, 45 games, three goals, five assists, eight points, minus-3 rating, 31 PIM, 0.3 APS.
188. Kevin Weekes
Weekes was a 6’2″ Goalie from Toronto.He was selected by the Panthers in the second round of the 1993 NHL Entry Draft with the 41st overall pick.
Weekes made his professional debut with the AHL Carolina Monarchs in 1995-96. He would spend the next two seasons exclusively with the Monarchs as the teams number one goaltender, posting a 41-53-12 record.
In 1997-98, Weekes started the season as Florida’s number two goaltender, eventually getting sent down to the IHL Fort Wayne Komets. He would spend the season going back and forth between the two teams. For the Panthers, he posted an 0-5-1 record on the season, with a .870 save percentage and a 3.96 GAA.
While with the IHL Detroit Vipers in 1998-99, Weekes was traded to the Vancouver Canucks along with Ed Jovanovski, Dave Gagner, Mike Brown and a first round draft choice for Pavel Bure, Bret Hedican, Brad Ference and a third round pick.
Weekes played for six teams after parting ways with the Panthers. Along with the Canucks (6-15-5), he also appeared with the New York Islanders, (10-20-4), the Tampa Bay Lightning (23-42-3), the Carolina Hurricanes (39-54-20), the New York Rangers (18-20-5), and the New Jersey Devils (9-7-1).
Weekes officially retired prior to the 2009-10 season. He is currently an analyst with the NHL Network, broadcasting games and hosting Hockey Night in Canada.
All-Time Statline: 11 games, 0-5-1 record, 485 minutes played, 247 shots faced, 215 saves, .870 save percentage, 3.96 goals against average, 0.4 APS.
187. Niclas Bergfors
Bergfors was a 5’11” right winger from Sodertalje, Sweden. He was selected by the New Jersey Devils in the first round of the 2005 NHL Entry Draft with the 23rd overall pick. He made his professional debut later that year, with the 2005-06 Albany River Rats, scoring 17 goals and 23 assists in 65 AHL games.
In 2006-07, the Devils new AHL affiliate was the Lowell Devils. Bergfors spent 60 games with the club, scoring 13 goals with 19 assists. He spent most of the following two seasons with Lowell, playing a total of nine NHL games with the Devils, and scoring one goal with a minus-2 rating.
In 2009-10, Bergrors was promoted to the NHL full time. After scoring 13 goals and 14 assists with the Devils through 54 games, he was traded to the Atlanta Thrashers along with Johnny Oduya, Patrice Cormier, and a first and second round draft pick for Ilya Kovalchuk, Anssi Salmela and a second round pick. In parts of two seasons with the Thrashers, he played in 79 games, scoring 19 goals and 27 assists.
The Thrashers sent him to the Panthers on February 28th, 2011 along with Pat Rissmiller for Radek Dvorak and a fifth round draft choice. In 20 Florida games, he scored one goal on 53 shots with six assists. His only goal was in a 4-3 overtime victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning. After the season, he signed on with the Nashville Predators. After 11 games in Nashville, Bergfors elected to join the KHL as a member of the Kazan Ak-Bars, later joining the Cherepovets Severstal.
All-Time Statline: One season, 20 games, one goal, six assists, seven points, plus-2 rating, two PIM, 0.4 APS.
186. Mike Foligno
Foligno was a 6’2″ forward from Sudbury, Ontario. He was playing with the OMJHL Sudbury Wolves when the Detroit Red Wings picked him up in the first round of the 1979 NHL Entry Draft with the third pick overall. In his four total seasons with the Wolves, he totalled 165 goals and 182 assists in 258 contests.
After getting drafted, Foligno joined Detroit, never appearing in a minor league match. He would spent two and a half seasons with the Wings, scoring 97 goals, 114 assists, and 347 penalty minutes in 186 games, never missing a start. He was traded to the Buffalo Sabres with Dale McCourt and Brent Peterson for Danny Gare, Jim Schoenfeld and Derek Smith on December 2nd, 1981.
Foligno would spend most of the next 10 seasons with the Sabres. He is tied for 10th on the all-time list with 664 games played with the club. He ranks sixth with 247 goals, 10th with 264 assists, eighth with 511 points, and second with 1,450 penalty minutes. He made 39 playoff appearances with Buffalo, scoring 13 goals and 11 assists. On December 21, 1991, the Sabres traded him to the Toronto Maple Leafs with an eighth round draft pick for Brian Curran and Lou Franceschetti.
A five-time 30 goal scorer with the Sabres, Foligno would not approach the same level of production with the Leafs, missing half of the 1991-92 season with a broken leg. When all was said and done, he had played in parts of four mostly fruitless seasons with Toronto, appearing in 129 games and scoring 27 goals with 20 assists and 203 PIM. On November 5th, 1993, the Maple Leafs traded him to Florida for cash.
Foligno finished his 15 season NHL career with the 1993-94 Panthers, scoring four goals on only 32 shots over 39 games. He also collected five assists and a plus-7 rating. He managed to earn 49 penalty minutes at the ripe old age of 35.
After retiring, Foligno joined the coaching ranks, serving as an assistant and a head coach for the St. John’s Maple Leafs, and an assistant with Toronto and with the Colorado Avalanche. He would sign on as head coach of the Hershey Bears in 1998-99, leaving after five seasons with a 186-154-60 record. He would then coach the Sudbury Wolves for six years starting in 2003-04, posting a 163-194-51 record. In 2010-11, he joined the Anaheim Ducks as an assistant, serving in the position until fired on November 30, 2011.
All-Time Statline: 39 games, four goals, five assists, nine points, plus-7 rating, 49 PIM, 0.4 APS.
185. Vaclav Nedorost
Nedorost was a 6′ center from Treninton, Slovakia. He was with Ceske Budejovice HC when chosen by the Colorado Avalanche in the first round of the 2000 NHL Entry Draft with the 14th overall pick.
Nedorost opened the 2001-02 season on the Colorado roster, and scored a goal and an assist in his first ever match, a 3-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins. He totalled two goals and two assists in 25 games, spending 49 games that year with the AHL Hershey Bears, scoring 12 goals and 22 assists.
In 2002-03, Nedorost spent over half the season in Colorado, in 42 games collecting four goals and five assists. During the offseason, he was traded to the Panthers with Eric Messier for Peter Worrell and a second round draft pick.
Nedorost began the 2003-04 season with the San Antonio Rampage, first joining the Panthers in November. He was eventually called up to the NHL three times that season, eventually finishing with 32 Florida games played, scoring four goals and three assists. He averaged almost 12 minutes a night during his short stay with the Panthers.
Like a lot of other players, Nedorost joined an overseas league when the 2004-05 NHL season was cancelled, with HC Bili Tygri Liberec in the Czech league. He played in the Czech League for the next five seasons, and is currently with Poprad Lev of the KHL.
All-Time Statline: 32 games, four goals, three assists, seven points, minus-6 rating, 12 PIM, 0.4 APS.
184. Ric Jackman
Jackman was a 6’2″ defenseman from Toronto. He was playing with the OHL Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds when selected by the Dallas Stars in the first round of the 1996 NHL Entry Draft with the fifth overall pick. In three OHL seasons he totalled 59 goals and 103 assists with 324 penalty minutes in 119 games.
Jackman made his professional debut in 1997-98 with the IHL Michigan K-Wings, playing 135 games over the next three seasons. He received his first NHL action in 1999-00, scoring one goal with two assists in 22 games with Dallas.
2000-01 would see Jackman spend most of the season with the IHL Utah Grizzlies, scoring nine goals and 19 assists in 57 games. He also played 16 games for Dallas, not scoring and finishing with 18 PIM and a minus-6.
During the 2001 offseason, the Stars traded Jackman to the Boston Bruins for Cameron Mann. He suffered a shoulder injury early in the season, and only managed two NHL and nine AHL games. After the season, The Bruins traded Jackman to the Toronto Maple Leafs for the right to negotiate with Kris Vernasky after the season.
In 2002-03, Jackman played 42 NHL games, along with 29 the following season, totalling two goals and six assists. The Leafs traded him to the Pittsburgh Penguins for Drake Berehowsky on February 11th.Jackman finished out the season with the Penguins, scoring seven goals and 17 assists in only 25 games. When the 2004-05 NHL season was cancelled, he signed on with the Swedish league IF Bjorkloven Umea, scoring 13 goals and 26 assists in 46 games.
The the NHL resumed operations in 2005-06, Jackman rejoined the Penguins, scoring six goals and 22 assists through 49 games. Pittsburgh traded him to the Panthers on March 9th for Petr Taticek. In 15 games through the end of the season, he scored one goal as the Panthers defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning, 6-5 in overtime on March 20th.
Jackman opened the 2006-07 season on Florida’s roster, adding one more goal to his Florida resume, a game winner in a 3-1 victory over the Buffalo Sabres on December 7th. The Panthers packed him off to the Anaheim Ducks for a sixth round draft choice on January 3rd. After one goal and 10 assists over 24 games with the Ducks, Jackman added another goal and an assist in seven games through the playoffs, helping the Ducks to their only Stanley Cup. He is currently skating with Anyang Halla of the Asia League.
All-Time Statline: Two seasons, 22 games, two goals, one assist, three points, minus-3 rating, 16 PIM, 0.4 APS.
183. Steve Eminger
Eminger was a 6’2″ defenseman from Woodbridge, Ontario. He was with the OHL’s Kitchener Rangers when the Washington Capitals picked him up in the first round of the 2002 NHL Entry Draft with the 12th overall pick. In four seasons with Kitchener, he totalled 29 goals and 106 assists in 191 games.
Eminger’s last season with Kitchener was 2002-03, he managed to join the Caps for 17 games near the start of the season, collecting two assists in 10 minutes per game.
2003-04 would see Eminger play 41 games each with the AHL Portland Pirates and the NHL Capitals, scoring zero goals and four assists at each level. He also posted a collective minus-16 rating and 85 penalty minutes.
In 2004-05, Eminger elected to play with the Pirates as the NHL season was cancelled. In 62 games he scored three goals and 17 assists. He joined the Caps full time starting in 2005-06 for the next three seasons, totalling 154 games with six goals and 31 assists, a minus-30 rating and 152 PIM.
Prior to the 2008-09 season, Eminger was sent off to the Philadelphia Flyers with a third round draft pick for a first round draft pick. After two assists over 12 games, the Flyers traded him to the Tampa Bay Lightning with a fourth round pick and Steve Downie for Matt Carle and a third round pick. He played the bulk of the season with the Bolts, making four goals and 19 assists in 50 games. Tampa Bay traded him to the Panthers on March 4th for Noah Welch and a third round pick. He scored a goal in nine games, with six penalty minutes in 16 minutes average time on ice.
Eminger signed a free agent contract with the Anaheim Ducks before the 2009-10 season. He scored four goals and 12 assists in 63 games. The Ducks traded him to the New York Rangers for Aaron Voros and Ryan Hillier on July 9, 2010. He has played the last two seasons with the Rangers, making four goals with seven assists and 50 PIM with a minus-5 in 107 games.
All-Time Statline: One season, nine games, one goal, zero assists, one point, plus-1 rating, six PIM, 0.4 APS.
182. Todd Bertuzzi
Bertuzzi was a 6’3″ left winger from Sudbury, Ontario. He was with the Guelph Storm when chosen by New York Islanders in the first round of the 1993 NHL Entry Draft with the 23rd overall pick. He played for two more seasons with the Storm, his four season totals: 229 games, 116 goals, 165 assists, 532 penalty minutes.
For two and a half seasons with the Islanders, Bertuzzi played 192 games with 35 goals and 45 assists and 209 PIM. They traded him to the Vancouver Canucks with Bryan McCabe and a third round draft pick for Trevor Linden.
Bertuzzi had his most productive NHL seasons to date with the Canucks, ranking amongst the league leaders in goals and assists in 2002-03 and 2003-04, and twice making the All-Star roster. He ranks 20th all-time with 518 Canucks games played, is eighth with 188 goals, ninth with 261 assists, ninth with 449 points, and eighth with 822 PIM. Near the end of the 2003-04 season, Bertuzzi was involved in a famous on-ice incident, according to wikipedia:
In March 2004, Bertuzzi became infamous for his on-ice attack against Colorado Avalanche forward Steve Moore, punching him from behind in retaliation for an earlier hit by Moore against Bertuzzi’s teammate Markus Näslund. He was suspended indefinitely by both the NHL and the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), but was reinstated in August 2005. Bertuzzi was conditionally discharged in a British Columbia court and was sued by Moore in both Colorado and Ontario. Moore was forced to retire because of the injuries sustained in the on-ice attack.
Bertuzzi remained a Canuck for one more season after the incident. Vancouver traded him to the Panthers with Alex Auld and Bryan Allen for Roberto Luongo, Lukas Krajicek and a sixth round pick prior to the 2006-07 season.
Bertuzzi scored a goal and three assists in the Panthers season opener, an 8-3 win over the Boston Bruins. After three more assists over the next six games, he was diagnosed with a herniated disk, and was out of the lineup for the next five months. While on the shelf, the Panthers traded him to the Detroit Red Wings for Shawn Matthias and a second round pick. He scored two goals and two assists in eight contests.
In 2007-08, Bertuzzi skated with the Anaheim Ducks (68 games, 14 goals, 26 assists). He then spent 2008-09 with the Calgary Flames (66 games, 15 goals, 29 assists). He rejoined the Red Wings beginning in 2009-10, and has spent the last three seasons with the team (234 games, 48 goals, 79 assists, plus-9 rating, 215 PIM. He is currently signed for two more seasons in Detroit.
All-Time Statline: One season, seven games, one goal, six assists, seven points, minus-4 rating, 13 PIM, 0.4 APS.
181. Joey Teterenko
Teterenko was a 6’2″ right winger from Prince Albert, Saskatoon. He was with the WHL Portland Winter Hawks when the Panthers selected him in the fourth round of the 1996 NHL Entry Draft with the 82nd overall pick. In 247 WHL contests, he totalled 14 goals, 42 assists and 654 penalty minutes.
Tetarenko spent 1998-99 with the AHL Beast of New Haven, in 65 games scoring four goals and 10 assists with 154 PIM. 1999-00 would see him play 57 games with the Louisville Panthers, scoring three goals with 11 assists and 136 PIM.
2000-01 would see Tetarenko start the season with Louisville (29 games, one goal, four assists, 74 PIM), earning his first callup to the Panthers in late October. He was called up to the big club three times during the season, collecting three goals with an assist and 44 PIM in 29 NHL games.
In 2001-02, Tetarenko spent the whole season on the Panthers roster, missing half of it with injuries. In the 38 games that he skated with the team he scored one goal on 10 shots with 138 PIM, earning fourth-line minutes (5:08 ATOI).
Tetarenko later played two NHL games each with the Carolina Hurricanes and the Ottawa Senators. He spent the majority of his professional career with the AHL. He totalled 366 games over eight seasons, scoring 18 goals and 51 assists with 955 penalty minutes. He is currently a fish monger in the Houston area (per wikipedia).
All-Time Statline: Three seasons, 69 games, four goals, one assist, five points, minus-7 rating, 171 PIM, 0.4 APS.
180. Igor Larionov
Larionov was a 5’9″ center from Voskresensk, Russia. He was a long time veteran of the Russian National team and CSKA Moscow when selected by the Vancouver Canucks in the 11th round of the 1985 NHL Entry Draft with the 214th overall pick. At the completion of the 1988-89 season, Larionov finished up his 12th season in the Russian League, totalling 204 goals and 230 assists in 457 contests.
In 1989-90, Larionov joined the Canucks for the first of three seasons. In 210 games with Vancouver, he scored 51 goals and 92 assists, adding four goals and seven assists in 19 playoff matchups. He joined the San Jose Sharks via Waiver Draft prior to the 1992-93 season.
Over parts of the next three seasons, Larionov played 97 regular season games with San Jose, scoring 23 goals and 59 assists. He added six goals and 21 assists in 25 Stanley Cup Playoff matches. The Sharks traded him to the Detroit Red Wings for Ray Sheppard on October 24, 1995.
Larionov would enjoy the best seasons of his NHL career with Detroit. His first tour of duty with the club would see him earn two Stanley Cups and his only All-Star appearance, in the 1998 match. In 356 games with the Wings, he scored 64 goals and 218 assists. In 77 playoff games, he added 14 goals and 29 assists. He signed a free agent contract with the Panthers during the 2000 offseason, making his Panthers debut two months shy of his 40th birthday.
In his short stint with the Panthers, Larionov scored five goals on only 15 shots, also collecting six assists on second-line minutes (16:33 ATOI). The Red Wings wanted him back and sent Yan Golubovsky to the Panthers on December 28th.
In his second spin with the Wings, Larionov helped the team to another Stanley Cup, spending the remainder of the next three seasons with Detroit. Combining his two tours with the club, he ranks 31st all-time, with 539 Detroit games played. He also scored 89 goals and a franchise 13th best 308 assists.
2003-04 would see Larinov play his final NHL season, scoring one goal and 10 assists in 49 games with the New Jersey Devils. He was chosen to join the Hockey Hall of Fame in June 2008, and is currently the director of hockey operations for Russian hockey club SKA St. Petersburg.
All-Time Statline: One season, 26 games, five goals, six assists, 11 points, minus-11 rating, 10 PIM, 0.5 APS.
179. Krys Barch
Barch was a 6’1″ right winger from Hamilton, Ontario. He was skating with the OHL London Knights when the Washington Capitals picked him up in the fourth round of the 1998 NHL Entry Draft with the 106th overall pick. In 187 games over three seasons, he racked up 50 goals and 73 assists.
In 2000-01, he made his professional debut with the AHL Portland Pirates, spending the total of the next six seasons in the minor leagues with the AHL Portland Pirates (141 games, 14 goals, 30 assists, 168 PIM), the ECHL Richmond Renegades, (25 games, six goals, four assists), the AHL Norfolk Admirals (nine games, one goal), the ECHL Greenville Grrrowl (69 games, 21 goals, 23 assists), and the AHL Iowa Stars (43 games, seven goals, six assists). He signed a free agent contract with the Dallas Stars prior to the 2006-07 season.
2006-07 would see Barch open the season in Iowa, making his NHL debut in January. He would remain with Dallas until midway through the 2011-12 season, scoring 10 goals and 16 assists in 263 games over five plus seasons. On December 7th he was acquired by the Panthers.
With Florida, Barch provided a little attitude from the fourth line, averaging 7:30 a game. Barch is tough, and isn’t afraid to drop the gloves at a moments notice with anybody. His offensive skills are deceptive, and he can be counted on for an occasional goal. He played 308 minutes over 41 games (18-14-9, .549) with Florida, scoring two goals on 22 shots with three assists, a plus-2 rating and a team high 81 penalty minutes.
Barch’s 1st Goal as a Panther vs Devils1/6/12 (via HEATPOSTERIZED)
All-Time Statline: One season, 41 games, two goals, three assists, five points, plus-2 rating, 81 PIM, 0.5 APS.
178. Christian Berglund
Berglund was a 5’11” center from Orebro, Sweden. He was playing with the Farjestads BK Karlstad Jr. of the Swedish Junior League when the New Jersey Devils chose him in the second round of the 1998 NHL Entry Draft with the 37th overall pick. He would graduate to the Swedish Elite League, joining the Farjestads BK Karlstad major team in 1998-99, scoring 25 goals and 26 assists in 92 contests.
In 2001-02, Berglund made his North American debut with the Albany River Rats (60 games, 21 goals, 26 assists), making his first NHL appearance with New Jersey in January. He finished the season with two goals and seven assists in 15 games.
2002-03 would see Berglund spend 38 NHL games with the Devils, scoring four goals and five assists, splitting time with Albany (26 games, six goals 14 assists).
In 2003-04, Berglund began the season in New Jersey, scoring two goals and three assists through 23 games. The Devils sent him to the Panthers with Victor Uchevatov for Viktor Kozlov on March 1st. He would appear in 10 games for the Panthers, scoring three goals with an assist. He made two goals on April 4th in a 6-6 tie with the Tampa Bay Lightning.
For the 2004-05 season, Berglund rejoined Farjestades, scoring seven goals and 13 assists in 48 games. He played the next five seasons in the Swiss League with SC Rapperwil-Jona Lakers (136 games, 69 goals, 66 assists) and SC Bern (90 games, 30 goals, 57 assists).
In 2010-11, Berglund again joined Farjestades, and over the last two seasons has scored 33 goals and 26 assists in 104 games.
All-Time Statline: One season, 10 games, three goals, one assist, four points, minus-2 rating, 10 PIM, 0.5 APS.
177. Peter Ratchuk
Ratchuk was a 6’1″ defenseman from Buffalo, New York. The Colorado Avalanche selected him in the first round of the 1996 NHL Entry Draft with the 25th overall pick. After spending the 1997-98 season with the QMJHL Hull Olympiques (60 games, 23 goals, 31 assists), he was signed as a free agent by the Panthers.
In 1998-99, Ratchuk opened the season with the AHL Beast of New Haven (53 games, seven goals, 20 assists), earning his first callup to the Panthers in December. He scored his only NHL goal on January 14th in a 3-2 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes. In 24 NHL games he finished with one goal and one assist and 10 PIM.
1999-00 would see Ratchuk spend the entire season with the AHL Louisville Panthers, in 76 games finishing with nine goals and 17 assists. The following year was spent mostly in Louisville (64 games, five goals, 13 assists), with two callups to the Panthers, totalling eight games. He averaged 13 minutes of time on ice, and did not figure into the scoring, taking 11 shots on goal.
The Pittsburgh Penguins signed Ratchuk to a minor league deal after the season, but he did not appear in the NHL again. He has spent the intervening seasons with the AHL Wilkes-Barre Scranton Pens (97 games, 18 goals, 28 assists), the AHL Rochester Americans (70 games, 11 goals, 21 assists), the German Frankfurt Lions (103 games, 31 goals, 48 assists), the German Mannheim Eagles (52 games, 12 goals, 24 assists), the AHL Houston Aeros (50 games, five goals, 16 assists), the German DEG Metro Stars (101 games, 15 goals, 42 assists), the German Hamburg Freezers (56 games, nine goals, 23 assists), the Swiss Rapperswil-Jona (one game) and the Austrian Klagenfurt AC (39 games, six goals, 13 assists).
All-Time Statline: Two seasons, 32 games, one goal, one assist, two points, minus-2 rating, 10 PIM, 0.5 APS.
176. Steve Shields
Shields was a 6’3″ goaltender from Toronto. He was playing with the Wolverines of Michigan University when the Buffalo Sabres selected him in the fifth round of the 1991 NHL Entry Draft with the 101st overall pick. In four collegiate seasons of backstopping, Shields accrued an incredible 111-25-8 record, graduating with the Class of 1994.
Shields would make his professional debut in 1994-95 with the AHL Rochester Americans (3-8-0, .830, 4.73), splitting the season with the ECHL South Carolina Stingrays (11-5-2, .912, 2.69).
After opening the 1995-96 season with the Americans (20-17-2,.891, 3.56), Shields earned his first NHL callup in December, winning his first NHL decision with a 4-2 victory over the Ottawa Senators on December 23rd. In parts of three seasons splitting time between the Americans and the Sabres, Shields posted an NHL record of 7-14-6 record with a .910 save percentage and a 2.91 GAA. The Sabres traded him to the San Jose Sharks on June 18, 1998 with a second, fourth, and fifth round pick for Kay Whitmore.
Shields opened the 1998-99 season as the San Jose Sharks second goaltender, and was their first option in net the following season. In three years with the Sharks, he posted a 48-49-21 record, ranking sixth on the Sharks all-time win column. He also collected a .914 save percentage and a 2.44 GAA. He ranks third on San Jose’s all-time list with 10 shutouts.
San Jose packed Shields off to the Anaheim Ducks on March 5th, 2001 with Jeff Friesen and a second round pick for Teemu Selanne. As the Ducks second goaltender, he posted a 9-20-2 record his only season in San Jose, with a 2.67 GAA and a .907 save percentage. The Ducks sent him off to Boston for a third round pick after the season.
In Boston, Shields posted a 12-13-9 record as the Bruins primary goaltender with an .896 save percentage and a 2.76 GAA. He was traded to the Panthers for “future considerations” the day before the 2003-04 season.
For the Panthers, Shields backed up Roberto Luongo, who earned 72 decisions through the season. Shields posted a 3-6-1 mark in 16 appearances (with six “no-decisions”). He posted a 3.44 GAA with an .879 save percentage.
Shields didn’t play anywhere in 2004-05 when the NHL season was cancelled. He played five games with the 2005-06 season with the Atlanta Thrashers, posting a 1-2-1 record to close out his NHL career.
All-Time Statline: One season, 16 games, 3-6-1 record, 732 minutes, 346 shots faced, 304 saves, .879 save percentage, 3.44 goals against average, 0.5 APS.
175. Yan Golubovsky
Golubovsky was a 6’4″ defenseman from Novosibirsk, Russia. He was picked up in the first round of the 1994 NHL Entry Draft with the 23rd overall pick. He made his professional debut in 1994-95 with the Adirondack Red Wings, spending the entirety of his first three seasons with the AHL franchise, totalling 11 goals and 29 assists in 190 contests.
In 1997-98, Golubovsky opened the season with Adirondack (52 games, one goal, 15 assists). He played his first 12 NHL games with Detroit from December through January, finishing with two assists, both in a 5-4 victory over the New Jersey Devils on December 19th.
Over the next two seasons, Golubovsky split his time between Detroit (38 games, one goal, three assists) and Adirondack (43 games, two goals, two assists). He was traded off to Florida for Igor Larionov on December 28th, 2000. (D’oh!)
Golubovsky played a total of six NHL games with the Panthers in January of 2001, finishing with two assists and failing to score on four shots on goal. He skated an average of 21 shifts per game while with the club. He was sent to Florida’s AHL franchise in Louisville (30 games, one goal, 12 assists), never to appear in the NHL again.
2001-02 would see Golubovsky open the season with Metallurg Magnitogorsk in the Russian League. He spent the next four seasons in Russia, collecting eight goals and 30 assists in 145 games. He played 2005-06 in Sweden with Leksands IF (31 games, one goal, one assist).
All-Time statline: One season, six games, zero goals, two assists, two points, plus-3 rating, two PIM, 0.6 APS.
174. Joe Callahan
Callahan was a 6’3″ defenseman from Abington, Massachusetts. He was selected by the Phoenix Coyotes out of Yale University in the third round of the 2002 NHL Entry Draft with the 70th overall pick. In three seasons of collegiate hockey, Callahan scored 11 goals and 33 assists in 94 games. He graduated with the Class of 2004.
After four AHL seasons with the Springfield Falcons (13 games, four assists), the Utah Grizzlies (75 games, four goals, seven assists), and the San Antonio Rampage (158 games, two goals, 18 assists), Callahan signed a free agent contract with the Anaheim Ducks in the 2007 offseason. He would continue to play solely in the AHL in 2007-08, with the Portland Pirates (65 games, one goal, 23 assists).
Prior to the 2008-09 season, Callahan signed on with the New York Islanders. He spent most of the season with the AHL Bridgeport Sound Tigers, earning his first of three NHL callups that season in December. In 18 total NHL contests that year he earned two assists playing in 15 minutes per game. After the season he signed a deal with the San Jose Sharks.
In 2009-10, Callahan played 35 games with the Worchester Sharks, scoring four goals and 11 assists in 35 games. He only appeared in one NHL game with the Sharks, Earning an assist in a 2-1 overtime loss to the Detroit Red Wings on November 5th.
On August 3rd, 2010, Callahan signed on with the Panthers. After starting the season with the Rochester Americans (48 games, four goals, nine assists), he was called to Florida in November for a couple of games, joining the club permanently (temporarily) in late January. He performed well on a largely replacement roster to close out Florida’s year, posting a collective minus-1 rating in 27 NHL games, making one assist and not scoring in 21 shots on goal. He averaged around 16 minutes a night for the Cats.
In 2011-12, Callahan spent the entire season on the Montreal Canadiens AHL franchise, the Hamilton Bulldogs (60 games, three goals, 17 assists).
All-Time Statline: One season, 27 games, zero goals, one assist, one point, minus-1 rating, 12 PIM, 0.6 APS.
173. Randy Gilhen
Gilhen was a 5’11” left winger from Winnipeg. He was with the WHL Saskatoon Blades when picked in the sixth round of the 1982 NHL Entry Draft by the Hartford Whalers, 109th overall. He remained in the WHL for one more season, bringing his four year totals to 110 goals and 88 assists in 209 games. He made his NHL debut with Hartford in 1982-83, earning one assist in two contests.
Gilhen would not appear in the NHL again until the 1986-87 season with the Winnepeg Jets. In parts of three seasons with the Jets he made eight goals and five assists in 79 games, collecting a minus-21 rating. After the 1988-89 season, he was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins with Jim Kyte and Andrew McBain for Randy Cunneyworth, Rick Tabaracci and Dave McLlwain.
In two seasons with the Pens, Gilhen played in 133 games, scoring 20 goals and 21 assists. He added a goal in 16 Stanley Cup Playoff games with Pittsburgh, helping the team to their first ever Stanley Cup.
Gilhen split the next two seasons between the Los Angeles Kings (33 games, three goals, six assists), the New York Rangers (73 games, 10 goals, nine assists), and the Tampa Bay Lightning (11 games, two assists). The Panthers claimed him from the Lightning in the expansion draft on June 24, 1993.
Gilhen was on the ice for the Panthers first ever game, and played in 20 of Florida’s first 22 NHL contests. He scored two points on three different occasions with Florida, scoring four goals on 52 shots and four assists while collecting 16 penalty minutes. The Panthers packed him back to Winnepeg for Stu Barnes and a sixth round draft pick. (I guess once in a while we win…)
Gilhen played parts of the next three seasons with the Jets, in 106 games scoring 10 goals and 12 assists with a minus-29 rating.
All-Time Statline: One season, 20 games, four goals, four assists, eight points, plus-1 rating, 16 PIM, 0.6 APS.
172. Greg Smyth
Smyth was a 6’4″ defenseman from Oakville, Ontario. He was with the OHL London Knights when the Philadelphia Flyers picked him with their second round pick of the 1984 NHL Entry Draft with the 22nd overall pick. In three seasons with the Knights, he totalled 23 goals and 79 assists in 157 games.
In 1985-86, Smyth made his professional debut with the AHL Hershey Bears, appearing in two games after the OHL season concluded. The following season would see him spend 35 games with the Bears collecting two assists. He also appeared in one regular season and one playoff game with the Flyers to open his NHL career.
1987-88 would see Smyth split the season between Hershey (21 games, 10 assists) and Philadelphia (48 games, one goal, six assists, 192 PIM). He was traded after the season to the Quebec Nordiques with a third round pick for Terry Carkner.
For the next four seasons, Smyth split his time between the Nordiques (53 games, three assists, 265 PIM), and the AHL Halifax Citadels (157 games, 15 goals, 49 assists). He was traded to the Calgary Flames for Martin Simard near the end of the 1992-93 season.
Smyth spent the next season and a half with the Flames, scoring two goals and three assists with 110 PIM in 42 Calgary games. Florida signed him as a free agent on August 10, 1993 just before their inaugural season. He skated in Florida’s first ever game, eventually appearing in 12. He scored his only goal with the Panthers in a 5-2 loss to the Nordiques on November 14th. On December 7th, the Panthers traded him to the Toronto Maple Leafs for cash.
Over the next four seasons, Smyth appeared with the Leafs (13 games, one assist 38 PIM) and the Chicago Blackhawks (60 games, three assists, 141 PIM).
All-Time Statline: One season, 12 games, one goal, zero assists, one point, even rating, 37 PIM, 0.6 APS.
171. Victor Oreskovich
Oreskovich was a 6’3″ right winger from Whitby, Ontario. He was playing collegiate hockey with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish when the Colorado Avalanche chose him in the second round of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft with the 55th overall pick. In 46 collegiate games, he finished with three goals and three assists with 77 PIM.
In 2005-06 Oreskovich joined the OHL Kitchener Rangers, through two seasons scoring 34 goals and 42 assists in 81 contests. He signed a contract with the Avalanche in 2007, but upon learning he would be assigned to Colorado’s AHL franchise chose not to report. He was suspended and subsequently announced his retirement. Ultimately, he spent two seasons away from professional hockey.
On October 9th, 2009, Oreskovich used his prior connection with then-Panther’s coach Pete DeBoer (former coach of the Kitchener Rangers) to sign a free agent contract with the club. He opened the season with the AHL Rochester Americans (34 games, six goals, nine assists), earning a callup to the Panthers on October 31st. He spent 50 games with the NHL club, scoring two goals with four assists and 26 penalty minutes. After the season, the Panthers traded him to the Vancouver Canucks with Keith Ballard for Steve Bernier, Michael Grabner, and a first round draft pick (Quinton Howden).
Matt Gilroy vs Victor Oreskovich Nov 25, 2009 (via hockeyfightsdotcom)
For the last two seasons, Oreskovich has played with the AHL Manitoba Moose (40 games, four goals, eight assists), the AHL Chicago Wolves (28 games, six goals, six assists) and the Canucks (17 games, three assists). He also played 19 playoff games with Vancouver in 2010-11, not figuring onto the scoresheet and finishing with a minus-6 rating and 12 PIM.
All-Time Statline: One season, 50 games, two goals, four assists, six points, minus-8 rating, 26 PIM, 0.6 APS.
170. Noah Welch
Welch was a 6’4″ defenseman from Brighton, Massachusetts. The Pittsburgh Penguins picked him in the second round of the 2001 NHL Entry Draft with the 54th overall pick. He elected to play collegiate hockey with Harvard, graduating with the Class on 2005. In four seasons with the Crimson, he ended up with 23 goals and 53 assists in 129 games.
In 2005-06, Welch joined the AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (77 games, nine goals, 20 assists). He made his initial NHL appearance with Pittsburgh in March, scoring one goal and three assists in five games.
2006-07 would see Welch split the first part of the season between the AHL Pens (27 games, five goals, 16 assists), and the NHL Pens (22 games, one goal, one assist). On February 27th, he was traded to Florida for Gary Roberts (ouch). He finished the season by splitting his time between the AHL Rochester Americans (11 games, two goals, four assists) and the Panthers for two games in April. He scored a goal against the Tampa Bay Lightning in a 7-2 win on April 6th.
Welch started the 2007-08 season with the Panthers, skating in four games before losing the remainder of his season to a shoulder injury, suffered against the Montreal Canadiens on October 16th. He would also start the following season with the parent club, appearing in 23 games and scoring a goal and an assist. He was traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning on March 4th with a third round pick for Steve Eminger.
After 17 games with the Lightning to finish out the season, Eminger played 87 games over the next two seasons with the AHL Chicago Wolves (two goals, 11 assists). He played last season with HV71 Jonkoping of the Swedish Elite League (51 games, four goals, six assists).
All-Time Statline: Three seasons, 29 games, two goals, one assist, three points, minus-1 rating, 20 PIM, 0.6 APS.
169. Jeff Toms
Toms was a 6’4″ left winger from Swift Current, Saskatchewan. He was skating with the OHL Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds when the New Jersey Devils picked him in the ninth round of the 1992 NHL Entry Draft with the 210th overall pick. He spent two more seasons with the Greyhounds after the draft, bringing his three season totals to 77 goals and 73 assists in 159 games.
In 1994-95, Toms made his pro debut with the IHL Atlanta Knights (40 games, seven goals, eight assists). He spent most of the next season with the Knights as well, totalling 16 goals and 18 assists in 68 games. He also played one NHL game, with the Tampa Bay Lightning on February 13th in a 3-2 loss to the St. Louis Blues.
Toms spent most of his career commuting to and from the AHL. He played NHL games for Tampa Bay (48 games, three goals, 10 assists), the Washington Capitals (74 games, five goals, 11 assists), the New York Islanders (39 games, two goals, four assists), the New York Rangers (53 games, eight goals, five assists), and the Pittsburgh Penguins (14 games, two goals, one assist). He would sign a free agent contract with the Panthers in July, 2002.
2002-03 would be Toms only season in the organization, and would also mark his final NHL appearance. He played 64 games with the San Antonio Rampage (30 goals, 33 assists). He appeared with the Panthers in eight games over three callups, totalling two goals (including a game winner) and two assists with a plus-2 rating.
In 2003-04, Toms signed on with the Russian League Cherepovets Severstal, earning two assists in 14 matches. Since 2003-04, he has been playing with several teams in the Swiss League, totalling 115 goals and 195 assists in 282 career games.
All-Time Statline: One season, eight games, two goals, two assists, four points, plus-2 rating, four PIM, 0.6 APS.
168. Dmitry Yushkevich
Yushkevich was a 6′ defenseman from Cherepovets, Russia. The Philadelphia Flyers picked him with their sixth round pick of the 1991 NHL Entry Draft with the 122nd overall pick. Before moving stateside, he played one season in the Russian League with the Moscow Dynamo, scoring five goals and seven assists in 35 games. He also was on the Gold Medal winning Russian National team in the 1992 Olympics.
In 1992-93, Yushkevich joined the Flyers, playing in all 82 games. In three seasons with Philadelphia, he scored 15 goals and 61 assists in 197 NHL contests. The Flyers traded him to the Toronto Maple Leafs on August 30th, 1995 with a second round pick for a first, a second and a fourth round pick.
Yushkevich opened the 1995-96 season with the Leafs, spending the next seven seasons with the club. In 506 career games he tallied 25 goals and 110 assists with a minus-12 rating. He would add two goals and 10 assists through 44 playoff matches.
The Maple Leafs traded him to the Panthers for Robert Svehla before the 2002-03 season. He scored his only goal with Florida in a 5-4 overtime victory over the Atlanta Thrashers, ultimately playing in 23 games and making six assists. The Cats traded him to the Los Angeles Kings on November 26th with a fifth round pick for Jaroslav Bednar and Andreas Lilja.
Yushkevich finished out the season between the Kings (42 games, three assists) and the Flyers (18 games, two goals, two assists). It would be his last appearance in the NHL. He played with several Russian teams through the next few seasons, retiring in January 2008 to take care of his three children after his wife passed away.
All-Time Statline: One season, 23 games, one goal, six assists, seven points, minus-12 rating, 14 PIM, 0.6 APS.
167. Scott Levins
Levins was a 6’4″ right winger from Spokane, Washington. The Winnipeg Jets selected him in the fourth round of the 1990 NHL Entry Draft with the 75th overall pick.
The 1990-91 season would see Levins make his pro debut with the Jets AHL affilitate, the Moncton Hawks. He would spend the next two seasons and most of a third with the club, totalling 49 goals and 70 assists in 197 games. He also appeared in nine games with the Jets near the start of the season, taking eight shots on goal without scoring and making one assist.
Levins was left unprotected by the Jets in the expansion draft prior to the 1993-94 season, where Florida gladly picked him up. He had a lot of impact very early in the Panthers existence, assisting twice in the Panthers first ever game, a 4-4 tie with the Chicago Blackhawks. He also scored goals in each of the next two games. He scored twice in a 5-4 win over the Ottawa Senators on October 14th. He was on pace for a 98 point season after five games. Unfortunately he cooled off, totalling five goals and six assists in 29 Panthers games. On January 6th, the Cats traded him to the Ottawa Senators with Evgeny Davydov and a fourth and sixth round pick for Bob Kudelski.
Levins spent the majority of his NHL career with the Senators, splitting time with their minor league affiliates. He totalled 84 NHL games with the club, scoring eight goals and 13 assists.
The Phoenix Coyotes signed Levins to a free agent contract prior to the 1997-98 season, but only played in two more NHL contests. After a season with the AHL Beast of New Haven (80 games, 32 goals, 26 assists), he would appear in Germany with the Revier Lowen Oberhausen (48 games, 14 goals, 12 assists), the Kassel Huskies (59 games, 17 goals, 14 assists), and the Eisbaren Berlin (51 games, 11 goals, seven assists). He also appeared with the UHL Quad City Mallards (11 games, four goals, four assists), the British League Sheffield Steelers (25 games, 12 goals, 10 assists), and the UHL Columbus Stars (24 games, eight goals, 14 assists), retiring after the 2003-04 season.
All-Time Statline: One season, 29 games, five goals, six assists, 11 points, plus-4 rating, 51 PIM, 0.7 APS.
166. Randy Moller
Moller was a 6’2″ defenseman from Calgary, Alberta. He was with the WHL Lethbridge Broncos when chosen by the Quebec Nordiques with their first round pick in the 1981 NHL Entry Draft with the 11th overall pick. In two seasons with the Broncos he totalled 24 goals and 76 assists with 425 PIM in 106 contests.
Moller opened the 1982-83 season on the Nordiques roster, spending his first seven NHL seasons with the club. He ranks 16th on their all-time list with 508 games played, scoring 33 goals and 119 assists with a franchise fifth most 1,002 penalty minutes, along with a plus-55 rating. He added five goals and six assists in 48 playoff games. The Nordiques traded him to the New York Rangers just before the 1989-90 season for Michel Petit.
With the Rangers, Moller appeared in 164 games, scoring seven goals and 38 assists with 378 penalty minutes, adding on goal and six assists in 16 playoff contests. After two and a half seasons with the club, the Rangers traded him to the Buffalo Sabres for Jay Wells on March 9th, 1992.
Moller finished out the season with the Sabres, also spending the next two in Buffalo. He played in 126 games, scoring five goals and 20 assists, along with 296 PIM.
Prior to the 1994-95 season, Moller signed a free agent contract with the Panthers. Injuries limited him to 17 games for Florida, in which he notched three assists, failing to light the lamp with 12 shots on goal. He also earned 16 PIM and a minus-5 rating.
Moller is far more famous to the Florida fanbase as the architect of “Moller-vision.” He is the voice of the Panthers radio play-by-play, and also the President of the Panthers Alumni Association.
What are you doing? Its Shark Week! (via 330626)
All-Time Statline: One season, 17 games, zero goals, three assists, three points, minus-5 rating, 16 PIM, 0.7 APS.
165. John Jakopin
Jakopin was a 6’5″ defenseman from Toronto. He was picked up in the fourth round of the 1993 NHL Entry Draft by the Detroit Red Wings with the 97th overall pick. He elected to first go to college, completing four years and graduating with the Class of 1997. In four collegiate seasons he totalled 136 games, scoring 20 goals with 45 assists. At the end of the 1996-97 season, he made his professional debut, playing in three games with the AHL Adirondack Red Wings. Detroit did not tender him a contract after the season.
Prior to the 1997-98 season, Jakopin signed a free agent contract to play in the Panthers system. He played in 60 games with the AHL Beast of New Haven, scoring twice with 18 assists. He also made his NHL debut, playing two games with the Panthers in March. He took one shot on goal over 33 shifts, earned four penalty minutes and finished with a minus-3.
In 1998-99, Jakopin again spent most of the season with the Beast, in 60 games scoring two goals with seven assists. He was twice called up to play with the Panthers, playing 53 shifts and finishing up at minus-1.
1999-00 would see Jakopin start the season on the Panthers NHL roster, earning time in the first 14 games of the season. He earned 26 penalty minutes and only took one shot on goal in 203 minutes of time on ice. He would also play 23 games with the AHL version of the Panthers in Louisville, scoring four goals and six assists.
Jakopin spent the majority of the 2000-01 season with Florida, playing 60 games. He scored his first and only career NHL goal in a 2-2 tie with the Pittsburgh Penguins on December 20th. Ultimately, he finished the season with two assists and 62 penalty minutes.
John Jakopin vs Brad DeFauw (via SIoyvenheaven1)
Prior to the 2001-02 season, Jakopin cleared waivers and was picked up by the Penguins (19 games, four assists). He played part of the 2002-03 season with the San Jose Sharks (12 games) to close out his NHL career.
After splitting the 2003-04 season between the AHL Hartford Wolf Pack (42 games, three goals, four assists) and the Binghampton Senators (11 games, one goal), Jakopin surfaced with ZM Olimpija Ljubljana, appearing in five games. He retired in 2005.
All-Time Statline: Four seasons, 82 games, one goal, two assists, three points, minus-10 rating, 92 PIM, 0.7 APS.
164. Wade Flaherty
Flaherty was a 6′ goaltender from Terrace, British Columbia. He was with the WHL Victoria Cougars when the Buffalo Sabres selected him in the ninth round of the 1988 NHL Draft with the 181st overall pick. In five WHL seasons he finished with a 42-42-0 record.
After burning 1989-90 with the ECHL Greensboro Monarchs (12-10-0, 4.40 GAA), Flaherty spent the following season with the IHL Kansas City Blades. Most of the next four seasons were spent on the Blades roster, totalling a 108-93-23 record. His NHL rights were gained by the San Jose Sharks prior to the 1991-92 season, and Flaherty would make four NHL starts during the same time, totalling an 0-4-0 record, with an .891 save percentage.
In parts of five seasons with the Sharks, Flaherty finished with a 10-26-2 record, a 4.29 GAA and an .878 save percentage. After the 1996-97 season, he signed a free agent contract with the New York Islanders. Flaherty spent parts of four seasons with the Isles, finishing with a 15-26-6 record over 60 contests and a 2.84 GAA with an .897 save percentage. The Islanders traded him to the Tampa Bay Lightning on February 16, 2001 for “future considerations.”
For Tampa Bay, Flaherty posted an 0-2 record through the rest of the season, signing another free agent contract after the season, this time with the Panthers. He would spend the balance of the season with the Panthers AHL affiliate, the Utah Grizzlies, posting a 22-13-5 record. He was called up to the Panthers in March, winning his first two decisions (2-1 over the Montreal Canadiens and 4-3 over the Ottawa Senators) by allowing only four goals against 73 saves (a .945 save percentage). He took a loss in his next start on March 30th, to the New York Rangers, 4-2 before adding a 4-4 tie versus the Philadelphia Flyers on April 8.
Flaherty appeared in one more NHL contest with the Nashville Predators the following season. He would play several more seasons with assorted AHL franchises, including the San Antonio Rampage (11-13-5), the Milwaukee Admirals (21-12-3), the Manitoba Moose (62-36-9), and the Rockford IceHogs (13-8-1). He played in 36 games with the Asian league China Sharks in 2008-09 at the age of 41.
All-Time Statline: One season, four games, 2-1-1 record, 245 minutes, 136 saves, 12 goals allowed, .919 save percentage, 2.94 GAA, 0.7 APS.
163. Ville Koistinen
Koistinen was a 6′ defenseman from Oulu, Finland. He played parts of six seasons with Ilves Tampere of the Finnish League (239 games, 26 goals, 65 assists) before signing a free agent contract with the Nashville Predators on May 11, 2006. He scored nine goals with 32 assists for the AHL Milwaukee Admirals in 2006-07.
2007-08 would see Koistinen open the season with the Predators, spending 86 games over the next two seasons with Nashville. He totalled seven goals and 21 assists with a plus-13 rating and 32 PIM.
Koistinen signed a free agent contract with the Panthers on July 1, 2009. He would play in 17 of Florida’s first 22 games that season, scoring one goal and three assists. He finished the season with the Rochester Americans in the AHL.
Ville Koistinen scores against Hawks (via tumpero)
Koistinen went back across the pond following the 2009-10 season, since appearing with Skelleftea HC (31 games, four goals, eight assists), Ilves Tampere (28 games, seven goals, 10 assists), and Ufa Salavat Yulayev (three games).
All-Time Statline: One season, 17 games, one goal, three assists, four points, plus-1 rating, eight PIM, 0.8 APS.
162. Scottie Upshall
Upshall was a 6′ winger from Fort McMurray, Alberta. He was picked in the first round of the 2002 NHL Entry Draft by the Nashville Predators with the sixth overall pick. As a three-year member of the WHL Kamloops Blazers, he lit the lamp 99 times in 173 games with 127 assists.
Upshall made his pro debut with the Predators in 2002-03, scoring one goal for the team and spending the first month in Nashville. After his short tryout, the Preds sent him back to Kamloops for more seasoning.
2003-04 would see Upshall start the season with the Admirals, scoring 13 goals with 11 assists in 31 contests, and adding on seven NHL appearances with Nashville, tabbing one assist.
Without the pressure of making the NHL squad the following season, Upshall was free to concentrate on his production at the AHL level. He scored 19 goals with 27 assists in 62 games with Milwaukee. The following season would see him finally make a mark at the Major League level, in 48 NHL games scoring eight goals and 16 assists with a plus-14 rating.
14 games into the 2006-07 season, Upshall was dealt to the Philadelphia Flyers with Ryan Parent, along with a first and third round pick, for Peter Forsberg. As a Flyer for most of the next three seasons, he tabbed 27 goals with 37 assists in 134 games. The Flyers sent him to the Phoenix Coyotes with a second round pick for Daniel Carcillo on March 4, 2009.
As a Coyote, Upshall scored 42 goals and 30 assists in 129 games through the trade deadline of the 2010-11 season. The Columbus Blue Jackets sent Rostislave Klesla and Dane Byers for Upshall and Sami Lepisto on February 28. He played the last 21 games of the season as a Jacket, with six goals and one assist.
Upshall was part of the mass influx of free agent signings on July 2nd last year. Upshall was only on the ice for a total of 331 minutes last season in 26 games, restricted by two injuries. He scored two goals on 52 shots with three assists. Upshall is a spark plug. He’s a real digger and a heck of a competitor who doesn’t shy away from the corners. He didn’t get much in the way of results, and went on the IR after 15 games with an upper body injury. He returned for two games in January, only to go back on the IR with a sports hernia, joining the team again for the final nine games of the season. Upshall turned it up a little in the playoffs for Florida, making two assists in a game three victory and adding a goal in the Panthers game five shutout against the Devils.
Scottie Upshall goal; NJ Devils vs Panthers 4/21/12 NHL Hockey (via Fred Murtz)
All-Time Statline: One season, 26 games, two goals, three assists, five points, minus-3 rating, 29 PIM, 0.8 APS.
161. Pierre Dagenais
Dagenais was a 6’3 left winger from Blainville, Quebec. He was selected by the New Jersey Devils in the second round of the 1996 NHL Entry Draft, with the 47th overall pick. Instead of signing with the Devils, he elected to spend more time in the QMJHL. His final season in the league was 1997-98 with the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies. He scored 66 goals and 67 assists in 60 games. He was again selected by the Devils, this time in the fourth round of the 1998 NHL Entry Draft with the 105th overall pick.
The next two seasons were spent exclusively in Albany, with New Jersey’s AHL affilate, the River Rats. He scored 52 goals with 43 assists in 149 games. 2000-01 would see him make his first NHL appearance, scoring three goals and two assists in nine Devils games. He would add three goals and three assists in 2001-02 before the Devils put him on waivers on January 12, 2002, where the Panthers would pick him up. He finished out the season on Florida’s NHL roster, scoring seven goals with an assist in 26 contests. He scored two goals on April 8th in a 4-4 tie with the Philadelphia Flyers.
Dagenais spent most of the 2002-03 season with Florida’s AHL affilate, the San Antonio Rampage. In 49 games scoring 21 goals and 14 assists. He was twice called up to fill in with the Panthers, in nine games failing to make any impact on the scoresheet.
After the season, Dagenais signed a free agent contract to play with the Montreal Canadiens. Over the next two seasons (three calendar years), he totalled 82 games, scoring 22 goals and 17 assists with a plus-10 rating and 40 PIM.
In subsequent seasons, Dagenais played with the Finnish Elite league Jokerit Helsinki (16 games, two goals, seven assists), the Austrian Leagues Innsbruck AV (71 games, 60 goals, 37 assists), The Russian team, Chalyabinsk Traktor (94 games, 23 goals, 16 assists), and the FHL Akwesasne Warriors (68 games, 107 goals, 90 assists).
All-Time Statline: Two seasons, 35 games, seven goals, one assist, eight points, minus-6 rating, eight PIM, 0.8 APS.
160. Bill Thomas
Thomas was a 6’2″ right winger from Pittsburgh, PA. Undrafted, he first appeared with the NAHL Cleveland Barons in 2000-01, making 15 goals and 20 assists in 103 games over two seasons. In 2002-03 and 2003-04, Thomas joined the USHL Tri-City Storm, scoring 60 goals and 59 assists over 120 contests. He attended the University of Nebraska at Omaha for two seasons of collegiate hockey, scoring 46 goals and 49 assists in 80 games.
After completing his college season in 2005-06, the Phoenix Coyotes signed Thomas to a free agent contract. He would finish out the final nine games of the season in Phoenix, scoring a goal and two assists.
2006-07 and 2007-08 would see Thomas split the season between the Coyotes (31 games, eight goals, six assists), and the AHL San Antonio Rampage (122 games, 37 goals, 48 assists).
Thomas spent the 2008-09 season in the Pittsburgh Penguins organization between Pittsburgh (16 games, two goals, one assist) and the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (39 games, eight goals, 10 assists).
As an unsigned free agent after 2008-09, Thomas was signed to a professional tryout with the AHL Springfield Falcons on November 3, 2009. He would spend most of the season with the club (33 games, five goals, 12 assists) with a detour with the Swiss league Lugano (six games, two goals, one assist).
During the 2010 offseason, Thomas signed a free agent contract with the Panthers. He scored 16 goals and 20 assists in 53 AHL games with the Rochester Americans. He was twice called up to appear in Florida. He earned points in three of his first five games, including his first Panthers goal in a 4-3 overtime victory over the Colorado Avalanche on December 7th. He finished the season after the roster was scuttled to make way for the spending spree yet to come. Thomas finished the season with four goals and three assists in 24 games.
In 2011-12, Thomas spent most of the season with the new (old) AHL affiliate, the San Antonio Rampage, scoring 27 goals and 25 assists in 65 games. When the injury bug bit Florida in December, Thomas made a seven game stop in Florida, scoring a goal in a 5-3 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs.
All-Time Statline: Two seasons, 31 games, five goals, three assists, eight points, plus-1 rating, six PIM, 0.9 APS.
159. Clay Wilson
WIlson was a 6′ defenseman from Sturgeon Lake, MN. He played four collegiate seasons with Michigan Tech, scoring 17 goals and 40 assists in 148 games, graduating with the class of 2005. After parts of two seasons with the UHL Muskegon Fury (27 games, six goals, 12 assists), Wilson appeared in 60 games with the AHL Grand Rapids Griffins to finish out the 2005-06 season, scoring 10 goals with 27 assists.
The Anaheim Ducks signed Wilson as a free agent prior to the 2006 season. In parts of two seasons with the Ducks AHL team, the Portland Pirates (93 games, 12 goals, 39 assists), Anaheim traded him to the Columbus Blue Jackets on November 15, 2007 with Aaron Rome for Geoff Platt.
The next two years would see Wilson spend 90 games with the Blue Jackets AHL Syracuse Crunch (19 goals, 40 assists). He also would enjoy his first NHL action, playing 12 games and scoring one goal with two assists. The Jackets sent him to the Atlanta Thrashers with a sixth round pick for Jason Williams on January 14, 2009.
Wilson closed out the season with the AHL Chicago Wolves (37 games, six goals, 18 assists), also playing in two NHL games with Atlanta. He signed on with the Panthers on July 2, 2009.
2009-10 would see Wilson spend a substanial portion of the season with the AHL Rochester Americans (75 games, 14 goals, 46 assists). He played two games with the Cats in April, registering a minus-5 rating without scoring.
In 2010-11, Wilson again played most of the year in Rochester (66 games, 12 goals, 36 assists). He also earned two callups to play in the NHL. He ended up scoring three goals on 22 shots over 15 games with the third pairing (15 minutes ATOI). Wilson also made two assists and finished the year with a plus-4 rating.
Clay Wilson Fires It (4/2/11) [HD] (via bestdanghockeygoals)
Wilson spent 2011-12 mostly with the Abbotsford Heat (66 games, 16 goals, 27 assists), making a quick stop with the Calgary Flames (five games).
All-TIme Statline: Two seasons, 17 games, three goals, two assists, five points, minus-1 rating, six PIM, 1.0 APS.
158. Erik Gudbranson
Gudbranson was a 6’5″ defenseman from Ottawa who played three seasons with the OHL Kingston Frontenacs, in 148 games making 17 goals and 62 assists. The Panthers chose him with their first round pick in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, third overall.
After a strong camp, Gudbranson was retained on the Panthers NHL roster for the first nine games of the season (the limit for a player to remain eligible to play in juniors). Gudbranson was raw, but the front office saw enough improvement over the short span to retain his services for the entire season.
Erik Gudbranson 1st career goal 12/11/11 (via NHLVideo)
The large 19-year old started out the season as a liability in the defensive end, as evidenced by his team low minus-19 rating. As the season wore on, he seemed to learn from pairing mate Ed Jovanovski. By the end of the year he was looking like a legitimate NHL defender. He’s also a born leader, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see a “C” on his sweater sometime in the next five years. In 72 games, he skated 1022 minutes as the team went 32-26-14 (.542). He potted two goals on 76 shots along with six assists and a team second highest 78 penalty minutes. He went on to appear in all seven Panthers playoff games, logging a minus-2 rating and eight PIM.
All-Time Statline: One season, 72 games, two goals, six assists, eight points, minus-19 rating, 78 PIM, 1.0 APS.
157. Vinny Prospal
Prospal was a left winger from Ceske Budejovice, Czech. The Philadelphia Flyers originally selected him in the third round of the 1993 NHL Entry Draft, 71st overall.
Prospal spent his first three pro seasons (and most of his fourth) in the AHL with the Flyers minor league affiliates, the Hershey Bears (192 games, 42 goals, 89 assists) and the Philadelphia Phantoms (63 games, 32 goals, 63 assists). He made his NHL debut with the Flyers in 1996-97, totalling 10 goals and 23 assists through 59 games. The Flyers sent him to the Ottawa Senators with Pat Falloon and a second round pick for Alexandre Daigle on January 17, 1998.
With Ottawa, Prospal played in parts of four seasons, scoring 34 goals and 77 assists in 213 games. Ottawa traded him to the Panthers for “future considerations” on January 20, 2001.
Prospal would only play with the Cats for the remainder of the 2000-01 season. On two occasions he collected two assists, in 34 games finishing with four goals and 12 assists. After the season, the Panthers sent him to the Tampa Bay Lightning for a sixth round pick and Ryan Johnson.
Prospal has spent the intervening years with the Lightning (243 games, 59 goals, 120 assists, including an NHL fourth-best 57 in 2002-03), the Flyers (18 games, four goals, 10 assists), the New York Rangers (104 games, 29 goals, 52 assists), and the Columbus Blue Jackets (82 games, 16 goals, 39 assists).
All-Time Statline: One season, 34 games, four goals, 12 assists, 16 points, minus-2 rating, 10 PIM, 1.0 APS.
156. Byron Ritchie
Ritchie was a 5’10” center from Burnaby, British Columbia. He was with the WHL Lethbridge Hurricanes when the Hartford Whalers chose him in the seventh round of the 1995 NHL Entry Draft with the 165th overall pick. In four seasons with the Hurricanes ending in 1996-97, he totalled 131 goals and 166 assists in 231 contests.
After appearing with the AHL Springfield Falcons for six games in 1995-96 (two goals, one assist), Ritchie wouldn’t appear with another professional team until spending the entire 1997-98 season with the AHL Beast of New Haven, scoring 13 goals and 18 assists in 65 games. He also spent most of 1998-99 with the Beast, in 66 games scoring 24 goals and 33 assists. He also made his NHL debut, totalling three games with the parent club, now known as the Carolina Hurricanes (sorry, Donny).
1999-00 would see Ritchie split the season between the IHL Cincinnati Cyclones (34 games, eight goals, 13 assists), and Carolina (26 games, two assists). He spent the entire 2000-01 season with the Cyclones, totalling 31 goals and 35 assists in 77 games.
In 2001-02, Ritchie started the season with the AHL Lowell Lock Monsters (43 games, 25 goals, 30 assists), making a brief four game stop with the Hurricanes. Carolina traded him to the Panthers on January 16th with Sandis Ozolinsh for Bret Hedican, Kevyn Adams and Tomas Malec. He played in 31 games for the Panthers, scoring five goals and six assists. He tabbed two two-point games in back-to-back games in March, scoring a goal and three assists in a 3-3 tie with the Calgary Flames and a 5-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres.
Ritchie played 26 AHL games in 2002-03 with the San Antonio Rampage, splitting the season with the Panthers (30 goals, three assists). In 2003-04, he spent 50 games with the Panthers, totalling five goals and six assists. He signed a free agent contract with the Flames in 2004-05, but when the season was cancelled instead spent the year in Sweden with Rogle BK (30 games, 17 goals, 16 assists).
Ritchie has since spent time in the NHL with the Flames (109 games, 12 goals, eight assists) and the Vancouver Canucks (71 games, three goals, eight assists). He played the one season each over the last four years with the Swiss Geneve Servette (45 games, 22 goals, 38 assists), the KHL Minsk Dynamo (12 games, three goals, two assists), the Swedish Modo Hockey Ornskoldsvik (53 games, 23 goals, 21 assists) and the Swiss Bern (47 games, 22 goals, 21 assists).
All-Time Statline: Three seasons, 111 games, 10 goals, 15 assists, 25 points, minus-16 rating, 137 PIM, 1.0 APS.
155. Wojtek Wolski
Wolski was a 6’3″ left winger from Zabrze, Poland. He played with the OHL Brampton Battalion from 2002-03 through 2005-06. The Colorado Avalanche picked him up with their first round pick of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft with the 21st overall pick. In four seasons with the Battalion, he ended up with 130 goals and 198 assists in 253 games.
Wolski has never skated in a minor league game. He played nine games with Colorado in 1995-96, scoring two goals with four assists before spending one last season in juniors. 2006-07 would see him open the season with the Avalanche. In parts of five seasons with the club, he collected 73 goals and 120 assists in 302 games. On March 3, 2010 he was traded to the Phoenix Coyotes for Kevin Porter and Peter Mueller.
Wolski spent parts of two seasons with Phoenix, totalling 12 goals and 22 assists in 54 games. He later played 46 games with the New York Rangers, scoring six goals and 16 assists in 46 games.
Florida acquired Wolski in February, 2012 to give the Panthers a little help in the shootout. He’s a great puck handler and instinctive scorer who sometimes lacks intensity. He played 325 minutes over 22 games, scoring four goals on 39 shots, along with five assists, and a minus-3 rating. His status with the team is currently up in the air, but after five healthy scratches through the Panthers seven-game playoff series against New Jersey, it’s become clear that Florida is probably not interested in retaining his services.
Wojtek Wolski finds a seam and scores 2/25/12 (via NHLVideo)
All-Time Statline: One season, 22 games, four goals, five assists, nine goals, minus-3 rating, zero PIM, 1.0 APS.
154. Tyson Strachan
Strachan was a 6’3″ defenseman from Melfort, Saskatchewan. He was selected in the fifth round of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft by the Carolina Hurricanes with the 137th overall pick.
After Strachan’s selection, he elected instead to attend Ohio State University, spending four seasons playing collegiate hockey with the Buckeyes. He scored 13 goals with 22 assists in 119 games. He made his pro debut after graduating with the Class of 2007, playing in one contest with the AHL Albany River Rats.
2007-08 would see Strachan split the season between the ECHL Las Vegas Wranglers (25 games, two goals, seven assists) and the AHL Peoria Rivermen (34 games, one goal, two assists). In 2008-09 he made his NHL debut with the St. Louis Blues, collecting three assists over 30 games.
Strachan spent parts of three seasons with the Blues, making six assists in 67 games, along with 82 penalty minutes. He signed on with the Panthers as a free agent on July 12, 2011.
2011-12 would see Strachan open the season with the AHL San Antonio Rampage, scoring three goals with 14 assists in 50 contests. His services became necessary in Sunrise when the Panthers lost both Ed Jovanovski and Dmitry Kulikov to various ailments in January. He played 15 games with the Panthers, making two assists and scoring his first ever NHL goal, in the first period of a 4-1 victory over the New York Islanders on February 12. He would tack on an assist in two playoff games for Florida. He’s a solid, physical stay-at-home defenseman who is signed through next season.
Tyson Strachan 1st career goal 2/12/12 (via NHLVideo)
All-Time Statline: One season, 15 games, one goal, two assists, three points, plus-1 rating, five PIM, 1.0 APS.
153. Donald Audette
Audette was a 5’8″ right winger from Laval, Quebec. He was originally picked by the Buffalo Sabres in the ninth round of the 1989 NHL Entry Draft with the 183rd overall pick.
Audette enjoyed a productive NHL career before joining Florida. After spending eight seasons (and part of a ninth) with the Sabres (421 games, 166 goals, 131 assists), he played with the Los Angeles Kings (98 games, 30 goals, 38 assists), the Atlanta Thrashers (78 games, 39 goals, 43 assists), the Dallas Stars (20 games, four goals, eight assists), and the Montreal Canadiens (90 games, 15 goals, 22 assists).
Audette was released by Montreal on January 15th, where the Panthers picked him up as a free agent. He finished out the season (and his career) with Florida. Through his first 27 games with the club, he totalled four goals and five assists. In the Panthers last game of the season, and in the last game of Audette’s career, he scored two goals and collected two assists.
All-Time Statline: One season, 28 games, six goals, seven assists, 13 points, minus-9 rating, 22 PIM, 1.0 APS.
152. Filip Kuba
Kuba was a 6’3″ defenseman from Ostrava in the Czech Republic. The Panthers selected him in the eighth round of the 1995 NHL Entry Draft with the 192nd overall pick. He would make his North American debut with the AHL Carolina Monarchs in 1996-97, racking up 12 assists in 51 games. When the Panthers changed their AHL affiliate to the New Haven Beast in 1997-98, Kuba scored four goals with 13 assists in 77 contests.
1998-99 would see Kuba opend the season with the AHL Kentucky Thoroughblades, eventually playing in 45 games and scoring two goals with eight assists. He joined the Panthers in April for his first NHL action, playing in five games and making one assist, in a 3-2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens on April 14th.
In 1999-00, Kuba would start the season with the Panthers, totalling 13 games with the NHL club. He scored his first career goal, a game winner on October 27th in a 6-3 victory over the New York Islanders. He would total one goal and five assists with a minus-3 rating. The Panthers traded him to the Calgary Flames for Rocky Thompson on March 16th.
Kuba never appeared with the Flames, and was left unprotected in the 2000 Expansion Draft. He was picked up by the Minnesota Wild. He ranks ninth on the Wild’s all-time list, with 357 games played, scoring 33 goals and 99 assists with a minus-61 rating and 161 penalty minutes. The Tampa Bay Lightning signed him as a free agent during the 2006 offseason.
Kuba spent two seasons with the Bolts, scoring 21 goals and 47 assists in 156 contests. He has spent the last four seasons on the Ottawa Senators, racking up 14 goals and 102 assists, a minus-1 rating and 98 PIM.
All-Time Statline: Two seasons, 18 games, one goal, six assists, seven points, minus-1 rating, two PIM, 1.1 APS.
151. Sergei Samsonov
Samsonov was a 5’8″ left winger from Moscow. He made his debut in North America with the IHL Detroit Vipers in 1996-97, scoring 29 goals and 35 assists in 73 games. Afterward, he was picked in the first round of the 1997 NHL Entry Draft by the Boston Bruins with the eighth overall pick.
Samsonov opened the 1997-98 season in Boston (winning the Calder Memorial Trophy for Rookie of the Year), and would spend the next seven and a half seasons with the club. As part of Boston’s first and second line, he scored 164 goals and 212 assists in 514 games with a plus-41 rating and 103 penalty minutes, making the All-Star team in 2001. He added nine goals with 15 assists in 35 playoff games. The Bruins traded him to the Edmonton Oilers for a second round pick, Marty Reasoner and Yan Stastny on March 6th, 2006.
After scoring five goals and 11 assists in 19 games to close out the season with the Oilers, (along with four goals and 11 assists in 24 playoff games, losing in the finals to the Carolina Hurricanes), Samsonov went on to play for the Montreal Canadiens (63 games, nine goals, 17 assists), the Chicago Blackhawks (23 goals, four assists), and the Hurricanes (249 games, 54 goals, 81 assists). Carolina traded him to the Panthers for Bryan Allen on February 28, 2011.
Samsonov played in 20 games to close out the year with the Panthers, scoring three goals (see video, ff to 0:45)with 11 assists. He had five games where he scored multiple points. After completing the season, he became a free agent and did not sign anywhere. He has not officially announced his retirement. (Anybody heard anything about this guy? Leave in the comments.)
Panthers at Sabres – March 25, 2011 (via mcskyns)
All-Time Statline: One season, 20 games, three goals, 11 assists, 14 points, minus-2 rating, two PIM, 1.1 APS.
150. Dominic Moore
Moore was a 6′ center from Thornhill, Ontario. He was picked out of Harvard by the New York Rangers in the third round of the 2000 NHL Entry Draft with the 95th overall pick after his freshman season with the Harvard Crimson. In four collegiate seasons he ended up with 64 goals and 83 assists in 128 games, graduating with the Class of 2003.
2003-04 saw Moore make his NHL debut, playing five games with the Rangers and making three assists. He spent most of the year with the AHL Hartford Wolfpack, scoring 14 goals and 25 assists in 70 games. He spent the 2004-05 season with Hartford (78 games, 19 goals, 30 assists), graduating to the Rangers in 2005-06 and scoring nine goals and nine assists while playing in every game.
Moore afterward spent time with the Pittsburgh Penguins (59 games, six goals, nine assists), the Minnesota Wild (40 games, three goals, two assists), the Toronto Maple Leafs (101 games, 16 goals, 39 assists), and the Buffalo Sabres (18 games, one goal, three assists). Buffalo let him go after the 2008-09 season, and Florida signed him to a free agent contract when the 2009-10 season began.
Moore played in 48 games with the Panthers, earning two points on three occasions with Florida. He scored eight goals and nine assists while with the club. The Panthers traded him to the Montreal Canadiens on February 11th for a second round pick.
From The Goalline (12/27/09) (via theultimategoalcom)
Since his trade to the Habs, Moore has played with Montreal (21 games, two goals, nine assists) and the Tampa Bay Lightning (133 games, 22 goals, 29 assists) before finishing last season with the San Jose Sharks (23 games, six assists).
All-Time Statline: One season, 48 games, eight goals, nine assists, 17 points, minus-7 rating, 35 PIM, 1.1 APS.
149. Jeff Norton
Norton was a 6’2″ defenseman from Acton, Massachusetts. He was originally selected by the New York Islanders in the third round of the 1984 NHL Entry Draft, 62nd overall. Instead of joining the Islanders organization, he elected to attend college at the University of Michigan. In three seasons with the Woverines he ended up with 35 goals and 82 assists in 113 collegiate contests.
Norton joined the Islanders for 15 games late in 1987-88, ultimately sticking with the club through the 1992-93 season. After skating with the Islanders (282 games, 22 goals, 166 assists), he would play in parts of two seasons with four teams. The San Jose Sharks (84 games, eight goals, 42 assists), the St. Louis Blues (64 games, six goals, 25 assists), the Edmonton Oilers (92 games, six goals, 27 assists), and the Tampa Bay Lightning (50 games, four goals, 11 assists. The Panthers picked him up in a trade with the Lightning along with Dino Ciccarelli for Mark Fitzpatrick and Jody Hull on January 15, 1998.
Norton appeared in 19 games from January through March for Florida, making seven assists and finishing the season with a minus-7 rating. After three games with the club the following season the Panthers traded him to back to the Sharks for Alex Hicks and a fifth round choice on November 11. In his second tour of duty in San Jose he totalled 131 games with four goals and 38 assists.
Norton joined the Pittsburgh Penguins for 32 games in 2000-01, scoring two goals and 10 assists before Pittsburgh sent him back to the Sharks for Bobby Dollas and Johan Hedberg on March 12. He would play in 10 games for the Sharks to close out the season with one assist.
Norton resigned a free agent contract to join the Panthers again in 2001-02. After collecting four assists in 29 games the team shipped him off to the Boston Bruins for a sixth round pick on March 19. He would only play in three games for Boston, never again to appear in the NHL.
Norton appeared in 799 professional games, all in the NHL.
All-Time Statline: Three seasons, 51 games, zero goals, 11 assists, 11 points, minus-12 rating, 28 PIM, 1.3 APS.
148. Jacob Markstrom
Markstrom was a 6’6″ goaltender from Gavle, Sweden. Florida picked him in the second round of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft with the 31st overall pick. He played three seasons with the Swedish Elite Brynas IF Gavle, playing 85 games with a 2.25 GAA.
Markstrom made his North American debut with the AHL Rochester Americans in 2010-11, totalling a 16-20-1 record with a .907 save percentage and a 2.98 GAA. He got into one game with the Panthers, making 12 saves on 14 shots and taking the loss as the Cats dropped a 5-2 decision to the New Jersey Devils on January 23.
2011-12 would see Markstrom start the season with the Panthers due to an injury to backup Scott Clemmensen. Blessed with both freakish size and natural quickness, and dubbed “The Alien,” for his inexplicable knack for stopping everything, Markstrom compiled a 2-4-1 record. In his first five games, Markstrom saved 152-of-161 opposing shots for a save percentage of .944 He finished his extended NHL tryout with a .923 save percentage and a 2.66 GAA. (Please, see video below, and be thankful (and maybe get a little excited)).
Jacob Markstrom Brilliant Saves vs Montreal Canadiens – Oct 24th 2011 (HD) (via HockeyWebCaster)
If you just watched the video, maybe you’ve been reminded that the Alien is the real deal. Markstrom is signed through next season, and although he was at one time considered to be the odds-on favorite to start the 2012-13 season as the Panthers number one goaltender, it seems as if the front office may keep him in San Antonio for more “seasoning.” Of course, it all hinges on what happens in the preseason camp. I’m ok either way – I trust Dale Tallon implicitly (and you should, too).
All-Time Statline: Two seasons, eight games, 2-5-1, 19 goals allowed, 217 saves, .919 save percentage, 2.70 GAA, 1.3 APS.
147. Kirk Muller
Muller was a 6′ center from Kingston, Ontario. The New Jersey Devils picked him in the first round of the 1984 NHL Entry Draft with the second overall pick. In three OHL seasons (one as a 15-year old with the Kingston Canadiens in 1981-82, and two with the Guelph Platers), he totalled 95 goals with 162 assists in 182 games.
Muller joined the New Jersey Devils in 1984-85, playing every game as a rookie. He played with the Devils for seven full seasons, missing only four games during that time. In 556 games he made 185 goals with 335 assists and 572 penalty minutes. He would add five goals and 13 assists in 33 playoff games. He made the All-Star Roster on four occasions while with the Devils. New Jersey traded him to the Montreal Canadiens just before the 1991-92 season with Roland Melanson for Stephane Richer and Tom Chorske.
After making two more All-Star rosters and helping the Canadiens (267 games, 104 goals, 143 assists) to a Stanley Cup in 1993, Muller went on to play with the New York Islanders (27 games, seven goals, eight assists) and the Toronto Maple Leafs (102 games, 29 goals, 33 assists). The Leafs shipped him off to the Panthers on March 18, 1997 for Jason Podollan.
Muller finished the 1996-97 season with the Panthers, scoring a goal and two assists in the last 10 games of the regular season. He pitched in with a goal and two more assists in the Panthers five game series loss against the New York Rangers.
In 1997-98, Muller played in 70 games with Florida, scoring eight goals and 21 assists, a minus-14 rating and 54 penalty minutes. He earned two points on four separate occasions, including a two goal game in a 3-3 tie with the Calgary Flames on January 9th. Three of his goals were game winners.
1998-99 would see Muller remain with the Panthers, appearing in all 82 games and scoring four goals and 11 assists while skating an average of 14:28 per game. He scored two goals and an assist on April 17th in a 6-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning in the last game of the season. It would also mark Muller’s last game with the club, as he signed a free agent contract with the Dallas Stars on December 15th.
Muller would play four seasons in Dallas, scoring 19 goals with 49 assists in 235 games, retiring just before the 2003-04 season. He took over the Carolina Hurricanes head coaching vacancy when incumbent Paul Maurice was fired on Novemer 28, 2011, and remains at the position today.
All-Time Statline: Three seasons, 162 games, 13 goals, 34 assists, 47 points, minus-27 rating, 108 PIM, 1.4 APS.
146. Magnus Johansson
Johansson was a 5’11” defenseman from Linkoping, Sweden. He enjoyed a long career in the Swedish Elite League, playing in parts of nine seasons (11 seasons total, 547 games, 101 goals, 239 assists) before making his North American debut with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2007-08. After logging 14 assists through 45 games, the Hawks dealt him to the Panthers for a seventh round draft pick.
Johansson made his Florida debut on January 10th, eventually playing in 27 games and making 10 assists while averaging 16:29 per game. He skipped over the pond after the season, signing on with the Atlant Moscow Region KHL team, eventually rejoining Linkopings HC in Sweden.
All-Time Statline: One season, 27 games, zero goals, 10 assists, 10 points, even rating, 14 PIM, 1.4 APS.
145. Cam Stewart
Stewart was a 5’11” left winger from Kitchener, Ontario. The Boston Bruins picked him in the third round of the 1990 NHL Entry Draft, 63rd overall. Instead of reporting to the Bruins organization, he elected to attend college at the University of Michigan, playing three seasons of collegiate hockey with the Wolverines. In 127 games he collected 41 goals with 78 assists, ending with the 1992-93 season.
Stewart made his AHL and NHL debuts in the 1993-94 season, spending four seasons in the Bruins organization. With Boston, he played 83 NHL games, scoring three goals with seven assists. Meanwhile, in Providence, he would total 37 goals and 41 assists in 117 AHL contests.
Stewart spent the 1997-98 and 1998-99 seasons with the IHL Houston Aeros, in 124 games scoring 54 goals with 53 assists. He helped the team win the 1999 Turner Cup. The Panthers signed him to a free agent contract during the 1999 offseason.
In 1999-00, two years and eight months removed from his latest NHL action, Stewart opened the season with the Panthers. He would score his first NHL goal in almost six years, also adding an assist for his first two points with Florida in his seventh game with the club, a 5-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks on October 20th. On December 27th, he would light the lamp twice, adding an assist in a 6-1 win against the Tampa Bay Lightning. He played in a career high 65 games with the Panthers, adding career highs with nine goals and 16 points.
Left unprotected in the 2000 expansion draft, Stewart was claimed by the Minnesota Wild. He scored four goals with a career high nine assists in 2000-01, playing 54 games. He missed the 2001-02 season due to a concussion suffered in training camp, eventually retiring before the 2002-03 season. He is currently an assistant coach with the Aeros.
All-Time Statline: One season, 65 games, nine goals, seven assists, 16 points, minus-2 rating, 30 PIM, 1.4 APS.
144. Lance Ward
Ward was a 6’3″ defenseman from Lloydminster, Alberta. He was initially drafted by the New Jersey Devils in the first round of the 1996 NHL Entry Draft with the 10th overall pick out of the WHL. In four seasons with the Red Deer Rebels, he picked up a total of 17 goals and 72 assists with 618 penalty minutes in 241 games. He never signed with the Devils, reentering the 1998 draft and getting picked up in the third round by the Panthers, 63rd overall.
Ward made his professional debut in 1998-99, between the AHL New Haven Beast (43 games, two goals, five assists), the ECHL Miami Matadors (six games, one goal), and the IHL Fort Wayne Komets (13 games, two assists).
In 1999-00, Ward spent the entire season just one level below the NHL, spending 80 games with the AHL Louisville Panthers. He earned 190 penalty minutes while scoring four goals and 16 assists.
2000-01 would see Ward spend 35 games with Louisville, scoring three goals and two assists with 78 penalty minutes. He made his NHL debut with Florida on November 15th, ultimately spending 30 games with the Panthers. He averaged almost 16 minutes of time on ice per game, earning two assists and 45 penalty minutes.
Ward stayed with the Panthers through the 2001-02 season, scoring his first NHL goal on December 17th in a 4-2 loss to the New York Rangers. In 14:31 ATOI through 68 games he earned four assists and spent 131 minutes in the box.
PJ Stock vs Lance Ward (via igotregistered)
2002-03 would see Ward play 36 games with the Panthers, scoring a career high three goals with an assist and 78 penalty minutes. On November 16th, he earned his only career two point game with a goal and an assist in a 7-3 loss to the San Jose Sharks. He was averaging just over nine minutes on ice per game when Florida traded him to the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim on January 30th with Sandis Ozolinsh for Pavel Trnka, Matt Cullen, and a fourth round choice.
Ward spent parts of the next two seasons with the Ducks, playing 75 games and making five assists. After two minor league seasons (and a year off in 2004-05), he went overseas, and has played four of the last five seasons with HV71 Jonkoping in the Swedish Elite League.
All-Time Statline: Three seasons, 134 games, four goals, seven assists, 11 points, minus-27 rating, 254 PIM, 1.5 APS.
143. Jaroslav Bednar
Bednar was a 5’10” right winger from Prague of the Czech Republic. He scored 32 goals and 28 assists in 56 games with HIFK Helsinki when the 2001 NHL Entry Draft rolled around. The Los Angeles Kings selected him in the second round, 51st overall.
Bednar joined the Los Angeles Kings in 2001-02, splitting the season between the AHL Manchester Monarchs (48 games, 16 goals, 21 assists) and at the NHL level (22 games, four goals, two assists).
In 2002-03, Bednar started the season on the Kings NHL roster, through 15 games earning nine assists with a plus-3 rating. The Kings traded him to Florida with Andrea Lilja for Dmitry Yushkevich and a fifth round pick on November 26th. In his first Panthers game he tabbed two assists in a 5-2 win over the Los Angeles Kings. He scored his first goal in the Panthers next game, a 5-2 loss to the Vancouver Canucks.
Bednar finished out the season with the Panthers, scoring five goals and 13 assists in 52 games. In 2003-04 he played in 13 games with Florida, scoring a goal and an assist. He signed a free agent contract with Avangard Omsk in Russia on December 11th.
Bednar played two seasons with Avangard (82 games, 22 goals, 21 assists), later playing in the Czech league with HC Slavia Praha (four seasons, 190 games, 95 games, 98 assists), and the KHL team Torpedo Nizhny Novogorod (53 games, 14 goals, 20 assists).
All-Time Statline: Two seasons, 65 games, six goals, 14 assists, 20 points, even rating, 18 PIM, 1.5 APS
142. Jamie McLennan
McLennan was a 6′ goaltender from Edmonton. He was selected by the New York Islanders in the third round of the 1991 NHL Entry Draft with the 48th overall pick. He made his NHL debut two seasons later, splitting the year between the IHL Salt Lake Golden Eagles (8-12-2, 3.64 GAA) and the Islanders (8-7-6, .905, 3.22).
McLennan spent a total of three seasons as the Islanders number two goaltender, racking up a 17-27-9 record (.890, 3.22). He also played three seasons with the St. Louis Blues (38-27-8, .898, 2.21), one season with the expansion Minnesota Wild (5-23-9, .905, 2.64 GAA), parts of two seasons with the Calgary Flames (17-25-8, .900, 2.73), and four games with the the New York Rangers (1-3-0, .876, 2.95). He signed on to play with Florida on July 2nd, 2004, just before the 2004-05 season was cancelled.
When the NHL resumed play in 2005-06, McLennan joined Florida to back up Roberto Luongo in goal. He appeared in 17 games, posting a 2-4-2 record. Luongo and McLennan were the only two to take the ice between the pipes for the Panthers through the season. He later played with the Calgary Flames (3-5-1, .895, 3.60) and the Detroit Red Wings (18 seconds in the playoffs, zero shots faced).
Jamie McLennan (via hockeycitizen)
All-Time Statline: One season, 17 games, 678 minutes, 2-4-2 record, 360 shots faced, 326 saves, 34 goals allowed, 3.01 GAA, .906 save percentage, 1.6 APS.
141. Michal Repik
Repik was a 5’10” right winger from Vlasim, Czech Republic. The Panthers picked him in the second round of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft with the 40th overall pick. In three seasons with the WHL Vancouver Giants, he totalled 75 goals and 93 assists in 176 contests.
Repik joined the AHL Rochester Americans in 2008-09, playing 75 games with the club. He scored 19 goals with 30 assists and a minus-13 rating. He was also called up twice to play with the NHL Panthers, scoring in his first game each time, a 4-3 overtime win over the Ottawa Senators on December 8, and in a March 12th 3-1 loss to the Buffalo Sabres.
In 2009-10, Repik appeared in 60 Rochester games (22 goals, 31 assists, plus-14). He also played in 19 Florida games. In an ATOI of 8:35, he scored three goals on 23 shots with two assists. He scored a goal and an assist in a 7-1 win over the New York Islanders on December 14th.
Hard Work Nets A Goal (11/7/09) (via theultimategoalcom)
2010-11 would see Repik appear in a (so far) career high 31 NHL games with the Panthers. He finished the season with a minus-6 rating in 12:47 of ATOI, scoring two goals on 54 shots with six assists. The balance of his season was spent in Rochester (53 games, 11 goals, 34 assists).
In 2011-12, Repik played in 55 AHL games with the San Antonio Rampage (14 goals, 21 assists). He also made 17 appearances with the Panthers, scoring two goals on 35 shots in 10:22 ATOI, making two assists and a minus-3 rating. He is currently a restricted free agent with the Panthers, waiting for the phone to ring.
All-Time Statline: Four seasons, 72 games, nine goals, 11 assists, 20 points, minus-7 rating, 36 PIM, 1.6 APS.
140. Mikhail Shtalenkov
Shtalenkov was a 6’2″ goaltender from Moscow, backstopping for Moscow Dynamo for parts of six seasons. He was picked in the fifth round of the 1993 NHL Entry Draft by the Anaheim Mighty Ducks with the 108th overall pick.
As a newcomer to North America, Shtalenkov joined the IHL Milwaukee Admirals, compiling a 26-14-5 record with two shutouts, a .897 save percentage and a 3.03 GAA in 1992-93.
Shtalenkov posted a 15-11-2 record with the IHL San Diego Gulls in 28 games in 1993-94. He was twice called up for NHL action with the Ducks, finishing at 3-4-1. He would spend the bulk of his career working for Disney, over five seasons finishing with a career 34-53-11 record, three shutouts, a .897 save percentage and a 3.14 GAA.
Shtalenkov was left unprotected in the 1998 expansion draft, where he was picked up by the Nashville Predators. Nashville promptly traded him to the Edmonton Oilers with Jim Dowd for Eric Fichaud, Drake Berehowsky and Greg de Vries. He went 12-17-3 for the Oilers in 1998-99 before getting traded again on March 11th to the Phoenix Coyotes for a fifth round pick.
Shtalenkov spent parts of two seasons with the Coyotes, going 8-8-3 in 19 games. Phoenix traded him to the Panthers on November 18th with a fourth round pick for Sean Burke and a fifth round pick.
With Florida, Shtalenkov went 8-4-2 with a .908 save percentage and a 2.31 GAA. He would go 4-0-1 through his last five games with the team, allowing eight goals on 128 shots faced (.938). He returned to play with Dynamo Moscow in 2000-01 for two seasons, retiring after the 2001-02 season.
All-Time Statline: One season, 15 games, 882 minutes, 8-4-2 record, 369 shots faced, 335 saves, 34 goals allowed, .908 save percentage, 2.31 GAA, 1.6 APS.
139. Dallas Eakins
Eakins was a 6’2″ defenseman from Dade City, Florida. The Washington Capitals picked him in the 10th round of the 1985 NHL Entry Draft, 208th overall. He played four OHL seasons with the Peterborough Petes, ending in 1987-88, scoring 20 goals and 54 assists in 226 games.
After playing 1988-89 with the Baltimore Skipjacks (62 games, 10 assists), he spent four seasons with the AHL Moncton Hawks (272 games, 10 goals, 42 assists).
1992-93 would see Eakins finally make an NHL appearance, nearly eight years after getting drafted. He played in 14 games with the Winnepeg Jets, earning two assists and 38 penalty minutes. He signed a free agent contract with the Panthers before their inaugural 1993-94 season.
In 1993-94, Eakins spent most of the year with the AHL Cincinnati Cyclones (80 games, one goal, 18 assists). He made one appearance for the Panthers, in a loss to the Hartford Whalers in November.
1994-95 would see Eakins again spend a large portion of the season in Cincinnati (59 games, six goals, 12 assists). He would also play in 17 games with the Panthers, spending 35 minutes in the box with one assist.
Over the next two seasons, Eakins made NHL appearances with the St. Louis Blues (16 games, one assist, 34 PIM), the Jets (two games), the Phoenix Coyotes (four games, 10 PIM), and the New York Rangers, (three games, six PIM).
In 1997-98, Eakins again signed a free agent contract to play with the Kitties. He logged career highs with 23 games and 44 penalty minutes, finishing with just one assist. He later played with the Toronto Maple Leafs (18 games, two assists, 24 PIM), the New York Islanders (two games, one assist), and the Calgary Flames (20 games, one assist, 15 PIM). In his 120 career NHL games over 10 seasons he never scored a goal.
Gratton vs Dallas Eakins & Luke Richardson vs Peter Worrell (via pjstock20)
All-Time Statline: Three seasons, 41 games, zero goals, two assists, two points, plus-3 rating, 79 PIM, 1.6 APS.
138. Alexei Semenov
Semenov was a 6’6″ defenseman from Murmansk, Russia. The Edmonton Oilers gained his rights by choosing him in the second round of the 1999 NHL Entry Draft, 36th overall. In three OHL seasons with the Sudbury Wolves, he finished with 30 goals and 80 assists in 158 games.
In 2001-02, Semenov made his professional debut, playing the entire season with the AHL Hamilton Bulldogs. He put up five goals and 11 assists in 78 contests. The Oilers gave him a shot the next season, and he spent parts of three seasons with the club. He scored four goals and 10 assists in 103 games. The Oilers traded him to Florida for a fifth round pick on November 19th, 2005.
Semenov finished up the season with the Panthers, scoring his only Florida goal (on 13 shots over the season) in a 5-4 victory over the Ottawa Senators on April 13th. He also made an assist and finished with 21 PIM with an ATOI of 12:33 through 16 games.
Semenov played in 23 NHL games with the Panthers in 2006-07, collecting five assists and no goals on 23 shots. He averaged 12:22 of ice time per game, and ended the season with 28 PIM and a plus-9. He made two assists in a 6-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning on March 3rd.
During the 2007 offseason, Semenov signed a free agent contract with the San Jose Sharks. Over the next two seasons he played in 69 San Jose games, scoring two goal and 10 assists with a plus-5 and 93 PIM. He joined the KHL Moscow Dynamo in 2009-10 (34 games, one goal, three assists), later playing two seasons with St. Petersburg SKA (58 games, seven assists).
All-Time Statline: Two seasons, 39 games, one goal, six assists, seven points, plus-8 rating, 49 PIM, 1.7 APS.
137. Gregory Campbell
Campbell was a 6′ center from London, Ontario. He was picked up in the third round of the 2002 NHL Entry Draft with the 67th overall pick. In three OHL seasons (two with the Plymouth Whalers, one with the Kitchener Rangers), he totalled 42 goals with 81 assists in 185 games.
Campbell made his pro debut in 2003-04 with the San Antonio Rampage (76 games, 13 goals, 16 assists). He also made his first NHL appearance with the Panthers in October, earning a minus-1 rating in 23 shifts over two games.
When the 2004-05 season was cancelled, Campbell stayed with the Rampage through the season. He finished with 12 goals and 16 assists in 70 games with 113 PIM and a minus-17 rating.
In 2005-06 Campbell scored three goals and three assists through 11 games with the Panthers new AHL affiliate, the Rochester Americans. He also saw his first substantial time in the NHL, spending 64 games with the Panthers. He scored his first career goal in a 4-3 overtime win against the Montreal Canadiens on November 15th. He ended up averaging around eight and a half minutes per game for the Cats, lighting the lamp three times on 59 shots, and dishing out six assists with a minus-11 rating and 40 minutes in the box.
2006-07 would see Campbell stay with the Panthers NHL club through 79 games. On March 17th he earned two points for the first time in his career, with a goal and an assist in an 8-5 win over the New York Islanders. He finished the season at minus-10 with six goals on 103 shots, three assists, and 66 PIM. He was also playing progressively more in each game, averaging 10:34 TOI.
In 2007-08, Campbell played in a career high 81 games with the Panthers. He enjoyed the first two goal game of his career on October 24th, scoring the third and fourth goals in a 4-3 win over the Philadelphia Flyers. He averaged 12:27 per night, scoring five goals on 113 shots with 13 assists, 72 PIM and a minus-12 rating.
Campbell continuted to improve in 2008-09. He had the first three point game of his career in a 4-0 win over the Lightning on November 12th with two goals and an assist. Later in the month, he scored six points in four games (three goals and three assists). In 77 Florida games he scored a career high 13 goals on 135 shots, also earning a career high 19 assists in 16:37 ATOI. He finished the season with an even rating for the first time, also spending 76 minutes in the box.
In 2009-10, Campbell played in 60 Panthers contests, scoring two goals on 84 shots, earning 15 assists and posting a minus-5 rating with 53 PIM. He was traded to the Boston Bruins (per request) along with Nathan Horton for Dennis Wideman, a first round pick (traded to the LA Kings, resulting in the acquisition of Nick Bjugstad), and a third round pick (Kyle Rau).
Soup Is On (01/13/10) (via theultimategoalcom)
Campbell has spent the last two seasons with the Bruins, scoring 21 goals and 24 assists in 158 regular season games, adding a goal and five assists in 32 Stanley Cup Playoff matches. He helped the Bruins win the 2011 Stanley Cup.
Campbell currently ranks 13th on Florida’s all-time list in games played with 363.
All-Time Statline: Six seasons, 363 games, 29 goals, 56 assists, 85 points, minus-39 rating, 312 PIM, 1.7 APS.
136. Kevyn Adams
Adams was a 6’1″ center from Washington D.C. He was initially chosen by the Boston Bruins in the first round of the 1993 NHL Entry Draft, 25th overall after his freshman season with the Miami (Ohio) Redskins. He would continue to play with Miami for four seasons graduating with the Class of 1996. He totalled 69 goals and 103 assists in 151 games.
Adams spent the 1996-97 season with the IHL Grand Rapids Griffins, playing in all 82 games and scoring 22 goals with 25 assists. He signed a free agent contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs after the season, and with the trade he also earned a promotion to the AHL St. John’s Maple Leafs in 1997-98, scoring 17 goals with 21 assists in 58 contests. He also made his NHL debut with Toronto, playing in five games in October and January.
In 1998-99, Adams played 80 games with St. John’s, scoring 15 goals and 35 assists. He appeared in one game with Toronto. The following season he spent most of the season with Toronto, scoring five goals and eight assists in 52 games.
Adams was left unprotected in the 2000 Expansion Draft on June 23. The Columbus Blue Jackets picked him up, and he played in 66 games through 2000-01, scoring eight goals with 12 assists. The Jackets traded him to the Panthers on March 13th with a fourth round pick for Ray Whitney and “future considerations.” He finished out the season with the Panthers. On three occasions he collected two points through Florida’s final 12 games, including a two goal performance in a 3-1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs on March 21st. He ended with three goals on 21 shots, along with six assists in 17:25 per game and a plus-7 rating.
In 2001-02, Adams played 44 games with the Panthers, scoring four goals on 71 shots and eight assists. He averaged 13:21 on ice per game, finishing with a minus-3 rating and 28 penalty minutes. The Panthers sent him to the Carolina Hurricanes on January 16th with Bret Hedican and Tomas Malec for Sandis Ozolinsh and Byron Ritchie.
Adams played in parts of five seasons with the Canes, totalling 38 goals and 34 assists in 300 games. He later played with the Phoenix Coyotes (33 games, one goal, seven assists), and the Chicago Blackhawks (27 games, zero goals, two assists).
All-Time Statline: Two seasons, 56 games, seven goals, 14 assists, 21 points, plus-4 rating, 30 PIM, 1.8 APS.
135. Evgeni Dadonov
Dadonov was a 5’10” right winger from Chelyabinsk, Russia. He was the Panthers third round pick in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, 71st overall. He played for three seasons with the KHL Chelyabinsk Traktor, scoring 19 goals and 18 assists in 107 games.
He made his stateside debut in 2009-10 with the Rochester Americans, playing in 76 games and scoring 17 goals and 23 assists. He also made his first NHL appearance with the Panthers, appearing in four games in April. In 76 shifts he took four shots on goal, ending the season with a minus-1 rating.
In 2010-11, Dadonov played in 24 games for Rochester, scoring eight goals and eight assists. He joined the Panthers in December, ultimately playing in 35 games with the NHL club. He scored his first career goal on December 15th in a 4-3 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes. He scored a goal and three assists over the next two games. He totalled eight goals on 60 shots, along with nine assists through the season. He averaged 14:15 TOI and finishing with an even rating and 14 PIM.
Evgeny Dadonov wraparound goal 3/29/11 (via NHLVideo)
2011-12 would see Dadonov split the first half of the season between the San Antonio Rampage (20 games, five goals four assists) and the Panthers (15 games, two goals, one assist). He was sent to the Hurricanes on January 18th, playing the remainder of the season with the AHL Charlotte Checkers (35 games, three goals, 16 assists).
All-Time Statline: Three seasons, 55 games, 10 goals, 10 assists, 20 points, minus-4 rating, 16 PIM, 1.8 APS.
134. Darren Van Impe
Van Impe was a 6’1″ defenseman from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. He was picked by the New York Islanders in the seventh round of the 1993 NHL Entry Draft with the 170th overall pick. In five WHL seasons (three with the Prince Albert Raiders and two with the Red Deer Rebels), he totalled 67 goals and 194 assists in 252 games.
Just before the 1994-95 season, Van Impe was traded to the Anaheim Mighty Ducks for an eighth round pick. He played in 76 IHL games with the San Diego Gulls (six goals, 17 assists). He also played in one game with the Ducks, tallying one assist. In parts of four Anaheim seasons he collected six goals and 25 assists in 110 games. The Boston Bruins picked him up when the Ducks waived him on November 26, 1997.
Van Impe spent parts of four seasons with the Bruins, finishing with 15 goals and 56 assists in 220 games. He was placed on waivers on August 7, 2001, where the New York Rangers picked him up. He played 17 games with the club, scoring one goal on 19 shots and finishing with a plus-3 rating. He was placed on waivers on December 18, 2001, when the Panthers signed him.
Van Impe played 36 games for the Panthers. He scored his only Florida goal in a 4-3 victory over the Atlanta Thrashers on December 31, 2001. After scoring the one goal along with six assists while averaging 19:17 TOI, he was traded to the New York Islanders on March 19th for a fifth round draft pick.
Van Impe played 14 games with the Isles (one goal, two assists), appearing in 14 games for the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2002-03 (one goal, one assist). He made his debut in the German Elite League in 2003-04 with the Hamburg Freezers, spending three years with the club (139 games, 23 goals, 73 assists) before joining the DEG Metro Stars for two (87 games, 13 goals, 34 assists). He retired following the 2007-08 season.
All-Time Statline: One season, 36 games, one goal, six assists, seven points, plus-3 rating, 31 PIM, 1.8 APS.
133. Jon Sim
Sim was a 5’10” left winger from New Glasgow, Nova Scotia. He was chosen originally by the Dallas Stars in the third round of the 1996 NHL Entry Draft with the 70th overall pick. In four seasons with the OHL Sarnia Sting he played 211 games, scoring 165 goals and 146 assists.
Sim made his pro debut with the IHL Michigan K-Wings (68 games, 24 goals, 27 assists), also scoring one goal in seven NHL games with Dallas. Over parts of four seasons with the Stars he ended up with nine goals and six assists in 67 games. He would make appearances with the Nashville Predators (four games, one goal), the Los Angeles Kings (62 games, six goals, nine assists), the Pittsburgh Penguins (15 games, two goals, three assists), and the Philadelphia Flyers (39 games, seven goals, seven assists). The Flyers traded him to the Panthers on January 23, 2006 for a sixth round draft pick.
With the Panthers, Sim played in the final 33 games of the 2005-06 season. He scored his first career hat trick on February 7th in a 5-0 shutout of the Washington Capitals, also collecting an assist. He finished the season with 10 goals on 92 shots, makin eight assists. He had an ATOI of 12:28, finishing the season with a minus-1 rating and 26 PIM. Florida did not qualify an offer to Sim after the season, so he signed on with the Atlanta Thrashers.
Sim played 77 games in 2006-07 for Atlanta (17 goals, 12 assists), later joining the New York Islanders for four seasons (162 games, 23 goals, 19 assists). He has spent the last two seasons split between the NHL, the AHL, and the Swiss, Czech, and German Elite Leagues.
All-Time Statline: One season, 33 games, 10 goals, eight assists, 18 points, minus-1 rating, 26 PIM, 1.8 APS.
132. Greg Adams
Adams was an undrafted 6’2″ left winger from Nelson, BC. He played collegiate hockey with Northern Arizona University, turning professional in 1984-85 with the AHL Maine Mariners (41 games, 15 goals, 20 assists). In two college seasons he totalled 58 goals and 50 assists in only 55 games.
Adams joined the New Jersey Devils midway through the 1984-85 season, ultimately playing 186 games over three seasons with the club. He finished with 67 goals and 78 assists. He later played with the Vancouver Canucks (eight seasons, 489 games, 179 goals, 190 assists, one All-Star game), the Dallas Stars (four seasons, 177 games, 60 goals, 57 assists), and the Phoenix Coyotes (two seasons, 144 games, 38 goals, 51 assists). He also scored 20 goals and 22 assists in 81 playoff matches. He joined the Panthers as a free agent on November 6th, 2000.
Adams scored in three of his first four Panthers games, collecting his first goal in a 4-1 win over the Carolina Hurricanes on November 15th. He scored two goals twice over the course of the season, finishing with 11 goals on 66 shots and 12 assists. He posted an ATOI of 14:23 at the age of 37, earned 10 PIM and a minus-3 rating.
After being away from the game for a year, Adams played one season with the Frankfurt Lions in 2002-03 before permanently retiring following the season.
All-Time Statline: One season, 60 games, 11 goals, 12 assists, 23 points, minus-3 rating, 10 PIM, 1.8 APS.
131. Alexander Godynyuk
Godynyuk was a 6′ defenseman from Kiev, Ukraine. He was picked up in the sixth round of the 1990 NHL Entry Draft by the Toronto Maple Leafs, 115th overall. In five seasons with Kiev Sokol he played in 98 games, scoring nine goals and seven assists.
In 1990-91, Godynyuk made his NHL debut with the Leafs, scoring three assists through 18 games. He had made three goals and six assists through 31 games of the 1991-92 season when Toronto sent him to the Calgary Flames with Craig Berube, Gary Leeman, Michel Petit and Jeff Reese for Doug Gilmour, Jamie Macoun, Ric Nattress, Rick Wamsley and Kent Manderville on January 2.
In parts of two seasons with the Flames, he played 33 games and scored three goals with five assists. Calgary left him unprotected in the 1993 expansion draft, where the Panthers picked him up.
Godynyuk was one of 19 Panthers to take the ice against the Chicago Blackhawks in their first ever game on October 6, 1993, a 4-4 tie. After making zero goals on 43 shots, along with 10 assists in 26 games, a plus-5 rating and 35 PIM, the Panthers sent him to the Hartford Whalers for Jim McKenzie, on December 16th.
Godynyuk finished out his NHL career as a Whaler, over four seasons playing in 115 games and scoring four goals and 15 assists. He joined Bern in the Swiss League for one season in 1998-99 (43 games, nine goals, 16 assists) and two for the Berlin Polar Bears (84 games, 11 goals, 25 assists).
All-Time Statline: One season, 26 games, zero goals, 10 assists, 10 points, plus-5 rating, 35 PIM, 2.0 APS.
130. Denis Shvidki
Shvidki was a 6’2″ right winger from Kharkov, Ukraine. Florida picked him 12th overall in the first round of the 1999 NHL Entry Draft. In two seasons with the OHL Barrie Colts, he scored 76 goals and 124 assists in 122 games.
In 2000-01, Shvidki opened the season on Florida’s NHL roster. He made his first career goal on November 15th in a 4-1 win over Carolina. After three goals and one assist through 20 games, Florida sent him down to play with the AHL Louisville Panthers (34 games, 15 goals, 11 assists). He was recalled to Florida in February, and played the final 23 games of the season with Florida. He ended up with six goals on 28 shots with 10 assists, a plus-6 rating and 16 PIM through 43 games.
2001-02 would see Shvidki take a step back, missing most of the season with a concussion suffered vs the Philadelphia Flyers on October 4. He played in eight games each with the AHL Utah Grizzlies (two goals, four assists) and Florida (one goal, two assists).
In 2002-03, Shvidki appeared in 23 NHL games with Florida, making four goals and two assists. He played in 54 games with the San Antonio Rampage, scoring eight times with 18 helpers.
Shvikdi made even less of an impact in 2003-04, his last NHL season. He played in two Florida games, totalling four shots on goal. Through his Panthers career, he averaged 11:47 of TOI, and made 11 goals on 72 shots through 76 games. He is widely considered as the biggest draft bust in Panthers history.
He joined Lokomotiv Yaroslavl in the Russian League in 2004-05, playing with a different Russian team in each of the next four seasons, totalling 21 goals and 30 assists in 144 games.
All-Time-Statline: Four seasons, 76 games, 11 goals, 14 assists, 25 points, minus-5 rating, 30 PIM, 2.1 APS.
129. Alex Auld
Auld was Florida’s second round selection in the 1999 NHL Entry Draft, 40th overall. He is a 6’5″ goaltender from Cold Lake, Alberta. In four OHL seasons with the North Bay Centennials, he finished with a 52-61-12 record and a GAA that improved every season, culminating with a 2.54 in 2000-01. Florida traded him to the Vancouver Canucks after the season for a second and a third round pick just after the season ended.
Auld made his pro debut in 2001-02, splitting his season between the AHL Manitoba Moose (11-9-0, 3.53 GAA), the ECHL Columbia Inferno (3-1-2, 1.92 GAA) and the Canucks (1-0-0, 2.00 GAA). With Vancouver, Auld posted a 39-31-8 record over four seasons with a .907 save percentage and a 2.75 GAA. He was their primary netminder in 2005-06, and currently sits in seventh on the Canucks all-time win list. Vancouver traded him back to the Panthers during the 2006 offseason with Todd Bertuzzi and Bryan Allen for Roberto Luongo, Lukas Krajicek and a sixth round pick.
In 2006-07, Auld served as Florida’s number two option in net, backing up future Hall-of-Famer Ed Belfour. He struggled through the season, at one time losing 11 of 12 decisions, including his only Florida shutout, a 1-0 shootout loss to the Montreal Canadiens on November 28. He finished the year with seven wins against 13 losses and five overtime losses.
Auld later played with the Phoenix Coyotes (3-6-0, .880, 3.54), the Boston Bruins (9-7-5, .919, 2.32), the Ottawa Senators (16-18-7, .911, 2.47), the Dallas Stars (9-6-3, .894, 3.00), the New York Rangers (0-1-0, .904, 2.52), the Montreal Canadiens (6-2-2, .914, 2.64), and again with the Senators last season (2-4-2, .884, 3.35).
All-Time Statline: One season, 27 games, 1,471 minutes, 7-13-5 record, one shutout, 729 shots faced, 647 saves, 82 goals allowed, .888 save percentage, 3.35 GAA.
128. Steve Washburn
Washburn was a 6’2″ center from Ottawa. Florida picked him up in the third round of the 1993 NHL Entry Draft with the 78th overall pick. In four OHL seasons with the Ottawa 67’s, he picked up 98 goals and 168 assists in 253 games, culminating in a 106 point season in 1994-95. He made his pro debut after the OHL season concluded, scoring three goals and an assist in six IHL games with the Cincinnati Cyclones.
In 1995-96, Washburn spent 78 AHL games with the Carolina Monarchs, scoring 29 goals and 54 assists. He also made his first NHL appearance in Florida’s last game of the season, earning an assist. He stayed with the club as they entered the playoffs, making another assist in his first (and would prove to be the last) playoff game.
1996-97 would see Washburn score 23 goals and 40 assists in 60 AHL games with the Monarchs. He appeared in 18 Panthers games, scoring three goals on 21 shots with six assists, finishing the year with a plus-2 rating and four penalty minutes. He had his first career two point NHL game on March 13, earning two assists in a 5-4 win over the Vancouver Canucks.
Washburn would enjoy his most extensive NHL action in 1997-98, appearing in 58 games with the Cats. He had his only two goal performance in a 5-4 win over the Washington Capitals on December 7th. In total, he made 11 goals on 61 shots with a minus-6 rating and 32 PIM.
In 1998-99, Washburn appeared in four games with the Panthers before they waived him in February. He later appeared with the Vancouver Canucks (eight games), and the Philadelphia Flyers (four games). He later played three seasons in the German Elite League, spending two seasons with the Iserlohn Roosters (89 games, 19 goals, 32 assists) and one with Klagenfurt AC (48 games, 12 goals, 27 assists). In 2005-06, he joined Graz EC in the Austrian League for three seasons (117 games, 26 goals, 59 assists).
All-Time Statline: Four seasons, 81 games, 14 goals, 15 assists, 29 points, minus-4, 40 PIM, APS: 2.3
127. Jason Wiemer
Wiemer was a 6’1″ center from Kimberley, British Columbia. He was picked up by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round of the 1994 NHL Entry Draft with the eighth overall pick. In parts of four OHL seasons with the Portland Winter Hawks, he finished with 73 goals and 100 assists in 158 games.
1995-96 would see Wiemer spend 66 games with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Over four seasons, he scored 27 goals and 27 assists in 232 contests. The Bolts traded him to the Calgary Flames on March 24, 1998 for Sandy McCarthy, and a third and fifth round pick.
With the Flames, Wiemer played 219 games, scoring 33 goals and 30 assists. The Flames traded him with Valeri Bure to the Panthers for Rob Neidermayer and a second round pick in June of 2001.
As a Panther, Wiemer scored 11 goals on 115 shots, making 20 assists. He earned 178 PIM, which was only good enough for third on the team (behind Peter Worrell and Brad Ference). He averaged 17:09 TOI per game through the season. The Panthers traded him to the New York Islanders for Branislav Mezei on July 3, 2002.
Taylor Pyatt gets POUNDED by Wiemer (via Humpzilla21)
After one season with the Isles (81 games, nine goals, 19 assists), Wiemer would see time with the Minnesota Wild (62 games, seven goals, 11 assists), the Calgary Flames (33 games, one goal, two assists), and the New Jersey Devils (16 games, one goal). He missed the 2006-07 season after reconstructive knee surgery, and has not appeared on the ice since.
All-Time Statline: One season, 70 games, 11 goals, 20 assists, 31 points, minus-4 rating, 178 PIM.
126. Dino Ciccarelli
Ciccarelli was a 5’10” right winger from Sarnia, Ontario. He started his NHL career in 1980-81 with the Minnesota North Stars after four seasons with the OMJHL London Knights. With London, Ciccarelli scored 169 goals and 177 assists in 226 games, including 72 goals in 1977-78 at the age of 17. The Knights retired his jersey, number eight. He appeared in six games with the CHL Oklahoma City Stars in 1979-80, spending 48 games with the team the following season. He totalled 35 goals and 27 assists in the minors.
1980-81 would also see Ciccarelli make his NHL debut with the North Stars. He played with the club for nine seasons, ranking third on the North Stars/Dallas Stars career leaderboard with 332 goals, ranking fourth with 651 points in only 602 games. He appeared in three All-Star games during his tenure in Minnesota. The North Stars traded him to the Washington Capitals with Bob Rouse for Mike Gartner and Larry Murphy.
After four seasons with the Capitals (223 games, 112 goals, 97 assists), Ciccarelli later played for the Detroit Red Wings (254 games, 107 goals, 133 assists), and the Tampa Bay Lightning (111 games, 46 goals, 31 assists, one All-Star game). The Bolts traded him to the Panthers with Jeff Norton for Mark Fitzpatrick and Jody Hull on January 15th, 1998.
Ciccarelli finished out the 1997-98 season with Florida, scoring five goals on 57 shots and 11 assists in 28 games, earning 28 PIM, and a minus-2 rating. He scored two points on three occasions.
In 1998-99, Ciccarelli missed most of the season with a back injury, managing to appear in only 14 Panthers games. He scored five goals in his first four games of the season, ending with six goals on 23 shots, with an assist and 27 PIM. The Panthers placed him on waivers following the season, and he subsequently retired from the game.
Ciccarelli also totalled 73 goals and 45 assists in 141 playoff matches. His 609 career NHL goals place him ninth on the all-time list, and he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame with the Class of 2010.
All-Time Statline: Two seasons, 42 games, 11 goals, 12 assists, 23 points, minus-3 rating, 10 PIM, 2.4 APS.
125. Chris Higgins
Higgins was a 6′ left winger from Smithtown, New York. He was originally picked by the Montreal Canadiens in the first round of the 2002 NHL Entry Draft, with the 14th overall pick. He played collegiate hockey for the Yale University Bulldogs, scoring 34 goals and 38 assists in 55 games.
In 2003-04, Higgins made his professional debut with the AHL Hamilton Bulldogs, scoring 21 goals with 27 assists in 67 games. He also made his first NHL appearance, playing in two games with the Habs in October. He remained with the Bulldogs in 2004-05, through 76 games scoring 28 goals with 23 assists. This would represent his last minor league appearance to date.
In 2005-06, Higgins spent the whole season with Montreal, appearing in 80 games. Through five seasons, he finished with 84 goals and 67 assists in 282 games. The Habs traded him to the New York Rangers on June 30, 2009 with Ryan McDonagh and Pavel Valentenko for Scott Gomez, Tom Pyatt and Michael Busto.
Higgins split the 2009-10 season between the Rangers (55 games, six goals, eight assists) and the Calgary Flames (12 games, two goals, one assist). He would sign on with the Panthers as a free agent during the 2010 offseason. He had one two goal game, in a 4-3 win over the Buffalo Sabres on December 23. After scoring 11 goals (see video for the perfect toe drag) on 126 shots with 12 assists while averaging 16:39 TOI per game. He finished with a plus-5 rating and 10 minutes in the sin-bin before the Panthers sent him to the Canucks on February 28 for Evan Oberg and a third round pick in the 2013 Entry Draft.
Chris Higgins toe drags and beats Marty Biron 1/2/11 (via NHLVideo)
Higgins has scored 20 goals and 28 assists in 85 Canucks games. He is signed with Vancouver through the end of the 2012-13 season.
All-Time Statline: One season, 48 games, 11 goals, 12 assists, 23 points, plus-5 rating, 10 PIM, 2.5 APS.
124. Mathieu Biron
Biron was a 6’6″ defenseman from Lac-St. Charles, Quebec. He was picked in the first round of the 1998 NHL Entry Draft by the Los Angeles Kings. As a member of the QMJHL Shawinigan Cataractes, Biron totalled 21 goals and 60 assists in 128 games. He was traded with Olli Jokinen, Josh Green and a first round pick to the New York Islanders for Ziggy Palffy, Brian Smolinski, Marcel Cousineau and a fourth round pick.
In 1999-00, Biron made his professional and NHL debut with the Islanders. He scored four goals and four assists through 60 games. 2000-01 would see him split the season between the AHL Lowell Lock Monsters (22 games, one goal, three assists), the AHL Springfield Falcons (34 games, zero goals, six assists), and the Islanders (14 games, zero goals, one assist). The Islanders traded him to the Tampa Bay Lightning with a second round pick for Adrian Aucoin and Alexander Kharitonov during the 2001 offseason.
As a member of the Bolts, Biron appeared in 36 games, failing to score any points and finishing with a minus-16 rating. He also played 35 games with Springfield, scoring four goals and nine assists. He was claimed in the waiver draft just before the 2002-03 season by the Columbus Blue Jackets, and was promptly traded to the Panthers for Petr Tenkrat.
Biron scored three goals and eight assists in 43 games with the AHL San Antonio Rampage in 2002-03. He was twice called up to join the Panthers. He collected two assists in a 4-4 tie with the Lightning on February 8, ultimately finishing the season with one goal on 52 shots, along with eight assists in 34 NHL games. He posted a minus-18 rating along with an ATOI of 21:08, ranking third amongst Panthers defensemen.
2003-04 would see Biron play 57 games with Florida. He scored three goals on 75 shots with 10 assists. He also had 51 PIM and a minus-13 rating, averaging 18:13 TOI. After spending the cancelled 2004-05 season with the Thetford Mines of the Ligue Nord-Americaine de Hockey, he signed a free agent contract to play with the Washington Capitals.
Biron scored four goals and nine assists with the Caps through 52 games in 2005-06. He later played with the AHL Worchester Sharks (24 games, three goals, 15 assists), the AHL Hamilton Bulldogs (88 games, 13 goals, 20 assists), the German Elite League Frankfurt Lions (49 games, five goals, 16 assists), the German Hamburg Freezers (56 games, five goals, 19 assists), and the Ligue Nord-Americaine de Hockey Thetford Mines Isothermics (13 games, one goal, four assists).
All-Time Statline: Two seasons, 91 games, four goals, 18 assists, 22 points, minus-31 rating, 65 PIM, 2.5 APS.
123. Keaton Ellerby
Ellerby was a 6’4″ defenseman from Strathmore, Alberta. He was Florida’s first round selection of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, 10th overall. A graduate of the WHL Kamloops Blazers (and 53 games with the Moose Jaw Warriors), Ellerby honed his craft for four seasons, finishing with six goals and 54 assists in 266 games.
Ellerby embarked on his pro career in 2008-09 with the AHL Rochester Americans, appearing in 75 games and scoring three goals and 20 assists. In 2009-10 he split the season between the Americans (58 games, six goals, 13 assists) and the Panthers. With Florida, Ellerby played in 22 games, playing in each of the last 20 of the season. He only averaged 5:26 TOI, took five shots on goal (total), and finished with a minus-1 rating and two PIM.
In 2010-11, Ellerby scored two goals and three assists in 17 games with Rochester. He also appeared in 54 Panthers games. On October 23rd he posted his first two point game, with two assists in a 4-3 win over the New York Islanders. He ended up with two goals on 56 shots with 10 assists, averaging 16:06 on ice with a minus-15 overall rating.
Ellerby stayed with the NHL Panthers all season in 2011-12. As Florida’s de facto seventh defenseman, Ellerby often found himself the odd man out, spending much of the season watching from the press box. He played in 40 games, averaging 15:23 TOI per game and finishing the season at minus-3. He earned five assists and failed to score a goal, even though he took 45 shots. He played in his first ever playoff game in the fourth game against the New Jersey Devils on April 19th, appearing on the ice for 8:42.
Keaton Ellerby decks Matin St. Louis (via NHLArchive)
Ellerby’s future with the team is unclear, but he is often brought up in conversations as “trade bait.” He is the cousin of Phoenix Coyotes captain Shane Doan, and the second cousin of Montreal Canadien goaltender Carey Price.
All-Time Statline: Three seasons, 116 games, two goals, 15 assists, 17 points, minus-20 rating, 34 PIM, 2.6 APS.
122. Matt Cullen
Cullen was a 6’1″ center from Virginia, Minnesota. He was picked 35th overall by the Anaheim Mighty Ducks in the second round of the 1996 NHL Entry Draft. In 75 games over two collegiate seasons with St. Cloud State, he totalled 27 goals and 59 assists.
In 1997-98, Cullen made his NHL debut with Anaheim. Ultimately, he spent six seasons with the Ducks, and is ranked eighth on the teams all-time list with 427 games played. He scored 65 goals with 135 assists, a minus-39 rating and 168 PIM. Midway through the 2002-03 season, the Ducks sent him to the Panthers with Pavel Trnka and a fourth round pick for Sandis Ozolinsh and Lance Ward.
On February 6, Cullen’s second game with the Cats, he scored a goal with two assists in a 6-0 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins. He played in the last 30 games of the seasons for Florida, ending the year with six goal on 54 shots averaging 14:43 TOI per game. He posted a minus-4 rating with 22 PIM.
Cullen played in 56 games for the Panthers in 2003-04, missing two months with a groin muscle injury. He scored six goals on 75 shots with 13 assists while averaging 14:12 TOI. He collected 24 PIM with a cumulative minus-2 rating.
Cullen joined the Carolina Hurricanes in 2005-06, scoring a career high 25 goals and 24 assists in 78 games. He later played for the New York Rangers (80 games, 16 goals, 25 assists), again with the Hurricanes (188 games, 47 goals, 85 assists, the Ottawa Senators (21 games, four goals, four assists), and the Minnesota Wild (151 games, 26 goals, 48 assists). He is currently entering the third year of a three season contract with the Wild, and serves as their alternate captain. His brother Mark played six games with the Panthers in the 2011-12 season.
All-Time Statline: Two seasons, 86 games, 12 goals, 19 assists, 31 points, minus-6 rating, 46 PIM, 2.7 APS.
121. Marty Reasoner
Reasoner was a 6’1″ center from Honeoye Falls, New York. He was picked in the first round of the 1996 NHL Entry Draft by the St. Louis Blues with the 14th overall pick. In three collegiate seasons with the Boston College Eagles, he totalled 69 goals with 93 assists in 111 contests.
Reasoner made his pro debut in 1998-99, and over the next three seasons split the season between the Blues (95 games, 18 goals, 30 assists) and their AHL affiliate, the Worchester IceCats (122 games, 57 goals, 68 assists).
Reasoner joined the Edmonton Oilers in 2001-02, (197 games, 28 goals, 48 assists), later making appearances with the Boston Bruins (19 games, two goals, six assists), again with the Oilers (154 games, 17 goals, 28 assists), and the Atlanta Thrashers (159 games, 18 goals, 29 assists). He was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks during the 2010 offseason, soon thereafter getting traded again, this time to the Panthers for Jeff Taffe.
Reasoner started out with a bang, scoring both Panthers goals in a season opening 3-2 loss to the Edmonton Oilers. Along with Mike Weaver, David Booth, and Mike Santorelli, he appeared in every game for Florida in 2010-11. He ranked fourth on the team with 14 goals on 124 shots, and fifth with 32 points. His 17:10 ATOI was second amongst Panther centers (behind Stephen Weiss). He was also one of few Panthers to post a positive rating, finishing at plus-3 with 22 PIM.
Panthers @ Oilers 10/10/10 (via NHLVideo)
After the Panthers did not tender him a deal, he signed on to play with the New York Islanders during the 2011 offseason, scoring one goal and five assists in 61 games with a minus-25 rating.
All-Time Statline: One season, 82 games, 14 goals, 18 assists, 32 points, plus-2 rating, 22 PIM, 2.7 APS.
120. Ivan Majesky
Majesky was a 6’5″ defenseman from Bystrica, Czech Republic. He was chosen with the 267th overall pick, in the ninth round of the 2001 NHL Entry Draft, by Florida. In two pre-North American seasons with the Finnish team Ilves Tampere, he scored eight goals with 20 assists in 98 games.
In 2002-03, Majesky made his first NHL appearance with Florida. Along with Marcus Nilsson and Jay Bouwmeester, he saw action in each of the Panthers 82 games. He totalled four goals (two of them game winners) on 52 shots through the season, adding eight assists and finishing with a minus-18 rating and 92 PIM. The Cats traded him to the Atlanta Thrashers after the season for a second round draft pick (Kamil Kreps).
After spending 2003-04 with Atlanta (63 games, three goals, seven assists), he would join the Czech Sparta Praha in 2004-05, rejoining the NHL in 2005-06 with the Washington Capitals (57 games, one goal, eight assists).
Majesky has spent the last six seasons between Swedish, Finnish, and Czech professional leagues.
All-Time Statline: One season, 82 games, four goals, eight assists, 12 points, minus-18 rating, 92 PIM, 2.7 APS.
119. Igor Ulanov
Ulanov was a 6’2″ defenseman from Krasnokamsk, Russia. He was picked in the 10th round of the 1991 NHL Entry Draft by the Winnipeg Jets, 203rd overall. He spent 1990-91 and part of 1991-92 with Voskresensk Khimik in Russia before splitting the rest of the season between the AHL Moncton Hawks (three games, one assist) and the Jets (27 games, two goals, nine assists).
After parts of four seasons with the Jets, (176 games, five goals, 43 assists), Ulanov made NHL appearances with the Washington Capitals (three games, one assist), the Chicago Blackhawks (53 games, one goal, eight assists), the Tampa Bay Lightning (115 games, five goals, 15 assists), the Montreal Canadiens (80 games, three goals, 10 assists), the Edmonton Oilers (81 games, three goals, 21 assists), and the New York Rangers (39 games, six assists). The Rangers traded him to the Panthers along with Flip Novak and a first, second, and fourth round draft picks for Pavel Bure and a second round draft pick on March 18, 2002.
Ulanov finished out the 2001-02 season with the Panthers, playing in Florida’s last 14 games (3-8-3). He managed four assists, not scoring in his nine shots on goal, along with a minus-3 rating and 11 PIM. He averaged a robust 20:50 TOI.
In 2002-03, Ulanov missed several games to injury in November and February. He did manage to play in 56, totalling one goal on only 20 shots with one assist. His productivity couldn’t be measured in simple points accumulated, as his real value became apparent on the defensive side of the ice. He finished the season with a team second best plus-7 rating (on a Panther’s squad that finished 21 games below .500) while averaging 16:42 TOI and 39 PIM. The Panthers parted ways with him after the season, and he elected to sign on with the Oilers for a second tour with Edmonton.
Ulanov closed out his NHL career in Edmonton, appearing in 79 games over the next two seasons, scoring eight goals and 19 assists. He would sign on with Lokomitiv Yaroslavl in the Russian league (62 games, one goal, 10 assists), later skating for Dynamo Minsk (36 games, one goal, four assists).
All-Time Statline: Two seasons, 70 games, one goal, five assists, six points, plus-4 rating, 50 PIM, 2.7 APS.
118. Cory Murphy
Murphy ws a 5’10” defenseman from Kanata, Ontario. He was a four year letterman at Colgate University, scoring 28 collegiate goals along with 83 assists in 138 games. After not being selected in the NHL draft out of college, he signed on with the Finnish Elite “Blues,” scoring 20 goals with 19 assists in 91 games over two seasons, ending in 2002-03.
Murphy joined a second team in the Finnish Elite League for the next two seasons, Ilves Tampere (112 games, 30 goals, 49 assists). He later joined the Swiss Fribourg-Gotteren (44 games, 13 goals, 22 assists) and the Finnish HIFK Helsinki (45 games, 13 goals, 37 assists).
2007-08 would see Murphy join the Panthers for his first North American action since college. He scored his first NHL goal just two games into the season, in a 4-1 loss to the New Jersey Devils on October 6. Later that month, he earned two assists in consecutive games (both wins). On February 5, Murphy enjoyed his first ever three point game with a goal and two assists in an 8-0 drubbing of the Toronto Maple Leafs. He scored two goals on 65 shots, adding 15 assists and an even rating while averaging 15:23 TOI per game.
In 2008-09, Murphy spent the first part of the season with the Panthers (seven games, one assist) and the AHL San Antonio Rampage (five games, two goals, four assists). The Tampa Bay Lightning claimed him off waivers from the Panthers on January 19. He collected five goals and 10 assists in only 25 games with the Bolts. He played in 12 games with the New Jersey Devils in 2009-10, scoring twice with one assist. He spent most of the season with the AHL Lowell Devils, scoring six goals and 38 assists in 64 games.
Murphy has spent the last two seasons with Zurich in the Swiss “A” League, scoring 13 goals and 32 assists in 73 contests.
All-Time Statline: Two seasons, 54 games, two goals, 16 assists, 18 points, minus-1 rating, 24 PIM, 2.8 APS.
117. Len Barrie
Barrie was a 6’1″ center from Kimberly, BC. He was initially selected by the Edmonton Oilers in the sixth round of the 1988 NHL Entry Draft with the 124th overall pick. In five WHL seasons, (split between the Calgary Wranglers, the Victoria Cougars, and the Kamloops Blazers), he accumulated 184 goals and 216 assists in 307 games, including an incredible 185 point season in 1989-90. He appeared in one game with Edmonton, collecting a minus-2 rating. Barrie signed a free agent contract with the Philadelphia Flyers on February 28, 1990.
Barrie spent most of the next three seasons with the AHL Hershey Bears, racking up 99 goals and 120 assists in 199 contests. He didn’t make another NHL appearance until November of 1992, playing in eight games with the Flyers. After scoring two goals and two assists through his first three games, he did not again contribute on the scoresheet.
After the season, Barrie signed a free agent contract with the brand new Florida Panthers. He played most of his season with the AHL Cincinnati Cyclones, scoring 45 goals and 71 assists. He did manage to join the Panthers for two games in November. Florida did not retain his services, and the Pittsburgh Penguins picked him up as a free agent during the 1994 offseason.
In 1994-95 and 1995-96, Barrie split his time between the IHL Cleveland Lumberjacks (83 games, 42 goals, 73 assists), and the Penguins (53 games, three goals, 11 assists).
For the next two seasons, Barrie skated in the IHL with the San Antonio Dragons, totalling 33 goals and 53 assists in 89 games. In 1997-98, he joined the Frankfurt Lions for two seasons (71 games, 38 goals, 38 assists). He signed on as a free agent with the Los Angeles Kings during the 1999 offseason.
As a King, Barrie played in 46 games, scoring five goals and eight assists. Los Angeles waived him, where the Panthers picked him up for the stretch run. He totalled 14 games with the Panthers to close out the season, averaging 13:57 TOI per game. He finished the season with four goals on only 15 shots to go along with six assists and a plus-4 rating.
Florida retained Barrie’s services in 2000-01, and he would see action in 60 contests. He scored a goal with two assists on March 7 in a 3-3 tie with the San Jose Sharks. Over the course of the season, he scored five goals on 48 shots along with 18 assists and a team second highest 135 PIM.
All-Time Statline: Two seasons, 76 games, nine goals, 24 assists, 33 points, plus-8 rating, 141 PIM, 2.8 APS.
116. Tomas Kopecky
Kopecky was a 6’3″ right winger from Ilava, Slovakia. The Detroit Red Wings selected him in the second round of the 2000 NHL Entry Draft with the 38th overall pick. He picked up 56 goals with 70 assists in 109 games with the WHL’s Lethbridge Hurricanes, ending in 2001-02. During the same period, he also played three games at the AHL level with the Cincinnati Mighty Ducks, scoring a goal and an assist. In 2002-03, Kopecky began his tenure with the AHL Grand Rapids Griffins. He would ultimately play four full seasons with the club, over 243 games scoring 63 goals and 75 assists with a plus-40 rating. He appeared in one NHL game with the Wings, as Detroit lost a 5-1 decision to the San Jose Sharks.
Kopecky spent the next three seasons with the Wings, scoring a grand total of 12 goals and 32 assists in 183 games. One incident stands out, according to wikipedia.org:
On December 14, 2006, in a game against the Chicago Blackhawks, Kopecký was injured a minute into the third period of the Red Wings’ 3–2 victory. Kopecký lost his footing and hit the boards as he approached the Chicago blue line and Blackhawks defenseman Jim Vandermeer then fell on top of him. Kopecký was motionless on the ice for a few minutes before being helped to the dressing room by members of the Detroit training staff. He had surgery the next day to repair a broken clavicle. As a result of this injury he was limited to just 26 games in 2006–07 NHL season.
He later played two seasons for the Chicago Blackhawks, scoring 25 goals and 38 assists in 155 contests. He also helped Chicago to the 2010 Stanley Cup, scoring four goals and two assists over 17 games. Chicago traded the right to negotiate with him to Florida for a handful of beans (a seventh round draft pick).
As a Panther, Kopecky was one of Florida’s most durable players, playing in 80 games and all seven playoff matches. Not the highest skilled player on the ice, Kopecky is a capable grinder with deceptive scoring upside. He collected a season high three points (all assists) in a 3-2 Panthers win over the Buffalo Sabres on October 29th. Among all Panthers last season, I remember Kopecky camped out in front of the net like few other Florida players. In 17:16 per game, he scored 10 goals on 143 shots, adding 22 assists (good for sixth on the squad), and finishing with a minus-8 rating.
Panthers @ Bruins 12/08/11 (via NHLVideo)
Kopecky will be starting the second year of a four year, $12 million contract when (if – labor agreement, Mayans) 2012-13 rolls around.
All-Time Statline: One season, 80 games, 10 goals, 22 assists, 32 points, minus-8 rating, 32 PIM, 2.9 APS.
115. Bob Kudelski
Kudelski was a 6’1″ center from Springfield, Massachusetts. He was selected by the Los Angeles Kings in the 1986 NHL Supplimental Draft.
Kudelski was a graduate of Yale University. He played four seasons of collegiate hockey with the Bulldogs, lighting the lamp 78 times and adding 80 assists over 114 games. 1987-88 would see him split his time between the AHL New Haven Nighthawks (50 games, 15 goals, 19 assists) and the Kings (26 games, one assist).
Kudelski spent parts of six seasons with Los Angeles, breaking the 20 goal barrier on three occasions. He totalled 72 goals with 54 assists. The Kings traded him to Ottawa midway through the 1992-93 season with Shawn McCosh for Marc Fortier and Jim Thomson. In just 48 games with Ottawa he racked up 21 goals and 14 assists.
Kudelski opened the 1993-94 season with the Senators, scoring 26 goals and 15 assists in 42 games. The Kings traded him to the Panthers for Evgeny Davydov, Scott Levins, and two draft picks, a sixth and a fourth rounder in January. Due to there being 84 games in a regular season in those days, and the fact that Florida had played two fewer games than Ottawa at the time, Kudelski managed to appear in 86 regular season games that year, an all-time record that will probably never be broken (shared with Jimmy Carson, 1992-93, Kings/Red Wings). In the 44 games he played with Florida, he scored 14 goals on 124 shots, along with 15 assists. He scored two goals and an assist in a 5-1 victory over the Washington Capitals on January 19.
In 1994-95, Kudelski was limited by injury to only 26 games, scoring six goals (on only 29 shots) with three helpers and a plus-2 rating. 1995-96 would see him play in half as many games, collecting one assist in 13 games while failing to score on 23 shots on goal.
All-Time Statline: Three seasons, 83 games, 20 goals, 19 assists, two years 39 points, minus-5 rating, 12 PIM, 3.0 APS.
114. Jani Hurme
Hurme was a goaltender from Turku, Finland. He was originally selected by the Ottawa Senators in the third round of the 1997 NHL Entry Draft with the 58th overall pick. He split two seasons (and most of a third) between four IHL franchises. The Detroit Vipers (9-5-3), the Indianapolis Ice (11-11-3), the Cincinnati Cyclones (14-9-2), and the Grand Rapids Griffins (29-15-4).
Hurme made his first NHL appearance with the 1999-00 Senators, earning a victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning on April 4th, 5-2. In parts of three Ottawa seasons, he compiled a 25-14-5 record, with a .905 save percentage and a GAA of 2.48. As hard is it may be to believe, he ranks 10th on Ottawa’s all-time wins list. The Senators traded him to the Panthers just before the 2002-03 season for Billy Thompson and Greg Watson.
As a Panther, Hurme was Roberto Luongo’s only backup, starting around a third of Florida’s matches. In spite of his overall 4-11-6 record, he turned in 15 quality starts. After starting the season 1-1-0, Hurme turned in his only shutout as a member of the Panthers on November 9th against the Calgary Flames in a 3-0 victory.
The Carolina Hurricanes claimed Hurme in the Waiver Draft prior to the 2003-04 season and immediately traded to the Atlanta Thrashers for a fourth round pick. After hurting his back in training camp, he missed the next two complete seasons rehabbing his back and fighting off various hospital infections.
2005-06 would see Hurme split the first part of the season between the ECHL Columbia Inferno (6-7-2, 3.49) and the AHL Chicago Wolves (2-4-0, 3.63). After the Thrashers sent him to the Anaheim Ducks for Joel Stepp on March 6, he played the rest of the season with the AHL Portland Pirates (11-5-0, 2.29). He played in 2006-07 with TPS Turku in Finland (21-16-11, 2.51).He has since appeared with the Malmo Redhawks in Sweden and most recently with Ilves Tampere.
All-Time Statline: One season, 28 games, 1,376 minutes, 4-11-6 record, one shutout, 707 shots faced, 641 saves, 66 goals allowed, 2.88 GAA, .907 save percentage, 3.0 APS.
113. Greg Hawgood
Hawgood was a 5’10” defenseman from Edmonton. He was picked in the 10th round of the 1986 NHL Entry Draft with the 202nd overall pick by the Boston Bruins. In five WHL seasons with the Kamloops Jr. Oilers and the Kamloops Blazers, he racked up 147 goals and 326 helpers in 310 games. The Blazers retired his number four jersey when he moved on to the pros. After the WHL season ended in 1987-88, he would make his pro debut with the Bruins in a 6-5 loss to the Vancouver Canucks on February 13th. He also appeared in two playoff games as the Bruins won the Eastern Conference Championship.
Hawgood totalled 27 goals and 51 assists in 134 Bruins games, with a plus-15 rating and 160 PIM. He later played with the Edmonton Oilers (55 games, seven goals, 25 assists) and the Philadelphia Flyers (59 games, nine goals, 34 assists). The Flyers traded him to the Panthers for cash on November 30, 1993.
As a temporary member of the expansion season Panthers, Hawgood had four multi-point games, including two in a row on December 7th and 8th in victories over the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim (3-2, one goal, one assist), and the Los Angeles Kings (6-5, two assists). Despite only playing in 33 games with the club, he tied for fourth on the team with a plus-8 rating. Florida sent him on to the Pittsburgh Penguins for Jeff Daniels on March 19.
Tony Amonte vs Greg Hawgood (via igotregistered)
After Pittsburgh (33 games, two goals, six assists), Hawgood joined the San Jose Sharks (63 games, six goals, 12 assists), the Vancouver Canucks (95 games, seven goals, 22 assists) and the Dallas Stars (two games). After several AHL seasons, he joined Tappara Tampere and TPS Turku before rejoining the Kamloops Blazers as an assistant coach, eventually coaching the team.
All-Time Statline: One season, 33 games, two goals, 14 assists, 16 points, plus-8 rating, nine PIM, 3.0 APS.
112. David Nemirovsky
Nemirovsky was a 6’1″ right winger from Toronto. He was picked up by the Panthers in the fourth round of the 1994 NHL Entry Draft with the 84th overall pick. In three seasons in the OHL between the Ottawa 67’s and the Sarnia Sting, he collected 66 goals and 87 assists in 149 contests.
After 26 games with the Sting, 1995-96 would see Nemirovsky join the AHL Carolina Panthers (five games, one goal, two assists). He also played in nine games for Florida, not scoring on six shots while making two assists (in his first two games) with a minus-1 rating. The team was 8-1-0 with him in the lineup.
1996-97 would see the Carolina Panthers change their name to the Monarchs, and Nemirovsky again spent a substantial chunk of the season with the AHL club, scoring 21 goals and 21 assists in 34 games. He was called up to Florida in January, and ended up playing in 39 of the Panthers remaining games. He enjoyed three multiple point games, including two goals and one assist in a 7-4 loss to the New York Islanders on March 19. He ended up scoring seven goals on 53 shots, making seven assists and finishing the season with 32 PIM and a plus-1 rating. He appeared in three postseason games for Florida, scoring a goal on four shots.
In 1997-98, Nemirovsky reported directly to the Panthers, making the club out of camp. During the course of the season, he put up multiple points on six occasions, thrice before getting sent to the AHL Beast of New Haven (29 games, 10 goals, 15 assists), and thrice after getting called back in April. Through the season, he managed to score career highs with nine goals on 62 shots, along with 12 assists. He finished the season at minus-3.
Nemirovsky played in 44 games with the Fort Wayne Komets in 1998-99 (22 goals, 13 assists). He only saw action in two Panthers matches, in November. Florida ended up trading him to the Toronto Maple Leafs on February 17 for Jeff Ware.
Nemirovsky skated with Toronto’s AHL affiliate, the St. John’s Maple Leafs for parts of three seasons (88 games, 22 goals, 36 assists). He was never called back to the NHL. He has since seen action with HV71 Jonkoping (26 games, seven goals, 11 assists), Yaroslavl Lokomotiv (10 games, two goals, two assists), Ilves Tampere (40 games, 21 goals, 26 assists), Jokerit Helsinki (36 games, nine goals, 15 assists), Voskresensk Khimik (16 games, three goals, three assists), Kazan Ak-Bars (46 games, 12 goals, six assists), St. Petersburg SKA (128 games, 34 goals, 30 assists), CSKA Moscow (93 games, 23 goals, 25 assists), Astana Barys (47 games, 15 goals, 14 assists), and Minsk Dynamo (16 games, two goals, six assists) in 2010-11.
All-Time Statline: Four seasons, 91 games, 16 goals, 22 assists, 38 points, minus-2 rating, 42 PIM, 3.0 APS.
111. Lance Pitlick
Pitlick was a 6′ defenseman from Minneapolis. He was chosen in the ninth round of the 1986 NHL Entry Draft by the Minnesota North Stars, with the 180th overall pick. He would elect to instead attend the University of Minnesota, playing four years of collegiate hockey with the Golden Gophers. He graduated with the Class of 1990 after having scored 11 goals and 29 assists in 144 games. After graduation, he signed a free agent contract to play with for the Philadelphia Flyers organization.
After graduation, Pitlick reported to the AHL Hershey Bears, with whom he appeared exclusively over the next four seasons of minor league hockey. In 179 games, he ended up with 15 goals, 38 assists and 251 PIM. The Flyers never called him up, and Pitlick signed on to play for the Ottawa Senators prior to the 1994-95 season.
Pitlick opened the season as part of the Prince Edward Island Senators, scoring eight goals and 19 assists in 61 games. Near the end of February, he finally made his first NHL appearance, at the age of 27. He played in the Senators last 15 games of the season, finishing with a minus-5 rating and one assist while going scoreless in 11 shots on goal.
Pitlick spent parts of five seasons with the Senators, racking up 11 goals on 178 shots, along with 25 assists and 200 PIM. During the 1999 offseason, he signed on to appear with the Panthers.
1999-00 would see Pitlick appear in 62 contests, along with four additional playoff matches (all losses to the New Jersey Devils). He scored a game winner in his fourth game with Florida, in a 2-1 victory over the Montreal Canadiens. Over the course of the season, he posted an ATOI of 16:33, mostly on the Cats third pairing. He ended up scoring three goals on 26 shots with five assists, 44 PIM, and a plus-7 rating.
In 2000-01, Pitlick appeared in 68 games, scoring one goal on 24 shots along with two assists. He played an average of 13:35 per game, finishing with a minus-5 rating and 42 PIM. In 2001-02, he spent a great portion of the season in the pressbox, appearing in only 35 games for the Panthers as their number seven defenseman. He managed one goal on 15 shots with an assist and a minus-14 rating. He retired following the season.
Pitlick’s nephew, Tyler Pitlick, is currently playing with the Oklahoma City Barons in the AHL.
All-Time Statline: Three seasons, 165 games, five goals, eight assists, 13 points, minus-12 rating, 98 PIM, 3.0 APS
110. Kamil Kreps
Kreps was a 6′ center from Litomerice in the Czech Republic. He was selected by the Panthers in the second round of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft with the 38th overall pick. In three seasons with the OHL Brampton Battalion, he racked up 57 goals and 93 assists in 178 games, adding 10 goals and 13 assists in 23 playoff contests.
Kreps made his professional debut in 2004-05, during the lockout. He stayed in practice by splitting the season between the ECHL Texas Wildcatters (12 games, five goals, six assists) and the AHL San Antonio Rampage (58 games, five goals, six assists). He would spend most of the next two seasons on the AHL Rochester American’s roster, collecting 27 goals and 40 assists in 111 contests. He earned the first of three 2006-07 callups in January, ultimately appearing in 14 games for the Panthers. He scored his first NHL goal in a 7-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning on April 6. In total, he scored just that goal on 20 shots, adding an assist in 11:13 per match.
2007-08 would see Kreps spend the entire season with Florida, averaging 12:59 TOI in 76 games. He scored eight times on 99 shots, adding 17 helpers and a rating of plus-10 as the Panthers finished nine points out of the playoffs.
Kamil Kreps (FLA) vs. Olaf Kolzig (WSH) Shootout November 28, 2007 (via theshootouts)
In 2008-09, Kreps appeared in 66 games with the Cats, scoring four goals on 77 shots while averaging 13:58 TOI. He chipped in with 15 assists and finished the season at plus-2.
Kamil Kreps – Florida Panthers Goal 12-12-08 vs. Calgary Flames (via NHLSNIPERSdotCOM)
Kreps again played in 76 games for the Panthers in 2009-10, playing 12:42 per night. He took 83 shots on goal, potting five of them with nine assists and a minus-7 rating. He played 2010-11 with Karpat in Finland, totalling 14 goals and 15 assists in 55 games. 2011-12 would see Kreps play in the KHL with Astana Barys, scoring nine times with 20 helpers in 52 contests.
All-Time Statline: Four seasons, 232 games, 18 goals, 42 assists, 60 points, plus-4 rating, 71 PIM, 3.1 APS
109. Mike Sillinger
Sillinger was a 5’10” center from Regina, Saskatchewan. He was selected by the Detroit Red Wings in the first round of the 1989 NHL Entry Draft with the 11th overall pick. In three seasons with the WHL Regina Pats, he totalled 128 goals and 175 assists in 209 games. He would also play in 15 playoff contests with the Pats, scoring 14 goals and 12 assists.
Sillinger is the very definition of the term, “journeyman.” He holds the NHL record for playing with different teams, with 12. Before joining the Panthers, he spent time with the Detroit Red Wings (129 games, 10 goals, 45 assists), the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim (77 games, 15 goals, 26 assists), the Vancouver Canucks (138 games, 28 goals, 32 assists), the Philadelphia Flyers (52 games, 11 goals, 14 assists) and the Tampa Bay Lightning (121 games, 27 goals, 27 assists). The Bolts sent him to the Panthers on March 14, 2000 for Ryan Johnson and Dwayne Hay.
Sillinger appeared in 13 games with the Panthers to close out the 1999-00 season. He scored six points in his first four games as a Panther, including three assists in a 4-2 win over the New York Islanders on March 18 and two goals in a 4-3 win over the New York Rangers on March 21. He ended up scoring four goals on 20 shots, along with four assists in 19:33 ATOI. He would add three goals in four postseason matches against the Devils fully half of Florida’s scoring total.
In 2000-01, Sillinger scored 13 goals on 100 shots along with 21 helpers and a minus-12 rating while averaging 18:52 TOI. He dished out three helpers on February 24 in a 5-4 loss to the New York Islanders. The Panthers sent him to the Ottawa Senators for future considerations on March 13.
After playing with the Senators (13 games, three goals, four assists), Sillinger would go on to play with the Columbus Blue Jackets (155 games, 38 goals, 48 assists), the Phoenix Coyotes (60 games, eight goals, six assists), the St. Louis Blues (64 games, 27 goals, 24 assists), the Nashville Predators (31 games, 10 goals, 12 assists), and the New York Islanders (141 games, 42 goals, 45 assists). He is the current Director of Player Development for the Edmonton Oilers (that’s 13 teams if you want to count it).
All-Time Statline: Two seasons, 68 games, 17 goals, 25 assists, 42 points, minus-13 rating, 60 PIM, 3.2 APS.
108. Kirk McLean
McLean was a 6′ goaltender from Willowdale, Ontario. He was originally picked by the New Jersey Devils in the sixth round of the 1984 NHL Entry Draft, 107th overall. He compiled a 52-47-4 record with a 3.58 GAA in three seasons with the OHL Oshawa Generals. He joined the Devils near the end of the 1985-86 season, going 1-1-0 in his first look at professional hockey.
In 1986-87, McLean went 15-23-4 with the AHL’s Maine Mariners. He again went 1-1-0 with the Devils in limited action with the team near the end of the season. He would not appear with the Devils again, nor would he ever again be demoted to the minors throughout his career. After the season, the Devils traded him to the Vancouver Canucks with Greg Adams and a second round pick for Patrik Sundstrom and second and fourth round picks.
For most of 11 seasons, McLean was Vancouver’s number one or co-number one goaltender (see HOCKEY STYX, below, lol). He ranks first on the Canucks all-time list in games played in goal, with 516, and ranks second with 211 wins (behind only Roberto Luongo, small world). He appeared on the all-star team in 1990 and 1992, leading the NHL with 38 wins in 1991-92. He posted a 211-228-62 record and 20 shutouts, with an .887 save percentage and a 3.28 GAA. He also appeared in 68 playoff matches for the Canucks, posting a record the very definition of “average,” at 34-34. On January 3, 1998, the Canucks sent him to the Carolina Hurricanes with Martin Gelinas for Sean Burke, Geoff Sanderson, and Enrico Ciccone.
Kirk McLean- Mr. Roboto (via undertakerpitt)
McLean only appeared with the Hurricanes for about two months (4-2-0, .878, 3.29) before getting traded again, to the Panthers for Ray Sheppard on March 24. He finished the season with Florida, posting a 4-2-1 record in seven games, with a 3.25 GAA and an .894 save percentage.
In 1998-99, McLean opened the season with the Panthers as the number two goaltender to fellow recent addition Sean Burke. He posted a shutout in his first start of the season, blanking the Nashville Predators, 1-0 on 26 shots October 10. After his shutout, McLean had a mostly substandard season, going 5-10-4 through April 10. He managed to close the season on a high note, winning the Panthers last three matches, including his second shutout of the campaign in a 2-0 win over the Ottawa Senators. He stopped 39 shots in the game. After the season, McLean signed on with the New York Rangers.
For New York, McLean posted a 15-18-5 record over two seasons, retiring following the 2000-01 season. He was hired as a goaltending coach by the WHL Kamloops Blazers, later broadcasting for the Canucks pay-per-view telecasts.
All-Time Statline: Two seasons, 37 games, 2,003 minutes, 13-12-5 record, 934 shots faced, 839 saves, 95 goals allowed, .898 save percentage, 2.85 GAA, 3.2 APS.
107. Sean Hill
Hill was a 6′ defenseman from Duluth, Minnesota. He was picked by the Montreal Canadiens in the eighth round of the 1988 NHL Entry Draft with the 167th overall pick. In three seasons of collegiate hockey with the University of Wisconsin Badgers, he totalled 35 goals and 94 assists in 124 games.
In 1990-91, Hill made his pro debut with Montreal, playing in one playoff game against the Boston Bruins in a 2-1 loss. The following season he appeared exclusively with the AHL Fredericton Canadiens through the regular season, scoring seven goals and 20 assists in 42 games. He played in four contests with Montreal through the postseason, all losses to the Bruins. He split 1992-93 between Fredericton (six games, one goal, three assists) and the NHL Canadiens (31 games, two goals, six assists). He played in three postseason matches, helping the team to their first Stanley Cup since 1986. Left unprotected, the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim claimed Hill in the 1993 Expansion Draft.
Hill scored the Ducks first ever goal, in a 7-2 loss to the Detroit Red Wings on October 8. Through the season, he scored seven goals on 165 shots, dishing out 20 helpers and finishing with a minus-12 rating and 78 PIM. Later on, he would skate with the Ottawa Senators (143 games, nine goals, 29 assists, minus-33 rating, 134 PIM), the Carolina Hurricanes (158 games, 13 goals, 46 assists, plus-10 rating, 155 PIM), the St. Louis Blues (71 games, one goal, 13 assists, plus-6 rating, 79 PIM), and a second go-round with the Canes (211 games, 25 goals, 73 assists, plus-1 rating, 286 PIM). The Panthers signed him during the 2004 offseason.
After the 2004-05 non-season, Hill played the full 2005-06 season with Florida. He averaged 20:09 TOI per game, scoring two goals on 110 shots while assisting 18 others, posting a plus-3 rating and 80 PIM in 78 games. He signed as a free agent with the New York Islanders prior to the 2006-07 season.
Hill played in 81 games for the Islanders that season (one goal, 24 assists, plus-6, 110 PIM) before testing positive for performance enhancing drugs. The resultant 20 game suspension started in game five of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals against the Buffalo Sabres, a game the Islanders lost. He signed with the Minnesota Wild the following season, starting out by serving the last 19 games of the suspension. He finished the season with two goals and seven assists in 35 contests. Hill played with the Swiss-A team, Biel, in 2008-09, scoring three goals and 17 assists in 47 games.
All-Time Statline: One season, 78 games, two goals, 18 assists, 20 points, plus-3 rating, 80 PIM, 3.3 APS.
106. Todd Simpson
Simpson was a 6’3″ defenseman from North Vancouver, BC. After two WHL seasons between the Tri-City Americans and the Saskatoon Blades (132 games, 14 goals, 40 assists), he signed a free agent deal with the Calgary Flames prior to the 1994-95 NHL season. He played the entire season with the AHL Saint John Flames, and most of the next (146 games, seven goals, 23 assists). He started the 1995-96 season with Calgary, playing in six games through October before getting optioned back to the AHL.
Simpson appeared with Calgary for four seasons in total, collecting a grand total of four goals on 191 shots (2.1 S%), along with 26 assists, a minus-6 rating, and a robust 500 minutes in the penalty box. The Flames traded him to the Panthers for Bill Lindsay just before the 1999-00 season.
Simpson did not get in any fights for the Panthers…in February. He managed to get in 13 tussles otherwise, ending up leading the Cats in PIM with 202 (see video for awesome fight). His shooting percentage stayed steady on with his career numbers, as he scored one goal on 50 shots with six assists in 16:31 ATOI, finishing the season at plus-5. He played in all four of Florida’s postseason matches, failing to score and racking up a minus-4 rating.
Shayne Corson vs Todd Simpson (via sabrz)
In 2000-01, Simpson started off the season on the Panthers roster, appearing in 20 games before losing three months to injury in December. After returning, he added five more games with the Panthers before getting traded on March 13 to the Phoenix Coyotes for a second round pick. For Florida, he scored one goal on 26 shots, adding three assists in 16:29 ATOI, an even rating, and 74 PIM.
After playing with the Coyotes (146 games, four goals, 21 assists, plus-23 rating, 299 PIM), Simpson split the 2003-04 season between the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim (46 games, four goals, three assists, minus-6 rating, 105 PIM) and the Ottawa Senators (16 games, one assist, minus-1 rating, 47 PIM). During the lockout, he would join the Danish team, Herning Blue Fox, with his brother, Kent as the team won the League Championship. He returned to the NHL in 2005-06 with the Chicago Blackhawks (45 games, three assists, minus-2 rating, 116 PIM) and the Montreal Canadiens (six games, even rating, 14 PIM). He joined the Hannover Scorpions in Germany in 2006-07 (45 games, one goal, nine assists), getting suspended late in the season for “abuse of an official.” The New York Islanders tried to sign him during his suspension for a late season playoff push, but the NHL decided to uphold the German League suspension. Simpson never again played in the pros.
All-Time Statline: Two seasons, 107 games, two goals, nine assists, 11 points, plus-5 rating, 276 PIM, 3.3 APS.
105. Jordan Leopold
Leopold was a 6′ defenseman from Golden Valley, Minnesota. He was picked by the Anaheim Mighty Ducks in the second round of the 1999 NHL Entry Draft with the 44th overall pick. Instead of reporting to the Ducks, he elected instead to stay the course with the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers. In 164 collegiate games, he racked up 45 goals and 99 assists, graduating with the Class of 2002.
Eventually, Leopold ended up joining the Calgary Flames for the 2002-03 NHL season. In three seasons with the Flames, he totalled 15 goals and 52 assists with a minus-1 rating and 104 PIM in 214 contests. Calgary traded him to the Colorado Avalanche during the 2006 offseason (just prior to FA day) along with a second round pick and “future considerations” for Alex Tanguay.
Leopold played in 122 games for the Avs over the next three seasons with 13 goals and 25 assists, a minus-9 rating and 52 PIM. Colorado sent him back to Calgary for Lawrence Nycholat, Ryan Wilson and a second round pick on March 4, 2009. He finished the season with the Flames, scoring a goal and three assists in 19 games. The Flames traded him to the Panthers on draft day 2009 with a third round pick for Jay Bouwmeester.
Leopold was solid in Florida’s first and second pairings, averaging 22:25 TOI per match. He scored seven goals (including a game winner on January 31 in a 2-0 win over the New York Islanders) on 69 shots, dished out 11 assists, posted a minus-7 rating and 22 PIM (see video).
Leopold From The Slot (12/11/09) (via theultimategoalcom)
The Panthers traded him to the Pittsburgh Penguins on March 1 for a second round pick. He scored four goals and four assists for the Pens to close out the season. In Pittsburgh’s postseason, he ran into a little trouble, according to wikipedia.org:
On April 16, 2010, in Game 2 of a playoff series between the Penguins and the Ottawa Senators, Leopold’s series was ended by a hit from Senators’ defenceman Andy Sutton. Leopold, who had a history of concussion injuries, remained unconscious on the ice for several minutes.[15] He returned to the lineup in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Semifinal matchup against the Montreal Canadiens.
2010-11 would see Leopold sign a free agent contract with the Buffalo Sabres. In two seasons with the club he has scored 23 goals and 36 assists in 150 contests. He is currently signed with the club through the end of the 2012-13 season.
All-Time Statline: One season, 61 games, seven goals, 11 assists, 18 points, minus-7 rating, 22 PIM, 3.3 APS.
104. Lyle Odelein
Odelein was a 5’11” defenseman from Quill Lake, Saskatchewan. He was originally selected by the Montreal Canadiens in the seventh round of the 1986 NHL Entry Draft with the 141st overall pick. In three seasons with the WHL Moose Jaw Warriors, he totalled 33 goals and 130 assists in 189 games.
In 1988-89, Odelein made his professional debut, splitting the season between the IHL Peoria Rivermen (36 games, two goals, eight assists), and the AHL Sherbrooke Canadiens (33 games, three goals, four assists). 1989-90 would see him play 68 games with Sherbrooke (68 games, seven goals, 24 assists), also collecting two assists in his first NHL appearance in eight games with Montreal near the end of the season.
Odelein played seven seasons with the Canadiens (420 games, 20 goals, 75 assists, plus-59 rating, 1,367 PIM). He would later make appearances with the New Jersey Devils (285 games, 13 goals, 73 assists, plus-23 rating, 499 PIM), the Phoenix Coyotes (16 games, one goal, seven assists, plus-1 rating, 19 PIM), the Columbus Blue Jackets (146 games, five goals, 28 assists, minus-44 rating, 207 PIM), the Chicago Blackhawks (77 games, seven goals, six assists, plus-7 rating, 80 PIM), and the Dallas Stars (three games, six PIM). Florida took him on as a free agent prior to the 2003-04 pre-season camp.
Odelein played in all 82 games for the Panthers, mostly as part of the second pairing. He averaged 18:53 TOI, scoring four goals on 67 shots with 12 assists, a minus-7 rating, and 88 PIM (third on the team). Florida retained his rights after the season, but as we know, 2004-05 never happened. He signed on with the Penguins for the 2005-06 season, making one assist in 27 games before injuring his knee against Chicago on January 13. He retired from pro hockey shortly thereafter. His 2,316 NHL penalty minutes place him 29th on the all-time list. He was always a guy who played his heart out, 100% (see video).
Lyle Odelein – ALL HEART (via SFT79)
All-Time Statline: One season, 82 games, four goals, 12 assists, 16 points, minus-7 rating, 88 PIM, 3.4 APS.
103. Anders Eriksson
Eriksson was a 6’3″ defenseman from Bollnas, Sweden. He was a first round selection of the Detroit Red Wings, selected 22nd overall in the 1993 NHL Entry Draft. He played with MoDo HK Ornskoldsvik in the Swedish League for three seasons before coming to North America, also appearing with the Swedish World Juniors team.
1995-96 would see Eriksson spend most of his season with the AHL Adirondack Red Wings (75 games, six goals, 36 assists). He also made his NHL debut later in the season, playing one regular season and three playoff matches with Detroit.
Eriksson played in parts of four seasons with the Wings (151 games, nine goals, 30 assists, plus-32 rating, 78 PIM). He added five assists in 21 playoff games with Detroit, helping the team to the Stanley Cup in 1998. The Red Wings traded him to the Chicago Blackhawks with two first round picks for Chris Chelios on March 23, 1999.
In parts of three seasons with Chicago, Eriksson racked up five goals and 36 assists in 97 games. The Blackhawks traded him to the Panthers on November 6, 2000 for Jaroslav Spacek. With the Panthers, Eriksson averaged 21:02 TOI through 60 contests in Florida’s second pairing. He took 80 shots on goal during his time with the team, but did not register a goal. He did, however collect 21 assists, including multiple-assist games on three occasions. He closed out the season with a plus-2 rating and 28 PIM.
2001-02 would see Eriksson open the season as part of the Toronto Maple Leafs (38 games, zero goals, two assists, even rating, 12 PIM), later lacing up for the Columbus Blue Jackets (145 games, seven goals, 43 assists, plus-6 rating, 64 PIM), the Phoenix Coyotes (12 games, zero goals, three assists, even rating, two PIM), and the New York Rangers (eight games, zero goals, two assists, plus-2 rating, zero PIM).
Eriksson most recently played with the Swedish team he played with during his formative years, Modo Ornskoldsvik, in 2010-11.
All-Time Statline: One season, 60 games, zero goals, 21 assists, 21 points, plus-2 rating, 28 PIM, 3.5 APS.
102. Andrei Lomakin
Lomakin was a 5’9″ left winger from Voskresensk, USSR. The Philadelphia Flyers spent a seventh round pick on him, selecting him 138th overall in the 1991 NHL Entry Draft. In nine seasons of USSR League play, Lomakin scored 100 goals and 104 assists in 382 games.
1991-92 would see Lomakin make the Flyers squad out of camp. In two seasons with the club he totalled 22 goals and 28 assists in 108 games, registering a plus-9 with 60 PIM. Left unprotected, he was selected by the brand-new Panthers in the Expansion Draft of 1993.
Lomakin registered career NHL highs in most categories for the upstart Kitties. He started the season by scoring a goal and adding an assist in the Panthers first ever game, a 4-4 tie with the Chicago Blackhawks. Over the course of the season, he registered multiple points on six occasions, including a two goal, one assist performance in a 6-5 win over the Los Angeles Kings. In 76 contests, he totalled a team second best 19 goals on 139 shots, added 28 assists, 26 PIM, and finished with a plus-1 rating.
In 1994-95, Lomakin was limited by injuries to only 31 games. He only scored one goal on 25 shots, made six assists, and finished with a minus-5 rating. Later, he played in the German Elite League with EHC Eisbaren Berlin (26 games, 21 goals, 14 assists) and the Frankfurt Lions (12 games, three goals, four assists).
Lomakin lost his life to an unidentified form of cancer. He died in Detroit where he was receiving treatment on December 23, 2006.
All-Time Statline: Two seasons, 107 games, 20 goals, 34 assists, 54 points, minus-4 rating, 32 PIM, 3.5 APS.
101. Lukas Krajicek
Krajicek was a 6′ defenseman from Prostejov, Czech Republic. The Panthers chose him in the first round of the 2001 NHL Entry Draft with the 24th overall pick. In three OHL seasons with the Peterborough Petes, he totalled 29 goals and 101 assists in 168 games.
During his tenure with the Petes, Krajicek also made his professional debut with the Panthers, averaging 13:23 as part of the third pairing in five games with the Cats in April, 2002 at the age of 18. In 2002-03, he continued to play with the Petes, also making three starts in San Antonio with the Rampage.
2003-04 would see Krajicek spend most of the season with the Rampage (54 games, five goals, 12 assists). He was twice called up to play with Florida, totalling 18 games. He scored his first NHL goal in a 4-1 loss to the Detroit Red Wings on December 15. It was the only goal he scored that season on 16 shots, also making six assists and spending 12 minutes in the sin bin. He averaged 13:32 TOI, finishing with a minus-2.
2004-05 would see Krajicek hone his craft with the Rampage, playing in 78 games and scoring two goals and 22 assists. He returned to the Cats the following season, spending the whole year with Florida. He would appear in 67 games, averaging 18:30 TOI as part of the second pairing. He scored two goals on 89 shots, dished out 14 helpers, and finished with a plus-1 rating and 50 PIM. The Panthers traded him to the Vancouver Canucks with Roberto Luongo and a sixth round pick for Todd Bertuzzi, Bryan Allen and Alex Auld on Draft Day, 2006.
In addition to his time with the Canucks (117 games, five goals, 22 assists, minus-7 rating, 100 PIM), Krajicek would also appear with the Tampa Bay Lightning (94 games, two goals, 18 assists, minus-12 rating, 69 PIM), and the Philadelphia Flyers (27 games, one goal, one assist, minus-10 rating, 14 PIM).
Krajicek spent the 2010-11 season in the Czech League with Trinec Ocelari HC (48 games, six goals, 14 assists) and 2011-12 with the KHL Minsk Dynamo (40 games, two goals, 12 assists).
All-Time Statline: Three seasons, 90 games, three goals, 20 assists, 23 points, minus-1 rating, 62 PIM, 3.6 APS.
100. Sean Bergenheim
Bergenheim was a 5’11’ left winger from Helsinki, Finland. He was picked in the first round of the 2002 NHL Entry Draft by the New York Islanders, 22nd overall. In three seasons with Jokerit Helsinki, he scored seven goals and seven assists in 76 contests.
2003-04 would see Bergenheim make his North American debut, playing in 18 contests with the Islanders (one goal, one assist). In 2004-05, he stayed busy with the AHL Bridgeport Sound Tigers (61 games, 15 goals, 14 assists).
Bergenheim played the majority of the 2005-06 season with the Tigers (55 games, 25 goals, 22 assists), reappearing with the Isles for 28 games, mostly in March and April. He would collect four goals and five assists with the team. He elected to head back overseas for the 2006-07 campaign, splitting the season between the Russian Yaroslavl Lokomotiv (nine games, one goal, four assists) and Vastra Frolunda HC of the Swedish League (36 games, 16 goals, 17 assists).
Beginning in 2007-08, Bergenheim returned to the NHL permanently. He would play three more seasons with the Islanders. His career numbers with New York: 246 games, 40 goals, 40 assists, minus-19 rating, 195 PIM. He signed on as a free agent with the Tampa Bay Lightning prior to the 2010-11 season.
In 14 minutes per game over 80 games with the Bolts, Bergenheim totalled 14 goals and 15 assists. During his time with the Islanders, the team never got a sniff of postseason play. Much to everyone’s amazement, Bergenheim turns into a whirling dervish of terror to opposing goaltenders when the games really start to count. In 16 playoff matches with Tampa Bay, he lit the lamp a team second best nine times, finishing with 11 points.
Bergenheim was part of the massive influx of talent amassed by Dale Tallon on July 2, 2011. Even though he only played in 62 games due to injury, he finished fourth on the team with 17 goals (on 185 shots) along with six assists, a minus-5 rating and 48 PIM. He finished up the season on the red-hot second line with Marcel Goc and the recently departed Mikael Samuelsson. As displayed the prior season with the Bolts, Bergenheim becomes the Incredible Hulk when the playoffs start. In seven playoff games, he led the Panthers with six points (three goals, three assists).
Panther Sean Bergenheim scores first goal 4/13/12 (via NHLVideo)
Bergenheim is currently under contract to remain a Panther through the 2014-15 season with a salary of $2.75M. May we see him add to his playoff mythos.
All-Time Statline: One season, 62 games, 17 goals, six assists, 23 points, minus-5 rating, 48 PIM, 3.6 APS.
99. Branislav Mezei
Mezei was a 6’5″ defenseman from Nitra, Slovakia. He was selected in the first round of the 1999 NHL Entry Draft by the New York Islanders with the 10th overall pick. In three formative seasons with the OHL Belleville Bulls, he made 15 goals and 44 assists in 171 contests.
2000-01 would see Mezei in his first professional action, split between the Islanders (42 games, one goals four assists) and the AHL Lowell Lock Monsters (20 goals, three assists). 2001-02 would be more of the same, as he saw action with the AHL Bridgeport Sound Tigers (59 games, one goal, nine assists) and the Islanders (24 games, two assists). After the season, New York traded him to the Panthers for Jason Weimer.
In 2002-03, Mezei was sidelined with ankle and foot injuries for most of the season. In only 11 games, he scored a career high two goals on 10 shots while playing in 18:22 per game. 2003-04 would see him play in 45 games and rack up a career high seven assists. He did not score in his 26 shots on goal, racked up 80 PIM, and finished at minus-4.
Mezei spent his 2004-05 season between the Slovakian Dukla Trencin (ten games, one goal, one assist) and the Czech HC Ocelari Trinec (41 games, one goal, two assists. He played in the first 16 games of the 2005-06 campaign with the Panthers, registering one assist and a plus-3 rating with 37 PIM before suffering a knee injury on November 9. He would miss the remainder of the season.
Mezei vs Roy Feb 2, 2008 (via hockeyfightsdotcom)
In 2006-07, Mezei rejoined the Panthers for 45 games. In 15:58 ATOI, he dished out three assists, an even rating and 55 PIM. He would go on to play in a career high 57 games for Florida in 2007-08, scoring two goals on 38 shots in 14:28 ATOI. He also made two assists and spent 64 minutes in the box, finishing the year with a minus-13 rating.
Mezei has since appeared in the KHL, and Swedish and Czech leagues. He most recently completed the 2011-12 season with Poprad Lev in the KHL, playing 53 games and scoring three goals and 11 assists.
All-Time Statline: Five seasons, 174 games, four goals, 13 assists, 17 points, minus-11 rating, 246 PIM, 3.6 APS
98. Dennis Seidenberg
Seidenberg was a 6’1″ defenseman from Schwenningen, Germany. He was selected by the Philadelphia Flyers in the sixth round of the 2001 NHL Entry Draft with the 172nd overall pick. After several seasons spent in German Leagues and with the German National Team, he would head stateside for the 2002-03 season.
Seidenberg began his NHL career with the Flyers on October 10, 2002, making one assist in a season opening 2-2 tie with the Edmonton Oilers. In parts of three seasons with Philadelphia, he totalled six goals and 14 assists in 92 games, finishing his time with an even rating and 26 PIM. The Flyers traded him to the Phoenix Coyotes with a fourth round pick for Petr Nedved and a fourth round pick on January 20, 2006.
As a Coyote, Seidenberg scored two goals and 11 assists in 66 games with 30 PIM and a minus-13 rating. He again was involved in a midseason trade on January 8, 2007, when the ‘Yotes sent him to the Carolina Hurricanes for Kevyn Adams.
In three seasons with the Canes, Seidenberg played in 137 contests, scoring six goals with 45 assists, 57 PIM, and a minus 15 rating.
Seidenberg’s Snipe (10/31/09) (via theultimategoalcom)
Seidenberg signed a free agent contract with the Panthers prior to the 2009-10 season. He played in each of Florida’s first 62 games, on three occasions posting multi-point efforts. He scored two goals on 116 shots, made 21 assists, and spent 33 minutes in the box with a minus-3 rating. His ATOI of 22:55 was good for second on the team, behind fellow d-man Bryan McCabe. Florida shipped him off to the Boston Bruins on March 3 with Matt Bartkowski for Byron Bitz, Craig Weller and a second round pick.
Seidenberg has been solid for the Bruins, playing in almost every game while with the club (178). He’s scored 14 goals and 50 assists with 86 PIM and a plus-27 rating, helping the Bruins win the 2011 Stanley Cup.
All-Time Statline: One season, 62 games, two goals, 21 assists, 23 points, minus-3 rating, 33 PIM, 3.6 APS
97. Brett McLean
McLean was a 5’11” center from Comox, BC. He was a ninth round selection of the Dallas Stars, 242nd overall in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft. In four WHL seasons with the Tacoma/Kelowna Rockets (and a short time with the Brandon Wheat Kings), he put up 181 goals and 224 assists in 329 games.
McLean would then spend several seasons bouncing around the minor leagues with the AHL Cincinnati Mighty Ducks (seven games, three assists), the ECHL Johnstown Chiefs (eight games, four goals, seven assists), the AHL Saint John Flames (72 games, 15 goals, 23 assists), the IHL Clevelnad Lumberjacks (74 games, 20 goals, 24 assists), the Houston Aeros (78 games, 24 goals, 21 assists), and the AHL Norfolk Admirals (81 games, 26 goals, 41 assists).
In 2002-03, McLean appeared in two games with the Chicago Blackhawks. He would stay with the club for 76 games the following season. In 78 games, total, he made 11 goals and 20 assists with a minus-11 rating and 54 PIM. He spent the 2004-05 season in Sweden with the Redhawks (47 games, eight goals, seven assists).
In 2005-06, McLean returned to the NHL with the Colorado Avalanche (two seasons, 160 games, 24 goals, 51 assists, plus-1 rating, 87 PIM). He would join the Panthers after signing a free agent contract on UFA day, 2007.
McLean averaged 16:14 for the Panthers over 67 games, finishing sixth on the club with 14 goals on 140 shots. He also ranked fourth on the team with 23 assists. He registered multiple points on eight occasions, including a five point game (four assists, one goal) in an 8-0 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs on February 8.
McLean returned to the fold in 2008-09, playing in 80 games with Florida. In 12:26 per game, he scored seven goals on 114 shots with 12 assists, a minus-12 rating and 29 PIM. He would head overseas after the season, playing with SC Bern in Switzerland (two seasons, 84 games, 23 goals, 37 assists).
Talbot VS Campbell and Crosby VS McLean – Jan 3rd 2009 (via Error1355)
All-Time Statline: Two seasons, 147 games, 21 goals, 35 assists, 56 points, minus-17 rating, 63 PIM, 3.7 APS
96. Joel Kwiatkowski
Kwiatkowski was a 6’2″ defenseman from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. The Dallas Stars selected him in the eighth round of the 1996 NHL Entry Draft with the 194th overall pick. In four WHL seasons, he appeared with the Tacoma/Kelowna Rockets (110 games, 10 goals, 30 assists) and the Prince George Cougars (166 games, 43 goals, 90 assists). He made his pro debut with the Cincinnati Mighty Ducks, spending the 1998-99 and 1999-00 seasons exclusively with the club (150 games, 16 goals, 43 assists).
Kwiatkowski was traded to the Ottawa Senators for Patrick Traverse during the 2000 offseason. In parts of three seasons with the organization, he split his time between the IHL Grand Rapids Griffins (142 games, 12 goals, 38 assists), Ottawa (35 games, one goal, two assists), and one game with the AHL Binghampton Senators. He was traded to the Washington Capitals on January 15, 2003 for a ninth round pick.
Kwiatkowski would remain on the Caps NHL roster throughout his time with the franchise, totalling six goals and nine assists in 114 games. He signed a free agent contract to play with Florida before the never-played 2004-05 season. Instead of sitting on the couch, he played AHL hockey between the San Antonio Rampage (64 games, 13 goals, 19 assists) and the St. John’s Maple Leafs (17 games, seven goals, six assists).
When play resumed for the 2005-06 season, Kwiatkowski opened the season with the Panthers, appearing in 73 games over the course of the season. He averaged 16:21 per game, scoring four goals on 87 shots, dishing out eight helpers. He finished the season with a plus-3 rating and 8 PIM.
Kwiatkowski played 41 games for the 2006-07 Panthers, averaging only 9:46 per game. He made five goals on 46 shots, collected five assists, posted a minus-5 rating and spent 20 minutes in the box. He was sent to the Pittsburgh Penguins for a fourth round pick (Matt Rust) on February 27.
After one game with the Penguins, Kwiatkowski appeared in 18 games with the Atlanta Thrashers during 2007-08. He made five assists, spending most of the season with the AHL Chicago Wolves (59 games, 21 goals, 29 assists).
Kwiatkowski spent 2008-09 in the KHL with Cherepovets Severstal (52 games, 13 goals, 12 assists), 2009-10 with the KHL St. Petersburg SKA (50 goals, seven goals, 12 assists), and 2010-11/2011-12 with Bern in the Swiss League (77 games, 17 goals, 21 assists).
All-Time Statline: Two seasons, 114 games, nine goals, 13 assists, 22 points, minus-2 rating, 106 PIM, 3.8 APS.
95. Marcel Goc
Goc was a 6’1″ center from Calw, Germany. He was the San Jose Sharks first round selection, 20th overall, in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft. Prior to embarking on his North American career, he played four seasons in the German Elite League, racking up 27 goals and 56 assists in 198 games, split between the Schwenningen Wild Wings and the Mannheim Eagles.
2003-04 would see Goc spend 78 games in the AHL with the Cleveland Barons, scoring 16 goals and 34 assists. He may have been ready for the big time the following season, but with no season to play spent another year with the Barons, scoring 16 goals and 34 assists in 76 games.
Goc has never again appeared in the minor leagues. He joined the Sharks on opening day of the 2005-06 season, ultimately playing with the team for four seasons (265 games, 20 goals, 34 assists). He joined the Nashville Predators for two seasons beginning in 2009-10 (124 games, 21 goals, 33 assists) before signing a free agent contract to join the Panthers on July 1, 2011.
Last season with the Panthers, Goc played in 57 contests (also his jersey number). He had five multi-point efforts, totalling 11 goals on 97 shots while averaging 17:37 TOI. Goc was a sneaky good second line center, his plus-5 rating good for second on the team. He was usually on ice for the oppositions top line, showing the faith the coaching staff had in him. He would add two goals and three assists in his seven playoff appearances. He is currently signed with Florida through the 2013-14 season at a cap hit of $1.7M.
Marcel Goc – sensational deflection goal 3/15/12 (via NHLVideo)
All-Time Statline: One season, 57 games, 11 goals, 16 assists, 27 points, plus-5 rating, 10 PIM, 3.9 APS.
94. Joe Cirella
Cirella was a 6’3″ defenseman from Hamilton, Ontario. He was selected in the first round of the 1981 NHL Entry Draft with the fifth overall pick by the Colorado Rockies (Devils).
In three seasons in Juniors with the OHL Oshawa Generals, he totalled 18 goals and 87 assists in 115 games. He made his first NHL appearance with the 1981-82 Colorado Rockies, totalling seven goals and 12 assists in 65 games. He would stay with the franchise when they became the New Jersey Devils the following season, spending a total of eight seasons with the team. He racked up 50 goals and 169 assists over 503 regular season contests. He would add seven assists in the Devils only playoff appearance during his tenure, in 19 games in 1987-88.
Cirella later appeared with the Quebec Nordiques (95 games, six goals, 24 assists) and the New York Rangers (141 games, seven goals, 18 assists). The Panthers claimed him in the 1993 Expansion Draft.
Florida’s inaugural 1993-94 campaign would see Cirella appear in 63 contests, scoring one goal on 63 shots with nine assists, 99 PIM, and a team fourth best plus-8 rating.
In the strike-shortened 1994-95 season, Cirella was limited by injury to 20 games. He took 13 shots on goal, collected one assist, and posted a minus-7 rating.
Cirella appeared in six games with the Ottawa Senators in 1995-96 to close out his NHL career, playing in 40 games with the IHL Milwaukee Admirals. He spent the 1996-97 season with Kolner Haie in Germany, scoring two goals and seven assists in 54 games.
All-Time Statline: Two seasons, 83 games, one goal, 10 assists, 11 points, plus-1 rating, 120 PIM, 4.0 APS.
93. Brent Severyn
When drafted, Severyn was a 6’2″ defenseman from Vergreville, Alberta. He was selected by the Winnipeg Jets in the fifth round of the 1984 NHL Entry Draft with the 99th overall pick. He played three seasons between four teams in the WHL, totalling 41 goals and 94 assists in 181 contests. He would go on to play two seasons of collegiate hockey at the University of Alberta (87 games, 28 goals, 47 assists), departing after the 1987-88 season.
After signing a free agent contract with the Quebec Nordiques, 1988-89 would see Severyn make his NHL debut with the AHL Halifax Citadels (47 games, two goals, 12 assists). He would split the 1989-90 season between the Citadels (43 games, six goals, nine assists) and the Nordiques (35 games, two assists). It would be his last NHL action for four seasons.
After spending 1990-91 back with Halifax (50 games, seven goals, 26 assists), Severyn would find himself traded to the New Jersey Devils for Dave Marcinyshyn. Although the Devils thought enough of him to engineer the trade, they would not call him up to New Jersey. He spent two seasons with the AHL Utica Devils (157 games, 31 goals, 65 assists).
Prior to the Panthers inaugural 1993-94 season, Severyn was traded to the Winnipeg Jets for a sixth round draft choice, then quickly traded again to the Panthers for Milan Tichy. He scored his first ever NHL goal on October 17, in a 3-3 tie with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Over the course of the season, he was Florida’s default tough guy, getting in 13 fights and leading the team with 156 penalty minutes. He also scored four goals on 93 shots along with seven assists and a minus-1 rating.
Lyle Odelein vs Severyn Round 1 Dec 15, 1993 (via hockeyfightsdotcom)
Severyn, like every other NHL player, sat out approximately three months while striking during the first half of the 1994-95 season. After scoring one goal on 10 shots with an assist and 37 penalty minutes through nine games, the Panthers sent him to the New York Islanders on March 3 for a fourth round draft choice (Dave Duerden).
After playing with the Islanders (84 games, two goals, 11 assists, plus-4, 214 PIM), Severyn made NHL appearances with the Colorado Avalanche (66 games, one goal, four assists, minus-6, 193 PIM), the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim (37 games, one goal, three assists, minus-3, 133 PIM), and the Dallas Stars (30 games, one goal, two assists, minus-2, 50 PIM). He later played two seasons in the German Elite League with the Munich Barons (18 games, two goals, six assists), and the Krefeld Penguins (56 games, six goals, 12 assists). He is currently the head of Severyn Sports, a sports promotion conglomerate.
All-Time Statline: Two seasons, 76 games, five goals, eight assists, 13 points, minus-4 rating, 193 PIM, 4.0 APS.
92. Dennis Wideman
Wideman was listed as a 6′ defenseman from Kitchener, Ontario when the Buffalo Sabres picked him up. He was drafted in the eighth round of the 2002 NHL Entry Draft with the 241st overall pick. Before turning pro, Wideman enjoyed five seasons in the OHL between the Sudbury Wolves (88 games, 17 goals, 37 assists), and the London Knights (204 games, 79 goals, 118 assists).
Prior to his first pro season (2004-05), Wideman signed on as a free agent with the St. Louis Blues. He spent the lockout cancelled season with the AHL Worchester IceCats (79 games, 13 goals, 30 assists). 2005-06 would see him split the season between the AHL Peoria Rivermen (12 games, two goals, four assists), and the Blues (67 games, eight goals, 16 assists).
In 2006-07, Wideman would stay with St. Louis through the first half of the season (55 games, five goals, 17 assists). The Blues traded him to the Boston Bruins on February 27 for Brad Boyes. In parts of four seasons with the Bruins, he would collect 33 goals and 86 assists with a plus-26 rating (including an NHL sixth best plus-32 in 2008-09). Boston traded him along with first (traded to L.A.) and third (Kyle Rau) round picks to the Panthers prior to the 2010-11 season for Nathan Horton and Gregory Campbell.
Wideman led the Cats in ATOI, with 23:58 on the first defensive pairing. He had three multi-point games with the Panthers, scoring a total of nine goals on 135 shots along with 24 assists. All offensive totals were good enough to lead Florida despite him playing in only 61 contests. The Panthers sent him to the Washington Capitals for Jake Hauswirth and a third round pick on February 28. He finished the season with the Capitals, scoring one goal and six assists.
Dennis Wideman plays goalie 11/12/10 (via NHLVideo)
In 2011-12, Wideman made his first ever All-Star roster, scoring 11 goals and 34 assists while playing in every Caps game. He recently signed a five-year, $26,250,000 contract with the Calgary Flames.
All-Time Statline: One season, 61 games, nine goals, 24 assists, 33 points, minus-26 rating, 33 PIM, 4.1 APS.
91. Nick Boynton
Boynton was a 6’2″ defenseman from Nobleton, Ontario when selected originally by the Washington Capitals in the first round of the 1997 NHL Entry Draft, ninth overall. He was a two year veteran of the OHL Ottawa 67’s at the time, but elected not to sign with the Caps. Their right to sign him expired after two more OHL seasons, and he was again selected in the first round, with the 21st overall pick by the Boston Bruins. He totalled 41 goals and 144 assists in 218 OHL contests.
In 1999-00, Boynton played 53 games with the AHL Providence Bruins, scoring five times with 14 assists. He would make his NHL debut late in the season, posting a minus-5 rating in five games with Boston. He also played the following season with Providence (78 games, six goals, 27 assists), appearing in one Boston game in October.
2001-02 would see Boynton open the season with the NHL Bruins. He would remain on the NHL roster for the next three seasons, totalling 17 goals and 55 assists in 239 contests. He would represent the Bruins at the 2004 All-Star game. After spending 2004-05 with the EIHL Nottingham Panthers (19 games, three goals, five assists), he returned to the Bruins for one more season, scoring five goals and seven assists in 54 games. The Bruins sent him to the Phoenix Coyotes during the 2006 offseason for Paul Mara.
After two seasons with Phoenix (138 games, five goals, 18 assists), Boynton was dealt to the Panthers with Keith Ballard and a second round pick for Olli Jokinen. In 16:36 of ATOI, he scored five times on 104 shots, dishing out 16 helpers. He led the Panthers with 91 PIM, collecting a plus-7 rating along the way as Florida missed out on the playoffs due to a tiebreaker with the Montreal Canadiens. On February 27, he got in an argument with then-coach Pete DeBoer, earning him a plane trip home and three games on the bench.
After the season, Boynton signed a free agent contract with the Anaheim Mighty Ducks (42 games, one goal, six assists, 59 PIM). He later played for the Chicago Blackhawks (48 games, one goal, nine assists, 48 PIM) and the Philadelphia Flyers (10 games, minus-3 rating). He did not appear professionally in the 2011-12 season, and is currently a free agent.
All-Time Statline: One season, 68 games, five goals, 16 assists, 21 points, plus-7 rating, 91 PIM, 4.1 APS.
90. Kārlis Skrastiņš
When selected, Skrastins was a 6’1″ defenseman from Riga, Latvia. The Nashville Predators chose him in the ninth round of the 1998 NHL Entry Draft with the 230th overall pick. He spent most of his first North American season with the IHL Milwaukee Admirals (75 games, eight goals, 36 assists), appearing in two NHL contests in February. He would total 307 games with the Preds over his five Nashville seasons, collecting 13 goals and 41 assists. He played in all 82 games in each of his final three seasons with the club.
After the 2002-03 season, Skrastins was traded by the Predators to the Colorado Avalanche for a third round pick (Peter Regin). He would play in every game for the Avs through his first two seasons with the club, ultimately appearing in 275 games over parts of four seasons. He put up nine goals and 33 assists during his time in Colorado. He was traded to the Panthers on February 26 with a third round pick (Adam Comrie) for Ruslan Salei.
Skrastins finished out the 2007-08 season with Florida, averaging 20:03 TOI, scoring one goal on 11 shots (a game winner in a 4-2 victory over the New York Islanders on March 12), and posting a minus-9 rating.
Skrastins opened the 2008-09 season on the second pairing for the Panthers, averaging 20:34 TOI in 80 contests. He would put 55 shots on net, lighting the lamp four times while collecting 14 assists. He also offset the prior seasons terrible rating with a plus-9, bringing him to even through his Panther career. He would sign on with the Dallas Stars after the season.
Karlis Skrastins goal versus Stars (via chiekurs16)
Skrastins played in 153 contests over two seasons with the Stars, scoring five goals with 16 assists, a minus-5 rating and 62 PIM. He lost his life on September 7, 2011 when the Yakovlev Yak-42 carrying his team crashed outside Yaroslavl, Russia. Only one of the 45 people on board survived, flight crew member Alexander Sizov.
All-Time Statline: Two seasons, 97 games, five goals, 14 assists, 19 points, even rating, 42 PIM, 4.1 APS.
89. Mike Wilson
Wilson was 6’6″ when the Vancouver Canucks selected him off the OHL Sudbury Wolves. The defenseman was chosen in the first round of the 1993 NHL Entry Draft with the 20th overall pick. In three OHL seasons, he totalled 23 goals and 63 assists in 177 games. While still in juniors, the Canucks traded him to the Buffalo Sabres with Michael Peca and a first round pick for Alexander Mogilny and a fifth round pick.
Wilson made his professional debut with the 1995-96 Rochester Americans. In 15 AHL games he made five assists. The Sabres called him up in November, and he would spend the rest of the season in Buffalo, scoring four goals and eight assists in 58 games.
All told, Wilson spent parts of four seasons with the Sabres, totalling 11 goals and 23 assists in 231 games. Buffalo traded him to the Panthers on March 23, 1999 for Rhett Warrener and a fifth round pick (current Sabres starting netminder Ryan Miller). Wilson played in four Panthers games through the end of the season, finishing with eight shots on goal and a plus-2 rating.
In 1999-00, Wilson played in 60 contests for Florida, playing ATOI of 18:07. He posted a three point game on March 10, with a goal and two assists in a 4-3 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning. He totalled four goals on 65 shots along with 16 helpers and a plus-10 rating. He would go on to post a minus-5 rating in four playoff matches, a sweep at the hands of the New Jersey Devils.
2000-01 would see Wilson limited to 19 games by a shoulder injury suffered against the Devils on October 25. He took 26 shots on goal and made one assist playing in 13:20 per game with a minus-7 rating. The Pittsburgh Penguins signed him as a free agent after the season.
Wilson split 2001-02 between the Penguins (21 games, one goal, one assists, minus-12 rating) and the AHL Wilkes-Barre Scranton Pens (46 games, three goals, nine assists). He played in 2002-03 between the AHL Pens (45 games, four goals, five assists), the AHL Hartford Wolf Pack (five games, one goal, two assists), and the NHL New York Rangers (one game).
After spending 2003-04 with the AHL’s Springfield Falcons (45 games, three goals, eight assists), Wilson in 2005-06 went on to play in Norway with Storhamar Dragons Hamar (16 games, two assists), the Austrian Linz EHC (17 games, one goal, two assists), the Swiss EHC Basel (six games), and the Finnish Ilves Tampere (22 games, two goals, one assist).
Wilson briefly attempted a comeback with the ECHL Trenton Devils in 2008-09, scoring a goal and two assists in five games.
All-Time Statline: Three seasons, 83 games, four goals, 17 assists, 21 points, plus-5 rating, 60 PIM, 4.1 APS.
88. Steve Reinprecht
Reinprecht was an undrafted 6′ center from Edmonton. After scoring 59 goals and 77 assists in 95 AJHL games with the St. Albert Saints, he committed to the University of Wisconsin. After four seasons of collegiate hockey, he graduated with the Class of 2000 with 72 goals and 90 assists to his credit in 154 contests. After graduation, he signed a free agent contract with the Los Angeles Kings. He appeared in one NHL game at the end of the season.
After playing in parts of two seasons with the Kings (60 games, 12 goals, 17 assists, plus-11 rating), Reinprecht played in parts of three seasons with the Colorado Avalanche (165 games, 40 goals, 64 assists), parts of two seasons with the Calgary Flames (96 games, 17 goals, 41 assists), and parts of four with the Phoenix Coyotes (231 games, 51 goals, 92 assists). The Coyotes traded him to the Panthers after the 2008-09 season for Stefan Meyer.
2009-10 would see Reinprecht appear in all 82 Florida games, along with Keith Ballard, Bryan McCabe, and Micheal Frolik. He would average 16:05 TOI while centering the third and sometimes second line. He scored a hat trick in Dallas against the Stars on October 30, also collecting an assist on the night (see video), one of five games on the season in which he collected multiple points. He would score a team fourth-best 16 goals on 124 shots, his 12.9 shooting percentage second only to Stephen Weiss among players with over 25 shots. He also ranked fifth on the squad with 22 assists, finishing the season with a minus-1 rating.
Reinprecht Hat Trick vs Stars 10/30/2009 (via NHLWebCastHQ)
In 2010-11, Reinprecht played in 29 games for the Panthers with an ATOI of 11:46. He scored four times on 31 shots while making six assists. Florida loaned him to the Mannheim Eagles (18 games, four goals, nine assists) in the German Elite League on January 6.
After opening the 2011-12 season playing in five games with the San Antonio Rampage, Florida traded him to the Vancouver Canucks along with David Booth and a third round pick in next year’s draft for Marco Sturm and Mikael Samuelsson. He remained in the AHL with the Chicago Wolves, scoring 13 times with 30 helpers in 57 contests.
All-Time Statline: Two seasons, 111 games, 20 goals, 28 assists, 48 points, minus-3 rating, 24 PIM, 4.2 APS.
87. Magnus Svensson
Svensson, a 5’11” defenseman from Tranas, Sweden, was originally selected in the 12th round of the 1987 NHL Entry Draft by the Calgary Flames, 250th overall. At the time of his selection, he was a four year veteran of Leksands IF in the Swedish Elite League. He would stay with the team for 10 seasons (342 games, 91 goals, 128 assists) before venturing stateside. Prior to his first foray into the NHL, the Flames traded him to the Panthers with Robert Svehla for a third round pick in the 1996 draft and cash.
After spending 35 games with the Swiss-A League team Davos (eight goals, 25 assists), Svensson joined the Panthers near the end of the 1994-95 season. He lit the lamp twice on 41 shots, also assisting on five more in Florida’s last 19 regular season games. In spite of his limited playing time, he posted a team third best plus-5 rating on the season.
Svensson opened the 1995-96 season with the Panthers, spending the whole season with the club. He played in at least one game in each month of the regular season, but was shelved on several occasions for mulitple games with injuries. He totalled 27 games for Florida throughout the season, scoring two goals on 59 shots along with nine assists as the team made the playoffs for the first time in their short history. Svensson would not appear for the Panthers in the postseason, rejoining Leksands IF after the season.
Kevin Dineen Nails Svensson FLYERS vs PANTHERS (via hockeyfightguy)
Svensson played in four more seasons with Leksands (185 games, 25 goals, 70 assists), also joining the Swiss-A team Rapperswil-Jona (42 games, seven goals, 25 assists) and the Swedish League Nybro Vikings (40 games, 15 goals, seven assists).
All-Time Statline: Two seasons, 46 games, four goals, 14 assists, 18 points, minus-6 rating, 31 PIM, 4.2 APS.
86. Mike Santorelli
Santorelli is a 6′ center from Vancouver, BC. He was selected by the Nashville Predators in the sixth round of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft with the 178th overall pick. After selection, he would join Northern Michigan University and play three seasons of collegiate hockey with the Wildcats, racking up 61 goals and 49 assists in 121 matches.
Santorelli joined the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals for the 2007-08 season, scoring 21 goals and 21 assists in 80 games. He would stay with Milwaukee in 2008-09, playing in 70 games and scoring 27 goals and 43 assists. He also appeared in seven NHL games with the Predators, taking 11 shots on goal and finishing the season with a minus-5 rating.
2009-10 would see Santorelli spend 57 games with the Admirals (26 goals, 33 assists), also playing in 25 NHL games with the Preds (two goals, one assist, minus-8 rating. Nashville traded him to the Panthers during the 2010 offseason for a fourth round draft choice (Josh Shalla).
Santorelli would play in all 82 Panthers games through the 2010-11 season, along with David Booth, Mike Weaver, and Marty Reasoner. He would score a team third best 20 goals on 193 shots in 16:41 of ice time centering Florida’s third line. He was also third on the team with 21 assists, his 41 total points were second only to Stephen Weiss’ 49. He would finish the year with a minus-17 rating and only 20 PIM.
MIKE SANTORELLI amazing goals tribute (via icehookysk)
Things were looking bright for Santorelli coming into the 2011-12 season, but he never really got into the swing of things after missing the first seven games of the season with a shoulder injury. In 12:24 ATOI while centering Florida’s third and fourth, Santo totalled nine goals on 117 shots with only two assists and a minus-10 rating. He was scratched from the Panthers lineup in each of the seasons’ last nine games, and did not appear in Florida’s first postseason in 12 years. Florida waived him on June 28th, but as of yet, no other team has claimed him.
All-Time Statline: Two seasons, 142 games, 29 goals, 23 assists, 52 points, minus-27 rating, 38 PIM, 4.2 APS.
85. Oleg Kvasha
Kvasha was a 6’6″ behemoth left winger from Moscow when Florida chose him in the third round of the 1996 NHL Entry Draft with the 65th overall pick. He would play his first season in North America with the AHL New Haven Beast in 1997-98, picking up 13 goals and 16 assists in 57 games.
In 1998-99, Kvasha began the season with the Panthers NHL roster, playing in a total of 68 games with the team. He made two assists in his first NHL appearance, both assists, in a 4-1 season opening victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning. It was one of four multi-point games for Kvasha that season. He totalled 12 goals on 138 shots in 12:48 ATOI, also making 13 assists and finishing the season at plus-5.
1999-00 would see Kvasha play in 78 games with the Panthers. For the second time in his two seasons with Florida he opened the season with two assists in a victory, this time a 4-3 decision over the Washington Capitals. He would score five goals on 110 shots, along with 20 assists in bottom six minutes, 11:24 ATOI. He would finish the season with a plus-3 rating. In four postseason matches with the Panthers, he finished with an even rating and six shots on goal as Florida was swept by the New Jersey Devils. The Panthers traded him to the New York Islanders after the season with Mark Parrish for Roberto Luongo and Olli Jokinen (probably our best trade ever).
Kvasha played in parts of five seasons with the Islanders, totalling 60 goals and 96 assists in 332 games, posting a minus-13 rating along with 250 PIM. He would appear in 15 games with the Phoenix Coyotes in 2005-06, scoring four goals and seven assists.
Kvasha went back to Russia following the 2005-06 season, and has since played with Chekhov Vityaz (81 games, 27 goals, 26 assists), Chelyabinsk Traktor (52 games, 18 goals, 17 assists), Mytishchi Atlant (46 games, 12 goals, seven assists), Magnitogorsk Metallurg (45 games, five goals, two assists), and last season with Nizhnekamsk Neftekhimik (44 games, 10 goals, 13 assists).
All-Time Statline: Two seasons, 146 games, 17 goals, 33 assists, 50 points, plus-8 rating, 79 PIM, 4.2 APS.
84. Keith Brown
Brown skated with the WHL Portland Winter Hawks for parts of three seasons, totalling 22 goals and 128 assists in 144 contests when selected by the Chicago Blackhawks in the 1979 NHL Entry Draft. He was a 19 year old, 6’1″ defenseman from Corner Brook, Newfoundland selected in the first round with the seventh overall pick.
Brown made his professional debut in 1979-80 with the Blackhawks, and would remain on the NHL roster for the next 14 seasons. He ranks 12th on Chicago’s all-time leaderboard with 812 games played. He scored 64 goals and 266 assists with a plus-52 rating and 854 PIM. Chicago traded him to the Panthers just prior to their inaugural 1993-94 season for Darin Kimble. He added four goals and 32 assists in 103 playoff matchups.
For the first edition of the Panthers, Brown provided blue line experience and depth. He totalled 51 games, scoring four goals on 52 shots along with eight assists, a team second-best plus-11 rating, and 60 PIM. Brown missed two months in the middle of the season with an injury.
1994-95 would see Brown miss most of the strike-shortened season with another injury, playing in 13 games and finishing with an even rating and 10 shots taken on goal. He currently works as a network analyst in Georgia.
All-Time Statline: Two seasons, 64 games, four goals, eight assists, 12 points, plus-12 rating, 62 PIM, 4.3 APS.
83. Pavel Trnka
Trnka was a 6’2″ defenseman from Plzen, Czechloslovakia when the Anaheim Mighty Ducks selected him in the fifth round of the 1994 NHL Entry Draft with the 106th overall pick. He played his first two professional seasons with the AHL Baltimore Bandits, scoring eight goals and 20 assists in 138 contests.
Trnka would see his first NHL action in 1997-98 with the NHL’s version of the Ducks, splitting the season between the AHL Cincinnati Mighty Ducks (23 games, three goals, five assists) and Anaheim (48 games, three goals, four assists).
In 1998-99, Trnka reported to Anaheim, staying with the club for a total of four and a half more seasons. He totalled 11 goals and 47 assists in 322 games. The Ducks traded him to the Panthers on January 30, 2003 with Matt Cullen and a fourth round pick (James Pemberton) for Sandis Ozolinsh and Lance Ward.
Trnka finished the 2002-03 season with the Panthers, appearing in 22 games and failing to light the lamp in 25 shots on goal. He collected three assists and a minus-1 rating, finishing the season with 24 PIM.
2003-04 would see Trnka open the season on Florida’s roster. He scored his first goal with the Panthers in a 5-2 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on December 23, also collecting an assist on the night. He totalled three goals on 66 shots, made 13 assists, a plus-2 rating, and 51 minutes in the box.
When the 2004-05 season was cancelled, Trnka signed on with Plzen HC in the Czech League (113 games, 18 goals, 18 assists). He has also appeared with the Swedish Elite teams Leksands IF (seven games, three assists), and Malmo IF (20 games, one assist). He has spent the last five seasons back in the Czech League with Vitkovice HC (208 games, five goals, 29 assists).
All-Time Statline: Two seasons, 89 games, three goals, 16 assists, 19 points, plus-1 rating, 75 PIM, 4.4 APS.
82. Martin Straka
When originally drafted, Straka was a 5’9″ center from Plzen, Czechoslovakia. The Pittsburgh Penguins selected him in the first round of the 1992 NHL Entry Draft with the 19th overall pick.
Straka played in parts of three seasons with the Penguins during his first tour of duty with the club. He totalled 37 goals and 59 assists, along with a plus-26 rating. Pittsburgh traded him to the Ottawa Senators on April 7, 1995 for Troy Murray and Norm Maciver.
Straka played in the last six games of the season with the Senators, appearing in the first 43 games of the following season before again getting traded. He finished with 10 goals and 17 assists in 49 contests, joining the New York Islanders on January 23, 1996 with Don Beaupre and Bryan Berard for Damian Rhodes and Wade Redden. He would score two goals and 10 assists in 22 games for New York before the Islanders placed him on the waiver wire, where the Panthers picked him up.
Straka finished out the season with the Cats, scoring two goals on 17 shots, along with four assists in the last 12 games of the regular season. He played in 13 of Florida’s postseason matchups, scoring twice on 20 shots along with four assists as the Cats earned the Eastern Conference Championship.
Classic Florida Panthers Goal 1996 Playoffs (via tjackson76)
In 1996-97, Straka appeared in 55 games with Florida. He scored two goals along with an assist in a 3-3 tie with the Tampa Bay Lightning on December 26. He had six multi-point efforts that season, scoring seven goals on 94 shots, along with 22 assists and a plus-9 rating. In four postseason matches, he took two shots on goal, finishing with a minus-2 rating. After the season ended, he signed a free agent contract to play again with the Penguins.
In his second run through Pittsburgh, Straka played in parts of seven seasons. He racked up 128 goals and 218 assists in 403 matches, earning a spot in the 1999 All-Star Game. He later also made NHL appearances with the Los Angeles Kings (32 games, six goals, eight assists), and the New York Rangers (224 games, 65 goals, 122 assists). He has spent the last four seasons in the Czech League with Plzen HC (188 games, 73 goals, 130 assists).
All-Time Statline: Two seasons, 67 games, nine goals, 26 assists, 35 points, plus-10 rating, 18 PIM, 4.4 APS.
81. Ivan Novoseltsev
Novoseltsev played in one complete season with Krylja Sovetov of the Russian League, making three assists in 30 games. The Panthers picked the Russian (from Golitsino) right winger with their fourth round choice of the 1997 NHL Entry Draft, 95th overall. He was 6’1″, 207 pounds at the time of his signing.
Novoseltsev joined the OHL’s Sarnia Sting for two seasons starting in 1997-98 before turning professional, scoring 83 goals and 61 assists in 121 contests. He added three goals and five assists in 10 playoff matches with the team.
In 1999-00, Novoseltsev was twice called up to fill a hole with the Panthers, totalling 14 games with the Cats. He scored two goals in his very first game as a Cat, a 3-2 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on October 13. Most of his season was spent with the AHL’s version of the Panthers, in Louisville (47 games, 14 goals, 21 assists). He scored twice on eight shots, collected one assist and a minus-8 rating in 10:29 ATOI.
Novoseltsev started 2000-01 with Louisville (34 games, two goals, 10 assists), earning his first of two callups to Florida in October. On two occasions he enjoyed multi-point games, totalling three goals on 34 shots in 10:44 average TOI. He posted a minus-5 rating with 16 PIM.
2001-02 would see Novoseltsev spend the entire season with the NHL Panthers, playing in 70 games and averaging 14:53 TOI on the second and third lines. He enjoyed the first three point game of his career in a 5-4 win over the Edmonton Oilers on March 8, with a goal and two assists. He scored a career high 13 goals on 109 shots, collected 16 assists and a minus-10 rating. He led the Panthers with five game winning goals.
In 2002-03, Novoseltsev would see action in a career high 78 NHL contests, also achieving career highs with 15:02 ATOI and 17 assists. He scored 10 goals on 115 shots with a minus-16 rating. He started the 2003-04 season with Florida, scoring one goal on 25 shots with four assists through 17 contests in 11:55 ATOI. Florida sent him to the Phoenix Coyotes on December 30 for future considerations.
All-Time Statline: Five seasons, 217 games, 29 goals, 44 assists, 73 points, minus-40 rating, 106 PIM, 4.6 APS.
80. Niklas Hagman
Hagman was originally from Espoo, Finland. The 6′ left winger was selected in the third round of the 1999 NHL Entry Draft by the Panthers with the 70th overall pick. He finally joined Florida after six seasons in various Finnish Leagues, most recently scoring 28 goals with 18 assists in 56 contests with Karpat Oulu in 2000-01.
2001-02 would see Hagman make his NHL debut by spending 78 games with the Panthers NHL roster. On February 4, he scored two goals in his first ever three point effort, also collecting an assist in a 6-6 tie with the New York Islanders. It was one of four multi-point efforts on the season, including three three-point games. Overall, he lit the lamp 10 times on 134 shots in 13:50 per game, also making 18 assists and a minus-6 rating.
In 2002-03, Hagman avaraged 13:31 in 80 Florida games. He again had four games in which he enjoyed multi-point performances, including a two goal effort in a 4-2 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins on March 16. Altogether, he made eight goals on 132 shots with 15 assists and a minus-8 rating on the season.
Hagman played 75 games for the Panthers in 2003-04, averaging 14:47 of TOI. He had his only multiple point game of the season on February 12, scoring two goals in a 5-1 win over the Penguins. (The Panthers were bad at that time (20-23-11-2), but the Penguins were markedly worse (11-38-5-3)). He ended up with 10 goals on 122 shots along with 13 helpers and a minus-5 rating.
When the 2004-05 season was cancelled, Hagman joined HC Davos in Switzerland, scoring 17 goals with 22 assists in 44 games. He turned it up in the postseason, scoring 10 goals and seven assists in 15 contests, helping Davos to the NLA Championship.
Hagman returned to the Panthers in 2005-06, scoring two goals on 52 shots, along with four assists through the first 30 games of the season. Florida traded him to the Dallas Stars for a seventh round draft choice (Sergei Gayduchenko) on December 12.
After parts of three seasons with the Stars (218 games, 50 goals, 35 assists), Hagman made NHL appearances with the Toronto Maple Leafs (120 games, 42 goals, 33 assists), the Calgary Flames (106 games, 17 goals, 25 assists), and the Anaheim Mighty Ducks (63 games, eight goals, 11 assists). He is signed next season with Lokomotiv Yaroslavl of the KHL.
This one just had to be against the Panthers.
Niklas Hagman Incredible Goal vs Panthers (goal of the year?) (via leafspc)
All-Time Statline: Four seasons, 263 games, 30 goals, 50 assists, 80 points, minus-27 rating, 52 PIM, 5.0 APS.
79. Mikael Samuelsson
Samuelsson was a 6’1″ right winger from Mariefred, Sweden when originally selected. He was chosen in the fifth round of the 1998 NHL Entry Draft by the San Jose Sharks with the 145th overall pick. He would report to the AHL Kentucky Thoroughblades for the 2000-01 season, scoring 32 goals and 46 assists in 66 games. He also made his NHL debut with the Sharks in January, playing in four games. The Sharks traded him to the New York Rangers with Christian Gosselin for Adam Graves and future considerations after the season.
Samuelsson appeared with the Rangers for one and a half seasons (125 games, 14 goals, 24 assists), finishing out the 2002-03 season on the Penguins (22 games, two goals). Pittsburgh traded him to Florida with a first round draft choice (Nathan Horton) and a second round compensatory pick (Stefan Meyer) for first (Marc-Andre Fleury) and third (Daniel Carcillo) round picks.
In 2003-04, Samuelsson was part of the Panthers for the entire season, but due to two injuries (jaw, hand) missed the majority of the season. He played in 37 games with Florida. In 12:15 ATOI, he scored three goals on 50 shots, dished out six helpers, and finished the season with an even rating.
Samuelsson spent the 2004-05 season between the Swiss HC Geneve-Servette (12 games, two goals, four assists), and the Swedish Sodertalje SK (29 games, seven goals, 13 assists). He would sign a free agent contract to return to the NHL for the 2005-06 season as a member of the Detroit Red Wings.
Samuelsson spent four seasons with the Wings, scoring 67 goals and 92 assists in 278 regular season contests. He also pitched in with 13 goals and 22 assists in 69 playoff games, helping the Red Wings to the 2008 Stanley Cup.
During the 2009 offseason, Samuelsson signed on as a free agent with the Vancouver Canucks. In two full seasons (plus six games in 2011-12) he scored 49 goals (including a career high 30 in 2009-10) along with 57 assists in 155 contests. He was traded to the Panthers on October 22 along with Marco Sturm and a third round pick for David Booth and Steven Reinprecht.
Remember this wicked wrister from the NEUTRAL ZONE?
Mikael Samuelsson scores from center ice 2/1/12 (via NHLVideo)
With Florida, Samuelsson only appeared in 48 regular season games. He tabbed a goal and an assist in a March 17, 6-4 victory over the New York Islanders. Altogether, he scored 13 goals on 125 shots with the Cats, making 15 assists and finishing at plus-2. He recently signed on for a second tour of duty with the Red Wings, and is currently signed on through the 2013-14 season.
All-Time Statline: Two seasons, 85 games, 16 goals, 21 assists, 37 points, plus-2 rating, 49 PIM, 5.1 APS.
78. Dave Gagner
Gagner was a 5’10” center with the OHL Brantford Alexanders when drafted in the 1983 NHL Entry Draft. The native of Chatham, Ontario was selected in the first round with the 12th overall pick by the New York Rangers. He totalled 92 goals and 125 assists in 150 OHL contests.
1984-85 would see Gagner make his professional debut, evenly splitting the season between the Rangers (six goals, six assists) and their AHL affiliate, the New Haven Nighthawks (13 goals, 20 assists), with 38 games for each club. He would become familiar with the routine, spending a total of three seasons going back and forth between the two. He totalled 45 goals and 72 assists in 110 AHL contests and 11 goals with 16 assists in 80 Rangers games. Just prior to the 1987-88 season, the Rangers traded him to the Minnesota North Stars with Jay Caufield for Jari Gronstrand and Paul Boutilier.
In parts of nine seasons with the Minnesota/Dallas Stars franchise, Gagner was a six time 30-goal scorer, and broke the 40-goal barrier on two occasions. He represented the North Stars at the 1991 NHL All-Star game. Overall, he scored 247 goals and 287 assists in 609 games. He ranks sixth in franchise history in goals scored and seventh with 534 total points. The Stars shipped him off to the Toronto Maple Leafs with a sixth round choice (Dmitri Yakushin) for Benoit Hogue and Randy Wood on January 29, 1996.
After closing the season with the Leafs (28 games, seven goals, 15 assists), Gagner was again moved. Toronto traded him to the Calgary Flames for a third round pick (Mike Lankshear). He would light the lamp 27 times with 33 helpers for the Flames, playing in all 82 games of the 1996-97 season.
Gagner signed on with the Panthers as a free agent on July 12, 1997. In just his second game with the team, he scored a hat trick, scoring on each of his three shots on goal. It was just one of 11 occasions that season where he collected more than one point in a game. In 78 games, he totalled a team second best 20 goals on 158 shots, along with a team third best 28 assists. He finished the season with a team worst minus-21 rating.
In 1998-99, Gagner spent the first 36 games of the season with the Panthers. He made three assists in a 7-3 win over the Chicago Blackhawks on October 30 on his way to a four goal, 10 assist swan song with the Cats. On January 17, Florida traded him to the Vancouver Canucks with Ed Jovanovski, Mike Brown, Kevin Weekes, and a first round pick (Nathan Smith) for Pavel Bure, Bret Hedican, Brad Ference, and a third round pick (Robert Fried). After scoring two goals and 12 assists through 33 games, he would announce his retirement preceding the following season.
All-Time Statline: Two seasons, 114 games, 24 goals, 38 assists, 62 points, minus-28 rating, 94 PIM, 5.2 APS.
77. Mike Vernon
Originally from Calgary, Alberta, Vernon had just posted a 33-17-1 record with the WHL Calgary Wranglers when chosen in the 1981 NHL Entry Draft. The 5’9″ goaltender was picked up by the Calgary Flames in the third round, 56th overall. In three seasons with the Wranglers, he totalled a 84-49-5 record.
Vernon made his debut with the Flames with two games in the 1982-83 season. In 11 seasons with the Flames, Vernon totalled a then-franchise record 248 wins with 152 losses and 51 ties, including an incredible 37-6-5 record in 1988-89. He then went 16-5 with a 2.26 GAA through the playoffs, helping the Flames to their first ever Stanley Cup. He also appeared in the All-Star game five times as a member of the Flames. The Flames traded him to the Detroit Red Wings just after the 1993-94 season for Steve Chiasson.
Vernon played with the Wings for three seasons, posting a 53-24-14 record and a 2.40 GAA. He would duplicate his Stanley Cups success with the Red Wings in 1997, going 16-4 with a 1.76 GAA and a .927 save percentage. During the following offseason, he was traded to the San Jose Sharks with a fifth round pick for two second round picks, both traded away in subsequent transactions.
In parts of three seasons with San Jose, Vernon collected a franchise fifth most 52 wins, with 49 losses and 19 ties/overtime losses, with a .904 save percentage and a 2.39 GAA. The Sharks traded him to the Panthers December 30, 1999 with a third round pick (Sean O’Connor) for Radek Dvorak.
Vernon spent half a season as the Panthers number one goaltender. He started 34 matches and accrued an 18-13-2 record. On February 16, Vernon shutout the New York Rangers, 3-0 on 25 shots. He was Florida’s only netminder to face action in the Stanley Cup Playoffs that season, going 0-4 while allowing 12 goals on 136 shots. After the season, he was left unprotected in the 2000 NHL Expanision Draft, getting selected by the Minnesota Wild. He was immediately traded back to the Flames for an eighth round pick and the right to negotiate with Dan Cavanaugh.
In his final two NHL seasons, Vernon struggled to a 14-32-6 record. He stands at number two on Calgary’s all-time leaderboard with 262 wins and third with 13 shutouts. He officially retired just prior to the 2002-03 season.
All-Time Statline: One season, 34 games, 2,019 minutes, 18-13-2 record, one shutout, 1,020 shots faced, 937 saves, 83 goals allowed, .919 save percentage, 2.47 GAA, 5.2 APS.
76. Brad Ference
Ference stood 6’3″ when chosen by the Vancouver Canucks with the 10th overall pick in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft. The defenseman from Calgary, Alberta was playing for the WHL Spokane Chiefs at the time, and through four total seasons scored 24 goals with 89 assists and 796 penalty minutes through 177 WHL games, (the last 20 with the Tri-City Americans).
In 1999-00, Ference made his professional debut, spending 58 games with the Louisville Panthers in the AHL (two goals, seven assists, 231 PIM). He also played in 13 NHL games with the Panthers, going scoreless on 10 shots, making two assists, and spending 46 minutes in the box in 13:40 ATOI.
2000-01 would see Ference again spend most of his season in Louisville (52 games, three goals, 21 assists, minus-22 rating, 200 PIM), joining the NHL version of the Panthers for 14 games, averaging 13:03 per game over several callups to Florida. He went scoreless on five shots, made one assist and racked up a minus-10 rating.
Ference joined Florida on a more permanent basis for the 2001-02 season, playing in 80 NHL contests for the Panthers. He scored two goals on 65 shots and made a career high 15 assists while averaging 19:44 TOI. He scored his first career goal on December 19 in a 5-2 win over the Washington Capitals. He also posted a minus-13 rating and 254 minutes in the penalty box.
Ference spent 60 games with the Panthers to start the 2002-03 season, scoring twice on 41 shots and making six assists. He posted a plus-2 rating and 118 PIM. The Panthers traded him to the Phoenix Coyotes on March 8 for Darcy Hordichuk and a second round pick (later traded to Tampa Bay).
Ference played 78 games with Phoenix, collecting six assists and a minus-24 rating with 131 penalty minutes. He played five games with the Calgary Flames in 2006-07, bringing his NHL career to a close.
All-Time Statline: Four seasons, 167 games, four goals, 24 assists, 28 points, minus-19 rating, 432 PIM, 5.3 APS.
75. Shawn Matthias
Matthias is a 6’4″ center on Florida’s current roster. He was selected in the second round of the 2006 NHL Entry Draft by the Detroit Red Wings with the 47th overall pick. The native of Missisauga, Ontario spent four OHL seasons with the Belleville Bulls, totalling 84 goals and 104 assists in 221 contests, including a 79 point effort in only 53 games in 2007-08. The Wings traded him to the Panthers with a second round pick for Todd Bertuzzi on February 27. He made his NHL debut with four games in Florida. He scored two goals in his second NHL game, a 5-3 loss to the Washington Capitals.
2008-09 would see Matthias spend most of his season with the AHL Rochester Americans (61 games, 10 goals, 10 assists). He also played in 16 NHL contests for the Panthers, failing to score on 11 shots and making two assists in 9:10 ATOI.
In 2009-10, Matthias opened the season on Florida’s NHL roster. He scored two goals in a 2-1 win over the Montreal Canadiens on January 26. He scored seven goals on 67 shots, also making nine assists in 10:48 ATOI, rounding out the season with a minus-3 rating. He also appeared in 27 games with Rochester, scoring six goals and seven assists.
Matthias totalled 51 games with the 2010-11 version of the Panthers, missing 23 games with a broken ankle. In 11:50 ATOI he scored six goals on 90 shots with 10 helpers and an even rating.
2011-12 would see Matthias achieve career highs in all offensive categories, including 49 PIM. He played in 13:49 per game over 79 appearances. He scored 10 goals on 133 shots with 14 assists and a minus-2 rating. Matthias is a lot faster than opposing teams are prepared to handle at times. He’s a solid two way faceoff man, but his passing sometimes gets him into trouble. He is currently signed through the 2012-13 season at $900,000.
Matthias breakaway goal, 1/16/12 (via NHLVideo)
All-Time Statline: Five seasons, 205 games, 25 goals, 35 assists, 60 points, minus-10 rating, 79 PIM, 5.4 APS.
74. Richard Zednik
Zednik is a 6′ left winger from Banska Bystrica, Slovakia. He was picked up by the Washington Capitals in the 10th round of the 1994 NHL Entry Draft with the 249th overall pick. He played two WHL seasons with the Portland Winter Hawks, scoring 79 goals and 88 assists in 126 games. After the 1995-96 WHL season, he appeared in one regular season game each with the AHL Portland Pirates and the NHL Caps. He would then appear in 21 playoff games with the Pirates, scoring four goals and five assists.
1996-97 was largely spent with the AHL Pirates, as Zednik lit the lamp 15 times with 20 helpers in 56 games. He also appeared in 11 games with the Caps, scoring two goals and three assists. It was the last season in which he appeared in minor league hockey.
Zednik eventually spent parts of six seasons with the Caps (257 games, 63 goals, 53 assists, minus-9, 197 PIM). Washington traded him to the Montreal Canadiens on March 13, 2001 with Jan Bulis and a first round pick (Alexander Perezhogin) for Trevor Linden, Dainius Zubrus, and a second round pick (traded away).
As a member of the Habs, Zednik finished out the 2000-01 season and the next four NHL seasons with the team (322 games, 98 goals, 85 assists), including a career high 31 markers in the 2002-03 campaign. He spent the 2004-05 season with HKm Zvolen in the Slovakian League (36 games, 15 goals, 19 assists). The Habs traded him back to the Caps after the 2005-06 NHL season for a third round pick (Olivier Fortier).
After totalling six goals and 12 assists in 32 contests with the Caps through his second tour with the team, he was traded to the New York Islanders on February 26, 2007 for a second round pick (Theo Ruth). He scored one goal and two assists in 10 games with the team.
On free agent day, 2007, Zednik signed on with the Florida Panthers, his last NHL stop (to date). He scored a hat trick on February 5 in a 8-0 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs, also collecting an assist on the night. He would rack up a team fourth best 15 goals on 140 shots while averaging 17:35 TOI per game over the course of the season. He also made 11 assists and finished with a minus-5 rating and 43 penalty minutes.
Zednik would again rank fourth on the Cats in goals scored in 2008-09, scoring 17 on 153 shots in 15:35 of ice time per contest. He made 16 assists in 70 games, enjoying multi-point efforts on six occasions. He finished the year at plus-2 with 46 PIM as Florida barely missed the playoffs.
Zednik went on to the KHL Yaroslavl Lokomotiv in 2009-10 (37 games, six goals, 12 assists), joining AIK in the Swedish Elite League in 2010-11 (18 games, two goals, three assists).
All-Time Statline: Two seasons, 124 games, 32 goals, 27 assists, 59 points, minus-3 rating, 89 PIM, 5.7 APS.
73. Dan Boyle
Boyle was a 5’11” defenseman when, undrafted out of Ottawa, he decided to attend college at Miami University, Ohio. In four seasons of collegiate hockey, he totalled 40 goals, 107 assists in 148 contests, graduating with the Class of 1998. He made his pro debut with eight games at the end of the 1997-98 IHL season, registering three assists nd 20 penalty minutes with the Cincinnati Cyclones.
1998-99 would see Boyle play the first four months of the season with the AHL Kentucky Thoroughblades, scoring eight goals and 34 assists in 53 games. He made his first NHL appearance with Florida in February, spending the last 22 games of the campaign with the club. In just his third game with the team he scored a goal and two assists in a 5-3 win over the Philadelphia Flyers. He totalled three goals on 31 shots along with five assists in 18:50 ATOI.
In 1999-00, Boyle spent most of his season with the AHL Louisville Panthers, scoring 14 goals and 38 assists in 58 games. He made a stop in Florida from January through March, starting 13 games with the team. He made three assists in 16:57 per contest, coming up empty on nine shots on goal.
Boyle opened the 2000-01 season on the Panthers roster, earning an assist in a season opening overtime 4-3 loss to the Vancouver Canucks. Despite a minus-14 rating on the campaign, he set new career highs (since eclipsed) of four goals on 83 shots, 18 assists, and 69 games. He averaged 16:56 TOI through the season.
2001-02 would see Boyle open the season with 25 games in South Florida. He scored three goals on 31 shots, collected three assists and finished with a minus-1 rating in 15:40 ATOI. The Panthers traded him to the Tampa Bay Lighning on January 7 for a fifth round pick (Martin Tuma).
Boyle played with the Bolts for six seasons, helping the team to the 2004 Stanley Cup. He totalled 66 goals and 187 assists in 394 games. He has spent the last four seasons with the San Jose Sharks (310 games, 49 goals, 164 assists). He has at least 38 assists in seven of the nine full seasons since leaving the Panthers.
All-Time Statline: Four seasons, 129 games, 10 goals, 29 assists, 39 points, minus-17 rating, 50 PIM, 5.8 APS.
72. Jassen Cullimore
Cullimore was a 6’5″ defenseman from Simcoe, Ontario when drafted by the Vancouver Canucks. He was chosen in the second round of the 1991 NHL Entry Draft with the 29th overall pick. Prior to turning pro, he completed four seasons in juniors with the OHL Peterborough Petes, scoring 21 goals and dishing out 60 helpers in 195 contests, including 46 points in only 54 games in his final season, 1991-92.
1992-93 would see Cullimore make his professional debut with the AHL Hamilton Canucks, scoring five goals and seven assists in 56 games. He would step up his game in 1993-94, scoring eight times with 20 assists in 71 contests. His improvement did not go unnoticed, as Vancouver called him up for his first NHL action the following season. He would appear in a total of 64 games for the Canucks, scoring twice with three assists in parts of three seasons.He was traded to the Montreal Canadiens on November 13, 1996 for Donald Brashear.
After parts of two seasons with the Habs (52 games, two goals, six assists), Cullimore played in parts of seven seasons with the Tampa Bay Lightning (408 games, 15 goals, 41 assists) and two seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks (119 games, two goals, 12 assists). He bacame a Panther by signing a free agent contract with Florida on October 26, 2007.
Cullimore flourished as part of Florida’s blue line corps, posting an 18:04 ATOI through 65 games with the Panthers. He registered a career high (and team leading) plus-21 rating, scoring three times on 55 shots, collecting 10 assists and 38 penalty minutes.
Cullimore remained with the Panthers in 2008-09, averaging 16:48 per game over 68 games, scoring twice on 52 shots with eight assists, a minus-10 rating, and 37 PIM. Prior to the 2009-10 season, he signed a professional tryout with the AHL Rockford IceHogs, eventually appearing in 100 games with the club (four goals, 13 assists),. He was called up to the Chicago Blackhawks in 2010-11 for 36 games near the end of the season, earning eight assists.
Jassen Cullimore vs Andre Deveaux Jan 6, 2009 (via hockeyfightsdotcom)
Cullimore spent the 2011-12 season in the Deutsch Elite League with the Iserlohn Roosters (51 games, two goals, six assists).
All-Time Statline: Two seasons, 133 games, five goals, 18 assists, 23 points, plus-11 rating, 75 PIM, 5.8 APS.
71. Ed Belfour
Belfour was a 5’11” goaltender from Carman, Manitoba when he signed as a free agent with the Chicago Blackhawks on September 25, 1987 after going undrafted. In eight seasons with Chicago, “Eddie the Eagle” was thrice selected to the All-Star team, leading the NHL in 1990-91 with 43 wins, a .910 save percentage, and a 2.47 GAA. He ranks third on the Blackhawks all time wins list with a 201-138-56 record. He also boasts a .903 save percentage, 30 shutouts, and a 2.65 GAA through his career in Chicago. From 1991-92 through 1994-95, Belfour led the NHL in shutouts for four consecutive seasons. He also collected a 35-28 postseason record with the club. The Hawks traded him to the San Jose Sharks on January 25, 1997 for Chris Terreri, Ulf Dahlen and Michal Sykora.
After Belfour finished the 1996-97 season with the Sharks (3-9-0, .884, 3.41), he signed a free agent contract to be a Dallas Star. In five seasons with Dallas, he never played in less than 60 games, earning two more all-star appearances and the 1999 Stanley Cup. He posted a 44-29 playoff record, and ranks second on Dallas’ all-time wins list, with a 160-95-44 record, a .910 save percentage, 27 shutouts, and a 2.19 GAA. He was traded to the Nashville Predators with Cameron Mann for David Gosselin and a fifth round pick during the 2002 offseason, but three days later would sign as a free agent with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
In three seasons with the Leafs, Belfour totalled a 93-61-15 record with a .912 save percentage, 17 shutouts and a 2.51 GAA. He signed on with the Panthers as a 41-year old free agent on July 25, 2006.
2006-07 would see Belfour play in 58 games as the Panthers number one goaltender, posting a 27-17-10 record in the process. He only posted one shutout on the season, a 1-0 win over the Montreal Canadiens on February 13. He finished the season with a .902 save percentage and a 2.77 GAA. It would be the last time he appeared in the NHL. His 484 career wins rank him third on the All-Time Leaderboard, behind Martin Brodeur and Patrick Roy. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame with the Class of 2011, in his first year of eligibility.
Eddie the Eagle takes Flight (via LennyLenihan)
All-Time Statline: One season, 58 games, 27-17-10 record, 1,550 shots faced, 152 goals allowed, 1,398 saves made, one shutout, .902 save percentage, 2.77 GAA, 6.1 APS.
70. Mike Hough
Hough, a 6’1″ right winger from Montreal, was originally selected in the ninth round of the 1982 NHL Entry Draft with the 181st overall pick by the Quebec Nordiques. He scored 31 goals and 61 assists in two OHL seasons with the Kitchener Rangers, spanning 119 contests. He made his pro debut with 69 AHL games with the Fredericton Express in 1983-84, scoring 11 goals with 16 helpers in 69 games.
Hough split his next several seasons between the AHL with the Express (and later the Halifax Citadels) and the Nordiques. Over parts of seven seasons in Quebec, he totalled 68 goals and 97 assists in 363 games, with a minus-66 rating and 461 penalty minutes. Quebec traded him to the Washington Capitals for Reggie Savage and Paul MacDermid after the 1993-94 season. Just four days later, he was left unprotected in the 1993 Expansion Draft, where Florida picked him up.
Hough made an assist in Florida’s first ever NHL contest, a 4-4 tie with the Chicago Blackhawks on October 6, 1993. On five occasions during the Panthers inaugural campaign, he put up multi-point efforts, including three assists in a 4-3 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on February 28 and three more in a 5-4 loss to the Dallas Stars one month later. All told, he scored six times on 106 shots with 23 assists and a plus-3 rating with 62 PIM.
Hough played in all 48 games for Florida in the strike-shortened 1994-95 season, scoring six times on 58 shots on goal with seven assists. He earned 38 PIM and a plus-1 rating through the regular season.1995-96 would see him score seven times on 66 shots with 16 assists and a plus-4 rating with 37 PIM. He added four goals and one assist in 22 postseason contests as the Panthers advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals.
Jaromir Jagr Hammered By Hough – 1996 Playoffs (via tjackson76)
In 1996-97, Hough appeared in 69 NHL games with the Cats, scoring eight goals on 85 shots with six assists and a team third best plus-12 rating. He also scored a goal in Game five of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals as the Panthers were eliminated by the New York Rangers in the NHL Playoffs. It would prove to be his last game with Florida, as he signed a free agent contract to play with the New York Islanders following the season. He scored five goals and seven assists in 85 games with the team.
All-Time Statline: Four seasons, 259 games, 27 goals, 52 assists, 79 points, plus-20 rating, 185 PIM, 6.1 APS.
69. Per Gustafsson
Gustafsson, a 6’2″ defenseman from Oskarshamn, Sweden, was playing with HV71 Jonkoping of the Swedish Elite League when Florida chose hiim in he 1994 NHL Entry Draft. The Cats spent an 11th round pick on him, 261st overall. Before joining the Panthers, he spent seven seasons with Jonkoping, scoring 49 goals and 45 assists in 243 games
Gustafsson jumped the pond to play with Florida in 1996-97. He scored a goal and an assist in his first game with the Panthers, a 6-0 victory over the Hartford Whalers on October 12. In 58 games with the Panthers he posted six multi-point efforts, totalling seven goals on 105 shots along with 22 assists (second best among Panthers defensemen). He also posted a team fourth best plus-11 rating along with 22 penalty minutes. Florida traded him to the Toronto Maple Leafs on June 13 for Mike Lankshear.
1997-98 would see Gustafsson split the season between the Leafs (22 games, one goal, four assists) and the Ottawa Senators (nine games, one assist). He rejoined HV71 Jonkoping in 1998-99, and would remain with the club for 12 more seasons. In 733 total contests with the team he racked up 123 goals and 220 assists, retiring following the 2009-10 season.
All-Time Statline: One season, 58 games, seven goals, 22 assists, 29 points, plus-11 rating, 22 PIM, 6.2 APS.
68. Gary Roberts
Roberts, a 6’2″ left winger from North York, Ontario, was originally selected by the Calgary Flames in the first round of the 1984 NHL Draft with the 12th overall pick. He ranks fourth all-time on Calgary’s all time goals scored list with 257 (including a career high 53 in 1991-92) in 585 games played. He also made 248 assists while with the club. He’s also second on the Flames all-time leaderboard with a plus-225 rating and with 1,736 PIM. He suffered a neck injury on April 3, 1996, causing him to miss the entire 1996-97 season.
Calgary traded Roberts along with goaltender Trevor Kidd to the Carolina Hurricanes prior to the 1997-98 season for Andrew Cassels and Jean-Sebastian Giguere. He played three seasons with the Canes, scoring 57 goals with 87 assists in 207 games. He signed a free agent contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs on July 4, 2000, and played four seasons with the club. He scored 83 times and assisted on 74 others in 237 games played.
Roberts signed a free agent contract with the Panthers prior to the 2005-06 season. After not scoring for his first six games, he scored multiple points on eight different occasions, including a goal and two assists in a 6-4 win over the Boston Bruins on December 28. In 16:45 of ATOI, he totalled 14 goals on 122 shots, also collecting 26 assists, good for sixth on the team, finishing the season with a plus-4 rating and 51 PIM.
Roberts turned 40 during the 2006 offseason. He averaged 17:04 TOI through his first 50 games of the season.He had six multipoint efforts, including a two goal, one assist match in a Novermber 24 loss to the Ottawa Senators. He scored 13 goals on 94 shots with 16 assists and a plus-5 rating with 71 minutes in the box. The Panthers traded him to the Pittsburgh Penguins on February 27 for Noah Welch.
Roberts played parts of two seasons with the Penguins (57 games, 10 goals, 18 assists) before spending his final NHL season with the Tampa Bay Lightning (30 games, four goals, three assists). He retired from the game on March 10, 2009.
Gary Roberts Tribute (via yotties100)
All-Time Statline: Two seasons, 108 games, 27 goals, 42 assists, 69 points, plus-9 rating, 122 PIM, 6.2 APS.
67. Chris Gratton
Gratton, a 6’4″ center, was originally from Brantford, Ontario. He played two seasons with the Kingston Frontenacs in the OHL, scoring 82 goals and 93 assists in 120 games. He was chosen by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round of the 1993 NHL Entry Draft with the third overall pick.
Gratton played in 294 of Tampa Bay’s next 296 games over the next four seasons, scoring 67 goals, including a career high 30 in 1996-97. He also made 102 assists and registered a minus-68 rating with 518 PIM. He signed on as a free agent with the Philadelphia Flyers prior to the 1997-98 season.
As a Flyer, Gratton scored 23 goals and 47 assists in 108 games before getting traded back to the Lightning with Mike Sillinger for Mikael Renberg and Daymond Langkow. In his second tour with the Bolts he scored 21 times and assisted on 46 others over 110 contests.
Tampa Bay traded Gratton to the Buffalo Sabres with a second round pick for Cory Sarich, Wayne Primeau, Brian Holzinger and a third round pick on March 9, 2000. In parts of four seasons with Buffalo he put up 50 goals and 81 assists in 244 games. He was traded away on March 10, 2003 to the Phoenix Coyotes with a fourth round pick for Danny Briere and a third round pick.
After 82 games over parts of two seasons (11 goals, 19 assists), with the ‘Yotes, he was again traded away at the deadline, this time to the Colorado Avalache with Ossi Vaananen and a second round pick for Derek Morris and Keith Ballard for the stretch run. He put up two goals with an assist in 13 games. Florida signed him as a free agent after the season.
2005-06 would see Gratton rank fourth on the Panthers with 17 goals scored on 135 shots. He had nine multi-point games out of the 76 contests in which he appeared, averaging 15:43 per game. He made 22 assists, registered a plus-6 rating and 104 PIM.
In 2006-07, Gratton played 81 games for the Panthers in 12:06 per game. He scored 13 times on 131 shots, assisted on 22 others, racked up 94 PIM and finished the season with a plus-1 rating. Florida sent him back to Tampa Bay for a second round pick (Jacob Markstrom) after the season.
In Gratton’s third round with the Bolts, he played in 78 games over parts of two seasons, scoring 10 goals with 13 assists. He later appeared in six games with the Columbus Blue Jackets, collecting one assist.
All-Time Statline: Two seasons, 157 games, 30 goals, 44 assists, 74 points, plus-7 rating, 198 PIM, 6.2 APS.
66. Andreas Lilja
A 6’3″ defenseman from Helsingborg, Sweden, Lilja was a six year veteran with the Swedish Elite Malmo IF when selected in the second round of the 2000 NHL Entry Draft with the 54th overall pick by the Los Angeles Kings. During his time with Malmo, he totalled 10 goals and 19 assists in 191 games.
Lilja opened the 2000-01 season with the AHL Lowell Lock Monsters (61 games, seven goals, 29 assists), appearing with the NHL Kings for two games in December. 2001-02 would see him spend four games with the Manchester Monachs in the AHL (one assist), also playing 26 games with the Kings (one goal, four assists).
In 2002-03, Lilja opened the season for 17 games with the Kings (three assists). Los Angeles traded him to the Panthers with Jaroslav Bednar for Dmitry Yushkevich and a fifth round pick on November 26. After joining Florida, he skated in an average of 19:11 in 56 games for the Panthers, scoring four times on 59 shots while pitching in eight assists, a team leading plus-8 rating, and 56 PIM. A prototypical stay-at-home defenseman, Lilja is a grade-A penalty killer.
2003-04 would see Lilja appear in 79 Panthers contests in Florida’s second pairing defensive unit, at a 19:34 clip per game. Still not much of an “offensive” weapon, he scored only three goals on 26 shots, assisted on four others, posted a minus-8 rating and finished with a team second most 90 minutes in the “character” box.
When the 2004-05 NHL season became a lost cause, Lilja took his talents across the pond, signing with Mora IK in the Swedish Elite League, scoring three times with eight assists. When NHL play resumed the following season, he signed on with the Detroit Red Wings, playing in 298 games over the next five seasons. He scored seven goals and 40 assists while with the team. He then joined the Anaheim Ducks in 2010-11 (52 games, one goal, six assists) and the Philadelphia Flyers in 2011-12 (46 games, zero goals, six assists).
All-Time Statline: Two seasons, 135 games, seven goals, 12 assists, 19 points, even rating, 146 PIM, 6.2 APS.
65. Joe Nieuwendyk
Nieuwendyk was a 6’2″ left handed center from Oshawa, Ontario. He was originally selected in the 1985 NHL Entry Draft after his freshman season with the Cornell Big Red by the Calgary Flames. They spent a second round pick on him, 27th overall. In three collegiate seasons, he scored 73 goals and 78 assists in 81 contests, graduating with the Class of 1987. He made his professional debut later that year with the Flames, scoring five goals and an assist in nine games.
Niewendyk would enjoy his first four full NHL seasons in the league top ten in goals scored, with 51 in each of his first two seasons and 45 in each of his next two (winning the 1987-88 Calder Memorial Trophy). Eventually, he spent his first nine NHL seasons with the Flames, ranking third on the all-time franchise leaderboard in goals scored with 314. He ranks first among Flames with at least 300 games played with a shooting percentage of 20.5%. He appeared in four All-Star games with the team, and scored 32 goals with 28 assists in 66 postseason contests, helping the Flames to the Stanley Cup in 1989. The Flames traded him to the Dallas Stars on December 19, 1995 for Corey Millen and Jarome Iginla.
Nieuwendyk spent parts of the next seven seasons with the Flames, scoring 178 goals and 162 assists in 442 games, adding a plus-7 rating and 211 penalty minutes. He would add 25 goals and 15 assists in 61 postseason matchups, including an NHL leading 11 goals scored, winning the Conn Smythe Trophy on Dallas’ way to the 1999 Stanley Cup. The Stars eventually traded him to the New Jersey Devils with Jamie Langenbrunner for Jason Arnott, Randy McKay, and a first round draft pick (eventually Daniel Paille) on March 19, 2002.
Niewendyk scored 19 goals and 37 assists in 94 regular season games in New Jersey, earning his third Stanley Cup victory in 2003. He scored 22 goals and 28 assists in 64 games for the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2003-04. When the NHL cancelled their 2004-05 season, so did Niewendyk, signing a free agent contract with the Panthers when play resumed for 2005-06.
Nieuwendyk averaged 16:23 TOI for Florida that season. He teamed up with longtime Flames teammate Gary Roberts to lead the Panthers with a combined 78 years of life. He posted 12 multiple point games during the course of the season, including a hat trick (along with an assist) on April 11 in a 6-5 overtime loss to the Maple Leafs. He ranked third on the Panthers with 26 goals scored on 195 shots, pitching in 30 assists for a team second-best 56 total points.
2006-07 would see Nieuwendyk open the season with two goals and an assist in a 8-3 Florida win over the Boston Bruins. He played in 15 games for Florida, scoring five goals on only 30 shots with three assists before announcing his retirement on December 7, a victim of chronic back pain. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame with the Class of 2011 (along with fellow Florida and Dallas alum Ed Belfour). He is currently the General Manager of the Stars.
Joe Nieuwendyk career retrospective (via NHLVideo)
All-Time Statline: Two seasons, 80 games, 31 goals, 33 assists, 64 points, minus-6 rating, 50 PIM, 6.5 APS.
64. Brian Benning
Benning, a native of Edmonton, was a 6′ defenseman with the WHL Portland Winter Hawks when chosen in the second round of the 1984 NHL Entry Draft by the St. Louis Blues, 26th overall. In parts of five seasons with the Blues he put up 30 goals and 94 assists in 232 games.The Blues traded him to the Los Angeles King on November 10, 1989 for a third round draft pick (Kyle Reeves).
Benning played in parts of three seasons with the Kings, scoring 14 goals and 72 assists in 162 contests. On February 19, 1992, the Kings sent him to the Pittsburgh Penguins with Jeff Chychrun and a first round pick (Jason Bowen) for Paul Coffey. He was immediately traded to the Philadelphia Flyers with Mark Recchi and a first round pick for Rick Tocchet, Kjell Samuelsson, Ken Wregget and a third round pick (Dave Roche).
Benning played in parts of two seasons with the Flyers in just under a calendar year, scoring 11 goals and 29 assists in 59 games. The Flyers sent him to the Edmonton Oilers (18 games, one goal, seven assists) on January 16, 1993 for Greg Hawgood and Josef Beranek.
Benning signed a free agent contract to be an original Panther in 1993-94. He scored two goals for the Cats in a 4-4 tie with the Dallas Stars on December 12. Later in the season, he posted a three assist game in a 5-3 win over his former Flyer teammates on March 20. Eventually, he scored six goals on 112 shots along with 24 assists in 73 contests. He ranked fifth on the team with 107 penalty minutes (the significance of this figure is to illustrate the difference between then and now, as there were seven Panthers who would have finished with more PIM than did this seasons leader, Krys Barch with 81).
In 1994-95, Benning was slowed by injury, appearing in half of Florida’s contests through the strike-shortened 48 game season. He posted one goal on 26 shots, making seven assists and finishing with a minus-6 rating and 18 PIM. He retired following the season.
All-Time Statline: Two seasons, 97 games, seven goals, 31 assists, 38 points, minus-13 rating, 125 PIM, 6.5 APS.
63. Ville Peltonen
Peltonen was a 5’10” winger from Helsinki, Finland with HIFK Helsinki when the San Jose Sharks picked him up with their third round pick of the 1993 NHL Entry Draft with the 58th overall pick. In four seasons with Helsinki he put up 49 goals and 62 assists in 140 regular season contests.
Peltonen jumped the pond for the 1995-96 season, splitting his time between the IHL Kansas City Blades (29 games, five goals, 13 assists) and the Sharks (31 games, two goals, 11 assists). 1996-97 would see him repeat the pattern, getting by in his NHL action with the Sharks (28 games, two goals, three assists) while excelling with the AHL Kentucky Thoroughblades (40 games, 22 goals, 30 assists).
Peltonen returned to Sweden to play with the Vastra Frolunda HC for the 1997-98 season, scoring 22 goals and 29 assists in 45 games. San Jose sent his rights to the Nashville Predators for a fifth round pick (Josh Blackburn) prior to the 1998-99 NHL season. He played 14 games, scoring five goals and five assists before missing the remainder of the season after undergoing shoulder surgery on December 10.
1999-00 would see Peltonen spend 79 games with the Predators, scoring six goals and 22 assists. In 2000-01, he split the season between the IHL Milwaukee Admirals (53 games, 27 goals, 33 assists), and the Predators (23 games, three goals, one assist).
Peltonen joined Jokerit Helsinki for two seasons beginning in 2001-02 (79 games, 34 goals, 37 assists). He then spent three seasons with Lugano in the Swiss League (131 games, 75 goals, 101 assists) before signing a free agent contract with the Panthers prior to the 2006-07 season.
In Peltonen’s first season with the Panthers, he posted seven multi-point efforts, including a two goal, two assist effort in an 8-5 win over the New York Islanders on March 17. He averaged 16:25 TOI through 72 Florida games, scoring a career high and team fifth best 17 goals on 145 shots with 20 assists, a plus-7 rating, and 28 PIM.
2007-08 would see Peltonen appear in 56 NHL games, missing 24 with a foot injury. He averaged 15:49 per game, lighting the lamp five times on 108 shots, also dishing out 15 helpers. He spent 20 minutes in the penalty box, finishing the season with a minus-2 rating.
Evgeny Artyukhin vs. Ville Peltonen (via fcfightlog)
In 2008-09, Peltonen played in 79 games for Florida, averaging 15:15 per game. He put up four muti-point efforts, including two goals in an 8-4 win over the Atlanta Thrashers on January 10. He took 121 shots on goal, potting 12 of them. He also assisted on 19 others, earning a plus-6 rating and 31 PIM. After the season, he signed on with the KHL Minsk Dynamo (51 games, six goals, 20 assists).
Starting in 2010-11, Peltonen has played the last two seasons with the team he started his professional career with, HIFK Helsinki. He has scored 52 goals and 61 assists in 103 contests.
All-Time Statline: Three seasons, 207 games, 34 goals, 54 assists, 88 points, plus-11 rating, 79 PIM, 6.9 APS.
62. Geoff Smith
Smith, a 6’3″ native of Edmonton, was a defenseman selected by the Edmonton Oilers in the third round of the 1987 NHL Entry Draft, 63rd overall. He reported to the University of North Dakota, scoring four goals and 12 assists in 42 games. After nine games the following season, he joined the WHL with the Kamloops Blazers (32 games, four goals, 31 assists).
Smith reported to the Oilers in 1989-90, playing exclusively for the club for the next four and a half seasons. He scored 11 times with 56 assists, an even rating and 192 minutes in the box. He also appeared in 12 playoff matches, helping the Oilers to the 1990 Stanley Cup. Edmonton sent him to the Panthers on December 6, 1993 with a fourth round pick (David Nemirovsky) for a third round pick (Corey Neilson) and a sixth round pick (Chris Kibermanis)
Smith scored once on 44 shots in 56 Panthers game that first season. He tacked on five assists, a minus-3 rating, and 38 penalty minutes. 1994-95 would see him appear in 47 of Florida’s 48 game strike-shortened schedule. He finished with two goals on 40 shots, added four assists, a minus-5 rating and 22 PIM.
In 1995-96, Smith was limited by injury to only 31 Panther’s games. He took 34 shots on goal, lighting the lamp three times and dishing out seven helpers while accumulating a minus-4 rating and 20 penalty minutes on the eventual Eastern Conference Champions. He appeared in one playoff game with Florida, finishing with a minus-1 rating and two penalty minutes.
1996-97 would see Smith spend the majority of his season with the AHL Carolina Monarchs (27 games, three goals, four assists), making three appearances with the Panthers as a roster fill-in. After the season, he signed a free agent contract with the New York Rangers (19 games, one goal, one assist) to close out his NHL career. He is currently working as an assistant coach with his WHL team, the Kamloops Blazers.
All-Time Statline: Four seasons, 137 games, six goals, 19 assists, 25 points, minus-11 rating, 82 PIM, 7.0 APS.
61. Steve Montador
Montador, a 6′ defenseman from Vancouver, played four OHL seasons with three different teams before signing a free agent conrtract with the Calgary Flames after the 1999-00 NHL season. He appeared with the North Bay Centennials (100 games, 12 goals, 44 assists), the Erie Otters (87 games, 12 goals, 50 assists), and the Peterborough Petes (64 games, 14 goals, 42 assists).
2000-01 would see Montador spend the season with the AHL Saint John Flames (58 games, one goal, six assists). He made his first NHL appearance the following season in Calgary, with a goal and two assists in 11 games. He played most of that season in Saint John (67 games, nine goals, 16 assists).
Eventually, Montador spent parts of four seasons with Calgary (94 games, four goals, five assists) )before joining the Panthers. The Flames traded him to Florida with Dustin Johner for Kristian Huselius on December 2, 2005.
In Montador’s first half-season with the Cats, he scored one goal on 42 shots. He added five assists, a plus-4 rating, and 68 penalty minutes. 2006-07 would see him score one goal on 88 shots (a success rate of 1.1%!), adding eight assists, a plus-1 rating, and a team leading 119 PIM in 72 games played, averaging 13:08 of ice time per game.
Montador scored a career high eight goals on 96 shots through 73 games for Florida in 2007-08. He averaged 11:39 TOI per game, assisting on 15 goals with 73 PIM and a plus-1 rating. Florida let him go after the season, as the Anaheim Ducks signed him to a free agent contract for 2008-09.
Montador played for just a little while with the Ducks (65 games, four goals, 16 assists) before working his way down the alphabet, with the Boston Bruins (13 games, one assist), the Buffalo Sabres (151 games, 10 goals, 39 assists), and the Chicago Blackhawks (52 games, five goals, nine assists), where he is signed through the 2014-15 season.
Steve Montador Gordie Howe hat trick 11/10/11 (via NHLVideo)
All-Time Statline: Three seasons, 196 games, 10 goals, 28 assists, 38 points, plus-6 rating, 260 PIM, 7.1 APS.
60. Sean Burke
Burke, a 6’4″ goaltender from Windsor, Ontario, was with the OHL’s Toronto Marlboros when the New Jersey Devils selected him in the second round of the 1985 NHL Entry Draft with the 24th overall pick. In two seasons with the Marlboros, he posted a 41-48-6 record.
After leaving the OHL, Burke joined the Canadian National Team for an extended tour, posting a 46-22-4 record over the next two seasons of international play. He made his NHL debut near the end of the 1987-88 season with New Jersey, going 10-1-0, .883, 3.05. He then posted a 9-8 postseason record, leading the NHL with 458 saves.
Burke would remain a Devil for three more seasons, bringing his career totals to 62-66-23, ranking fourth on the Devils’ all-time list with 162 goaltender appearances. He managed four shutouts, an .876 save percentage, and a 3.65 goals against average.
Burke took the 1991-92 season off to return to the National Team, posting a 23-8-4 record. Prior to the 1992-93 season, the Devils traded him along with Eric Weinrich to the Hartford Whalers for Bobby Holik and a second round draft pick (Jay Pandolfo). Burke was the Whaler’s number one goaltender for the franchise’s last five seasons in Hartford and part of their first season as the Carolina Hurricanes. He ranks fourth all-time on Carolina’s win list with a 107-131-29 career record, posting a .903 save percentage and a 3.09 GAA. He was traded to the Vancouver Canucks on January 3, 1998 with Geoff Sanderson and Enrico Ciccone for Kirk McLean and Martin Gelinas.
Burke went 2-9-4, .876, 3.51 with Vancouver to in two months before the Canucks traded him to the Philadelphia Flyers (7-3-0, .913, 2.56) for Garth Snow just prior to the 1997-98 trade deadline. After the season, he signed on as a free agent to backstop the Panthers. He earned a 1-0 shutout victory over the New York Islanders on January 16, stopping 27 shots. On February 18, he shut out the St. Louis Blues on 27 shots, matching up against Jamie McClennan, who shut out the Panthers on 21 shots in a scoreless tie. On March 13, he notched his third shutout of the season, another 1-0 decision as the Cats shut down the Tampa Bay Lightning on 24 shots. Overall, Burke posted a 21-24-14 record with a .907 save percentage and a 2.66 GAA.
Burke posted a 2-5-0 record for Florida to start out the 1999-00 season, allowing 18 goals on 208 shots for a respectable .913 save percentage and a 2.58 GAA. Florida traded him to the Phoenix Coyotes with a fifth round pick (Nate Kiser) for Mikhail Shtalenkov and a fourth round pick (Chris Eade) on November 18.
Burke finished out the season with Phoenix, and played with them for the next three and a half seasons, totalling a 97-78-29 record and ranking fourth on the franchise all-time wins list. He notched 15 shutouts, a .919 save percentage and a 2.39 GAA. Later, he stopped in Philadelphia for a second tour with the Flyers (6-5-2, .910, 2.55), the Tampa Bay Lightning (14-10-4, .895, 2.80), and the Los Angeles Kings (6-10-5, .901, 3.11). He now works for the Coyotes as the Assistant to the General Manager and as Phoenix’s’ goaltending coach.
All-Time Statline: Two seasons, 66 games, 23-29-14, 1,832 shots faced, 1,663 saves made, 169 goals allowed, three shutouts, .908 save percentage, 2.65 GAA, 7.7 APS.
59. Juraj Kolnik
Kolnik is a 5’10” right winger from Nitra, Slovakia. He was skating with the QMJHL Rimouski Oceanic when the New York Islanders picked him in the fourth round of the 1999 NHL Entry Draft with the 101st overall pick. In two junior seasons he put up 95 goals and 95 assists in 109 games.
2000-01 would see Kolnik split his season between the AHL Lowell Lock Monsters (25 games, two goals, six assists), the AHL Springfield Falcons (29 games, 15 goals, 20 assists), and the Islanders (29 games, four goals, three assists). In 2001-02, he spent most of the season with the AHL Bridgeport Sound Tigers (67 games, 18 goals, 30 assists), making a brief NHL appearance with the Isles (seven games, two goals). New York traded him to the Panthers with a ninth round pick (Carter Lee) for Sven Butenschon just before the start of the 2002-03 season.
Kolnik began the 2002-03 season with the AHL San Antonio Rampage (65 games, 25 goals, 15 assists), averaging 10:33 per game in a 10 game stop in Florida in December. He went scoreless while taking 14 shots on goal and collecting an assist in his first NHL game, a 2-2 tie with the Toronto Maple Leafs on December 18. He finished the season with a plus-1 rating.
2003-04 would see Kolnik start the season in the AHL with the Rampage (15 games, two goals, 14 assists). He joined the Panthers in November for the rest of the season, eventually appearing in 53 NHL games with the club. He ranked third on the team with 14 goals on 100 shots, also making 11 assists, a minus-7 rating and 14 PIM. He had six multi-point games, including two goals and an assist in a 4-0 win over the Leafs on February 25.
Kolnik spent the 2004-05 campaign in the AHL while the NHL endured a season long lockout. He played 74 games with he Rampage, scoring 13 goals with 16 assists. NHL would resume play in 2005-06, and Kolnik opened the season with the Panthers. In 77 games he averaged 14:19 TOI, scoring a team sixth best 15 goals on 145 shots with 20 assists, a plus-1 rating, and a career high 40 penalty minutes. He made four assists in an 8-2 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning on February 28. On April 9, he scored twice with an assist in a 6-3 win over Tampa Bay. He totally owned the Lightning through the season, collecting four goals and seven assists in eight contests.
In 2006-07, Kolnik played in 64 games for the Cats, averaging 12:05 TOI. He scored 11 goals on 113 shots, made 15 assists, a plus-2 rating, and 18 penalty minutes. He made three assists in a 7-2 win over the Boston Bruins on February 24.
Starting in 2007-08, Kolnik played three seasons with the HC Geneve-Servette of the Swiss League (145 games, 72 goals, 112 assists), later playing with the KHL Moscow Dynamo (eight games, one goal, four assists) in 2010-11, and part of last season with Zurich in the Swiss League (six games, two assists).
All-Time Statline: Four seasons, 204 games, 40 goals, 46 assists, 86 points, minus-3 rating, 72 PIM, 7.7 APS.
58. Ruslan Salei
Salei, a 6’2″ defenseman from Minsk, Belarus, was picked in the first round of the 1996 NHL Entry Draft by the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, ninth overall. He had played for the IHL Las Vegas Thunder through the 1995-96 season, scoring seven goals and 23 assists in 76 contests.
In 1996-97, Salei split his season between the Thunder (eight games, two assists), the AHL Baltimore Bandits (12 games, one goal, four assists), and the Ducks (30 games, one assist). He ended up playing nine seasons with the Ducks, and ranks fourth on Anaheim’s all-time leaderboard with 594 games played and with 735 penalty minutes. He also scored 26 goals and 79 assists, racking up a career minus-3 rating.
Salei signed a free agent contract with the Panthers after the 2005-06 season. He ranked second on the team with 23:20 TOI on Florida’s number one defensive pairing unit, scoring six goals on 148 shots with a team sixth best 26 assists, a minus-13 rating, and a team third 102 PIM. He had eight multi-point games through the season, including a goal and two assists in a 5-4 shootout loss to the New York Islanders on December 9.
2007-08 would see Salei play most of the season with the Panthers, appearing in each of the team’s first 65 games. He scored three times on 81 shots, pitched in 20 assists, a minus-5 rating, and 75 PIM. He again ranked high on Florida’s ice-time leaderboard, averaging 23:17 TOI, second among all team skaters behind only Jay Bouwmeester. He was traded to the Colorado Avalanche on February 26 for Karlis Skrastins and a third round pick (Adam Comrie).
Salei appeared in 101 games for the Avs over parts of the next three seasons, scoring eight goals and 26 assists with a minus-4 rating and 105 PIM. He played the 2010-11 season with the Detroit Red Wings (75 games, two goals, eight assists). Salei died on September 7, 2011, when the plane carrying the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl team crashed.
All-Time Statline: Two seasons, 147 games, nine goals, 46 assists, 55 points, minus-18 rating, 177 PIM, 7.7 APS.
57. Brian Skrudland
Skrudland was a 6′ center from Peace River, Alberta. He played three WHL seasons with the Saskatoon Blades beginning in the 1980-81 season, scoring 77 goals and 115 assists in 208 contests. He made his professional debut with the 1983-84 Nova Scotia Voyageurs of the AHL, scoring 13 goals and 12 assists in 56 games. 1984-85 would see him play in 70 AHL games with the Sherbrooke Canadiens, scoring 22 goals and 28 assists.
In 1985-86, Skrudland made his first NHL appearance with the Montreal Canadiens (65 games, nine goals, 13 assists), adding two goals and four assists in 20 playoff matches on Montreal’s way to the 1986 Stanley Cup. He ended up playing eight seasons with Montreal, scoring 78 goals and 139 assists in 475 regular season games. Montreal traded him to the Calgary Flames on January 28, 1993 for Gary Leeman.
Skrudland played half a season with Calgary (16 games, two goals, four assists) before being left unprotected in the 1993 NHL Expansion Draft, where the Panthers claimed him from the Flames. He would be Florida’s first ever Captain when he took the ice for Florida’s inaugural match.
Skrudland scored a career high 15 goals on 110 shots, ranking sixth on the team in goals scored and fifth in assists and points, with 25 and 40, respectively. He was also third on the club with 136 penalty minutes and finished the year with a team best plus-13 rating. He posted 10 multi-point efforts on the campaign.
In 1994-95, Skrudland scored five goals on 44 shots with nine assists, an even rating, and a team third most 88 penalty minutes in 47 games. On April 16, he scored two goals and an assists in a 4-1 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning.
1995-96 would see Skrudland play 79 games for the Panthers, scoring seven goals on 90 shots with 20 helpers. He posted a team third best plus-6 rating and 129 PIM. In the playoffs, he added a goal and three assists in 21 contests as Florida advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals. He scored two goals and an assist in a 6-1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs on October 24.
In 1996-97, Skrudland appeared in 51 games for Florida, scoring five goals on 57 shots. He dished out 13 helpers, spent 48 minutes in the box, and finished the season with a plus-4 rating. He signed a free agent contract with the New York Rangers prior to the next season (59 games, five goals, six assists), later playing in parts of three seasons with the Dallas Stars (75 games, seven goals, three assists). He retired following the Stars appearance in the 1999 Stanley Cup Finals, a Dallas loss in six games to the New Jersey Devils.
All-Time Statline: Four seasons, 256 games, 32 goals, 67 assists, 99 points, 401 PIM, plus-23 rating (Panthers fourth all-time), 7.9 APS.
56. Martin Gelinas
After scoring 63 goals and 68 assists in only 65 QMJHL contests with the Hull Olympiques, Gelinas, a 6′ left winger, was selected by the Los Angeles Kings in the first round of the 1988 NHL Entry Draft, seventh overall. Before making an NHL appearance, Gelinas was involved in one of the most shocking trades in NHL history as he was sent, along with Jimmy Carson and three first round draft picks (Jason Miller, Martin Rucinsky, Nick Stajduhar) and cash to the Edmonton Oilers for Wayne Gretzky, Mike Krushelnyski and Marty McSorley. He opened the 1988-89 season with the Oilers, scoring a goal and two assists in six games before rejoining the Olympiques, scoring 38 goals and 39 assists in only 41 games.
Gelinas went on to score 60 goals and 60 assists with Edmonton over five seasons. He played 258 regular season games, finishing his Oilers career with 156 PIM and a plus-9 rating. He added six goals and 12 assists in 53 playoff games while with the team, helping the Oilers to the 1990 Stanley Cup Championship. After the 1992-93 season, the Oilers traded him to the Quebec Nordiques with a sixth round pick (Nicholas Checco) for Scott Pearson.
Gelinas opened 1993-94 with Quebec, playing 31 games (six goals, six assists, eight PIM, minus-2 rating) before being claimed on waivers by the Vancouver Canucks. He played in parts of five seasons with the team, playing 258 games (90 goals, 81 assists, plus-10 rating, 173 PIM). He pitched in six goals and six assists in 33 postseason contests. The Canucks traded him to the Carolina Hurricanes with Kirk McLean for Sean Burke, Geoff Sanderson and Enrico Ciccone on January 3, 1998.
Gelinas finished the season and each of the next four with the Canes, playing in a total of 348 regular season games (75 goals, 90 assists, minus-11 rating, 226 PIM). He also put up three goals and eight assists in 35 playoff games, including a 2002 Eastern Conference title. After the 2001-02 season, he signed a free agent contract to play with the Calgary Flames.
In two seasons with Calgary, Gelinas appeared in 157 regular season contests (38 goals, 49 assists, plus-7 rating, 121 PIM). He also scored eight goals and seven assists for the 2004 Western Conference Championship team. He signed on with Morges of the Swiss-B League for the 2004-05 campaign, scoring 38 goals and 23 assists in 41 games. Later in the season, he played one game in the Swiss-A League with Lugano, going scoreless before pitching in an assist in five playoff games with the club.
Prior to the NHL resuming play in 2005-06, Gelinas signed a two year, $1.9 million contract to play with the Panthers. The 35-year old averaged 15:59 per game, appearing in all 82 contests for Florida (the first time in his career in which he appeared in every game). He scored 17 goals on 186 shots with 24 assists, a team best plus-27 rating, and 80 PIM. He had nine multi-point efforts on the season, including a goal and two assists on March 6 in a 4-3 shootout loss to the Atlanta Thrashers.
In 2006-07, Gelinas continued to display his durability, again appearing in all 82 contests. He averaged 13:26 TOI, scoring 14 goals on 171 shots with a team fourth best 30 assists. He also finished up with a plus-7 rating and 36 PIM. Gelinas notched two or more points in 11 games, including a goal and two assists in a 5-2 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins on January 10.
Prior to the 2007-08 season, Gelinas signed on with the Nashville Predators, his seventh NHL team (not counting the Kings). He appeared in 57 games with the club (nine goals, 11 assists, plus-5 rating, 20 PIM). He is currently an assistant coach with Calgary.
All-Time Statline: Two seasons, 164 games, 31 goals, 54 assists, 85 points, plus-34 rating (Panther’s all-time leader), 116 PIM, 8.1 APS.
55. Kris Versteeg
Versteeg is a 5’10” right winger from Lethbridge, Alberta. He scored 24 goals and 43 assists over his first two WHL seasons, in 125 games with the Lethbridge Hurricanes. The Boston Bruins picked him up in the fifth round of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft with the 134th overall pick. He played in the WHL for two more seasons with the Hurricanes (68 games, 22 goals, 30 assists), the Kamloops Blazers (14 games, six goals, six assists), and the Red Deer Rebels (57 games, 10 goals, 26 assists). He made his pro debut late in the 2005-06 season with the AHL Providence Bruins (13 goals, two goals, four assists).
2006-07 would see Versteeg open the season with Providence (43 games, 22 goals, 27 assists). On February 3, he was traded by the Bruins to the Chicago Blackhawks with “future considerations” for Brandon Bochenski. He finished out the season with Chicago’s AHL affilate, the Norfolk Admirals (27 goals, four goals, 19 assists).
Versteeg opened the 2007-08 season with the AHL Rockford IceHogs (56 games, 18 goals, 31 assists). He was called up to play with the Blackhawks on four occasions, totalling two goals and two assists in 13 NHL games.
Versteeg totalled 44 goals and 57 assists through his time in Chicago. He posted a plus-22 rating and 96 PIM in 170 regular season games. He also totalled 10 goals and 16 assists in 39 postseason contests while a member of the Blackhawks, helping the team to the 2010 Stanley Cup. Chicago traded him to the Toronto Maple Leafs after the season with Bill Sweatt for Viktor Stahlberg, Chris Didomenico, and Phillippe Paradis.
2010-11 would see Versteeg score 14 goals and 21 assists in 53 games for the Leafs. He was part of a trade deadline deal to the Philadelphia Flyers for a first and a third round draft pick (Stuart Percy and Josh Leivo, respectively). He scored seven goals and four assists in 27 games for the Flyers.
The Flyers traded Versteeg to the Panthers on July 1, 2011 for a second and a third round pick. He opened the season on a tear, scoring 11 goals and 14 assists in his first 20 games, including two goals and two assists in a 7-4 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning on October 17. He also scored three goals with an assist in a 5-2 road victory over the Winnipeg Jets on November 11 (see video). He absolutely owned the Jets, with seven goals and three assists in only five contests between the two teams. He posted 12 multi-point efforts over the course of the season, resulting in a career high 23 goals on 181 shots with 31 assists for a career high 54 points. His plus-4 rating ranked fourth on the team. He averaged 19:55 through 71 games, spending 49 minutes in the penalty box. He also added three goals and two assists through the Panthers seven game series loss to the New Jersey Devils in the 2012 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals.
Kris Versteeeg hat trick 11/10/11 (via NHLVideo)
All-Time Statline: One season, 71 games, 23 goals, 31 assists, 54 points, plus-4 rating, 49 PIM, 8.4 APS.
Versteeg was on course for a real breakout season when he slowed down in December and came back to earth. It was revealed later that he had played the second half of the season with a cyst on his hip that required surgery after the conclusion of the playoffs. If he had kept up the pace set through the first 20 games of the season, he would have finished with a 40-goal, 100-point season. He recently signed a contract that will keep him with Florida through 2015-16 at $4.4 million per season.
54. Jose Theodore
Theodore is a 5’11” goaltender from Laval, Quebec. He went 32-42-8 in two seasons with the QMJHL St-Jean Lynx before getting picked up in the second round of the 1994 NHL Entry Draft by the Montreal Canadiens, with the 44th overall pick. He went on to compete for two more seasons at the junior level, with the Lynx (5-8-1) and the Hull Olympiques (60-25-3). He also made a one game stop in Montreal in February, allowing one goal on two shots and picking up the decision in a 5-3 loss to the Hartford Whalers.
In 1996-97, Theodore split his season between the Canadiens (5-6-2, .896) and the AHL Fredericton Canadiens (12-12-0, .898). In total, he spent parts of nine seasons in Montreal, He sported a 141-158-35 record with a .911 save percentage and a 2.62 GAA and 23 shutouts. He posted an 11-15 playoff record while with the franchise. In 2001-02, he went 30-24-10, leading the NHL with a .931 save percentage and an otherworldly 2.11 GAA. He was invited to his first All-Star appearance, and took home both the Veniza and Hart Memorial Trophies, awarded to the NHL’s top goalie and most valuable player, respectively. Montreal sent him to the Colorado Avalanche for David Aebischer on March 8, 2006.
Theodore compiled a 42-39-5 record in parts of three seasons with the Avs, with a .902 save percentage and a 2.76 goals against average. He also went 8-11 in the playoffs with a .904 save percentage. After the 2007-08 season, he signed on as a free agent with the Washington Capitals.
In two seasons with the Caps, Theodore posted a 62-24-12, 2.85, .904. He then spent 2010-11 on the Minnesota Wild (15-11-3, .916, 2.71) as the number two goaltender.
Theodore joined the Panthers by signing a two year-$3 million contract on July 1, 2011. On October 8, he started his Panthers career with a 2-0 road shutout of the New York Islanders, stopping 27 shots. He went 11-5-3 through his first 20 games of the season, culminating in a 2-0, 40 save shutout on the road against the defending Stanley Cup Champion Boston Bruins. He added a third shutout on March 11 at home in a 2-0, 34-save win over the Carolina Hurricanes. He finished the season with a .917 save percentage, his best since his 2003-04 All-Star season. Considered “washed up” just a season ago, he ended up with a 22-16-11 record and a 2.46 GAA. He also went 2-2 in Florida’s first postseason appearance in over a decade. His current contract runs through the end of the 2012-13 season.
Jose Theodore desperation glove save 3/11/12 (via NHLVideo)
All-Time Statline: One season, 53 games, 22-16-11, three shutouts, 1,502 shots faced, 1,377 saves, 125 goals allowed, 2.46 GAA, .917 save percentage, 8.5 APS.
53. Mike Weaver
Weaver is a 5’9″ defenseman from Bramalea, Ontario. Undrafted, he played four seasons of collegiate hockey at Michigan State University, (163 games, five goals, 43 assists), graduating with the Spartans Class of 2000. The Atlanta Thrashers signed him as a free agent after graduation.
The 2000-01 season would see Weaver spend the entire campaign with the IHL Orlando Solar Bears (68 games, zero goals, eight assists), helping the team to the Turner Cup with two assists through 16 postseason contests.
For the next three seasons Weaver split his time between the Thrashers (57 games, zero goals, six assists) and the AHL Chicago Wolves (169 games, seven goals, 24 assists). He was instrumental in helping the Wolves to the 2002 Calder Cup, awarded annually to the AHL Champion. After the 2003-04 season, and prior to the season long work stoppage, he signed a free agent contract with the Los Angeles Kings.
While many took a year-long break, and others took their talents overseas, Weaver played the entire season in the AHL with the Manchester Monarchs (79 games, one goal, 22 assists). He stayed with the organization after play resumed for two seasons beginning in 2005-06 with the Kings (92 games, three goals, 15 assists). Prior to the 2007-08 season, the Pittsburgh Penguins signed him as a free agent.
Weaver failed to make the Pens roster out of training camp, getting picked up on waivers by the Vancouver Canucks. He continued his pattern of not appearing on the score sheet for the Nucks in 2007-08, notching one assist in 55 games.
After the season, Weaver moved on to the St. Louis Blues as a free agent. In two seasons with St. Louis, he scored one goal and 16 assists in 135 games with a plus-7 and 41 penalty minutes.
Prior to the 2010-11 season, Weaver signed a two-year, $1.8M contract to play with the Florida Panthers. He proved a durable blue-line presence for the Cats, appearing in all 82 games for the Panthers, one of four players to do so. On October 23, he scored a goal and an assist in a 4-3 win over the New York Islanders. He logged a team fourth best 20:48 ATOI on Florida’s second pairing, scoring two goals on 53 shots and notching a then-career high 11 assists, finishing the season with a plus-1 rating and 34 PIM.
2011-12 would see Weaver again appear in every Panther game, one of three players on the squad. He averaged 20:20 per game, usually paired up with 21-year old Dmitry Kulikov. On October 22, Weaver collected two assists as the Panthers claimed a 4-2 win over the New York Islanders. He again accomplished the feat in a March 4, 4-2 win over the Ottawa Senators. He collected a career high 16 assists and a minus-2 rating along with only 14 penalty minutes. He would have led most NHL teams in least PIM per TOI, if not for Lady Byng winning teammate Brian Campbell (we’ll get to him next week). Weaver did manage to score a goal in the postseason, in a game three road 4-3 win over the New Jersey Devils. Late in the season, Weaver signed a contract extension that will keep him seeing red through the 2013-14 season for $1.1M per season.
Mike Weaver goal; Panthers vs NJ Devils 4/17/12 (via Fred Murtz)
All-Time Statline: Two season, 164 game, two goals, 27 assists, 29 points, minus-1 rating, 48 PIM, 8.6 APS.
52. Jody Hull
Hull, a 6’2″ right winger from Petrolia, Ontario, was a two year starter for the OHL Peterborough Petes (110 games, 28 goals, 56 assists) when picked in the first round of the 1987 NHL Entry Draft by the Hartford Whalers, 18th overall. He remained with the Petes for one more season in juniors, scoring 50 goals with 44 assists in 60 contests. He also scored 15 goals and 22 assists for the Petes through 40 postseason contests over his three seasons.
The 1988-89 season would see Hull make his professional debut with the Whalers, spending the whole season with the club (60 games, 16 goals, 18 assists). In 1989-90, he split the season between the NHL Whalers (38 games, seven goals 10 assists), and their AHL affiliate, the Binghampton Whalers (21 goals, seven goals, 10 asssists). After the season, the Whalers traded him to the New York Rangers for Carey Wilson and a third round pick (Michael Nylander).
In 1990-91, Hull scored five goals and eight assists in 47 games for the Rangers. The following season would see him demoted to the AHL’s Binghampton Rangers (69 games, 34 goals, 31 assists), making a brief three game stop with New York. During the 1992 offseason, Hull was traded to the Ottawa Senators for “future considerations.”
Hull was one of very few bright spots for the inaugural Senators, a team that went 10-70-4. He scored 13 goals and 21 assists in 69 contests with the club. After the season, Hull signed a free agent contract with the Panthers, his second expansion team in as many campaigns.
In 1993-94, Hull had six multi-point efforts for the first version of the Panthers, including two goals in a 4-1 win over the New York Islanders on April 14. He totalled 13 goals on 100 shots, added 13 assists, a plus-6 rating, and only eight penalty minutes.
1994-95 would see Hull play in 46 games of the Panthers strike-shortened 48 game season. He scored in each of the seasons first four games, and totalled three multi-point games, including two goals against his former employer, the New York Rangers on May 2 in a 4-3 victory. He ranked third on the team with 11 goals on 63 shots with eight assists, a minus-1 rating, and eight more penalty minutes.
In 1995-96, Hull posted seven multiple point efforts, including a goal and two assists for his first three point game as a member of the Panthers in a 6-1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs on October 24. He ranked fourth on the team with a career high 20 goals on 120 shots, adding 17 assists, a plus-5 rating, and 25 PIM in 78 games. He added three goals and two assists in 14 postseason games for the Eastern Conference Champions.
Hull played 67 games for the 1996-97 Panthers, scoring 10 goals on 92 shots with six assists, a plus-1 rating, and four penalty minutes. In 1997-98, he managed to score twice on 23 shots over 21 contests with the Cats, earning him a cross-state trade to the Tampa Bay Lightning along with Mark Fitzpatrick for Dino Ciccarelli and Jeff Norton. He scored twice with four assists in 28 Bolts games.
Hull went on to appear for three seasons each with the Philadelphia Flyers (210 games, 20 goals, 22 assists), and in a second tour with the Ottawa Senators (95 games, five goals, 10 assists). After retiring, he went on to find work as an assistant coach with his old OHL team, the Peterborough Petes.
All-Time Statline: Five seasons, 281 games, 56 goals, 44 assists, 100 points, plus-12 rating, 49 PIM, 8.8 APS.
51. Tomas Fleischmann
Fleischmann is a 6’1″ left winger from Koprivnice, Czechoslovakia. He was a three year veteran of the HC Vitkovice Jr. team. After a 2001-02 campaign which saw him score 26 goals and 35 assists in 46 games, he was picked in the second round of the 2002 NHL Entry Draft, 63rd overall by the Detroit Red Wings just after his 18th birthday.
Fleischmann joined the WHL Moose Jaw Warriors for two seasons of junior hockey after jumping the pond, scoring 54 goals and 92 assists in 125 contests.The Red Wings traded his rights to the Washington Capitals near the end of the 2003-04 season with a first and a fourth round pick (Mike Green and Luke Lynes, respectively) for Robert Lang.
2004-05 would see him make the transition to the professional game, as he played 53 games with the AHL Portland Pirates, scoring seven goals and 12 assists. In 2005-06, Fleischmann played most of the season with the AHL Hershey Bears (57 games, 30 goals, 33 assists). He also saw his first NHL action, tabbing two assists in 14 games with the Capitals.
Fleischmann scored four goals and four assists in 29 games for Washington in 2006-07, playing the balance of the season back in Hershey (45 games, 22 goals, 29 assists). He joined the Capitals permanently in 2007-08. Over parts of six seasons with the Caps he played 283 games, scoring 60 goals and 78 assists. He added three goals and two assists in 22 playoff games.The Caps traded him to the Colorado Avalanche on November 30, 2010 for Scott Hannan.
Fleischmann scored eight times with 13 helpers in his first 22 games with the Avs, nearly a point per game average. Things were looking to be on the upswing for Flash when he was sidelined for the rest of the season with pulmonary emboli, a potentially life-threatening condition.
Despite his health issues, Dale Tallon signed Fleischmann to a four year/$18,000,000 contract on July 1, 2011. He was the only Panthers forward to appear in every game, along with defensemen Mike Weaver and Brian Campbell, averaging 19:06 TOI per game. He started the season with 12 goals and 18 assists in his first 29 games with the club, combining with Kris Versteeg and Stephen Weiss to form the hottest line in the NHL through the first quarter of the season. He had 13 multi-point games on the season, including two goals and an assist in a Halloween shootout loss to the Winnepeg Jets, 4-3. Later, he scored a goal and two helpers in a December 3 5-3 win over the San Jose Sharks. He scored 27 goals on 217 shots, leading the Panthers in both categories. He also tacked on a team third best 34 assists for a team leading 61 points on the season. He finished with a minus-7 rating and 26 PIM. He added a goal and two assists in the Panthers seven game series loss to the New Jersey Devils in the postseason. It was revealed soon afterwards that he had played most of the series with a broken finger, a condition that did not require surgery.
Tomas Fleischmann Season Goals 2011-2012 (via shadowcfootball)
All-Time Statline: One season, 82 games, 27 goals, 34 assists, 61 points, minus-7 rating, 26 PIM, 8.8 APS.
50. Valeri Bure
Bure, a 5’10” right winger from Moscow, scored 27 goals and 22 assists in 53 games with the 1991-92 WHL Spokane Chiefs. He was picked in the second round of the 1992 NHL Entry Draft by the Montreal Canadiens with the 33rd overall pick. He spent two more seasons with the Chiefs, racking up 108 goals and 141 assists in 125 games.
1994-95 would see Bure split his season between the AHL Fredericton Canadiens (45 games, 23 goals, 25 assists), and Montreal (24 games, one goal, three assists). He was permanently promoted the following season, and spent a total of four seasons with the club (215 games, 46 goals, 64 assists, plus-8 rating, 73 PIM). On February 1, 1998, the Habs traded him with a fourth round pick (Shaun Sutter) for Jonas Hoglund and Zarley Zalapski.
Bure played 256 games over parts of the next four seasons with the Flames (93 goals, 99 assists, minus-28 rating, 100 PIM). He scored at least 26 goals in each of his three full seasons with the club including a career high 35 in 1999-00. After the 2000-01 season, the Flames traded him to the Panthers with Jason Wiemer for Rob Niedermayer and a second round pick (Andrei Medvedev).
In 2001-02, Bure’s season was limited to only 31 games due to a knee injury he suffered against the Vancouver Canucks on October 16. He ended up with eight goals on 100 shots while playing 18:36 TOI, dishing out 10 assists, spending 12 minutes in the box and finishing with a minus-3 rating.
In 18:38 ATOI through 46 games, Bure scored five goals on 150 shots for the 2002-03 Panthers. He had six multipoint games, including three assists against the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim in a 4-4 tie on November 24. He finished the season with a minus-11 rating and 10 PIM. collecting a team fourth best 21 assists despite his low game count. Florida sent him to the St. Louis Blues with a fifth round draft choice (Nikita Nikitin) for Mike Van Ryn at the trade deadline. He had almost no impact as a member of St. Louis, appearing in only five games for the club (two assists). The Blues cut him after the season, where he was reclaimed by the Panthers.
2003-04 would see Bure appear in 55 games for Florida, ranking second on the club with 20 goals on 175 shots. He enjoyed 11 games in which he collected more than one point, including a two goal, one assist effort on November 7 in a 6-3 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins. He also ranked second on the club with 25 assists, 45 total points, and an even rating (Pavel Trnka led the team at plus-2). He averaged 19:13 TOI, second amongst Panther forwards. The Panthers traded him to the Dallas Stars on March 8 for Drew Bagnall and a second round pick (Enver Lisin).
After not playing anywhere when the 2004-05 NHL season was cancelled, Bure signed a free agent contract with the Los Angeles Kings prior to the 2005-06 season, but failed to make the club out of training camp, instead retiring. He is the younger brother of former teammate Hall-of-Famer Pavel Bure. He married Candace Cameron of Full House fame, and won the 2010 “Battle of the Blades,” a figure skating reality show along with partner Ekaterina Gordeeva.
All-Time Statline: Three seasons, 132 games, 33 goals, 56 assists, 89 points, minus-14 rating, 42 PIM, 8.9 APS.
49. Craig Anderson
Anderson, a left-handed catching goaltender from Park Ridge, Illinois, was a 12-5-1 goaltender for the 1998-99 OHL Guelph Storm, his first season in Juniors. The Calgary Flames picked him in the third round of the 1999 NHL Entry Draft with the 77th overall pick. Instead of signing with the Flames, he kept playing for the Storm, compiling a 42-36-11 record over the next two seasons, and allowing his rights with Calgary to expire. He reentered the draft pool for 2001, and was again selected in the third round, this time by the Chicago Blackhawks, 73rd overall.
In 2001-02, Anderson spent the entire season with the Blackhawks AHL affiliate, the Norfolk Admirals (9-13-4, .886, 2.95). The following season would see him again spend most of the season with Norfolk, posting greatly improved numbers (15-11-5, .923, 1.94). His elevated play earned him two separate callups to Chicago, where he went 0-3-2 through six games with the club, and a .856 save percentage with a GAA of 4.00.
In 2003-04, Anderson split his year between the Admirals (17-20-0, 2.11, .914) and the Blackhawks (6-14-0, 2.84, .905). He continued to work on his game during the lockout cancelled 2004-05 season with Norfolk (9-4-1, .929, 1.83). He managed to catch on with the Blackhawks out of training camp in 2005-06, playing the first half of the season in Chicago and posting a 2-8-1 record before getting waived by the team on January 19. He was picked off of the waiver wire three times over the next two weeks without appearing in any professional hockey games, first by the Boston Bruins, then by the St. Louis Blues, and finally back with the Blackhawks again. He finished the season in Chicago (6-12-4, .886, 3.32). After the season, Chicago traded him to the Panthers for a sixth round pick (Luke Witkowski).
In 2006-07, Anderson went 23-10-1 with the AHL Rochester Americans, (2.56 GAA, .919 sv%). He also appeared in five NHL games for the Panthers near the end of the NHL season (1-1-1, .931, 2.21). He allowed only five even strength goals in 217 minutes of ice time for Florida.
2007-08 would see Anderson backing up Tomas Vokoun for the Panthers. He went 0-4-1 through his first six games in relief before reeling off an 8-1 record including six straight wins. He posted consecutive shutout wins in March, with a 53-save, 1-0 win over the New York Islanders and a 40-save 1-0 overtime win over the Boston Bruins. He finished the season with an 8-6-1 record, a 2.25 GAA and a .935 save percentage.
In 2008-09, Anderson spent the first half of the season as Florida’s number one goaltender, going 9-4-5 with three shutouts. He had a 24-save, 4-0 shutout of the Tampa Bay Lightning on November 12, a 4-0, 37-save shutout of the New York Rangers on November 30, and a 2-0, 41-save shutout of the Edmonton Oilers on December 11. He was relegated to the number two slot as the new year began, finishing the season with a 15-7-5 record, a .924 save percentage and a 2.71 GAA. He is Florida’s career leader (minimum 50 games played) with a .928 save percentage.
Anderson then spent one and a half seasons each with the Colorado Avalanche (51-40-10, seven shutouts, .911, 2.83) and the Ottawa Senators (44-27-7, five shutouts, .920, 2.65). He is starting the second season of a four year, $12,750,000 contract, keeping him with Ottawa through the 2014-15 season.
48. Sandis Ozolinsh
Ozolinsh, a 6’3″ defenseman from Riga, Latvia. After dishing out three assists in 44 games for Dynamo Riga, he was picked up in the 1991 NHL Entry Draft in the second round, 30th overall by the San Jose Sharks. 1991-92 would see him split his season between the IHL Kansas City Blades (34 games, six goals, nine assists), and Riga Pardaugava (30 games, six goals).
Ozolinsh made his NHL debut with the 1992-93 Sharks. In four seasons with the club, he scored 43 goals and 73 assists in 173 contests. He made a career high 26 goals with the team in 1993-94. He added three goals and 12 assists in 25 postseason games while a member of the Sharks. San Jose traded him to the Colorado Avalanche on October 26, 1995 for Owen Nolan.
Ozolinsh played parts of five seasons with the Avs (333 games, 72 goals, 181 assists). In four out of five seasons with Colorado, he eclipsed the 30 assist mark, including a career high 45 for the 1996-97 version of the club. He appeared in 82 playoff games for Colorado (18 goals, 47 assists). After the 1999-00 season, Colorado traded him to the Carolina Hurricanes with a second round choice (Tomas Kurka) for Nolan Pratt and three draft picks, a first and two second rounders (Vaclav Nedorost, Jared Aulin, and Agris Saviels, respectively) on June 24.
As a Hurricane, Ozolinsh appeared in 118 games over two seasons, scoring 16 goals and 51 assists. He also registered a minus-29 rating and spent 105 minutes in the penalty box. The Canes traded him to the Panthers on January 16, 2002 with Byron Ritchie for Bret Hedican, Kevyn Adams and Tomas Malec.
Ozolinsh appeared in 37 games for the Panthers, ranking fifth on the team in scoring despite playing less than a half season with the club. He lit the lamp 10 times on 101 shots while averaging an incredible 30:30 per game. He also added 19 assists and posted a minus-3 rating, earning 24 minutes in the sin bin.He had five multi point games that season as a Panther, including three assists in a January 21 victory over the Montreal Canadiens, 7-5.
In 2002-03, Ozolinsh again posted five two-point games for Florida, including two goals in a 4-3 season opening overtime loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning. He scored seven goals on 83 shots, racking up 19 assists and a minus-16 rating in 51 games. He averaged 28:23 per game. The Panthers traded him to the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim with Lance Ward for Pavel Trnka, Matt Cullen and a fourth round choice (James Pemberton) on January 30.
Ozolinsh spent parts of three seasons in Anaheim (84 games, 13 goals, 27 assists, minus-1 rating, 48 PIM). He later made NHL appearances with the New York Rangers (40 games, three goals, 14 assists, plus-6 rating, 28 PIM), and the San Jose Sharks (39 games, three goals, 13 assists, minus-11 rating, 24 PIM). He has spent the last three seasons with the KHL Riga Dynamo (134 games, 21 goals, 56 assists).
All-Time Statline: Two seasons, 88 games, 17 goals, 38 assists, 55 points, minus-19 rating, 64 PIM, 9.4 APS.
47. Rostislav Olesz
Olesz was a 6’1″ left winger with Vitkovice HC in the Czech League. In four seasons with Vitkovice, the native of Bilovec, Czechoslovakia totalled eight goals and 17 assists in 89 games. The Panthers selected him in the first round of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft with the seventh overall pick. He stayed in Czechoslovakia in 2004-05 with Sparta Praha (47 games, six goals, seven assists).
2005-06 would see Olesz limited to 59 games with the Panthers due to a left knee injury. He had three multipoint games with Florida, including a goal and two assists on March 8 in a 6-2 win over the Ottawa Senators. He scored eight goals on 105 shots while averaging 14:52 TOI. He also dished out 13 assists, spending 24 minutes in the box and finishing with a minus-3 rating.
In 2006-07, Olesz put up 10 two point games, including two goals on January 4 in a 5-4 overtime loss to the Calgary Flames. He duplicated the feat on January 27 in a 4-2 win over the New Jersey Devils. He scored 11 goals on 164 shots while averaging 15:30 TOI per night. He had 19 assists, 28 PIM and a plus-2 rating in 75 games.
Olesz scored 14 goals on 139 shots in 2007-08. He suffered a surgery requiring hand injury early in the season, holding him to only 56 Florida games. He had seven multi-point games that season, including a two goal, one assist in a 5-2 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets on November 21. He also dished out 12 assists, earned 16 PIM and finished the season at plus-3 in 17:04 per game.
In 2008-09, Olesz missed over half of the season due to a groin injury. He made four goals on 69 shots and five assists in 37 Panthers games. He averaged 13:12 TOI and accrued only eight penalty minutes, finishing with a minus-5 rating.
2009-10 would see Olesz appear in 78 games for Florida. He had five multi-point games, including a one goal, two assist effort in a December 18 6-3 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes. He scored 14 goals on 178 shots with 15 helpers, 28 PIM and a minus-4 rating in 15:24 ATOI.
Between a knee injury and a broken finger, Olesz was limited to 44 games in 2010-11. He scored a goal and two assists in a 6-0 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning on October 16 on his way to six goals on 71 shots, along with 11 assists. He accrued eight PIM and a minus-1 rating.
On June 25, 2011, Olesz was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks for defenseman Brian Campbell. He appeared in six games for the Blackhawks, going scoreless. He spent most of his season with the AHL Rockford IceHogs (50 games, 17 goals, 24 assists).
Expectations for Olesz were off the charts right from the start. His Panther career fell short of expectations in large part due to the inordinate time he spent on the injured reserved list. The trade for Campbell was designed to help the Panthers reach the cap floor, but ended up helping them reach the playoffs for the first time in 11 seasons.
All-Time Statline: Six seasons, 349 games, 57 goals, 75 assists, 132 points, minus-9 rating, 112 PIM, 9.6 APS.
46. Mark Parrish
Parrish was a 5’11” right winger from Bloomington, Minnesota. He played collegiate hockey with the St. Cloud State Huskies for two seasons (74 games, 42 goals, 28 assists). After his freshman season, he was chosen in the third round of the 1996 NHL Entry Draft by the Colorado Avalanche, with the 79th overall pick.
Parrish spent the 1997-98 season in the WHL with the Seattle Thunderbirds (54 games, 54 goals, 38 assists). He made his professional debut late in the season, scoring a goal in one game with the AHL New Haven Beast.
In 1998-99, Parrish opened the season by making the Panthers NHL roster out of training camp. In his first ever Florida appearance, he scored twice in a 4-1 season opening victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning on October 9. On October 30, Parrish lit the lamp four times in a 7-3 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. He had eight multipoint games on the season in total. He scored 24 times on 129 shots, ranking sixth in the NHL with an 18.6 shooting percentage and second on the Panthers in goals scored. he also made 13 assists, a minus-6 rating and 25 PIM in 13:59 ATOI.
1999-00 would see Parrish again equal eight multipoint efforts, including a two goal, one assist effort in a 5-1 win over the Boston Bruins on February 12. He played 14:04 per game in 81 games. He ranked third on the Panthers with 26 goals on 152 shots, assisting on 18 others. He spent 39 minutes in the penalty box and finished the season with a plus-1 rating as the Panthers qualified for the postseason. He collected one assist in four playoff contests, all losses in a sweep by the New Jersey Devils. After the season, he was traded to the New York Islanders with Oleg Kvasha for Roberto Luongo and Olli Jokinen.
Parrish spent five seasons with the Islanders (345 games, 118 goals, 96 assists, minus-34 rating, 122 PIM) before playing with the Los Angeles Kings (19 games, five goals, three assists, minus-9 rating, four PIM), the Minnesota Wild (142 games, 35 goals, 34 assists, plus-11 rating, 34 PIM), the Dallas Stars (44 games, eight goals, five assists, minus-3 rating, 18 PIM), the Tampa Bay Lightning (16 games, two assists, minus-5, four PIM), and the Buffalo Sabres (two games, minus-2 rating). He spent the 2011-12 campaign with the AHL Binghamton Senators (51 games, 15 goals, 15 assists).
All-Time Statline: Two seasons, 154 games, 50 goals, 31 assists, 81 points, minus-5 rating, 64 PIM, 9.6 APS.
45. Tom Fitzgerald
Fitzgerald was a 6′ right winger from Billerica, Massachusetts when he was selected in the first round of the 1986 NHL Entry Draft by the New York Islanders, 17th overall. Before turning professional, he played two seasons with Providence College (63 games, 27 goals, 29 assists).
1988-89 would see Fitzgerald make his NHL debut with the Islanders, and he would ultimately spend a total of five seasons with the club (205 games, 25 goals, 44 assists, minus-16 rating, 100 PIM). He added three goals and five assists in 22 postseason contests. Left unprotected, he was picked up by the Panthers in the 1993 NHL Expansion Draft.
Fitzgerald took the ice with the original version of the Panthers. He had four multipoint games through their first season, Including two goals in a 3-3 tie with the Montreal Canadiens on December 15. He scored 18 goals on 144 shots in 83 games, tacking on 14 assists and a minus-3 rating with 54 PIM. The inaugural version of the Panthers were the most successful expansion club in League history, with a 33-34-17 record.
In 1994-95, Fitzgerald was one of five Panthers to appear in all 48 contests. He scored three goals on 78 shots, with a team fourth best 13 assists, a minus-3 rating and 31 PIM. On March 22, he scored a goal and two assists in a 3-2 win over Montreal.
1995-96 would see Fitzgerald post five multipoint games with Florida, including two two-goal efforts, in a 6-2 win over the Ottawa Senators on October 13, and again in a 5-3 win over the New York Rangers on April 8. He was one of three Panthers to appear in all 82 games. He scored 13 goals on 141 shots with 21 assists, a minus-3 rating and 75 PIM. He added four goals and four assists in 22 playoff games, including two goals in a 5-1 game one victory in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Fitzgerald scored 10 goals on 135 shots in 1996-97, appearing in 71 games. He added 14 assists, a plus-7 rating, and 64 penalty minutes. In 1997-98, he appeared in 69 Florida games, scoring 10 goals on 105 shots with five assists. He finished with a minus-4 rating and 57 PIM. The Panthers traded him to the Colorado Avalanche on March 24 for the rights to negotiate with Mark Parrish and a third round draft pick (Lance Ward). He played 11 games with the Avs to close out the season (two goals, one assist, even rating, 22 PIM).
Fitzgerald later appeared with the Nashville Predators (307 games, 42 goals, 46 assists, minus-45 rating, 218 PIM), the Chicago Blackhawks (15 games, one goal, three assists, minus-3 rating, six PIM), the Toronto Maple Leafs (135 games, 11 goals, 23 assists, plus-8 rating, 109 PIM), and the Boston Bruins (71 games, four goals, six assists, minus-10 rating, 40 PIM). He is currently an assistant coach with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
All-Time Statline: 353 games, 54 goals, 67 assists, 121 points, minus-6 rating, 281 PIM, 9.6 APS.
44. Jesse Belanger
An undrafted 6’1″ center from St-Georges-de-Beauce, Quebec, Belanger spent his formative hockey years with the QMJHL Granby Bisons, averaging 1.41 points per game over three seasons in juniors (203 games, 126 goals, 160 assists). He signed his first professional contract in 1990, as a free agent for the Montreal Canadiens. 1990-91 would see him score 40 goals, and 58 assists in 75 games for the AHL Fredericton Canadiens.
In 1991-92, Belanger spent most of his season in Fredericton (65 games, 30 goals, 41 assists). He was also called up for his first NHL action in January (four games, minus-1 rating). He spent substantial time with each club in 1992-93, playing in 39 games with Fredericton (19 goals, 32 assists), and 19 with Montreal (four goals, two assists, plus-1 rating, four PIM). Left unprotected in the 1993 Expansion Draft, the Panthers gladly picked him up.
In Florida’s first season, Belanger appeared in 70 games for the club, and scored more than one point in 12 of them. He collected two goals and two assists in a 5-1 victory over the Washington Capitals on January 19. He scored 17 goals on 104 shots, adding a team leading 33 assists, a minus-4 rating, and only 16 penatly minutes.
In the strike shortened 1994-95 season, Belanger led the Panthers with 15 goals (on 89 shots), appearing in 47 contests. He added 14 assists for a team leading 29 points, finishing with a minus-5 rating and 18 penalty minutes. He scored two goals on March 16, in what may have been his best game of the season, again in a 5-1 win over the Capitals.
1995-96 would see Belanger appear in 63 games for the Panthers, scoring 17 times on 140 shots with 21 helpers, a minus-5 rating, and 10 penalty minutes. He had 10 multi-point games with Florida that year, including two goals and an assist in a 4-3 win over the Caps on December 5. During his Panther career, he seemed to always save his best stuff for Washington, totalling nine goals and six assists over 13 career games against the club. He didn’t get to enjoy the Panthers assault on the 1996 Stanley Cup, as he was sent to the Vancouver Canucks for a third round draft choice (Oleg Kvasha) on March 20. Even so, for many new hockey fans, the face of Belanger was the face of the new franchise. He will forever be associated as one of the first Panthers with “star power.”
Belanger didn’t enjoy much more in the way of NHL success after leaving the Panthers. After his time with Vancouver (nine games, three goals, four PIM), he later appeared with the Edmonton Oilers (six games, minus-3 rating), a second tour with Montreal (16 games, three goals, six assists), and the New York Islanders (12 games, minus-5 rating). He spent several seasons bumping around the world in various lower level professional leagues. He has spent the last five seasons in the LNAH, most recently with the 2011-12 St. Georges Cool 103.5 FM (47 games, 31 goals, 42 assists).
All-Time Statline: Three seasons, 180 games, 49 goals, 68 assists, 117 points, minus-14 rating, 44 PIM, 9.7 APS.
43. Scott Clemmensen
A 6’3″ goaltender from Des Moines, Iowa, Clemmensen was originally chosen in the eighth round of the 1997 NHL Entry Draft by the New Jersey Devils with the 215th overall pick. After selection, he went on to attend Boston College for four seasons of collegiate hockey. He racked up a career record of 99-35-10, 13 shutouts, and a 2.52 GAA while with the squad, helping them to the NCAA Championship in his final season, 2000-01.
In 2001-02, Clemmensen made his professional debut with the AHL Albany River Rats, picking up a 5-19-4 record for the last place club. He had a decent save percentage, at .908. He also appeared in two NHL games for the Devils near the start of the season, stopping four of five shots in relief.
In 2002-03, Clemmensen was left in the AHL with the River Rats (12-24-8, .910, 2.65) for “seasoning.” 2003-04 would see him again spend most of the year in Albany (5-12-4, .902, 3.07), also posting a 3-1 record with the Devils, including two shutouts.
When the NHL cancelled the 2004-05 season, Clemmensen had little choice but to continue to hone his craft with the River Rats (13-25-5, .916, 2.81). When the NHL resumed play for the 2005-06 campaign, he ended up on the NHL roster for the majority of the season backing up Martin Brodeur. He saw his most extensive action to date, posting a 3-4-2 record with an .881 save percentage and a 3.35 GAA.
After one more season in the New Jersey organization (1-1-2, .889, 3.14), Clemmensen was signed as a free agent with the Toronto Maple Leafs during the 2007 offseason. Mostly, he played with the Toronto Marlies (23-14-2, .910, 2.44), making three appearance with the Leafs around the New Year (1-1-0, .839, 3.89). He would resign with the Devils prior to the 2008-09 season.
Clemmensen started the season with the AHL Lowell Devils (6-5-1), earning a callup to New Jersey early in the season to back up number two goaltender Kevin Weekes after number one Brodeur went down with a serious injury. After Weekes struggled, Clemmensen stepped in for several months as the Devil’s number one guy (25-13-1, .917, 2.39).
Before the 2009-10 season, Clemmensen signed a three-year, $3,600,000 contract to play for the Panthers. In his first season of backing up Tomas Vokoun, he went 9-8-2, including a 36-save shutout in a 1-0 victory over the Boston Bruins on April 1. He allowed 2.91 goals per 60 minutes, stopping 91.2 percent of the shots he faced.
In 2010-11, Clemmensen went 8-11-7 for the last place Panthers squad, again backing up incumbent pipeminder Vokoun. He posted a 24-save shutout over the Toronto Maple Leafs on March 17 in a 4-0 victory. Overall, he stopped 91.1 percent of opponents shots, allowing 2.61 goals per 60, a number comparable to starter Vokoun.
2011-12 would open with Clemmensen on the IR as new number one Jose Theodore and future number one Jacob Markstrom manned the net. The Panthers were 8-5-3 when Clemmensen took the ice for the first time on November 15, stopping all 25 shots in a 6-0 win over the Dallas Stars. When injury took down Theodore, Clemmers started 15 games between December 29 and February 15, posting a 7-5-3 record as the fill-in top dog. Overall, he went 14-6-6, 2.57, .913. There was almost no dropoff between starter Theo and Clemmers. In the playoffs, he went 1-2, stopping 81-of-88 shots, for a GAA of 2.35 and a save percentage of .920. The Panthers rewarded him after the season with a new two-year, $2,400,000 contract, the same terms as were on the last contract. As of this writing, Clemmensen is the only NHL player to originate from the state of Iowa.
Scott Clemmensen diving save 1/5/12 (via NHLVideo)
All-Time Statline: Three seasons, 84 games, 4,477 minutes, 31-25-15 record, three shutouts, 2,274 shots faced, 2,074 saves, 200 goals allowed, 2.68 GAA, .912 save percentage, 10.0 APS.
42. Jason Woolley
Woolley was a 6’1″ defensemen from Toronto with the Michigan State Spartans. He was selected in the third round of the 1989 NHL Entry Draft by the Washington Capitals with the 61st overall pick. In 132 games over three seasons of collegiate hockey, he scored 37 times with 107 assists.
Woolley spent most of the 1991-92 season with the Canadian National Team, scoring 14 goals and 35 assists in 68 games of international play, helping them to the Olympic Silver Medal. He also made his professional debut, in 15 games scoring one goal and 10 assists with the AHL Baltimore Skipjacks. He played one game late in the NHL season with Washington.
1992-93 would see Woolley split the year between the Skipjacks (29 games, 14 gaols, 27 assists) and the Caps (26 games, two assists, plus-3 rating, 10 PIM). He repeated the pattern the following season with Washington’s new AHL affiliate, in 41 games with the Portland Pirates (12 goals, 29 assists), and 10 contests with the Capitals (one goal, two assists, plus-2 rating, four PIM).
Woolley started the 1994-95 season with the unaffiliated Detroit Vipers in the IHL, scoring eight times with 28 helpers in 48 games. The Panthers signed him as a free agent on February 15. In 34 games with Florida, he scored four goals on 76 shots with nine assists, registering a minus-1 rating with 18 penalty minutes. On April 22, he collected two assists in a 4-2 win over the Quebec Nordiques.
In 1995-96, Woolley had a big impact on Florida’s blueline offensive capability. He scored six goals on 98 shots, ranking second on the Panther’s defense with 28 assists. He finished at minus-9 with 32 PIM. On Halloween, he scored two goals in a 5-4 overtime victory over the New York Islanders. In 13 playoff contests, he totalled two goals and six assists.
Woolley appeared in three games for Florida in 1996-97, failing to score a point. He was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins on November 19 with Stu Barnes for Chris Wells (yeah, we lost that one). He played 57 games with Pittsburgh that season (six goals, 30 assists, plus-3 rating, 28 PIM).
Woolley later played five and a half seasons with the Buffalo Sabres (365 games, 40 goals, 125 assists, plus-31 rating, 258 PIM), getting traded to the Detroit Red Wings for “future considerations” on November 16, 2002. He finished out his NHL career in two and a half seasons with the Wings (170 games, 11 goals, 50 assists, plus-34 rating, 78 PIM).
All-Time Statline: Three seasons, 89 games, 10 goals, 37 assists, 47 points, minus-9 rating, 52 PIM, 10.0 APS.
41. Marcus Nilson
Nilson, a 6’2″ right winger from Balsta, Sweden, was playing with the Djurgardens IF Stockholm of the Swedish Elite League for three seasons beginning in 1995-96. After his first season with the team (12 games), the Panthers picked him up in the first round of the 1996 NHL Entry Draft with the 20th overall pick. He played two more seasons with Stockholm (88 games, four goals, 10 assists) before making the jump to North America.
Nilson spent most of the 1998-99 season with the AHL Beast of New Haven (69 games, eight goals, 25 assists). He was twice called up to the Panthers. He averaged 12:24 TOI over eight games, remaining scoreless until his final Panthers game, scoring a goal and an assist in a 3-2 overtime victory.
In 1999-00, Nilson played a big portion of the year with Florida’s new affiliate in Louisville. He played 64 games, scoring nine goals and 23 assists. He was again twice called up to join the Cats, assisting on two goals over nine games in just under eight minutes per game.
In 2000-01, Nilson made the Panthers out of training camp, playing in 15:46 TOI over 78 games. On March 9, he had his first three point game with two goals and an assist in a 7-6 overtime loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets. He scored 12 goals on 141 shots, ranking second on the Panthers with 24 assists. He finished the season with a minus-3 rating and 74 penalty minutes.
2001-02 would see Nilson score a team third best 14 goals on 147 shots in 16:31 ATOI over 81 games. He scored twice in a 4-3 win over the Atlanta Thrashers on New Years Eve, one of five times he put up more than one point in a contest. He finished the season with 19 assists, a minus-14 rating and 55 penalty minutes.
Nilson was one of three Panthers to appear in all 82 games for Florida in 2002-03, averaging 15:31 TOI on Florida’s second line. He scored 15 goals on 187 shots, assisting on 19 others and ranking fourth on the team with 34 points. He finished out the season with a plus-2 rating and 31 penalty minutes.
In 2003-04, Nilson scored six goals on 110 shots while playing 15:30 over 69 Panthers games. He made 13 assists and a minus-9 rating with 26 penalty minutes. the Panthers traded him to the Calgary Flames on March 8 for a second round draft choice (David Booth).
Nilson finished out the season with the Flames (14 games, five goals, plus-3 rating, 14 PIM). When the following season was cancelled, he rejoined his old Swedish team, Djurgardens IF Stockholm (48 games, 17 goals, 22 assists). He went back to the Flames for three more seasons beginning in 2005-06 (180 games, 14 goals, 23 assists, plus-22 rating, 63 PIM). In 2008-09 he spent one year with Yaroslavl Lokomotiv (36 games, five goals, three assists) before returning for a third tour with Stockholm (143 games, 42 goals, 64 assists) over the last three seasons.
All-Time Statline: Six seasons, 327 games, 48 goals, 78 assists, 126 points, minus-20 rating, 193 PIM, 10.0 APS.
40. Brian Campbell
Campbell was a 5’11” defenseman from Strathmore, Ontario with the Ottawa 67’s when he was selected in the sixth round of the 1997 NHL Entry Draft by the Buffalo Sabres, 156th overall. In four OHL seasons in juniors, he totalled 38 goals and 172 assists in 260 games, adding five goals and 36 assists in 50 postseason contests. He made his professional debut with the 1999-00 AHL Rochester Americans (67 games, two goals, 24 assists), also scoring a goal and four assists in 12 NHL games with the Sabres.
In 2000-01, Campbell again spent the balance of the season in Rochester (65 games, seven goals, 25 assists), making a brief eight game stop in Buffalo. The following season, he continued to have trouble cracking the NHL roster, scoring three goals and three assists in 29 contests with Buffalo. He also scored twice with 35 assists in 45 Rochester games.
2002-03 would see Campbell promoted to the NHL on a permanent basis, spending the next four and a half NHL seasons with the club. He made the All-Star team for the Sabres in 2007 and 2008. In total, he scored 32 goals and 144 assists in 391 games with the Sabres, adding three goals and 10 assists in 34 playoff games. He spent the 2004-05 season with Jokerit Helsinki in the Swedish Elite League (44 games, 12 goals, 13 assists). The Sabres traded him to the San Jose Sharks on February 26, 2008 with a seventh round pick (Drew Daniels) for Steve Bernier and a first round pick (Tyler Ennis).
After scoring three goals and 16 assists in 20 games for San Jose, then another goal and six assists in 13 playoff games, Campbell signed an eight-year, $57,143,000 contract with the Chicago Blackhawks. He played the first three seasons of the contract with the club, making his third career All-Star team in 2009 and helping Chicago to win the 2010 Stanley Cup. He racked up 19 goals and 98 assists with a plus-51 rating and 46 penalty minutes in 215 games with the club. He also scored four goals and 14 assists in 43 playoff games. The Blackhawks traded him to Florida for Rostislav Olesz in what amounted to a salary dump for Chicago following the 2010-11 season.
2011-12 would see Campbell turn in his fourth All-Star campaign, leading the Panthers (and the NHL) with 2,206 minutes of ice time. He opened the season by assisting on both Panthers goals in a 2-0 win over the New York Islanders on October 8. Just a week later, he notched four assists in a 7-4 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning on October 17. He had nine multipoint game over the course of the season, including four three assist games. He averaged 26:54, appearing in all 82 games, scoring four goals on 131 shots and a team best 49 assists. He finished the season with a minus-9 rating and a ridiculous six penalty minutes. The postseason would see him add a goal and four assists in Florida’s seven game series loss to the New Jersey Devils. After the season, he was awarded the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy for excellent sportsmanship.
Campbell makes a great d-zone poke-check 1/9/12 (via NHLVideo)
All-Time Statline: One season, 82 games, four goals, 49 assists, 53 points, minus-9 rating, six PIM, 10.3 APS.
39. Trevor Kidd
Kidd was a 6’2″ goaltender from Dugald, Manitoba when selected by the Calgary Flames in the first round of the 1990 NHL Entry Draft with the 11th overall pick. He posted a 53-67-4 record in three WHL seasons with the Brandon Wheat Kings and the Spokane Chiefs, allowing 4.05 goals per 60 minutes.
In 1991-92, Kidd started in goal for the Canadian National Team (18-4-4, 3.51), helping them to a Silver Medal in the 1992 Olympic games. He made two appearances with the Flames late in the season (1-1-0, .857, 4.00). He ended up playing five seasons with the franchise, ranking sixth on their all-time victory list with a 72-66-26 record. He collected 10 shutouts, an .898 save percentage and a 2.83 GAA. Just prior to the 1997-98 season, he was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes with Gary Roberts for Andrew Cassels and Jean-Sebastian Giguere.
Kidd played for two season in Carolina, totalling a 28-31-9 with five shutouts, a 2.34 GAA and a .916 save percentage. After the 1998-99 season, he was picked up in the Expansion Draft by the brand new Atlanta Thrashers franchise. He was only a Thrasher for a short time, getting traded later that day to the Panthers for Gord Murphy, Herbert Vasiljevs, Daniel Tjarnqvist, and a sixth round pick (Darren Cox).
Kidd posted a 14-11-2 record as the 1999-00 Panthers second goaltender. He shut out the Thrashers on November 27 by a score of 3-0. He allowed 2.63 goals per 60 minutes, ranking eighth in the NHL with a .915 save percentage.
In 2000-01, Kidd shared number one netminder responsibilities with wunderkind Roberto Luongo. He posted a 30-save shutout on November 17 in a 3-0 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets. He allowed 3.31 goals per 60 minutes with an .893 save percentage and a suboptimal 10-23-6 record.
King Louie started his reign proper with the 2001-02 Panthers, as Kidd accepted his role as the first backup option. His 4-16-5 record was on par with Florida’s 14th place Eastern Conference finish, posting a 22-50-12 record.He shutout the Buffalo Sabres on November 16 on 31 saves in a 2-0 shutout in one of very few highlights that season. He stopped 89.5% of total shots faced and allowed 3.21 goals per 60 minutes TOI. The Toronto Maple Leafs signed him as a free agent after the season.
Kidd played two seasons with the Leafs (12-15-4, .888, 3.17) before moving on to international play. He last played professionally with the Hannover Scorpions in the Deutsch Elite League in 2005-06.
All-Time Statline: Three seasons, 103 games, 5,611 minutes played, three shutouts, 28-50-13 record, 2,883 shots faced, 2,594 saves made, 28 goals allowed, .900 save percentage, 3.00 GAA, 10.5 APS.
38. Cory Stillman
Stillman was a 6′ center from Peterborough, Ontario with the OHL Windsor Spitfires (117 games, 60 goals, 131 assists) starting in 1990-91. He was selected in the first round of the 1992 NHL Entry Draft by the Calgary Flames with the sixth overall pick. He would play one more season in the OHL with the Peterborough Petes, scoring 25 goals and 55 assists in 61 contests.
Stillman joined the AHL’s Saint John Flames for the 1993-94 campaign (79 games, 35 goals, 48 assists). In 1994-95, he made his NHL debut with Calgary for 10 games in February and March (two assists). He spent the balance of the season with Saint John (63 games, 28 goals, 53 assists).
Stillman ended up playing parts of seven seasons in Calgary (393 games, 109 goals, 126 assists). He was traded to the St. Louis Blues on March 13, 2001 for Craig Conroy and a seventh round pick (David Moss). In parts of three seasons with the Blues, he scored 50 goals and 69 assists in 171 games, adding five goals and nine assists in 30 playoff contests.
After the 2002-03 season, Stillman was traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning for a second round draft pick (David Backes). He scored 25 goals and 55 assists for a career high 80 points in 81 contests. In 21 playoff games, he added two goals and five assists as the Bolts secured the 2004 Stanley Cup. He took the year off when the 2004-05 season was cancelled.
Prior to the 2005-06 season, Stillman signed on as a free agent with the Carolina Hurricanes. He played parts of three seasons with them (170 games, 47 goals, 102 assists), adding nine goals and 17 assists in the 2006 Stanley Cup Playoffs, helping the Hurricanes to their first ever Stanley Cup (going back to their time as the Hartford Whalers). It was the second season in a row that he got to raise the Cup.
On February 11, 2008, Carolina traded Stillman, along with Mike Commodore, to the Senators for Joe Corvo and Patrick Eaves. He scored three goals and 16 assists in 24 games, closing the season with the club. He signed a three-year, $10,600,000 free agent contract with the Panthers after the season ended.
Stillman scored two goals and an assist in a 4-3 victory over the San Jose Sharks, one of 13 times that season he racked up multiple points. He totalled 17 goals on 115 shots, along with a team second best 32 assists, a plus-1 rating, and 37 PIM in 2008-09. He played 63 Panthers games, averaging 16:35 TOI.
2009-10, Stillman had 10 games where he totalled more than one point, including two goals and an assist in a 5-2 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning on January 16. He finished fifth on the team with 15 goals on 126 shots, adding 22 assists, finishing with a minus-3 rating, and spending 22 minutes in the penalty box. He averaged 17:34 for Florida over 58 games.
2010-11 would see Stillman score seven goals on 81 shots in 44 Panthers games. He averaged 15:56 TOI, dished out 16 assists, racked up a plus-3 rating and 20 penalty minutes. He was traded back to the Hurricanes on February 24 for Ryan Carter and a fifth-round pick (Sean Kuraly). He scored five goals and 11 assists in 21 games with Carolina before retiring following the season.
Cory Stillman goal 10/16/10 (via NHLVideo)
All-Time Statline: Three seasons, 165 games, 39 goals, 70 assists, 109 points, plus-1 rating, 79 PIM, 10.6 APS.
37. Jozef Stumpel
Stumpel was a 6’3″ right winger from Nitra, Slovakia. He was initially chosen in the second round of the 1991 NHL Entry Draft by the Boston Bruins in the second round, with the 40th overall pick. He played in parts of six seasons with the Bruins in his first tour with the team, scoring 54 goals and 122 assists in 274 contests. He was traded to the Los Angeles Kings prior to the 1997-98 season with Sandy Moger and a fourth round draft pick (Pierre Dagenais) for Dmitri Kristich and Byron Dafoe.
Stumpel played with Los Angeles for four and a half seasons during his time with the club. He scored 68 goals and 162 assists in 270 games before getting traded back to the Bruins on October 24, 2001 with Glen Murray for Jason Allison and Mikko Eloranta.
Stumpel finished out the season and the next one with Boston, playing 150 games and scoring 21 goals with 84 assists. After the 2002-03 season, the Bruins sent him back to the Kings with a seventh round choice (Miroslav Hanuljak) for a fourth round choice (Patrick Valcak) and a second round choice (Martins Karsums).
Stumpel scored eight goals and 29 assists for the Kings in 2003-04. He spent the 2004-05 season with Slavia Praha HC in the Czech League, scoring 13 goals and 26 assists in 52 games. He signed with the Panthers as a free agent prior to the 2005-06 season.
At one point during the next season, Stumpel racked up 34 points in 26 contests (11 goals, 23 assists). He had 13 multipoint efforts on the season, including two goals and an assist in a 4-1 win over the Buffalo Sabres on December 22. He scored 15 goals on 115 shots with a team third highest 37 assists, also ranking third on the team with 52 points. He spent 26 minutes in the box and finshed with a team fourth best plus-11 rating. He played 17:47 per game in 74 contests.
In 2006-07, Stumpel had 13 multi-point games, including two goals and two assists in a 6-3 win over the Boston Bruins on December 16. He made four assists in the very next game, a 7-3 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs on December 19. He scored a career high 23 goals on 131 shots, with a team second best 34 assists. He averaged 19:07 through 73 contests, finishing with a plus-2 rating and 22 penalty minutes.
2007-08 would see Stumpel score seven goals on 64 shots, assisting on 13 others. He averaged 17:22 in 52 games, finishing with a minus-11 rating and 10 penalty minutes. He has spent the last four seasons with assorted KHL franchises (165 games, 37 goals, 87 assists).
All-Time Statline: Three seasons, 199 games, 45 goals, 84 assists, 129 points, plus-2 rating, 58 PIM, 10.6 APS.
36. Dave Lowry
Lowry was a 6’1 left winger with the OHL London Knights starting in 1982-83 (42 games, 11 goals, 16 assists). After the season, he was picked up by the Vancouver Canucks in the sixth round of the 1983 NHL Entry Draft, 110th overall. He would play two more seasons with the Knights (127 games, 89 goals, 107 assists) before making the jump to the pros.
Lowry spent three most of three seasons with the Canucks starting in 1985-86 (165 games, 19 goals, 21 assists). He was traded to the St. Louis Blues for Ernie Vargas just before the 1998-89 season got underway. In parts of five NHL seasons with the Blues, he played 311 games, scoring 53 goals and 51 assists while with the franchise.
Left unprotected, Lowry was claimed by the Panthers in the 1993 NHL Expansion Draft, joining the first version of the club. He played in a team fourth best 80 games, totalling 15 goals on 122 shots, along with 22 assists. On February 12, he scored two goals and an assist in a 4-3 Panthers victory over the New York Islanders. He went minus-4 on the season with 64 penalty minutes.
In 1994-95, Lowry played in 45 games for Florida, missing only three games of the strike-abbreviated 48 game schedule. He ranked fourth on the Panthers with 10 goals on 70 shots, pitched in 10 assists, and finished at minus-3 with 25 penalty minutes. He scored two goals in a 4-4 tie with the Hartford Whalers on March 29.
1995-96 would see Lowry score 10 goals on 83 shots for the eventual Eastern Conference Champion Panthers. He was limited by injuries to 63 games that season, but still managed to make 14 assists, 36 penalty minutes, and a minus-2 rating. In 22 playoff games, he led the Panthers with 10 goals (including two game winners) and 17 points.
Lowry appeared in 77 games for the 1996-97 Panthers, scoring a team fourth best 15 goals on 96 shots along with 14 assists. He spent 51 minutes in the box and finished the season with a minus-2 rating. He went scoreless in seven games with the Panthers the following season before getting traded to the San Jose Sharks on November 13 with a first round pick (Vincent LeCavalier) for Viktor Kozlov and a fifth round pick (Jaroslav Spacek).
After parts of three seasons with the Sharks (143 games, 11 goals, 17 assists), Lowry went on to play with the Calgary Flames (193 games, 31 goals, 38 assists). After retirement, he went into the coaching ranks, and is currently the head man with the WHL Victoria Royals.
All-Time Statline: Five seasons, 272 games, 50 goals, 60 assists, 110 points, minus-8 rating, 178 PIM, 10.7 APS.
35. Johan Garpenlov
Garpenlov was originally chosen in the fifth round of the 1986 NHL Entry Draft by the Detroit Red Wings with the 85th overall pick. At the time, he was a 5’11” left winger from Stockholm, Sweden wth Djurgardens IF Stockholm in the Swedish Elite League. Instead of coming over to North America after the draft, he spent the next four seasons with the Swedish team (134 games, 45 goals, 51 assists).
Garpenlov finally joined the Red Wings for the 1990-91 season (71 games, 18 goals, 22 assists). The following season, he was bounced his way back and forth between Detroit (16 games, one goal, one assist) and their AHL counterpart in Adirondack (nine games, three goals, three assists) through the first part of the season. He was traded on March 9, 1992 to the San Jose Sharks for Bob McGill and an eighth round pick (C.J. Denomme).
Garpenlov played with San Jose for parts of four seasons (184 games, 46 goals, 86 assists). The Sharks traded him to the Panthers on March 3, 1995 for a fifth round pick (Jaroslav Špaček). He scored two goals on April 24 in a 5-1 win over the Ottawa Senators. In 27 games to close out the season, he scored three goals on 28 shots and dished out nine assists. He finished the season with a plus-4 rating and zero penalty minutes.
1995-96 would see Garpenlov score a career high 23 goals on 130 shots while appearing in all 82 Panthers games. He had 28 assists to rank fourth on the Panthers with 51 points. He had 11 multi-point games, including a hat trick on January 23 in a 5-4 Florida victory. He finished with 36 minutes in the box and a minus-10 rating. In 20 playoff games, he added four goals and two assists for the Eastern Conference Champions.
In 1996-97, Garpenlov appeared in 53 contests. He scored a goal and two assists in a 4-2 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins on November 9. In total, he scored 11 goals on 83 shots with 25 assists, a plus-10 rating and 47 penalty minutes. He added two goals in four playoff games as the Panthers were ousted from the Stanley Cup Playoffs four games to one by the New York Rangers.
Garpenlov was limited by injury in 1997-98 to only 39 games. He scored twice on 43 shots and pitched in with three assists. The following season was marginally better, as he scored eight times on 71 shots in just under 14 minutes per contest, adding nine assists. After the 1998-99 season, he was claimed by the Atlanta Thrashers in the Expansion Draft.
Garpenlov played one season with Atlanta (73 games, two goals, 14 assists). He rejoined Djurgardens IF Stockholm for the 2000-01 campaign (29 games, eight goals, seven assists), retiring from professional hockey after the season. He is currently a general manager with the Swedish National Team.
All-Time Statline: Five seasons, 265 games, 47 goals, 74 assists, 121 points, minus-11 rating, 133 PIM, 10.9 APS.
34. Rhett Warrener
Warrener was a 6’1″ defenseman from Shaunavon, Saskatchewan with the WHL Saskatoon Blades. He was selected by Florida in the second round of the 1994 NHL Entry Draft with the 27th overall pick. He played one additional season with the Blades after selection, bringing his four season WHL totals to 22 goals and 62 assists in 197 games.
In 1995-96, Warrener started his professional career in the big show with the Panthers opening day roster. He played in 28 contests, making three assists and failing to notch a goal on 19 shots on net. He finished the season with a plus-4 rating and 46 penalty minutes. After the regular season, he appeared in 21 of the Panthers 22 postseason contests as the team won the Eastern Conference Championship in only their third season of existence. He also played in nine games with the AHL Carolina Monarchs.
1996-97 would see Warrener appear in 62 games for the Panthers. On January 23, he scored a goal and an assist in a 4-1 Florida victory over the Boston Bruins. He totalled four goals on 58 shots, pitching in on nine other goals with an assist. He led the Panthers with a plus-20 rating and spent 88 total minutes in the penalty box.
In 1997-98, Warrener played in a career high and Panthers third best 79 regular season games. He went scoreless on 66 shots, dishing out a grand total of four assists. He posted a minus-16 rating, good for the second worst rating on the team, also racking up 99 penalty minutes.
Warrener played in 48 games for the 1998-99 Panthers (zero goals, seven assists, minus-1 rating, 64 PIM) before getting traded to the Buffalo Sabres on March 23 with a fifth round pick (Ryan Milller) for Mike Wilson. He finished out the season with the Sabres, scoring a goal in 13 games.
Warrener totalled parts of five seasons in Buffalo (266 games, nine goals, 33 assists) before getting traded to the Calgary Flames after the 2002-03 season. He was bundled along with Steve Reinprecht for Chris Drury and Steve Begin. He would total four seasons in Calgary (231 games, 11 goals, 26 assists). He is currently still part of the Flames organization, as a scout.
All-Time Statline: Four seasons, 217 games, four goals, 23 assists, 27 points, plus-7 rating, 297 PIM, 11.0 APS.
33. Jaroslav Špaček
Špaček, a 6′ defenseman from Rokycany, Czechoslovakia, played five seasons with Plzen HC in the Czech League starting in 1992-93. He totalled 20 goals and 62 assists in 187 contests before playing one season in the Swedish Elite league with Farjestads BK Karlstad. He racked up 10 goals and 16 assists in 45 games in 1997-98. His strong play caught the eye of the Panthers, who drafted him in the fifth round of the 1998 NHL Entry Draft, 117th overall.
Špaček joined the Panthers out of training camp for the 1998-99 campaign. He averaged 19:27 per game with Florida that season, appearing in 63 NHL games, mostly as part of the second pairing. On January 20, he logged a season high two assists in a 5-2 win over the New York Islanders. In total, he scored three goals on 92 shots, assisting on 12 more. He also led the team with a plus-15 rating and only 28 PIM. He also scored four goals and eight assists in 14 contests with the AHL Beast of New Haven.
In 1999-00, Špaček enjoyed eight multi-point games for the team, including a goal and two assists in a 5-2 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins on December 18. He was one of three Panthers to appear in all 82 games, averaging 22:40 per game, second only to first pair mate Robert Svehla. He led Florida defensemen with 10 goals on 111 shots, assisting a blue-line second best 26 assists. He finished the campaign with a plus-7 rating and 53 penalty minutes. He did not score in the Panthers very short postseason appearance that season, a four game sweep at the hands of the New Jersey Devils, accruing a minus-1 rating in the process.
2000-01 would see Špaček play the first 12 games of the season with the Panthers, averaging 19:12 TOI. He scored twice on 21 shots with one assist, a minus-4 rating, and eight PIM. He was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks for Anders Eriksson on November 6.
Špaček played in parts of two seasons in his first tour of duty with Chicago (110 games, eight goals, 28 assists). He later played with the Columbus Blue Jackets (153 games, 16 goals, 55 assists), a second round with the Blackhawks 45 games, seven goals, 17 assists), the Edmonton Oilers (31 games, five goals, 14 assists), the Buffalo Sabres (205 games, 22 goals, 76 assists), and the Montreal Canadiens (145 games, four goals, 36 assists) before joining the Carolina Hurricanes for the second half of the 2011-12 season (34 games, five goals, seven assists). Now 38 years old, the defenseman is currently an unsigned free agent.
All-Time Statline: Three seasons, 158 games, 15 goals, 39 assists, 54 points, plus-18 rating (Panthers sixth all-time), 89 PIM, 11.4 APS.
32. Keith Ballard
Ballard was a 5’11” defenseman from Baudette, Minnesota. After a freshman season at the University of Minnesota (41 games, 10 goals, 13 assists), he was selected in the first round of the 2002 NHL Entry Draft by the Buffalo Sabres, 11th overall. He elected to stay with the Golden Gophers for two more seasons after his selection, totalling 23 goals and 54 assists in 97 games. While he was attending college, his rights were traded twice. First to the Colorado Avalanche for Steve Reinprecht during the 2003 offseason, then later to the Phoenix Coyotes with Derek Morris for Ossi Vaananen, Chris Gratton, and a second round pick (Peter Stastny) near the end of the 2003-04 season.
Ballard made his professional debut with the AHL Utah Grizzlies in 2004-05. He totalled two goals and 18 assists in 60 games, as the NHL season never got underway. He made his first NHL appearance the following season, spending three seasons with Phoenix (233 games, 19 goals, 68 assists).
Florida acquired Ballard after the 2007-08 season in a trade that also netted the Panthers Nick Boynton and a second round pick for Olli Jokinen. He scored six goals on 106 shots and enjoyed seven multi-point contests, including three assists in a 4-3 victory over the San Jose Sharks on October 24. Along with Jay Bouwmeester, he was the only Panther to appear in all 82 games, ranking second on the team with 22:23 ATOI (behind only first pairing mate Bouwmeester). He also led the blueline and finished fourth on the Panthers with 28 assists. His plus-14 rating was good for second on the team, and his 77 penalty minutes ranked third.
2008-09 would see Ballard again play in all 82 contests, going back to his time in Phoenix the fourth time in five seasons he accomplished the feat. He was one of four Panthers to do so. He scored eight goals on 90 shots along with 20 assists, finishing second on the blue line with 28 points. He logged three assists on two occasions, first in a 6-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres on November 18, then on January 16 in a 5-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning. He averaged 22:24 TOI per game, and finished the season with a minus-7 rating and 88 PIM. After the season, the Panthers traded him to the Vancouver Canucks with Victor Oreskovich for Steve Bernier, Michael Grabner, and a first round draft pick (Quinton Howden).
2008-09: Ballard Highlights (via FloridaPanthersVideo)
Ballard spent the last two seasons in Vancouver, totalling three goals and 11 assists in 112 contests. He is currently halfway through a six-year, $25,200,000 contract.
All-Time Statline: Two seasons, 164 games, 14 goals, 48 assists, 62 points, plus-7 rating, 160 PIM, 11.5 APS.
31. Michael Frolik
Frolik, a 6’1″ left winger from Kladno, Czechoslovkia, was playing with Kladno in the Czech League for two seasons (75 games, five goals, eight assists) when chosen in the first round of the 2006 NHL Entry Draft by the Panthers, 10th overall. He opened the following season in the QMJHL with the Rimouski Oceanic, playing with the club for two seasons (97 games, 55 goals, 83 assists).
Frolik made his NHL debut with Florida in 2008-09, averaging 14:48 TOI through 79 Panthers games as a second and third liner. After going scoreless through his first 10 games, he logged his first NHL point, an assist in a 3-1 win over the Anaheim Ducks on November 9. He scored his first goal four games later, on November 20 in a 3-1 loss to the New Jersey Devils. He had 11 multi point games, including a goal and two assists on three occasions, including a 3-2 win over the Philadelphia Flyers on January 27, a 5-2 win over the Ottawa Senators on March 31, and a 7-4 win over the Washington Capitals on April 11. He ranked third on the Panthers with 21 goals on 158 shots, with 24 assists, a team third best plus-10 rating, and only 22 penalty minutes.
2008-09: Frolik Highlights (via FloridaPanthersVideo)
In 2009-10, Frolik was one of four Panthers to play in all 82 contests, averaging 17:34 per game. On 219 shots on goal, he scored a team second best 21 times for the second season in a row. He also made 22 assists for a team third best 43 points. He scored more than one point on 12 occasions, including a goal and two assists on December 21 in a 4-1 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers. He finished the season with a minus-4 rating and 43 minutes spent in the penalty box.
Frolik opened the 2010-11 season by playing in 52 games with the Panthers before getting traded to the Chicago Blackhawks with Alexander Salak for Jack Skille, Hugh Jessiman and David Pacan. In his last half-season with Florida, he scored eight goals on 158 shots, making 21 assists. He had a plus-2 rating and 16 PIM when traded.
Frolik scored three goals and six assists to close out the 2010-11 season in 28 games with the Hawks. He scored five times with 10 assists in 2011-12 with Chicago in 63 games. He will be entering the second year of a three-year, $7,000,000 contract when (and if) the season starts.
All-Time Statline: Three seasons, 213 games, 50 goals, 67 assists, 117 points, plus-8 rating, 81 PIM, 11.7 APS.
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30. Bret Hedican
Hedican scored 15 goals and 19 assists in 23 games his senior year in high school, at North St. Paul. The 6’2″ defenseman from St. Paul, Minnesota was drafted in the 10th round of the 1988 NHL Entry Draft by the St. Louis Blues soon afterward, with the 198th overall pick. He then played three seasons of collegiate hockey with the St. Cloud State Huskies (105 games, 30 goals, 46 assists).
Instead of turning pro right away, Hedican spent the 1991-92 season on the US National team, playing 62 games with the club. After going 4-0-1 in the “Group A” qualifying round, the US team just barely missed the the podium, in fourth. He also made his professional debut later in the season with St. Louis, in four regular season and five playoff games.
Hedican played in parts of three seasons with the Blues (107 games, one goal, 19 assists). St. Louis traded him to the Vancouver Canucks on March 21, 1994 with Jeff Brown and Nathan LaFayette for Craig Janney. In parts of six seasons with the Canucks, he played in 310 contests, racking up 17 goals and 85 assists. He also appeared in 41 playoff matches for the club, scoring a goal and nine assists. He was traded to the Panthers with Pavel Bure, Brad Ference, and a third round pick (Robert Fried) for Ed Jovanovski, Dave Gagner, Mike Brown, Kevin Weekes and a first round draft pick (Nathan Smith) on January 17, 1999.
Hedican finished the 1998-99 season in Florida, nearly equalling the departed Jovanovski in ice time (22:24 through 25 games). He scored three goals on 38 shots, tabbing multiple points in three games, including a goal and an assist on April 17, a 6-2 season closing victory for the Panthers over the Tampa Bay Lightning. He finished the season with seven assists, 17 PIM, and a minus-2 rating.
Hedican played in 76 games for the Panthers in 1999-00. The only game in which he scored more than one point was a New Year’s Day 7-5 win over the Bolts to wave in the new Millenium, with a goal and an assist. He averaged 19:36 TOI per game, getting second pairing minutes and scoring six goals on 58 shots with 19 assists. He racked up 68 PIM and ened the regular season at plus-4. He went scoreless in four playoff games following the season.
In 2000-01, Hedican played a blueline second best 21:49 per contest over 70 games. He scored five goals on 104 shots, including two on October 30 in a 6-5 loss to the New Jersey Devils. He also picked up 15 assists on the year, a minus-7 rating, and 72 penalty minutes.
2001-02 would see Hedican score three goals on 46 shots through the first 31 games of the season, along with seven assists. He was traded to the Carolina Huricanes on January 16 with Kevyn Adams and Tomas Malec for Sandis Ozolinsh and Byron Ritchie.
Over parts of six seasons with the Hurricanes, Hedican appeared in 369 games (in a strange coincidence, a number that ranks 30th on Carolina’s all-time games played leaderboard). He scored 19 goals and 82 assists in regular season play. He also scored three goals and 13 assists in 48 postseason games with the club, helping them to the 2006 Stanley Cup Championship.
With the 2008-09 season just underway, Hedican signed a free agent contract with the Anaheim Ducks (51 games, one goal, five assists). He officially announced his retirement prior to the 2009-10 season. He has been married to Olympic Gold Medalist Kristi Yamaguchi since 2000, and currently serves as the pre- and post- game host for the San Jose Sharks on CSN California.
All-Time Statline: Four seasons, 202 games, 17 goals, 48 assists, 65 points, minus-9 rating, 169 PIM, 11.7 APS.
29. Mark Fitzpatrick
Fitzpatrick, a 6’2″ goaltender from Toronto, gained his chops with the WHL Medicine Hat Tigers. In four seasons beginning in 1984-85, he accrued a superb 94-34-11 with a GAA just north of three. He was selected in the second round of the 1987 NHL Entry Draft by the Los Angeles Kings, with the 27th overall pick.
1988-89 would see Fitzpatrick split his season between the AHL New Haven Nighthawks (10-5-1, 3.31, .887), the NHL Kings (6-7-3, 4.01, .887), and after a trade, the New York Islanders (3-5-2, 3.92, .869). He played the next four seasons in the Islanders organization, splitting his time between the Islanders (51-53-17, 3.41, .891) and the AHL’s Capital District Islanders (10-15-4). During the 1990-91 season, he contracted the potentially fatal Eosinophilia–myalgia syndrome. His recovery and persistence led to his winning the 1992 Bill Masterson Memorial Trophy.
After the 1992-93 season, Fitzpatrick was traded to the Quebec Nordiques with a first round pick (Adam Deadmarsh) for Ron Hextall and a first round pick (Todd Bertuzzi). Four days later, he was claimed by the Panthers in the NHL Expansion Draft.
1993-94 would see Fitzpatrick post a 12-8-6 record backing up first ever number one netminder John Vanbiesbrouck. He blanked the Boston Bruins on February 6, stopping 38 shots in a 3-0 shutout. His .913 save percentage (NHL fifth-best) and 2.73 GAA, although not quite up to snuff with Beezer’s numbers, at the represented career bests for Fitzy.
In 1994-95, Fitzpatrick went 6-7-2 in his 15 decisions as the season was shortened to only 48 games. Two of his victories were shutouts, a 2-0, 21-save performance on February 15 against the Ottawa Senators, and a 17-save, 1-0 win over the New Jersey Devils on April 20. His 90% save rate and 2.64 goals allowed per 60 minutes again ranked second on the team.
Goalie fight – Bill Ranford vs. Mark Fitzpatrick dual-feed (via nefraz)
Fitzpatrick started out the 1995-96 campaign with a 9-1-1 record before coming back to earth. He finished up at 15-11-3, with an .896 save percentage and a 2.96 GAA. In two playoff games, he allowed six goals on 30 shots, but did not figure into any of the Panthers 22 decisions (Beezer went 12-10) as the Cats took home the Eastern Conference Championship.
1996-97 would see Fitzpatrick again start out hot, with a 6-1-2 record through his first nine decisions. He went on to post an 8-9-9 record. a career and NHL eighth best 2.36 GAA, and a .914 save percentage, both marks were only marginally short of Vanbiesbrouck’s on the season. The Panthers again qualified for the playoffs, but were eliminated in five games by the New York Rangers. Fitzpatrick did not see any playing time in the series.
In 1997-98, Fitzpatrick posted his fourth and final shutout as a Panther, in a 23-save, 1-0 victory over the New York Islanders on November 15. It was one of few bright spots that year for him, as he went on to compile a 2-7-2 record before getting traded on January 15 to the Tampa Bay Lightning Jody Hull for Jeff Norton and Dino Ciccarelli.
After finishing out the season with the Lightning (7-24-1 3.16, .895), Fitzpatrick went on to play for the Chicago Blackhawks (6-8-6, 2.74, .906) and the Carolina Hurricanes (0-2-0, 4.49, .882). After going 4-4-0 for the IHL’s Detroit Vipers in 2000-01, he tried to make the Vancouver Canucks out of training camp in 2001. He was not signed, and retired shortly thereafter.
All-Time Statline: Five seasons, 119 games, 6,528 minutes, 43-42-22 record, four shutouts, 3,051 shots faced, 2,756 saves, 295 goals allowed, .903 save percentage, 2.71 GAA, 11.9 APS.
28. Kristian Huselius
Huselius, a left wing from Osterhaninge, Sweden, earned his pre-NHL hockey chops with five seasons in the Swedish Elite League starting in 1996-97, first with Farjestads BK Karlstad (75 games, eight goals, five assists), then later with Vastra Frolunda HC (119 games, 55 goals, 60 assists). This, in spite of having been selected by Florida in the second round of the 1997 NHL Entry Draft, 47th overall.
2001-02 would see Huselius finally make the jump to North America, joining the Panthers out of training camp. In his NHL debut, he scored a goal in Florida’s season opening 5-2 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers. He scored 10 points (seven goals and three assists) in a six game stretch from October 24 through November 3. On January 21, he scored a season high three points with a goal and two assists in a 7-5 win over the Montreal Canadiens. He led the Panthers with 23 goals on 169 shots, pitching in with a team second best 22 assists.He posted a minus-4 rating on the 22-44-10-6 club, getting yanked for only 14 penalty minutes all season. He averaged 16:55 for Florida through 79 games on the second line.
In 2002-03, Huselius enjoyed eight multi-point games, including a season high three points with a goal and two assists in a 6-0 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins on February 6. He ranked third on the Panthers with 20 goals on 187 shots, assisting on 23 others. He averaged 17:20 TOI through 78 Panthers games, earning 20 PIM and a minus-6 rating.
2003-04 would see Huselius score 10 goals on 168 shots, ranking fourth on the Panthers with 21 assists and with 31 points. He had a minus-6 rating and 24 PIM. He averaged a career low 14:14 TOI in 76 Florida games. He went back to the Swedish Elite League in 2004-05, this time with Linkoping HC (34 games, 14 goals, 35 points).
Huselius returned to Florida for the 2005-06 season, scoring five goals and three assists through the first 24 games of the season. He was traded to the Calgary Flames on December 2 for Steve Montador and Dustin Johner. In parts of three seasons with the Flames, he scored 74 goals with 108 assists in 216 games. This includes career highs of 34 goals and 43 assists in 2006-07.
After the 2007-08 season, Huselius signed on as a free agent with the Columbus Blue Jackets (189 games, 58 goals, 84 assists). He missed most of the 2011-12 season with a groin injury and recovery from pectoral surgery. He is currently an unrestricted free agent.
All-Time Statline: Four seasons, 257 games, 58 goals, 69 assists, 127 points, minus-27 rating, 62 PIM, 12.4 APS.
27. Dmitry Kulikov
Kulikov is a 6’1″ defenseman from Lipetsk, Russia. He made his North American debut with the 2008-09 Drummondville Voltigeurs in the QMJHL (57 games, 12 goals, 50 assists). He was drafted by the Panthers soon afterwards, in the first round of the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, 14th overall.
Kulikov made the team out of training camp in 2009-10. He took 87 shots on goal, potting three, including two in a 6-4 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs on November 27. After suffering a knee injury in mid-December, he came back strong, appearing in a total of 68 games while averaging 17:56 TOI. He managed 13 assists, a minus-5 rating and 32 penalty minutes.
Kuli blasts Mike Green [Dual-Feed] (via NHLArchive)
2010-11 would see Kulikov score a career high six goals on 83 shots, averaging 19:57 TOI through 72 games, mostly on Florida’s second pairing line. He ranked second amongst the teams defensemen (and fifth overall) with 20 assists, and finished the season with a minus-5 rating and 45 penalty minutes.
Kulikov’s OT Winner vs. Devils (crowd View) 1/15/11 (via vektoriousproduction)
Kulikov finished the 2012 season with a career high 28 points in a career low 58 games, due to a knee surgery in February. On December 5, he scored a goal and two assists in a 5-4 win over the Washington Capitals, one of four multi-point games on the season. He totalled four goals on 104 shots, pitching in with a career high 24 assists and finished with a minus-5 and 36 PIM. For the third time in his first three seasons, he saw his time on ice increase by two minutes, averaging 21:51 per game, third best on the blue line. He added an assist in seven playoff games after the regular season, finishing at minus-4.
Kulikov sometimes likes to show his aggressiveness on the offensive side of the ice, and he possesses a nice hard slapshot from the point. He was the only defenseman to play any shootout rounds (he was a better-than-average two-of-four). The departure of Jason Garrison opened a spot next to Brian Campbell on the first blue line pairing. If Erik Gudbranson does not wind up there, look for Kulikov. Still only 21-years old, Kulikov is currently unsigned, but as a restricted free agent, the Panthers have the best shot at signing him.
All-Time Statline: Three seasons, 198 games, 13 goals, 57 assists, 70 points, minus-15 rating, 113 PIM, 13.1 APS.
26. Bill Lindsay
Lindsay was a 6′ right winger from Fernie, BC. He was originally selected off the WHL Tri-City Americans (177 games, 120 goals, 151 assists) by the Quebec Nordiques in the fifth round of the 1991 NHL Entry Draft, 103rd overall. Initially, he stayed put with the Americans as the 1991-92 season started, scoring 34 goals and 59 assists in only 42 games (2.21 points per game). He made his NHL debut later in the season, playing in 23 contests and racking up two goals and four assists.
In 1992-93, Lindsay split the season between the Nordiques (44 games, four goals, nine assists) and the AHL Halifax Citadels (20 games, 11 goals, 13 assists). After the season on June 24, Florida selected the unprotected Lindsay in the NHL Expansion Draft.
Lindsay made his debut with the Panthers on the same night the Panthers made theirs. He set a season high with two points, both assists, in a February 20, 4-3 loss to the Detroit Red Wings. He scored six goals on 90 shots, also tabbing six assists and finishing the season with a minus-2 rating and a team seventh best 97 PIM. He was one of two players to play in all 84 games.
In 1994-95, Lindsay was one of five Panthers to appear in all 48 games, as the season was started late due to the players strike. He ranked fourth on the team with 10 goals on 63 shots, pitching in nine assists and a plus-1 rating. He finished fourth on the team with 46 penalty minutes. He was the only Panther to play in every game through the first two seasons.
1995-96 would see Lindsay appear in 73 games for Florida. He had seven multi-point efforts with the Panthers that season, including three three point games. He scored two goals and an assist on November 11 in a 4-1 win over the Buffalo Sabres. He logged 57 minutes in the penalty box, and led the team with a plus-13 rating. After the regular season, he ranked fourth on the team with five goals and 10 points. On April 27, he scored the game clinching goal in the Panthers first ever playoff series victory over the Boston Bruins (see video).
Den of Honor Moment: The Goal (via FloridaPanthersVideo)
In 1996-97, Lindsay logged two points in six different contests, including two assists in a season opening 3-1 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers. He played in a team third best 81 contests, ranking seventh on the club with 34 points. (11 goals on 168 shots, 23 assists). He finished the campaign with a plus-1 rating and a team fourth best 120 penalty minutes. He tacked on an assist in three playoff games as the Panthers lost to the New York Rangers in five games in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
Lindsay was the only player to appear in all 82 games with the 1997-98 Panthers. He scored a team fifth best 12 goals on 150 shots, also making 16 assists, a minus-2 rating, and 80 PIM. He scored twice in a 5-4 win over the Montreal Canadiens on March 26.
1998-99 would see Lindsay rank third on the Panthers with 92 penalty minutes. He scored 12 times on 135 shots with 15 assists and a minus-1 rating. He played mostly on the third line with 13:37 ATOI through 75 games. Just prior to the next season, the Panthers traded him to the Calgary Flames for Todd Simpson.
After parts of two seasons with the Flames (132 games, nine goals, 21 assists), Lindsay joined the San Jose Sharks for the end of the 2000-01 season (16 games, zero goals, four assists). He signed a free agent contract to return to the Panthers just prior to the 2001-02 season.
Lindsay averaged 9:40 TOI per game for Florida through 63 games, scoring four goals on 63 shots with seven assists. He was claimed by the Montreal Canadiens on March 23 after Florida sent him through the waiver wire. After parts of two seasons with Montreal (32 games, one goal, five assists), he played part of one season with the Atlanta Thrashers (24 games, zero points). He is currently half of FS Florida’s two man broadcast booth, along with Steve Goldstein. He ranks eighth on the Panthers all-time games played leaderboard, with 506.
All-Time Statline: Seven seasons, 506 games, 67 goals, 98 assists, 165 points, minus-1 rating, 609 PIM (fourth all-time), 13.2 APS.
25. Bryan Allen
Allen, a 6’5″ defenseman from Kingston, Ontario, was selected in the first round of the 1998 NHL Entry Draft by the Vancouver Canucks, with the fourth overall pick. Before turning professional, he turned in four seasons with the OHL Oshawa Generals (148 games, 15 goals, 34 assists). He made his pro debut with the AHL Syracuse Crunch near the end of the 1999-00 season (nine games, one goal, one assist).
In 2000-01, Allen spent most of the season with the IHL Kansas City Blades (75 games, five goals, 20 assists), joining the Canucks for six games in February and March. In total, he spent parts of five seasons with Vancouver (216 games, 14 goals, 18 assists). After the 2005-06 season, the Canucks traded him to the Panthers with Todd Bertuzzi and Alex Auld for Roberto Luongo, Lukas Krajicek, and a sixth round draft pick (Sergei Shirokov).
2006-07 would see Allen take 99 shots on goal, potting four of them. He ranked 10th on the team with 21 assists and second with 112 penalty minutes. He also logged a team fifth best plus-seven rating. He averaged 21:36 TOI while appearing in every game that season on the Panthers second pairing, usually with Mike Van Ryn. He scored a season high two points with a goal and an assist in a 5-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning on March 27.
In 2007-08, Allen secured three games in which he logged two points, including a goal and an assist in a March 6 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins, 5-2. He scored two goals on 67 shots, dishing out 14 assists. He logged a team third best 21:17 ATOI on the season while appearing in 73 Panthers games. He finished with a plus-5 rating and 67 PIM. (Incidentally, the top eight Panthers that season each earned between 64 and 85 PIM).
2008-09 would see Allen start the season with an assist in an opening night 6-4 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes on October 10. The very next night, he played over 30 minutes of the Panthers next contest, a 3-2 overtime victory against the Atlanta Thrashers. Unfortunately, he was hurt in the game, and missed the final 80 games of the season with a left knee injury.
Allen returned to form in 2009-10, averaging 19:10 TOI in 74 Florida games. He led the team with 99 penalty minutes, and scored four times on 78 shots. He also managed nine assists and finished with a minus-8 rating. On March 13, he logged a season high two points with a goal and an assist in a 3-2 win over the San Jose Sharks.
2010-11 would see Allen score four goals on 50 shots with eight assists. He made a career high three assists on November 5, in a 7-4 win over the Carolina Hurricanes. On February 28, the Panthers sent him to those same Hurricanes for Sergei Samsonov.
Allen Times Two (01/26/10) (via theultimategoalcom)
Allen played a season and a half with Carolina (101 games, one goal, 18 assists). On July 1, 2012, he signed a three-year, $10,500,000 contract with the Anaheim Ducks.
All-Time Statline: Five seasons, 284 games, 14 goals, 53 assists, 67 points, plus-1 rating, 341 PIM, 13.6 APS.
24. Stu Barnes
Barnes was a standout 5’11” center from Spruce Grove, Alberta with the WHL Tri-City Americans when selected by the Winnepeg Jets in the first round of the 1989 NHL Entry Draft, fourth overall. In three WHL seasons, he split his playing time between the New Westminster Bruins (71 games, 37 goals, 64 assists) and the Tri-City Americans (133 games, 111 goals, 174 assists).
Before making the turn professional, Barnes played the full 1990-91 season (53 games. 22 goals, 27 assists) with the Silver Medal placing Canadian National Team, at the 1991 World Championship. Over the following three seasons, he played significant time with both the Jets (102 games, 25 goals, 23 assists) and their AHL affiliate, the Moncton Hawks (72 games, 36 goals, 51 assists).
Contrary to popular belief, Barnes was not on the Panthers when they opened the franchise with a 4-4 tie with the Chicago Blackhawks on October 6, 1993. He played the first 19 games of the season with the Jets before a trade brought him to Florida with a sixth round pick (Chris Kibermanis) for Randy Gilhen on November 23. As a Panther that season, he had four two point games, with a goal and an assist each time, including in a 5-3 win over the Hartford Whalers on December 29. In 59 Florida games that season, he placed third on the team with 18 goals (on 148 shots) with 20 assists, a plus-5 rating, and 30 penalty minutes.
In 1994-95, Barnes led the Panthers with 19 assists and tied for the team lead with 29 total points. He appeared in 41 games on the strike-shortened 48 game schedule, finishing with a team second best plus-7 rating and only eight penalty minutes. He had five two point games on the season, including a goal and an assist in a 3-2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens on March 22.
1995-96 would see Barnes rank fifth on the Panthers, with 44 points on 19 goals and 25 assists. He ranked last on the team with a minus-12 rating and also spent 46 minutes in the penalty box. As the Panthers charged to the Stanley Cup Championship series, he led the team with 10 assists, also making six goals through 22 postseason matchups. Including the regular and postseason, Barnes had 14 multi-point efforts, including a three assist game in Florida’s 6-2 win in game two of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals.
In 1996-97, Barnes plyaed 19 games into the season with the Panthers. He made three assists in a 6-0 victory over the Whalers on October 12 on his way to two goals and eight assists. Florida sent him to the Pittsburgh Penguins with Jason Woolley for Chris Wells on November 19.
Tribute to Stu Barnes (via Uki1338)
Barnes went on to play for 10 more NHL seasons with the Penguins (204 games, 67 goals, 69 assists), the Buffalo Sabres (310 games, 67 goals, 105 assists), and the Dallas Stars (329 games, 53 goals, 67 assists). He officially retired preceding the 2008-09 season. After serving as an assistant coach with the Stars for two seasons, Barnes, along with Olaf Kolzig, currently own the WHL Tri-City Americans.
All-Time Statline: Four seasons, 191 games, 49 goals, 72 assists, 121 points, minus-3 rating, 94 PIM, 13.8 APS.
23. Ray Sheppard
Sheppard was a 6’1″ right winger from Petawawa, Ontario when chosen in the third round of the 1984 NHL Entry Draft by the Buffalo Sabres, 60th overall. Before joining the AHL’s Rochester Americans in 1986-87 (55 games, 18 goals, 13 assists), he played three seasons with the OHL Cornwall Royals (180 games, 150 goals, 130 assists).
Sheppard played three seasons in Buffalo (159 games, 64 goals, 50 assists). He later played with the New York Rangers (59 games, 24 goals, 23 assists), the Detroit Red Wings (274 games, 152 goals, 113 assists), and the San Jose Sharks (51 games, 27 goals, 19 assists).
On March 16, 1996, Sheppard was traded to Florida with a fourth round pick (Joey Tetarenko) for a second (Geoff Peters) and a fourth round pick (Matt Bradley). Just after joining the team, he put up a hat trick in a 3-2 win over the New York Islanders on March 21. He played the last 14 games of the regular season with the team, totalling eight goals on 52 shots with two assists. In 21 postseason contests, he scored eight goals and eight assists. On April 17, he scored twice with an assist in game one of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals. In game two, he scored a goal and three assists in Florida’s 6-2 win.
1996-97 would see Sheppard take 226 shots on goal, potting a team leading 29 of them. He also led the squad with 60 total points. His 31 assists finished second only to defenseman Robert Svehla’s 32. He finished the season with a plus-2 rating and 86 penalty minutes through 68 games. His 16 multi-point games included three hat tricks: On November 26 in a 4-3 win over the Buffalo Sabres, on December 22, in a 7-3 loss to the New York Rangers, and on March 13 in a 5-4 win over the Vancouver Canucks.
In 1997-98, Sheppard spent most of the season with the Panthers, scoring a team fourth best 14 goals on 136 shots with 17 assists through 61 contests. He earned 21 penalty minutes and finished with a minus-13 rating. Florida traded him to the Carolina Hurricanes on March 24 for goaltender Kirk McLean. He played in 84 games with the Canes over the next two seasons (84 games, 29 goals, 35 assists).
Ray Sheppard – Power Play Goal (via JesGolbez)
On November 15, 1999, Sheppard signed back with the Panthers as a free agent. He played 47 games for the Panthers that season. On April 5, he scored two goals and an assist in a 6-3 win over the Boston Bruins. He totalled 10 goals on 74 shots with 10 assists. He had a minus-4 rating and only four penalty minutes on the season. He retired following the season, and is currently on the Board of Directors for the Florida Panthers Alumni Association.
All-Time Statline: Four seasons, 190 games, 61 goals, 60 assists, 121 points, minus-13 rating, 33 PIM, 14.8 APS.
22. Terry Carkner
Carkner was a 6’3″ defenseman from Smith Falls, Ontario when selected in the first round of the 1984 NHL Entry Draft by the New York Rangers, with the 14th overall pick. Before turning pro, he spent three seasons with the OHL Peterborough Petes (184 games, 30 goals, 100 assists).
In 1986-87, Carkner split the season between the Rangers (52 games, two goals, 13 assists), and their AHL affiliate, the New Haven Nighthawks (12 games, two goals, six assists). The Rangers traded him to the Quebec Nordiques with Jeff Jackson for John Ogrodnick and David Shaw on September 30.
After one season with Quebec (63 games, three goals, 24 assists), Carkner went on to play for the Philadelphia Flyers (376 games, 29 goals, 103 assists) and the Detroit Red Wings (88 games, two goals, eight assists). He joined the Panthers prior to the 1995-96 season as a free agent signing.
In Carkner’s first season with the Panthers, he ranked second on the team with a plus-10 rating. He scored three goals on 42 shots and pitched in 10 assists, finishing the season with 80 penalty minutes in 73 contests. He added four assists through 22 playoff matches. He had a season high two assists in a 3-0 win over the Hartford Whalers on October 21.
1996-97 would see Carkner make 14 assists through 70 Panthers games, including two assists on December 1 in a 4-2 victory over the Red Wings. He went scoreless in 38 shots on goal, finished the season at minus-4, and earned 96 penalty minutes. In five postseason matches that season he went scoreless with a minus-3 rating.
In 1997-98, Carkner scored one goal on 34 shots, a game winner in a 4-3 decision over the New York Rangers on December 12. He registered seven assists on the campaign with a plus-6 rating and 63 penalty minutes. He made a season high two assists on November 26 as the Panthers destroyed the Boston Bruins, 10-5.
Carkner vs Janssens Jan 21, 1998 (via hockeyfightsdotcom)
Carkner averaged 18:14 through 62 contests in his final season as a Panther. He put up a season high two points with a goal and an assist on December 28 in a 5-1 win over the New York Islanders. In total, he scored two goals on 25 shots, along with nine assists, 54 PIM, and an even rating. He retired following the season, and later coached the Villanova IceCats in collegiate hockey, in 2004-05.
All-Time Statline: Four seasons, 279 games, six goals, 40 assists, 46 points, plus-12 rating, 293 PIM, 15.8 APS.
21. Jason Garrison
Garrison is a 6’2″ defenseman from White Rock, British Columbia. Undrafted, he chose to attend the University of Minnesota at Duluth for three seasons beginning in 2005-06 (87 games, nine goals, 20 assists). He signed a two year entry level contract with the Panthers on April 2, 2008.
In 2008-09, Garrison played in one NHL game with the Panthers, logging 11:57 of ice time on October 25 in a 4-0 loss to the St. Louis Blues. He played most of the season with Florida’s then-AHL affiliate, the Rochester Americans (75 games, eight goals, 27 assists).
2009-10 would see Garrison spend substantial portions of the season with both clubs. He scored three goals and 16 assists in 38 AHL contests, and also played in 39 games for the Panthers. On March 3, he scored his first career NHL goal, along with an assist for a season high two points in a 7-4 win over the Philadelphia Flyers. He scored two goals on 24 shots along with six assists. He led the team with a plus-5 rating, averaging 15:08 per game.
Garrison joined the Panthers full time in 2010-11 after signing a 2-year/$1,350,000 contract. On March 12, he scored a goal and an assist as the Panthers defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning, 4-3. He scored five goals on 116 shots, pitching in 13 assists. With 22:18 ATOI over 73 games, he finished second in ice time to pairing mate Dennis Wideman.
2011-12 would see Garrison enjoy a pretty good season. Out of 168 shots on goal, he potted 16 of them (a new Panthers record for blue-liners). He also made 17 assists. His goal total and 33 total points were both good for fifth best on the team. He also improved his ATOI to 23:43 through 77 games, second on the team only to NHL leader Brian Campbell’s 26:18 per game. Garrison added a goal and two assists in four playoff games against the Devils, succumbing to a lower body injury in game four. Check out Garrison’s laser rocket cannon, with all 16 goals this past season in the video below.
All 16 of Jason Garrison’s goals 2011/12 NHL season (via GotMilktank)
On July 1, 2012, Garrison struck out for greener pastures, joining several other ex-Panthers with the Vancouver Canucks to the tune of 6 years/$27,600,000.
All-Time Statline: Four seasons, 190 games, 23 goals, 36 assists, 59 points, plus-9 rating, 81 PIM, 16.1 APS.
20. David Booth
Booth was a 6′ left winger from Detroit. He went to college at the University of Michigan, playing four seasons of collegiate hockey with the Spartans. He gained notice by professional scouts by putting up 25 goals and 29 assists through 69 games in his freshman and sophomore seasons. The Panthers selected him in the second round of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft with the 53rd overall pick.
Instead of turning pro at the first opportunity, Booth elected to stay on with the Spartans, earning a four year degree. He scored 20 goals and 31 assists through his junior and senior seasons, a period comprising 65 contests. He scored the winning goal in a 2-1 victory over the Miami Redhawks, securing for Michigan State the 2006 Mason Cup.
Booth made his professional debut in 2006-07 with the Rochester Americans (25 games, seven goals, seven assists). He made his first appearance in a Panthers sweater on November 20, going scoreless in a 3-2 Panthers win over the Boston Bruins. Unfortunately for Booth, he was judged not quite ready for the big time, and was sent back to Rochester after going scoreless in his first four games. He didn’t suffer long, though, earning a permanent call up on December 12. He scored his first NHL point, an assist, in a 5-4 losing effort to the Anaheim Ducks. He scored his first NHL goal on January 4 against the Calgary Flames, in another 5-4 Panthers loss. He collected a season high two assists in an 8-5 win over the New York Islanders on March 17. Overall, Booth totalled three goals on 86 shots, averaging 9:34 TOI through 48 NHL contests that season. He also made seven assists and ended the season with a respectable even rating.
2007-08 would see Booth start his first full NHL season slow, going scoreless through his first six games. On November 12th and 13th, he made a goal and an assist in consecutive games, a 4-3 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes and a 3-2 loss to the Atlanta Thrashers. He totalled 73 games for Florida, averaging 16:10 TOI. Booth ranked third on the Panthers with 22 goals on 228 shots, also collecting 18 assists to finish fourth on the team with 40 total points. He totalled a plus-13 rating and led the Panthers with six game winning goals.
In 2008-09, Booth opened the season with a goal and an assist in a 6-4 loss to the Hurricanes on October 10. The next night he tallied his first career two goal game, in a 3-2 win over the Thrashers. On November 9th, he collected his first career hat trick with all three Panthers goals in a 3-1 victory over the Ducks. On December 27th, he scored two goals and an assist in a 6-4 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning. He went on to score in the next seven games for a career best eight game point streak (six goals, seven assists). On March 7th, he tallied his second hat trick of the season, also collecting an assist in a 5-3 win over the St. Louis Blues. Later in the season, he put up two goals and three assists for a career high five points in a season closing 7-4 win over the Washington Capitals. In total, Booth led the Panthers with a career best 31 goals on 246 shots, pitching in 29 assists for a team second best 60 points. He ranked third on the team with a plus-10 rating and shared the team lead with five game winning goals. He played in 72 games total, averaging 17:05 TOI. Booth also led the team with 15 multi-point games.
2009-10 would start with Booth scoring twice with an assist through his first nine games. On October 24, in a 5-1 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers, he sustained a concussion when he collided with Mike Richards. According to wikipedia.org:
Skating up to the Flyers’ blueline, Booth had shot the puck into the offensive zone when Richards hit him in the head with his shoulder. Rendered unconscious, Booth was taken off the ice on a stretcher and brought to a Philadelphia hospital. In addition to his concussion, he sustained a cut above one eye that required stitches; he was released from hospital the next day. While Richards received a five-minute major penalty for interference and a game misconduct for intent to injure, he was not suspended for the play. The decision not to further penalize Richards proved to be a highly contentious issue. Panthers general manager Randy Sexton and defenceman Keith Ballard voiced their opinion that Richards’ hit was directed at the head while knowing Booth was in a vulnerable position, warranting a suspension. The Flyers captain expressed concern for Booth’s health both in the media and to Panthers head coach Peter DeBoer personally, but asserted that he was not intending to hurt him. Another concern was the timing of Richards’ hit, as Booth had already release the puck. In response, NHL vice president Bill Daly explained that the hit was not late enough to justify a suspension.
On January 31st, with the crowd chanting his name, Booth returned to the Panthers lineup in a 2-0 shutout victory at home over the New York Islanders. He earned an assist in the victory. The next time the Panthers played the Flyers, Booth totalled a goal and three assists, along with a five minute fighting major (against Richards) in a 7-4 Panthers victory. Unfortunately, Booth sustained a second concussion against the Montreal Canadiens on March 25 as the Panthers suffered a 4-1 defeat. He totalled 28 games on the season, averaging 18:08 TOI and scoring eight goals on 95 shots along with eight assists.
Due to his multiple concussions, there were questions about Booth’s durability preceding the 2010-11 season. He answered that by playing in all 82 games, one of four Panthers to accomplish the feat. On October 16, he scored two goals and an assist in a 6-0 whitewashing of the Lightning. It was his only three point game of the season, and one of five where he totalled more than one point. He led the Panthers with 23 goals on 280 shots, collecting 17 assists to finish third on the club with 40 points. His minus-31 rating was easily the worst on the team.
2011-12 would see the season open with mostly new faces in every position. Booth was one of only seven Panthers (Booth, Garrison, Weiss, Clemmensen, Kulikov, Weaver, Matthias) to open the last two seasons with the club. He would not last for long. He went minus-6 in his first six games of the season with one assist while going scoreless in 14 shots on net. In what may have been a statement to the effect of “SEE RED,” Tallon traded him to the Vancouver Canucks on October 22 with Steven Reinprecht and a third round pick in the 2013 draft for Mikael Samuelsson (now a Red Wing) and Marco Sturm (may be back, maybe not).
As a Panther, Booth was known as a guy who never shied away from a hit. He skated the hard minutes for Florida, always flying down the ice after a loose puck or a scoring chance. His drive was never questioned, and he played both wings equally well. The jury is still out on the trade that sent Booth to the Canucks, but with both of the involved principals gone from the Panthers, it seems unlikely that we’ll look back on this one with fondness for much longer, Sammy’s power play expertise notwithstanding. Booth is currently entering the fourth season of a 6-year, $25,500,000 contract with Vancouver as a second/third line winger.
See the video for all the David Booth highlights you could possibly need.
David Booth Highlights (via MAKAVELI719696)
All-Time Statline: Six seasons, 309 games, 87 goals (10th Panthers all-time), 80 assists, 167 points, minus-17 rating, 127 penalty minutes, 16.9 APS.
19. Mike Van Ryn
Van Ryn was a 6’1″ defenseman from London, Ontario. He had played one season of collegiate hockey with the Univeristy of Michigan in 1997-98 (38 games, four goals, 14 assists) when originally selected by the New Jersey Devils in the first round of the 1998 NHL Entry Draft, with the 26th overall pick. Instead of joining the Devils organization, Van Ryn played another season of college hockey (37 games, 10 goals, 13 assists) with the Wolverines. In 1999-00, he played 61 games with the OHL Sarnia Sting (six goals, 35 assists).
Van Ryn didn’t like the status quo as it pertained to NHL’s rights to collegiate players after a draft selection. According to wikipedia.org:
In June 2000, through a loophole, Van Ryn signed as a free agent with the St. Louis Blues. NHL teams retain the rights of drafted college players until they leave the school. Van Ryn challenged this practice in court and an arbitrator ruled that a player drafted off a college team could play one season of major junior hockey and then become a free agent. Thus after two years at the University of Michigan, Van Ryn went on to play one year for Sarnia Sting, and then became a free agent, which allowed him to sign a three-year deal with St. Louis.
Van Ryn opened the 2000-01 season as a member of the Blues, failing to score and ending the game with a minus-2 rating. He was sent down the St. Louis’ AHL affiliate, the Worcester IceCats (37 games, three goals, 10 assists) soon afterward. The following season, he played a substantial portion of the year in each of the two clubs, scoring two goals with seven assists in 24 games with the IceCats and two goals with eight assists in 48 NHL contests with the Blues.
In 2002-03, Van Ryn was again splitting the season between Worcester (33 games, two goals, eight assists) and St. Louis (20 games, zero goals, three assists). The Blues sent him to Florida on March 11th for Valeri Bure and a fifth round draft pick (Nikita Nikitin). He would finish the season with the San Antonio Rampage, tabbing three assists in 11 games.
Van Ryn opened the 2003-04 season as a full-fledged NHLer for the first time. Out of 79 total games, he tabbed multiple points six times, including a season best three assists on April 4th in a 6-6 tie with the Carolina Hurricanes, the last tie in the history of the NHL (the New York Islanders and the Philadelphia Flyers also tied that night, 3-3). He led the team with an ATOI of 24:26, while leading the blueliners with 24 assists (third on the team). He scored a career high and team fifth best 13 goals on 136 shots, finishing tied for a team worst minus-16 rating.
As 2004-05 passed without hockey, so too did Van Ryn do without. Unlike most of his contemporaries, he took the season off, not playing anywhere. When play resumed in 2005-06, Van Ryn rejoined the Panthers, playing in a career high 80 games. In the sixth game of the season, he notched an assist on each of Florida’s three goals in a 3-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres. He would duplicate the feat on February 28th as the Panthers mauled the Tampa Bay Lightning 8-2. In the last game of the season, he scored a season high two goals in a 2-1 win over the Atlanta Thrashers, on April 18th. In total, he scored eight goals on 129 shots with a career high and team fifth-best 29 assists. He averaged a team second best 22:36 TOI, finishing at a team second best plus-15 rating.
In 78 Panthers games in 2006-07, Van Ryn made two assists in five of them. He scored four goals on 121 shots, also collecting a team eighth best 25 assists. He had a minus-5 rating as he was relegated to the second pairing, averaging 21:08 TOI (fourth among Panthers blue-liners).
Pantherrrr…GOOAALLL! (via gabtabulous125)
After 20 games with the Panthers in 2007-08, Van Ryn was sidelined for the rest of the season with a wrist injury and subsequent surgery and rehabilitation. He had gone scoreless on 16 shots with two assists and a minus-2 rating. Just prior to the 2008-09 season, the Panthers sent Van Ryn to the Toronto Maple Leafs for Bryan McCabe and a fourth round draft pick (Sam Brittain).
Van Ryn scored three goals and eight assists in 27 games for Toronto in 2008-09, suffering from assorted knee injuries and concussion issues. After missing the entire 2009-10 season, he officially announced his retirement. He joined the coaching ranks with the Niagara IceDogs of the Ontario Hockey League, and is currently with the Houston Aeros in the same capacity.
All-Time Statline: Four seasons, 257 games, 25 goals, 80 assists, 105 points, minus-8 rating, 220 PIM, 17.3 APS.
18. Bryan McCabe
McCabe was a lefthanded 6’2″ defenseman from St. Catharines, Ontario. He played four seasons in the WHL split between the Medicine Hat Tigers (82 games, six goals, 37 assists), the Spokane Chiefs (152 games, 39 goals, 145 assists), and the Brandon Wheat Kings (20 games, six goals, 10 assists). In the 1993 NHL Entry Draft, the New York Islanders selected him in the second round, with the 40th overall pick.
Half of McCabe’s WHL career happened after he was drafted, honing his craft at the junior level. He made his professional debut in 1995-96 with the Islanders, playing in all 82 games in each of his first two NHL seasons. He would spend parts of three seasons with the club, scoring 18 goals and 45 assists in 20 contests. The Islanders traded him to the Vancouver Canucks with Todd Bertuzzi and a third round pick (Jarkko Ruutu) for Trevor Linden on February 6, 1998.
After parts of two seasons with Vancouver (95 games, eight goals, 25 assists), he spent part of a season with the Chicago Blackhawks (79 games, six goals, 19 assists) and seven seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs (523 games, 83 goals, 214 assists). He also added 10 goals and 16 assists through 51 playoff contests. He was traded to the Panthers prior to the 2008 training camp with a fourth round draft pick (Sam Brittain) for Mike Van Ryn.
McCabe played in 69 games for Florida as the new kid in town in 2008-09. He had eight multi-point games, including two goals in a 4-3 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning on November 18th. On March 4th, he racked up a season high four points on a goal and three assists as the Panthers defeated the Washington Capitals, 6-2. He averaged a team second best 23:08 TOI on the first pairing with Jay Bouwmeester. He ranked sixth on the team with 15 goals on 153 shots along with 24 assists.
2008-09: McCabe Highlights (via FloridaPanthersVideo)
Just prior to the 2009-10 season, on September 23rd, McCabe was named team Captain, a position he would hold throughout his time in South Florida. He was one of four Panthers to play in each of the Panthers’ 82 games that season, logging multiple points five times. He had a five game point streak starting of February 13th (one goal, nine assists). In consecutive games during the streak, he registered one goal and three assists in a March 3 win over the Philadelphia Flyers 7-4 and three assists in a 4-1 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes on March 6th. In total, he potted eight goals on 169 shots with a team second-best 35 assists. He also ranked fourth on the team with 83 penalty minutes. His average 23:20 time on ice led the team.
McCabe’s 1000th Game Tribute Video (via LennyLenihan)
2010-11 would see McCabe start out the season collecting four assists in a 6-0 win over the Lightning on October 16th. Through 48 games he averaged 21:01 TOI, scoring five goals on 88 shots, dishing out 17 assists and finishing with a plus-3 rating. On February 26, the Panthers traded him to the New York Rangers for Tim Kennedy and a third round pick (Logan Shaw). He scored two goals and four assists through 19 games to close out the season.
After officially retiring from playing on February 15th, 2012, McCabe joined the Panthers in an advisory capacity. He skated with the team during development camp. With any luck, you should be able to spot him in the coming weeks anytime the Panthers suit up.
All-Time Statline: Three seasons, 199 games, 28 goals, 76 assists, 104 points, minus-2 rating, 152 PIM, 17.8 APS.
17. Rob Niedermayer
Niedermayer was a right handed 6’1″ center from Cassier, British Columbia. He earned his hockey chops in juniors starting in 1990-91 with the WHL Medicine Hat Tigers. In 194 games over three seasons with Medicine Hat, Rob scored 99 goals and 106 assists. The NHL took notice of his skillset, and in the 1993 NHL Entry Draft the Florida Panthers selected him with the fifth overall pick, Florida’s first ever entry draft selection (their first ever draft selection was John Vanbiesbrouck, two days earlier in the expansion draft).
1993-94 would open with Niedermayer front and center as part of Florida’s long term plans. He notched an assist in Florida’s first ever NHL regular season contest, a 4-4 tie with the Chicago Blackhawks on October 6th. He had four multi-point games that season, including two goals in a 4-1 Panthers win over the Ottawa Senators on Groundhog Day, 1994. The 19-year old rookie scored nine goals on 65 shots, adding 17 assists. He posted a minus-11 rating with 51 penalty minutes.
Niedermayer appeared in each of Florida’s 48 games in 1994-95 as the season was shortened by the players strike. After starting the season out with seven points in his first 12 games, he went cold, totalling three points through the rest of the season. He scored four goals total on 58 shots, pitching in six assists, a minus-13 rating, and 36 penalty minutes. It was almost certainly the worst season of his career with the Panthers.
1995-96, however, was Niedermayer’s most productive NHL season. He put up 15 multi-point performances, including two three-point games. On December 16th, he scored a goal and two assists in a 7-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning. He would reprise the feat in the regular season finale, in a 5-1 win over the New York Rangers on April 14. In 22 playoff matches, he scored five times with three helpers as the Panthers won the Eastern Conference title before getting swept by the Colorado Avalanche in the Stanley Cup Finals. Most of his offensive numbers on the campaign represented personal career highs which he never again approached, including goals (26), assists (35), points, (61), shots on goal (155), shooting percentage (16.8), goals created (23), penalty minutes (107), power play goals (11) and game winning goals (6). His goals and points total ranked second on the team behind teammate Scott Mellanby.
1996 Panthers vs. Bruins Game 1 (via Disengage)
In 1996-97, Niedermayer scored multiple points in eight out of 60 contests, including a season high three (one goal, two assists) in a 5-0 win over the Los Angeles Kings on January 4th. He scored 14 goals on 136 shots, dishing out 24 assists. He registered a plus-4 rating and collected 54 penalty minutes. In the playoffs, he tied for the Panthers lead with two goals in five games, also collecting an assist as the Panthers were evicted from Lord Stanley’s tournament in five by the Rangers.
1997-98 would see Niedermayer play in only 33 Panthers games due to various ailments, including a concussion. He scored two points on three occasions, including two goals in a New Years Day, 2-1 victory over the New Jersey Devils. He totalled eight goals on 64 shots with seven assists, a minus-9 rating, and 41 penalty minutes.
Niedermayer would rebound to play in each of Florida’s 82 games in 1998-99, including 10 multi-point efforts. He had a season high three points with two goals and an assist on October 30th in a 7-3 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. His 51 total points on the season ranked him in a tie for second on the Panthers. Out of 142 shots, he potted 18, adding 33 assists. His 21:17 of ice time ranked first amongst Panthers forwards with more than 11 games played. He was one of three Panthers to appear in every game (along with Kirk Muller and Radek Dvorak).
In 1999-00, Niedermayer totalled multiple points in seven of 81 contests, including three (one goal, two assists) in a 6-3 win over the Calgary Flames on November 6th. He averaged 19:04 of TOI, scoring 10 goals on 135 shots and dishing out 23 assists (both good for seventh on the team). He had a minus-5 rating and 46 penalty minutes. The Panthers last postseason appearance for 11 seasons would feature the team getting swept in four games by the New Jersey Devils. Niedermayer managed to score one goal in the series.
2000-01 would see Niedermayer play in 67 games. He notched a career high three assists in a 7-3 win over the Atlanta Thrashers on February 10th. In total, he collected 12 goals on 115 shots while averaging 20:30 per game. He also made 20 assists, spent 50 minutes in the penalty box, and finished with a minus-12 rating. After the season, the Panthers sent him to the Calgary Flames with a second round pick (Andrei Medvedev) for Valeri Bure and Jason Wiemer.
After playing in parts of two seasons with the Flames (111 games, 14 goals, 24 assists), Niedermayer also saw action with the Anaheim Ducks (382 games, 56 goals, 68 assists), the New Jersey Devils (71 games, 10 goals, 12 assists), and the Buffalo Sabres (71 games, five goals, 14 assists). He played 14 games with Lugano in the Swiss-A League in 2011-12 (two goals, four assists).
Niedermayer ranks in Florida’s top 10 in most offensive categories. When he left the club after the 2000-01 season, he was one of only two original Panthers still on the club (with defenseman Paul Laus). For eight seasons, when health allowed, he provided the Panthers with a solid, sometimes spectacular option on the top line at center. Still only 37 years old as of this writing, he may yet have something to offer an NHL franchise.
All-Time Statline: Eight seasons (fourth all-time), 518 games (seventh all-time), 101 goals (seventh all-time), 165 assists (sixth all-time), 266 points (eighth all-time), minus-58 rating (last all-time), 435 PIM (eighth all-time), 20.6 APS.
16. Paul Laus
Laus, from Beamsville, Ontario, was a 6’1″ right-handed defenseman with the OHL Hamilton Steelhawks in 1987-88 (56 games, one goal, nine assists, 171 PIM). The following season he played with the Niagra Falls Thunder (49 games, one goal, 10 assists, 225 PIM). The Buffalo Sabres took notice, and selected him in the second round (37th overall) in the 1989 NHL Entry Draft. He would spend one more season with the Thunder (60 games, 13 goals, 35 assists, 231 PIM).
1990-91 would see Laus split his season with three teams at two different professional levels. The ECHL Knoxville Cherokees (20 games, six goals, 12 assists, 83 PIM), the IHL Albany Choppers (seven games, seven PIM), and the IHL Muskegon Lumberjacks (35 games, three goals, four assists, 103 PIM). In 1991-92, he remained a Lumberjack, making 21 assists with no goals through 75 games, earning 248 PIM. The following season, he stayed with the team as they relocated to Cleveland. He earned a ridiculous 427 penalty minutes, with eight goals and 18 assists in 76 contests. After the season, Florida claimed him in the 1993 NHL Expansion Draft.
In 1993-94, Laus was restricted to 39 games by injury and coach’s decision. On November 26th, he had his best game of the season, scoring his first career NHL goal and earning a season high 17 penalty minutes in a 3-2 loss to the Boston Bruins. He would total two goals on 15 shots over the course of the season, ranking third on the team with a plus-9 rating and 109 penalty minutes.
1994-95 would see Laus play in 37 of the strike shortened 48 game season. He ranked third on the team amongst Panthers blueliners with seven assists, leading the team with a plus-12 rating and 138 penalty minutes. Over the course of the season, he took 15 shots on goal, failing to light the lamp on any of them.
Laus played in a career high 78 games for the eventual Eastern Conference Champions in 1995-96. He scored nine points over the season, in nine different games. The Panthers were 6-0-0 in games in which Laus registered an assist, but racked up an 0-2-1 record in games where he scored a goal. He totalled three goals on 45 shots, leading the team with 236 penalty minutes and a minus-2 rating (the first negative rating of his career). In the playoffs, Laus discovered his scoring touch, lighting the lamp twice while dishing out six assists through 21 postseason contests. He led the NHL with 62 penalty minutes. On April 22, he made two assists as the Panthers defeated the Boston Bruins, 6-2 in Game Two of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals.
In 1996-97, Laus failed to register a single goal out of 63 shots placed on net through 77 Panthers games. He did, however, achieve career highs with 12 assists, a Panthers second best plus-13 rating, and 313 penalty minutes, good for third in the NHL. He tacked on one assist in five playoff matches as the Panthers were taken out by the New York Rangers in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinal.
1997-98 would see Laus open the season strong. In the Panthers second game, a 5-3 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins on October 4th, he picked up a season high two assists. For the second season in a row, Laus failed to score a single goal, even though he set a career high with 64 shots on goal. He dished out 11 assists, spent a team leading and NHL fourth-most 293 minutes in the penalty box, and finished with a career low minus-5 rating.
In 1998-99, Laus averaged 11:09 TOI through 75 Panthers games. He scored one goal on 54 shots, dished out nine assists, and finished second on the team (and sixth in the NHL) with 218 penalty minutes. He finished the year with a minus-1 rating.
Laus appeared in 77 Panthers games in 1999-00, averaging 7:37 TOI per contest. On Febuary 24th, he put up a season high two points with a goal and an assist in a 4-2 road victory over the Carolina Hurricanes. His 172 penalty minutes ranked second on the club (and ninth in the league). He scored a total of three goals on 44 shots with eight assists and a minus-1 rating. He did not impact the scoresheet in Florida’s four game sweep at the hands of the New Jersey Devils in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals other than to accrue eight minutes in the penalty box.
In 2000-01, Laus averaged 14:22 per game as his season was held to a career low 25 games due to an injury he suffered on November 13th in a 4-1 loss to the Atlanta Thrashers. In that contest, Laus had a first period throwdown with Thrashers right winger (and team enforcer) Jeff Odgers. When Laus finally returned to action in March, he managed to score a goal (on 18 shots) and two assists.
In 2001-02, Laus continued to struggle with injuries due to his fighting. He had averaged 14:10 through 45 games when his right uppercut caught the helmet of Atlanta Thrashers forward Jeff Cowan on Jan. 19, 2002 in a 6-1 Florida loss. The injury required three surgeries, but Laus was unable to continue his career, eventually announcing his retirement a year and a half later. In his final season, he scored a career high four goals on 39 shots, adding three assists. As per Michael Russo, staff writer with the Sun Sentinel reported on August 26, 2003:
“I was in pain every single day and I made the decision that I had to give something up to get rid of the pain,” Laus said.
That was mobility.
“When I slept, anytime I rolled over, I would catch myself and it would throb,” Laus said. “I was in constant pain. Now, I had the rod put in, the bones fused and I’m in no pain whatsoever … because I can’t move it.”
That has affected Laus’ life.
“I never realized how much you need the wrists,” Laus said. “I’ll go outside with my son and I can’t even throw the ball to him. I have to throw with my left hand. My daughters tease me and say I throw like a girl.
“I almost don’t do anything right-handed now. The only thing I do right-handed is write, but I had really bad handwriting anyway. Pouring milk, I can’t do it. Shaking hands, I have to bite my lips to do it. Picking up my kids, turning keys, I just have to live with it. You just adapt.”
During his NHL career, Laus embodied commitment, acting as Florida’s enforcer and leader on the ice. He skated hard and fought harder – always with his heart on his sleeve. He played his entire NHL career with the Panthers. Check out the video, as Laus goes five rounds with the shirtless wonder, Rob Ray of the Buffalo Sabres. The second video is even better, and shows most of Laus’ best NHL bouts.
Paul Laus Vs Rob Ray – 5 Rounds (via proberthull24)
The Best of Paul Laus (via 13Badz13)
All-Time Statline: Nine seasons (second all-time), 530 games (sixth all-time), 14 goals, 58 assists, 72 points, plus-31 rating (second all-time), 1,702 penalty minutes (Panthers all-time leader), 20.9 APS.
15. Ed Jovanovski
Jovanovski, a native of Windsor, Ontario, was a 6’3″ left handed defenseman with the OHL Windsor Spitfires in 1993-94, where he scored 15 goals and 35 assists in 62 contests. The Panthers, proud owners of the first overall pick, selected Jovanovski to start out the proceedings in the 1994 NHL Entry Draft. He would stay on for another year of seasoning with the Spitfires, amassing over a point per game, totalling 23 goals and 42 assists in only 50 contests.
Ed Jovanovski – 1994 NHL Entry Draft (via GoingFiveHole)
The 19-year old Jovanovski joined the 1995-96 Panthers NHL roster in November. Surprisingly, he was not the youngest member of the team, as that honor fell to 18-year old Radek Dvorak. Ed led the Panthers blue-liners with 10 goals on 116 shots. He also pitched in 11 assists, finished with a minus-3 rating, and placed third on the team with 137 penalty minutes. On January 27th, he tied his season high with two points, a goal and an assist, in a 6-3 win over the Buffalo Sabres. He would add a goal and eight assists (tied for second on the team) through 22 Stanley Cup Playoff matches.
Rick Tocchet vs. Ed Jovanovski (4-25-96) (via ouzer)
In 1996-97, Jovanovski was limited to 61 games by injuries. He scored seven goals on 80 shots along with 16 assists, a minus-1 rating, and a team second most 172 penalty minutes (Laus led the team with a mind-boggling 313). He scored a career high two goals on February 22nd as Florida fell to the Philadelphia Flyers, 4-3. In five playoff contests, he racked up a collective minus-4 rating, otherwise failing to affect the scoresheet.
1997-98 would see Jovanovski play in a Panthers second best 81 games through the season. On November 22nd, he scored both of Florida’s goals in a 2-1 victory over the New Jersey Devils. His nine goals on 142 shots tied for the Panthers lead amongst defensemen (with Robert Svehla), and his 14 assists were second in the corps. He had a minus-12 rating on the year, and racked up 158 penalty minutes in his familiar spot (ranked second on the team) behind linemate Paul Laus (293 PIM).
1998-99 started out with Jovocop playing in 41 games for the Cats. He totalled three goals on 68 shots with 13 assists, a minus-4 rating, and 82 penalty minutes. On January 17th, he was traded to the Vancouver Canucks with Dave Gagner, Mike Brown, Kevin Weekes, and a first round pick (Nathan Smith) for Pavel Bure, Bret Hedican, Brad Ference, and a third round pick (Robert Fried). Considering what Bure brought to the mix, I’d say we can safely look back and say that we won this trade.
After parts of seven seasons in Vancouver (434 games, 57 goals, 177 assists, three all-star games), Jovanovski signed on as a free agent with the Phoenix Coyotes (332 games, 47 goals, 117 assists, two all-star games). On July 1st, 2011, Jovocop signed on for a second tour of duty with the Panthers.
Jovanovski started the 2011-12 season as part of Florida’s third pairing with 19-year old phenom Erik Gudbranson. On October 17th, he racked up two assists in a 7-4 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning. He duplicated the feat on December 18th in a 3-2 win over the Carolina Hurricanes. On January 17th, Jovanovski took on Boston Bruins left winger Daniel Paille in the first period of an eventual 3-2 shootout loss. As it turned out, he broke his hand during the altercation, and soon after required surgery, ultimately missing 15 games. Over the course of the season, he averaged 16:42 TOI through 66 games, scoring three goals on 58 shots. He also pitched in 10 assists, spent 31 minutes in the box, and totalled a minus-11 rating.
Ed Jovanovski ties game late 11/03/11 (via NHLVideo)
In Jovanovski’s first tour with the Panthers, he was a solid two-way threat and constant enforcer. Now 36 years old, he looks to enter his 17th NHL season as one of Florida’s resident greybeards. Along with fellow former and current over-35 Panther defenseman Filip Kuba, Florida can boast a wealth of experience on the blue line.
All-Time Statline: Five seasons, 319 games, 32 goals, 64 assists, 96 points, minus-31 rating, 580 PIM (seventh all-time), 22.2 APS.
14. Radek Dvorak
Dvorak was a 6’2 right winger from Tabor, Czechoslovakia. After being used sparingly in parts of two seasons with Ceske Budejovice HC (27 games, eight goals, six assists), the Panthers took a shot at him with the 10th overall pick of the 1995 NHL Entry Draft.
Dvorak made his NHL debut just four months later as an 18-year old rookie on the 1995-96 club. After being held without a goal through his first 11 contests (three assists), he would rack up six in a four game span (all victories) from November 2-7. The streak included consecutive two goal efforts, a 4-1 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning and a 4-2 victory against the Philadelphia Flyers. He ranked seventh on the team with 13 goals (including four game winners) on 126 shots, also pitching in with 14 helpers. His plus-5 rating tied for fourth on the team, and he only collected 20 minutes in the sin bin. He later pitched in a goal with three assists in 16 playoff matches.
In 1996-97, Dvorak scored 18 goals on 139 shots, good for third on the team. He also dished out 21 assists to rank fourth on the Panthers with 39 total points. He collected a minus-2 rating and 30 penalty minutes in 78 regular season contests. He started out the season slow, making one assist through his first nine games before putting together an eight game point streak (four goals, four assists) in mid-November. In a 4-1 victory over the Boston Bruins on January 23rd, Dvorak made two goals and an assist. On March 13th, he made a season high three assists in a 5-4 Panthers victory over the Vancouver Canucks. After the season, he appeared in three playoff matches, failing to score a point.
1997-98 would see Dvorak appear in 64 contests, ultimately ranking fifth on the Panthers with 36 overall points. He scored 12 goals on 112 shots with a team fourth-most 24 assists, a minus-1 rating, and 33 penalty minutes. He led the Panthers with three short-handed goals. He had eight multi-point contests during the season, including a season high three (two goals, one assist) in a 6-2 victory over the New York Islanders on December 27th.
In 1998-99, Dvorak was one of three Panthers to appear in all 82 contests. He ranked third on the squad with 19 goals on 182 shots, pitching in 24 assists. He was third on the team with a plus-7 rating, collected only 33 penalty minutes, and led the team (by a wide margin) with four short-handed goals. He averaged 16:13 TOI per game on Florida’s second line. He again had eight multiple point contests during the season, including two goals on March 26th as the Panthers shut down the Nashville Predators, 4-1.
In 1999-00, Dvorak played the first 35 games of his season with the Panthers. He had seven goals and 10 assists in 15:25 per game, only spending six minutes in the penalty box. He also had a plus-5 rating. On November 13th, he scored two goals with an assist in a 3-1 win over the Buffalo Sabres. The very next game, on November 17th, he scored a goal and an assist as the Panthers defeated the Colorado Avalanche, 2-1. The Panthers traded him to the San Jose Sharks for Mike Vernon and a third round draft pick (Sean O’Connor) on December 30th. Before suiting up for the Sharks, the team traded him again later that day to the New York Rangers for Todd Harvey and a fourth round pick (Dimitri Patzold). That’s one Panther traded for four guys on the same day, for those of you counting.
Dvorak played with the Rangers for parts of four seasons (256 games, 65 goals, 99 assists), the Edmonton Oilers (154 games, 27 goals, 59 assists) for parts of three, and the St. Louis Blues (82 games, 10 goals, 27 assists) in 2006-07. On July 1st, 2007, Dvorak returned to the Panthers as a free agent.
2007-08 would see Dvorak average 15:07 through 67 Panthers contests, scoring eight goals (on 146 shots) with nine assists. He had a minus-1 rating and only 16 penalty minutes. On April 4th, he collected a season high two points with a goal and an assist in a 4-3 win over the Carolina Hurricanes.
2008-09, Dvorak regained some of his scoring touch with 15 goals (tied for sixth on the Panthers) on 136 shots, his most goals since 2003-04 with Edmonton. He also dished out 21 assists and finished with 42 penalty minutes and a neutral plus/minus rating. He led Florida with four shorthanded goals. He again had eight multiple point games on the season, including a goal and two assists, with a plus-4 rating, in an 8-4 drubbing of the Atlanta Thrashers on January 10th. Dvorak averaged 16:26 per game while appearing in a Panthers third most 81 games on the season.
2008-09: Dvorak Highlights (via FloridaPanthersVideo)
In 2009-10, Dvorak scored 14 goals on 140 shots with 18 assists in 76 Panthers games. He played an average of 17:26 TOI per game, collecting a minus-7 rating and only spending 20 minutes in the penalty box. As always, he led the Panthers in shorthanded goals, with three. On January 3rd, Dvorak enjoyed his first Panthers hat trick (and third overall) in a 6-2 home victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Dvorak hat-trick vs. Penguins – NHL Fox Sports Florida Feed (via NYYfan46)
Dvorak spent the first 53 games of the 2010-11 season as a member of the Panthers. He scored seven goals and 14 assists before getting traded to the Atlanta Thrashers with a fifth round pick (Sean Kuraly) for Niclas Bergfors and Patrick Rissmiller on February 28th.
Dvorak finished the 2010-11 season with the Thrashers (13 games, one assist), playing 2011-12 with the Dallas Stars (73 games, four goals, 17 assists). He is currently an unrestricted free agent. In seven full (and two partial) seasons with the Panthers, Dvorak represented the Panthers as a solid role player. Never blessed with true first line talent, he nevertheless always left his best on the ice as a second (and sometimes third) line winger.
All-Time Statline: Nine seasons (second all-time), 613 games (second all-time), 113 goals (sixth all-time), 155 assists (seventh all-time), 268 points (seventh all-time), plus-8 rating, 216 PIM, 24.2 APS.
13. Ray Whitney
Whitney, a 5’10” left winger from Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta, was a star player for the WHL Spokane Chiefs. He increased his offensive statistics in each of his three seasons with the club: 71 games, 17 goals, 33 assists in 1988-89, 71 games, 57 goals, 56 assists in 1989-90, and 72 games, 67 goals, 118 assists in 1990-91. After the season, the San Jose Sharks selected him in the second round of the 1991 NHL Entry Draft, 23rd overall.
1991-92 would be a very busy year for Whitney. He spent the bulk of the season with the IHL San Diego Gulls (63 games, 36 goals, 54 assists), making token appearances with the Sharks (two games, zero goals, three assists), the Canadian National Team (five games, one goal, zero assists), and Cologne EC in Great Britain (10 games, three goals, six assists). 1992-93 would see him split the season between the Sharks (26 games, four goals, six assists) and the IHL Kansas City Blades (46 games, 20 goals, 33 assists).
Starting in 1993-94, Whitney would enjoy three uninterrupted seasons in the bigs with San Jose (160 games, 44 goals, 62 assists). After starting out slow with the Sharks in 1996-97, (12 games, zero goals, two assists), he would end up spending most of the season with the IHL Utah Grizzlies (43 games, 13 goals, 35 assist), also making a brief appearance with the AHL Kentucky Thoroughblades (nine games, one goal, seven assists). The writing was on the wall, and Whitney’s services were not retained by San Jose.
Before the 1997-98 season, Whitney signed a free agent contract to play for the Edmonton Oilers. After totalling one goal and three assists in his first nine games, Edmonton placed him on waivers. Florida was more than happy to pick him up in what was probably the best waiver wire grab in team history. He got onto the scoresheet in each of his first seven games and in nine of his first ten with the Panthers, culminating in a two goal, two assist effort on November 26th in a 10-5 dismantling of the Boston Bruins. He then started out December with a five game point streak (one goal, six assists). He had 15 multi-point games that season, including five two-goal efforts. He would lead the team with 32 goals on 156 shots, a better than 20 percent success rate. He also pitched in with a team second best 29 assists, leading the team with 61 points. He led the team with a plus-10 rating and 12 power play goals, getting caught for only 28 penalty minutes. He was the unquestioned offensive leader of the club, even though he only appeared in 68 games.
1998-99 would see Whitney put up 14 multipoint games, including a four point night (one goal, three assists) on November 28th in a 6-2 victory over the Buffalo Sabres. He averaged 18:20 through 81 games for the Cats, again leading the club with 26 goals (on 193 shots), 38 assists, 64 points, seven power play goals, and six game winners. He collected a minus-3 rating and only 18 penalty minutes.
In 1999-00, Whitney slightly increased his offensive output, scoring a team second best 29 goals on 198 shots (second to future Hall-of-Famer Pavel Bure’s 58). He also ranked second on the team with 42 assists and 71 points. He averaged 18:41 in 81 Panthers games, ranking fourth on the team at plus-16, also spending 35 minutes in the box. He figured onto the scoresheet frequently to start out the season, with 19 points (eight goals, 11 assists) in his first 15 games. He enjoyed 16 games where he had more than one point, including a season opening effort (two goals, one assist) in a 4-3 win over the Washington Capitals. He added one goal in four playoff games as the Panthers were swept from the opening round by the New Jersey Devils.
In 2000-01, Whitney played in 43 games for the Panthers. On October 30th, he dished out four assists in a 6-5 losing effort to the Devils. In 17:41 per game, he scored 10 goals on 117 shots with 21 assists, 28 penalty minutes, and a minus-16 rating. The Panthers traded him to the Columbus Blue Jackets with “future considerations” on March 13th for Kevyn Adams and a fourth round pick (Michael Woodford). Yeah, we lost that one.
Whitney played in parts of three seasons with Columbus (151 games, 45 goals, 95 assists). He would later play with the Detroit Red Wings (67 games, 14 goals 29 assists), the Carolina Hurricanes (372 games, 119 goals, 215 assists) and the Phoenix Coyotes (157 games, 41 goals, 93 assists). He was recently signed by the Dallas Stars to a two-year, $9,000,000 contract.
#13 Ray Whitney (via MaksN77)
All-Time Statline: Four seasons, 273 games, 97 goals (ninth all-time), 130 assists (10th all-time), 227 points (10th all-time), plus-7 rating, 109 PIM, 25.5 APS.
12. Viktor Kozlov
Kozlov, a 6’4″ right-handed center from Togliatti, Russia, scored six goals and five assists in 30 games for Moscow Dynamo in 1992-93. The San Jose Sharks were paying attention, and selected him with the sixth overall pick in the 1993 NHL Entry Draft. Kozlov spent one more full season (plus three games) with Moscow (45 games, 17 goals, 10 assists).
After three games in Moscow in 1994-95, Kozlov made the jump to the North American game, splitting his rookie season between the Sharks (16 games, two goals, zero assists), and the IHL Kansas City Blades (four games, one goal, one assist). 1995-96 would see him spend much more time with the Sharks (62 games, six goals, 13 assists) than the Blades (15 games, four goals, seven assists).
Kozlov spent another season and a quarter with San Jose (96 games, 21 goals, 27 assists). The Sharks traded him to Florida on November 13th with fifth round pick (became Jaroslav Spacek), for Dave Lowry and a first round choice (eventually became Vincent LeCavalier). He played 46 games with the Panthers in 1997-98, ranking tied for fifth on the squad with 12 goals on 112 shots. He also tabbed 11 assists, a minus-1 rating, and 14 penalty minutes. On March 29th, he scored a season high three points (two goals, one assist) in a 4-0 blanking of the Chicago Blackhawks.
In 1998-99, Kozlov put up multiple points in 12 out of 65 games. He had four three-point games, and had a season high four points (two goals, two assists) in a season opening 4-1 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning. He averaged 19:03 per game, scoring 16 goals on 209 shots and a Panthers second best 35 assists. He also had 24 penalty minutes and had a team second best plus-13 rating.
1999-00 would see Kozlov enjoy 17 multi-point games. On January 5th, Kozlov had a season high four points and his first career hat trick in a 5-1 victory over the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim (see video). He averaged 19:27 over 80 Panthers games, leading the team with 53 assists and adding 17 goals on 223 shots. He only drew 16 minutes in penalties, finishing second on the club with a plus-24 rating (linemate Pavel Bure had a plus-25). Florida’s top line of Bure, Kozlov, and countdown #13 Panther Ray Whitney combined for 235 points (104 goals, 131 assists) and a remarkable combined plus-65 rating. Kozlov added one assist in four playoff games as the Panthers were swept by the New Jersey Devils in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals. He was recognized for his first half with his first (and only) all-star selection.
Hat trick by Victor Kozlov! Panthers vs. Anaheim 05.01.2000 (via JDBM1986)
Kozlov was limited in 2000-01 to only 51 games due to an injury. He enjoyed his best game of the season in a 5-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres, totalling three assists on January 31st. Despite his limited schedule, he finished second on the team with 14 goals (Bure had 59) on 139 shots. His 23 assists were good for third on the squad. He finished with a minus-3 rating and spent only 10 minutes in the penalty box, averaging 18:23 TOI.
In 2001-02, Kozlov averaged 19:54 through 50 games (his season ended early due to an abdominal strain suffered in early February). He scored nine goals on 143 shots, pitching in 18 assists and finishing with a minus-16 rating and 20 penalty minutes. On November 16th, he scored both goals in a 2-0 win over the Buffalo Sabres.
2002-03 would see Kozlov lead Panthers forwards with a 22:35 ATOI through 74 games. He also led the team with 34 assists, lighting the lamp a team second best 22 times on 232 shots. He had a minus-8 rating and 18 penalty minutes. He had 12 multipoint games, including two three-point games. In the second game of the season, he logged a goal and two assists in a 5-4 victory over the Atlanta Thrashers.
Kozlov spent the first part of the 2003-04 season with the Panthers, averaging 19:30 TOI through 48 contests. He scored 11 times on 116 shots with 16 assists, a minus-4 rating and 16 penalty minutes. On February 10th, he scored both Panther goals in a 2-1 victory over the Montreal Canadiens. Just a few weeks later, on March 1st, the Panthers traded him to the New Jersey Devils for Christian Berglund and Victor Uchevatov (advantage, NJD).
After playing in 11 games for New Jersey (two goals, four assists) to finish out the season, Kozlov joined the Russian league with Tolyatti Lada for the 2004-05 campaign (52 games, 15 goals, 22 assists). He rejoined the Devils for one season after play resumed (69 games, 12 goals, 13 assists). He later played one season with the New York Islanders (81 games, 25 goals, 26 assists) and two with the Washington Capitals (148 games, 29 goals, 66 assists). He joined the KHL with Ufa Salavat Yulayev for three seasons starting in 2009-10 (132 games, 37 goals, 49 assists). Currently, he is a member of the new Yaroslavl Lokomotiv franchise, slated to begin play with the start of the 2012-13 season.
All-Time Statline: Seven seasons (seventh all-time), 414 games, 101 goals (eighth all-time), 190 assists (fifth all-time), 291 points, (fifth all-time), plus-4 rating, 118 penalty minutes, 28.2 APS.
11. Gord Murphy
Murphy was a 6’2″ defenseman from Willowdale, Ontario. In 59 games with the 1984-85 OHL Oshawa Generals, he totalled three goals and 12 assists. The Philadelphia Flyers selected him in the ninth round of the 1985 NHL Entry Draft with the 189th overall pick. He would spend two more seasons with the Generals, scoring 14 goals and 45 assists in 120 contests.
Murphy made his professional debut with the 1987-88 Hershey Bears (62 games, eight goals, 20 assists). He logged eight assists in 12 playoff games with the Bears as the team took home the 1988 Calder Cup. He joined the Flyers the following season out of training camp, catching on with the team for the next three and a half seasons (261 games, 31 goals, 97 assists). The Flyers traded him to the Boston Bruins on January 2, 1992 with Brian Dobbin, a third round pick (Sergei Zholtok) and a fourth round pick (Charles Paquette) for Garry Galley, Wes Walz, and a third round pick (Milos Holan).
In parts of two seasons with Boston, Murphy appeared in 91 games, scoring eight goals and 18 assists. On June 20th, 1993, the Bruins sent him to the Dallas Stars for future considerations. He never played a game in Dallas. He was left unprotected in the expansion draft just four days later by Florida.
Bill Lindsay, along with Murphy, were the only Panthers to play in all 84 games of Florida’s inaugural 1993-94 campaign. He led all Panthers defensemen with 14 goals on 172 shots, placing third on the club with 29 assists. In total, his 43 points on the season represented a career high. He finished the year with a minus-11 rating and 71 penalty minutes. He had seven contests where he totalled more than one point, including a three assist effort on January 24th as the Panthers pummeled the Montreal Canadiens, 8-3.
1994-95 would see Murphy play in 46 of Florida’s strike-shortened 48 games season. He had five multi-point games, and again led Florida blueliners with six goals on 94 shots. His 16 assists ranked second on the club, and he finished out the season with a minus-14 rating and 24 penalty minutes.
Murphy started out strong in 1995-96. In only his third game totalling a goal and an assist as the Panthers beat Montreal 6-1. Later, he strung together three consecutive two assist games from December 16-23 (all wins). On January 23rd, he put up a season high three points (one goal, two assists) as the Panthers defeated the Washington Capitals, 5-4. He played in a total of 70 games, scoring eight goals on 125 shots with 22 assists, a team fourth best plus-5 rating, and 30 penalty minutes. In 14 playoff games, he dished out four assists as the Panthers advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals.
In 1996-97, Murphy scored eight goals on 137 shots through 80 games played. On January 5th, he scored a season high two goals in a 5-0 win over the Los Angeles Kings. He had 15 assists, a plus-3 rating, and 51 penalty minutes through the season. In Florida’s postseason five game series loss to the New York Rangers, Murphy led the Panthers with five assists.
1997-98 would see Murphy rank third on the team with 79 games played. He six goals on 123 shots, pitched in 11 assists, finished at minus-3 and spent 46 minutes in the sin bin. On October 4th, he had a season high two assists in a 5-3 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Murphy averaged 19:57 TOI through 51 games in 1998-99. He failed to score despite putting 56 shots on net, assisting on seven goals and rating a plus-4 with only 16 penalty minutes. The Panthers traded him to the Atlanta Thrashers with Herbert Vasiljevs, Daniel Tjarnqvist and a sixth round pick (eventually became Justin Cox) for goaltender Trevor Kidd on June 25, 1999.
Murphy played two seasons for the Thrashers (85 games, four goals, 21 assists) before finishing out his playing career with the Boston Bruins (15 games, zero goals, two assists). He officially announced his retirement on March 19th.
Starting in 2002-03, Murphy made his coaching debut as an assistant with the Columbus Blue Jackets. After seven seasons, he joined the Panthers staff for the 2010-11 season, and remains with the club. His son Connor was a first round pick for the Phoenix Coyotes in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft.
All-Time Statline: Six seasons, 410 games, 42 goals, 100 assists, 142 points, minus-16 rating, 238 PIM, 30.0 APS.
10. Pavel Bure
Bure, a 5’10” right winger, was originally from Moscow, USSR. He skated with CSKA Moscow starting in 1987-88, scoring one goal and an assist in five games. He saw a lot more action in 1988-89, scoring 17 goals and nine assists in 32 contests. After his second season, the Vancouver Canucks took a chance on him with a sixth round pick in the 1989 NHL Entry Draft, selecting him 113th overall. He played two more seasons with Moscow, in 1989-90 scoring 14 goals and 11 assists through 46 games before breaking out in 1990-91 with 35 goals and 11 assists in 44 games.
Bure made his stateside debut with the Canucks in 1991-92, scoring 34 goals and 26 assists in 65 games. In seven seasons with Vancouver, he totalled over 30 goals four times, including a 50 goal and two 60 goal seasons. All told, he averaged over a point per game with the Canucks, scoring a franchise fifth best 254 goals and 224 assists in 428 games.After the 1997-98 season, Bure wanted a trade, and wasn’t afraid to let everyone know it. According to wikipedia.org:
Following the 1997–98 season, Bure told newly appointed general manager Brian Burke in a meeting on July 5, 1998, that he would not play for the Canucks again, despite still having a year left in his contract worth USD $8 million.Bure then went public with the declaration the following month, stating that he intended to leave the club for “personal reasons”.Bure did not report to the club the following season. He instead went back to his hometown Moscow to practice with his former Central Red Army club. During this time, president Alexander Lukashenko offered Bure a tax-free US$4 million salary to play in Belarus, which Bure turned down.
Bure held out until January 17, 1999, when the Canucks finally traded him to the Panthers with Bret Hedican, Brad Ference, and a third round pick (Robert Fried) for Ed Jovanovski, Dave Gagner, Mike Brown, Kevin Weekes, and a first round pick (Nathan Smith). He skated in 11 games for Florida, straining his right knee against the Pittsburgh Penguins on February 5th. Despite his short season, he scored 13 goals and three assists. He had five multi-point games, including two hat tricks. He first accomplished the feat in his third game of the season, a 3-3 tie with the Philadelphia Flyers on January 26, then later in his last game of the year, a 7-5 loss to the Colorado Avalanche on March 5th. His 13 goals (on only 44 shots) ranked seventh on the club, and he managed to accrue an ATOI of 21:41 with a plus-3 rating and four PIM. In Florida’s four game postseason appearance, Bure scored a goal and three assists as the New Jersey Devils easily swept our heroes.
Bure scored 58 goals on 360 shots in 1999-00, leading the NHL in both categories. Adding his 36 assists left him ranked second in the league with 94 overall points. His plus-25 rating and 14 game winning goal led Florida. He also led the Panthers forwards with 24:23 ATOI, ranking second amongst all skaters. His season featured 25 multi-point contests, including four hat tricks. He scored a season high four goals in a New Years Day, 7-5 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning. He scored 38 points in a 19 game span from December 4th through January 15th (22 goals, 16 assists). After his all-star season (his fffth), he was honored with his first Maurice Richard Trophy, awarded annually to the NHL’s top goal scorer. He had previously led the league with 60 goals in 1993-94, but the award hadn’t at that time been introduced.
In 2000-01, Bure continued his off the charts offensive productivity. He was one of two Panthers (along with Robert Svehla) to appear in all 82 Panthers contests, averaging a team leading 26:52 ice time per game. He again led the NHL in goals and shots on goal, with 59 and 384, respectively. He also led the Cats with 33 assists, ranking seventh in the league with 92 overall points. He finished the season with a minus-2 rating, 58 penalty minutes, and a team leading eight game winners. In a 29 game span from January 20th through March 23rd, he totalled 53 points (35 goals, 18 assists). He again put up 25 multi point games, including four hat tricks. He had a five point game (four goals, one assist) in a 7-3 win over the Atlanta Thrashers on February 10th. He won his second consecutive Maurice Richard Trophy, and was selected to his sixth all-star contest.
2001-02 would see Bure play in 56 games with the Panthers, including 13 games in which he scored more than one point. Despite his reduced schedule, he finished second on Florida’s leaderboard with 22 goals (one behind team leader Kristian Huselius) on 238 shots. He led the team with 27 assists and with 49 total points. Despite this, Florida sent him to the New York Rangers on March 18th with a second round pick (Lee Falardeau) for Igor Ulanov, Filip Novak, a first round pick (Eric Nystrom) a second round pick (Rob Globke) and a fourth round pick (Guillaume Desbiens).
In parts of two seasons with the Rangers, Bure totalled 31 goals and 19 assists in only 51 games. After missing half of 2002-03, all of 2003-04, and the lost season in 2004-05, Bure officially announced his retirement on November 1st, 2005.
Bure was simply the most exciting and efficient goal scorer in Panthers history. His “Russian Rocket” moniker was well deserved, as he skated circles around anyone else on the ice. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame with the Class of 2012. You can read more here, at the Hockey Hall of Fame’s induction showcase.
All-Time Statline: Four seasons, 223 games, 152 goals (third all-time), 99 assists, 251 points (ninth all-time), plus-12 rating (seventh all-time), 134 penalty minutes, 31.3 APS.
9. Nathan Horton
Horton, a 6’2″ center from Welland, Ontario, got his start in juniors with the 2001-02 OHL Oshawa Generals, spending two seasons with the club. After scoring 31 goals and 36 assists in 64 games his first season, he came back with 33 goals and 35 assists in 54 games in 2002-03. The Panthers chose him with the third overall pick in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft.
In 2003-04, Horton, still just 18 years old, made his professional debut with the Panthers. After getting just one assist (and zero goals) through his first 11 games, he scored four times (two goals, two assists) over his next five. On January 8th, he scored a season high three points (one goal, two assists) as the Panthers defeated the Philadelphia Flyers, 4-3. Troubled by a shoulder injury, Horton totalled 55 games for the Panthers that year, averaging 13:20 TOI per contest. He still finished third on the club with 14 goals on 81 shots, pitching in eight assists and finishing up with a minus-5 rating and 57 penalty minutes.
When the 2004-05 season was cancelled, the then 19-year old Horton joined up with the AHL San Antonio Rampage. It remains the only AHL action Horton has played to date. He totalled four goals and five assists in 21 games, rejoining the Panthers the following season.
2005-06 would see Horton enjoy nine multi-point games, including his first career hat trick in a 7-3 Panthers victory over the Nashville Predators on December 13th. He averaged 16:53 per game through 71 games. His 28 goals on 162 shots ranked second on the team. He also had 19 assists and a team fifth best plus-5 rating with 89 penalty minutes.
Horton scored a career high and team second best 31 goals on 217 shots in 2006-07. He matched it with a team third 31 assists, rating a plus-15 with 61 penalty minutes. He had 18 multi-point contests, including two three-point games: three assists on November 16th in a 5-1 win over the Montreal Canadiens, and two goals with an assist in a 5-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning on March 27th. He was one of a record six Panthers to appear in every game.
In 2007-08, Horton was one of three Florida players to play in all 82 games. He took 212 shots on goal, ranking second on the team with 27 goals, 35 assists, and 62 total points. He led the team with 85 penalty minutes and ranked second to defenseman Jassen Cullimore with a plus-15 rating. On January 22nd, he tabbed a career high four assists in a 5-3 home victory over the Ottawa Senators, one of 15 contests in which he posted more than one point.
2008-09 would see Horton limited to 67 games with a knee injury (nine games) and a finger injury (six games). He ranked second on the team with 22 goals on 131 shots, adding 23 assists. He had a minus-5 rating and 41 penalty minutes to go with it, averaging 17:51 of average ice time. He had nine multi-point games, including a season high three points (all assists) on January 17th in a 4-3 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Horton ranked third on the team with 20 goals on 159 shots. He led the team with 37 assists, rated a minus-1 and accrued 42 minutes in the box. He ranked first amongst the Panthers forward corps with 20:53 ATOI. He scored seven points in a three game span (one goal, six assists) from October 28th through 31st. He had 16 games where he scored more than one point, including a hat trick (adding an assist) on December 14th in a 7-1 win over the New York Islanders.
Near the end of his time in Sunrise, Horton made clear his desire to leave the Panthers and play elsewhere. Florida obliged him on June 22nd, 2010 to the Boston Bruins with Gregory Campbell for Dennis Wideman, a first round pick (Derek Forbort) and a third round pick (Kyle Rau). He has played the last two seasons in Boston (126 games, 43 games, 52 assists), adding eight goals and nine assists in 21 playoff matches on the march to Boston’s 2011 Stanley Cup Championship. He is currently slated to finish out the final season of a six year/$24,000,000 contract that he orignally signed with the Panthers.
Boston Bruins- Nathan Horton Tribute (via leahyy93)
All-Time Statline: Six seasons, 422 games (10th all-time), 142 goals (fifth all-time), 153 assists (eighth all-time), 295 points (fourth all-time), plus-27 rating (third all-time), 382 penalty minutes, 32.4 APS.
8. Jay Bouwmeester
Bouwmeester, a 6’4″ defenseman from Edmonton, Alberta, enjoyed four seasons of productive junior hockey with the WHL’s Medicine Hat Tigers. After a short appearance in 1998-99 (eight games, two goals, one assist), he played in 64 games in 1999-00 (13 goals, 21 assists), 61 games in 2000-01 (14 goals, 39 assists), and another 61 games in 2001-02 (11 goals, 50 assists). During the 2002 offseason, he was picked up by the Panthers with the third overall pick in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft.
2002-03 would see Bouwmeester start out his NHL career with an assist in his very first game, a 4-3 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on October 10th. Later, he scored a season high two points (one goal, one assist) on February 8th as the Panthers tied the Bolts, 4-4. He was one of three Panthers to play in all 82 games that season. He scored four goals on 110 shots along with 12 assists, ranking second on the blueline with 16 points. He averaged 20:09 per game with only 14 penalty minutes and a historically bad minus-29 rating. Despite that, he was still selected as a member of the 2003 all-rookie team.
Bouwmeester averaged a Panther’s second best 23:02 per game, skating in 61 games. He missed several games near the end of the season with a fractured foot, representing the first and last time that he would miss NHL playing time due to an injury. He only scored two goals on 85 shots, assisting on a Panthers fifth best 18 assists. He spent 30 minutes in the penalty box, and a minus-15 rating. On November 7th, he scored a season high two points (one goal, one assist) in a 6-3 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins.
In 2004-05, Bouwmeester stayed in the Panthers system for the all-season lockout. He split the year in the AHL between the Rampage (64 games, four goals, 13 assists) and the Chicago Wolves (18 games, six goals, three assists). He would enjoy his only professional playoffs to date with 18 games in the Calder Cup Playoffs with the Wolves, as the team advanced to the Finals before losing to the Philadelphia Phantoms.
Bouwmeester returned to the Panthers NHL roster when the lockout was lifted in 2005-06, and was one of three skaters to play in all 82 games. He led the league with 2,746 total shifts, also ranking number nine in the league with a team leading 25:29 TOI per game. He scored five goals on 189 shots with a team second best and blue line leading 41 assists with a plus-1 rating and 79 penalty minutes. He had a season high three points (all assists) in a 5-4 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets on January 14th. His 46 overall points represented a career high that still stands.
In 2006-07, Bouwmeester had seven multi-point games. He scored three points (one goal, two assists) in a 5-4 loss to the Calgary Flames on January 4th. Just a week later, he put up a career high four points (two goals, two assists) as the Panthers defeated the Washington Capitals, 7-3. His 26:09 ATOI ranked eighth in the NHL and led the Panthers. In total, he led the blue line and established a new career high with 12 goals (on 174 shots) with a defensive corps leading 30 assists. He spent 66 minutes in the penalty box and registered a team leading plus-23 rating. He was also selected to his first all-star team for his efforts.
2007-08 would see Bouwmeester again appear in every Panthers game (82), setting a new career high with a team fourth best 15 goals (on 182 shots), and a team fifth best 22 assists. His 27:28 ATOI led the NHL, as did his total shift count, of 2,548. He had a minus-5 rating and a team fourth most 72 penalty minutes. He posted multi-point games on five occasions through the season.
Panthers LIVE!! Bouwmeester! (via aviator147)
In 2008-09, Bouwmeester continued his ironman streak with another 82 game season, one of two Panthers to turn the trick (along with Keith Ballard). He matched his career high with 15 more goals (on 182 shots), leading Panthers defensemen. He was fifth on the team with 27 assists. He averaged exactly 27 minutes of TOI, again leading the NHL. He spent 68 minutes in the penalty box, finishing with a minus-2 rating. From November 12th to December 14th, he scored 15 points in a 16 game span (six goals, nine assists). In January, he appeared in his second all-star contest. As the season was coming to a close, Bouwmeester made public his desire to leave Florida for greener pastures, per wikipedia.org:
Unable to come to terms with Bouwmeester, the Panthers traded his negotiating rights to the Calgary Flames in exchange for the negotiating rights to defenceman Jordan Leopold and a third round draft pick (Josh Birkholz) in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. The deal gave the Flames four days with which they had exclusive rights to negotiate with Bouwmeester before he became an unrestricted free agent and gained the ability to negotiate with any team. Hours before that deadline expired, Bouwmeester and the Flames agreed to a five-year, $33 million contract.
Bowmeester has spent the last three seasons with the playoff-free Calgary Flames (246 games, 12 goals, 70 assists). He has managed to continue his ironman streak (now at an NHL leading 508 games), which bears the dubious distinction of being the only such streak to persist (if current negotiations continue to, er, not continue) through two work stoppages.
The consistent knock on Bouwmeester was that he never measured up to what he was hypothetically capable. His offensive numbers, impressive while with the Panthers, only hinted at his potential. Highly skilled as a skater, and as durable as they come, he could at times be accused of “taking a shift off,” or “playing soft minutes.” Aside from all this, the only thing keeping him from passing Doug Jarvis (964 games) as the NHL’s Cal Ripken is the labor situation. If his health holds up, he should set a new record for consecutive games in late-January, 2018.
All-Time Statline: Six seasons, 471 games (ninth all-time), 53 goals, 150 assists (ninth all-time), 203 points, minus-27 rating, 329 penalty minutes, 34.4 APS.
7. Scott Mellanby
Mellanby, a 6’1″ right winger from Montreal, Quebec, spent his formative hockey years with the Don Mills Flyers (72 games, 66 goals, 52 assists) and the Henry Carr Crusaders (39 games, 37 goals, 37 assists) of the Ontario Junior Hockey League. After getting selected in the second round of the 1984 NHL Entry Draft by the Philadelphia Flyers (27th overall), he decided to attend college. He spent two seasons with the University of Wisconsin Badgers (72 games, 35 goals, 47 assists). After departing, he joined the Flyers for two games late in the 1985-86 season.
Mellanby would spend five full seasons with the Flyers after his debut (355 games, 83 goals, 114 assists), adding nine goals and 11 assists in 50 games through three Stanley Cup Playoff tournaments. He was part of the 1987 Eastern Conference championship team that lost to the Edmonton Oilers in the finals, four games to three. After the 1990-91 season, he was traded to the Oilers with Craig Berube and Craig Fisher for Dave Brown, Corey Foster, and Jari Kurri.
As a member of the Oilers, Mellanby racked up 38 goals and 44 assists over 149 regular season contests. He played in 16 more playoff games in 1991-92, scoring two goals with an assist. The Oilers left him unprotected for the 1993 Expansion Draft, where the Panthers were all too happy to pick him up.
On October 6, 1993, Mellanby scored the Panthers first ever regular season goal in a 4-4 tie with the Chicago Blackhawks. He went on to score in five of his first six games (three goals, three assists). From November 3rd to December 12th, he scored 18 points in 17 contests (eight goals, 10 assists). He had 12 multi-point efforts over the course of the season, including a season high three (two goals, one assist) in an 8-3 win over the Montreal Canadiens on January 24th. In a Panthers fourth best 80 games, he led the Panthers with 30 goals (on 208 shots) and with 60 total points. His 30 assists ranked second on the team. He finished the season second on the team with 149 penalty minutes and an even rating.
1994-95 would see Mellanby appear in all 48 games in the strike shortened regular season, one of five Panthers to do so. He ranked second on the club with 13 goals (on 130 shots), pitching in 12 assists. He also rated second on the team with 90 penalty minutes. His minus-16 rating was the lowest mark on the club. On April 22nd, he scored a season high three points (one goal, two assists) in a 4-2 Panthers win over the Quebec Nordiques.
Mellanby had his best NHL season in 1995-96. He was selected to his only all-star game, and led the eventual Eastern Conference Champions with a career best 32 goals (on 225 shots) and a career high and team second best 38 assists. He had a plus-4 rating and a team second 160 penalty minutes. He started out the season on a tear, with 13 points in Floida’s first eight games (eight goals, five assists). Later, he scored 23 points in 19 games from November 16th through December 30th (12 goals, 11 assists). He had a team high 19 multiple point games that year, including two three point games. In the playoffs, Mellanby added three goals and six assists in 22 playoff games. On May 18th, he scored a goal and two assists as the Panthers defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins, 5-1 in Game One of the Eastern Conference Championship.
In 1996-97, Mellanby set a career high by being one of only two Panthers to skate in all 82 games. He ranked second on the club with 27 goals (on 221 shots) and with 56 total points. He also rated third on the team with 29 assists and with 170 penalty minutes. He had eight two-point games, three three-point games, and one four point game (one goal and three assists) in a 5-0 victory over the Los Angeles Kings. The Panthers made the postseason for the second season in a row, and Mellanby had two assists on April 17th in a game one victory over the New York Rangers, 3-0 in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals. He would not score through the next four contests, all losses as the Panthers were eliminated in five.
Bryan McCabe vs Scott Mellanby (via pjstock20)
With the departure of original captain Brian Skrudland, Mellanby would start his reign as Florida’s captain with the advent of the 1997-98 season. He ranked third on the team with 79 games played and with 15 goals on 188 shots. He placed fourth on the club with 24 assists, 39 total points, and with 127 penalty minutes. He wrapped up the season at minus-14. He dished out four assists on November 26th as the Panthers smoked the Boston Bruins, 10-5.
1998-99 would see Mellanby score more than one point on 10 occasions, including both Florida goals in a 2-1 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning on November 27th. He would appear in only 67 games, ranking fourth on the club with 85 penalty minutes, a plus-5 rating, and with 45 total points (ranking fifth on the team in goals and assists, with 18 and 27, respectively). His 16:14 average time on ice ranked fourth amongst the Panthers forward corps.
In 1999-00, Mellanby averaged 14:51 over 77 contests for Florida. He ranked fourth or fifth in every category, including 18 goals (on 134 shots), 28 assists, 46 total points, a plus-14 rating, and 126 penalty minutes. On December 27th, he scored two goals with an assist in a 6-1 Florida win over the Lightning, one of 11 games in which he scored more than one point.
2000-01 would see Mellanby score four goals and nine assists through 40 games with the Panthers. Florida sent him to the St. Louis Blues for the rights to Dave Morriset and a fifth round pick (Vince Bellissimo) on February 9th.
Mellanby spent the rest of the season (and the next three) as a member of the Blues. He scored a total of 62 goals and 75 assists in 235 regular season contests. He would pitch in 10 goals and eight assists in 35 playoff contests for the Blues. After losing 2004-05 to the lockout, Mellanby joined the Atlanta Thrashers for two more seasons (140 games, 24 goals, 46 assists).
Mellanby was one of the last of a dying breed, a skill guy who wouldn’t mind throwing down. In each of his seven full seasons in Florida, he ranked on the Panthers top five in goals, assists, and penalty minutes.
All-Time Statline: Eight seasons (fourth all-time), 552 games (fifth all-time), 157 goals (second all-time), 197 assists (fourth all-time), 354 points (third all-time), minus-13 rating, 953 PIM (third all-time), 36.5 APS.
6. Stephen Weiss
Weiss, a 5’11” left-handed center from Toronto, Ontario, started his junior career with Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League, scoring 15 goals and 22 assists in 35 contests for the North York Rangers in 1998-99. The following season, he joined the OHL Plymouth Whalers, scoring 24 goals and 42 assists in 64 games. 2000-01 would see him improve his numbers to 40 goals and 47 assists in 62 games. The Panthers took notice of his high potential, spending the fourth overall pick of the 2001 NHL Entry Draft. Weiss, then still just 18-years old, spent another season with the Whalers (46 games, 25 goals, 45 assists), before joining the Panthers for seven games in April. Weiss scored a goal in his NHL debut, 3-2 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins on April 3rd. He averaged 16:14 time on ice, scoring just the one goal on 15 shots with an assist and a neutral rating.
In 2002-03, Weiss made the club out of training camp. He wasn’t quite the offensive threat that he would later develop into, with only three two point games out of 77 total games played. This includes a goal and an assist in a March 3rd, 2-1 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning. He took 87 shots on goal, finishing tied for eighth on the club with six goals and with 15 assists. He finished the season with a minus-13 rating and only 17 penalty minutes collected.
2003-04 would see Weiss relegated to the San Antonio Rampage on opening day, staying with the team through their first 10 games (six goals, three assists). He was recalled to the Panthers on November 7th, where Weiss promptly pitched in a goal and an assist in a 6-3 Florida win over Pittsburgh. Three weeks later, he scored two goals in a 4-3 loss to the Buffalo Sabres. On January 21st, Weiss scored a season high three points (one goal, two assists) as the Panthers suffered a 6-5 defeat to the Colorado Avalanche. Late in the season, he suffered a sprained knee and a broken leg in quick succession, limiting him to 50 games. He averaged 17:42 time on ice, usually as part the Panthers second line. He ranked sixth on the club in goals and assists, with 12 (on 82 shots) and 17 assists, rating at minus-10 with 10 penalty minutes.
During the lost 2004-05 season, Weiss split the season between the Rampage (62 games, 15 goals, 23 assists) and the Chicago Wolves (18 games, seven goals, nine assists). When play resumed in 2005-06, Weiss missed the second half of the season with a wrist injury. In the first half of the season, he appeared in 41 games, scoring nine goals on 74 shots with 12 assists. He racked up 22 minutes in the penalty box, averaging 15:15 per game with a minus-2 rating.
To most people, Weiss seemed to “come of age” in the 2006-07 season, with his first 20 goal/20 assist effort. He had 11 multi-point games, including six three point matches. He scored his first career hat trick on January 13th in a 7-3 Panthers win over the Washington Capitals. From February 24th through March 6th, Weiss racked up eight point in a five game scoring streak (five goals, three assists). He scored a team fourth best 20 goals on 76 shots with 28 assists. He posted a minus-1 rating and 28 penalty minutes while averaging 17:07 per game.
2007-08 would see Weiss average 17:35 through 74 games played. He scored 13 goals on 132 shots, ranking third on the club with 29 assists and with his first positive plus/minus rating, at plus-14. He also spent a new career high 40 minutes in the penalty box. He put up six two point contests over the course of the season.
In 2008-09, Weiss scored 14 goals on 154 shots. He led the Panthers with 47 assists, a plus-19 rating, and 61 overall points, all career highs. Weiss collected 22 penalty minutes while averaging 17:48 per game. He also had 14 two point games and four three point efforts, including one goal and two assists in a 4-3 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs on February 3rd.
Weiss scored a career high 28 goals (on 180 shots) to lead the Panthers in 2009-10, pitching in 32 assists. He ended the season with a minus-7 rating and 40 penalty minutes, skating an average of exactly 20 minutes per game, second on the forward corps to frequent linemate Nathan Horton. He notched his second career hat trick on December 2nd in a 6-5 Florida win over the Colorado Avalanche. Three weeks later, he had his first career four point game (one goal, three assists) as Florida beat the Philadelphia Flyers, 4-1.
In 2010-11, Weiss led all Panthers forwards with 20:06 of average time on ice. He ranked second on the team with 21 goals on 172 shots, leading the Panthers with 28 assists and 49 total points. He had a minus-3 rating and a team third most 49 penalty minutes. He had 11 two-point games and on two occasions registered three. First in a 7-4 win over the Carolina Hurricanes on November 5th (two goals, one assist), then on January 11th he dished out three assists in a 4-3 win victory against the Capitals.
2011-12 would see Weiss equal a career high with 80 games. He played a career high 20:31 average time on ice. He ranked third on the team with 20 goals on 149 shots with team second bests 37 assists and a plus-5 rating. He also set a new career high and ranked third on the club with 60 penalty minutes. He had 10 multi-point games, including a two goal, two assist night in a 7-4 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning on October 17th. After 637 regular season games, Weiss cashed in his long overdue reward with his first ever playoff action. In the Panthers seven game series loss to the New Jersey Devils in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, he scored three goals and two assists. In game two, on April 15th, he scored twice as the Panthers won, 4-2 to pull even at one game apiece.
Stephen Weiss HIghlights (via TheHockeyStuff)
Stephen Weiss Makes the Playoffs (via MiamiHeraldHockey)
There are many who think that by spending 10 (mostly) disappointing seasons with the Panthers, and becoming Florida’s all-time leader in games played and assists, Weiss has earned the right to wear the Captain’s “C” on his sweater. For my money, you would be hard pressed to convince me that anyone else on the team deserves it more. Not even 30 yet, he has repeatedly stated a desire to spend his entire career as a Panther.
All-Time Statline: Ten seasons (all-time leader), 637 games (all-time leader), 144 goals (fourth all-time), 246 assists (all-time leader), 390 points (second all-time), minus-4 rating, 288 PIM, 38.2 APS.
5. Tomas Vokoun
Vokoun, a 6’1″ goaltender from Karlovy Vary, Czechoslovakia, allowed 11 goals in five games with the Czech Republic Junior National Team. He was soon after selected in the ninth round of the 1994 NHL Entry Draft with the 226th overall pick by the Montreal Canadiens.
After spending 1994-95 with HC Kladno, Vokoun made the jump to North America. He posted a 20-10-2 record in his first season, with the ECHL’s Wheeling Thunderbirds, in 1995-96. The next season would see him advance to the Canadiens AHL Affiliate in Fredericton (also the Canadiens), going 12-26-7. He appeared in one NHL game with the Canadiens that season, allowing four goals on 14 shots in one period. He took the loss in the eventual 9-5 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers on February 6th, 1997.
It would be awhile before T-Vo made another NHL appearance. He stayed on Fredericton’s roster through the entire 1997-98 season, posting a 13-13-2 record. After the season, Vokoun was left unprotected in the 1998 Expansion Draft, where he was picked up by the brand-new Nashville Predators.
Vokoun ultimately spent eight total seasons with Nashville, and is the Predators all-time leader in most goaltending categories. He posted an overall 161-159-46 record with 21 shutouts (second only to Pekka Rinne’s 25). If I were to calculate a list for Nashville with the same standards set forth in the Panther’s countdown, Vokoun would come in on top (a few point shares ahead of forward David Legwand). After the 2006-07 season, Nashville traded him to the Panthers for a first (Joshua Bailey) and two second (Aaron Ness, Nick Spaling) round picks.
2007-08 would see Vokoun start the season as the Panthers new number one goalie after the retirement of Hall-of-Famer Ed Belfour. After losing his first two games, he shut out the New Jersey Devils on 29 shots by a score of 3-0. Later, in a three game span from December 7th through the 13th, he allowed only one goal on 95 shots, going 2-0-1 while shutting out the New York Islanders, 3-0 and the St. Louis Blues, 1-0. In total, he had four shutouts that season with a 30-29-8 record. He stopped 91.9% of shots faced while allowing 2.68 goals per 60 minutes on ice. He was also credited with a career high six assists on the season. He ranked first in the NHL with 2,213 shots faced and with 2,033 saves, making his second career all-star team.
In 2008-09, Vokoun ranked second in the league with a stellar .926 save percentage. On December 21st, he shut out the Colorado Avalanche, 3-0 on 23 shots. In his next game, he stopped all 27 opposing shots in his second consecutive shutout victory, a 3-0 decision over the Predators. Later, from February 12th through the 21st, he allowed seven goals over a six game stretch with three shutouts. In all, he pitched six shutouts on his way to a 26-23-6 record and a 2.49 goals against average.
Vokoun again posted stats ranking amongst the season ending NHL leaderboard in 2009-10, finishing third with seven shutouts and with a .925 save percentage. He went 23-28-11, with a GAA of 2.55. From October 31st through November 14th, he orchestrated three shutouts in a four game span (4-0 over the Blues, 3-0 over the Carolina Hurricanes, and 1-0 against the Boston Bruins). In mid-January, he had a seven game span where he allowed seven goals (including four in one of them) for a 4-2-1 record with three more shutouts.
2010-11 would see Vokoun continue to mind the Panthers net as the unchallenged number one goalie. He posted consecutive shutout victories early in the season against the Calgary Flames, 3-0 on October 14th, and the Tampa Bay Lighning, 6-0 on October 16th. He went 22-28-5 with six shutouts, a 2.55 GAA and a .922 save percentage.
Florida’s Tallon-led “changing of the guard” did not include any serious competition for Vokoun’s talents. After not finding any good offers, he ended up with the Washington Capitals at the one time only clearance price of one-year, $1,500,000. He went 25-17-2 for the contenders, but finished the season injured and looking up at the new division champion Panthers in the standings.
Vokoun was often the only bright spot for the Panthers, especially during his last two seasons, when the team was barely competitive. He stole more than a few games with nicely timed performances, but his good streaks were at times few and far between. This past offseason, he signed a two-year, $4,000,000 contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
All-Time Statline: Four seasons, 248 games (third all-time), 14,274 minutes, 101-108-30 record, 23 shutouts (second all-time), 7,902 shots faced, 7,290 saves, 612 goals allowed, .923 save percentage, 2.57 GAA, 39.0 APS.
4. John Vanbiesbrouck
Beezer, a 5’8″ goaltender from Detroit, Michigan, first gained notice in the OMJHL with the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, posting a 31-16-1 record in 1980-81, his first season in juniors. The New York Rangers selected him in the fourth round of the 1981 NHL Entry Draft, 72nd overall. The following season would see him continue to feature as the Greyhounds starting netminder (12-12-2). He also managed to earn a victory in his NHL debut, a 29-save performance in a 4-1 Ranger victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on March 31,1982.
In 1982-83, Beezer spent the entire season back with Sault Ste. Marie, posting a 39-21-1 win loss record. The following season was spent mostly in the Central Hockey League, playing 36 games with the Tulsa Oilers. In his second callup to the NHL, he went 2-1-0, allowing 10 goals on 85 shots.
IN 1984-85, Vanbiesbrouck finally showed the Rangers that they needed to keep him at the top organizational level with a 12-24-3 record with a 4.22 GAA backstopping a mostly lousy team (counterpart Glen Hanlon’s numbers were comparable). He also earned his first career shutout on January 2nd, in a 6-0 whitewashing of the Vancouver Canucks.
Vanbiesbrouck’s 31-21-5 record in 1985-86 was good enough to lead the NHL in wins. He took home the Veniza Trophy, given annually to the top Goaltender in the NHL, while helping the team to the Patrick Division title (winning the first two rounds of the playoffs) before dropping the Conference Finals to the Montreal Canadiens in five games.
Ultimately, Vanbiesbrouck played in parts of 11 seasons with the Rangers, totalling a 200-177-47 record (fifth all-time on the Rangers win list). After the 1992-93 season, he was traded to the Vancouver Canucks for “future considerations,” (future considerations happened five days later, and was named Doug Lidster). Before Lidster’s transition, Beezer was left unprotected by the Canucks in the 1993 NHL Expansion Draft. Florida made him the first ever Panther with the first pick of the night.
The 1993-94 season would open for Florida with the Beez between the pipes. He stopped 29-of-33 shots in the Panther’s first ever regular season game, a 4-4 tie with the Chicago Blackhawks. In his next start, on October 9th, he posted Florida’s first ever win, a 2-0 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning. He ranked second in the NHL with a .924 save percentage, keeping Florida competitive even at times when conventional wisdom dictated they shouldn’t be. Even though he only had one shutout on the season, he only allowed more than four goals on one occasion out of 57 games played. He totalled a 21-25-4 record for the Panthers, with a league fourth best 2.53 GAA and a staggering total of 38 penalty minutes. Florida finished the season with an expansion-team record 33 victories (33-34-17) while Vanbiesbrouck earned his first all-star appearance.
After the 1994-95 season got a late start due to a labor dispute, Beezer again was Florida’s anchor in the net. With “His Girl Friday” Mark Fitzpatrick starting about every third game, John’s save percentage of 91.4 ranked him fifth in the NHL, and his four shutouts were good enough for third. From February 28th (a 0-0 goaltending clinic between Beezer (44 saves) and New York Rangers goalie Mike Richter (23 saves)) through March 11th, the Beez allowed only four goals in five contests, saving 136-of-140 shots (.972) with two shutouts. He was 14-15-4 overall, with a new career best 2.47 GAA.
In 1995-96, Vanbiesbrouck ranked ninth in the NHL with a 2.68 GAA and made his second career all-star roster. He led the surprising Panthers to an Eastern Conference Championship with a 26-20-7 record and a .904 save percentage. He started out the season 12-4-1, with two winning streaks, one four games and one six. From November 2nd through December 11th, Beezer stopped 357-of-380 shots (.939). In leading the Panthers through the Stanley Cup Playoffs, he went 12-10 with a .932 save percentage and a 2.25 GAA. His season culminated in a heroic goaltending duel for the ages, as he and Colorado Avalanche netminder Patrick Roy went scoreless through five periods, and taking game four of the Stanley Cup Finals into a third overtime. Roy and Vanbiesbrouck stopped a combined 118 shots. Not normally known for his scoring prowess, humongous defenseman Uwe Krupp put a stop to it after 104 minutes by putting one past the Beez to close a truly epic season.
1996-97 would see Vanbiesbrouck post a new personal and NHL fifth best 2.29 GAA. He went 27-19-10, getting the Panthers back to the playoffs with a .919 save percentage. After shutting out the Rangers on 34 shots in Game One of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals April 17th, Beezer allowed 13-of-137 shots to score over the next four contests as the Panthers were out in five. His shutout was Florida’s last playoff victory for two days short of 15 calendar years. He also played in his third all-star game.
In 1997-98, the Panthers seemed a shell of the Eastern Conference Champions of just two seasons prior, posting a 24-43-15 record. By going 18-29-11, with a 2.87 GAA and an .899 save percentage, Vanbiesbrouck had his worst statistical season since joining the Panthers. From January 24th through the 31st, he stopped 109-of-112 shots with two shutouts over a four game period (3-0-1, .973) in what may have been the high point of Florida’s season. Florida did not sign him after the season.
Vanbiesbrouck joined the Philadelphia Flyers for the 1998-99 season, playing two seasons for the club (52-33-24, 2.19, .904). He later played with the New York Islanders (10-25-5, 3.01, .898) and the New Jersey Devils (6-3-0, 1.78, .924), retiring after the 2002 NHL season.
To many, Vanbiesbrouck was the first guy you could really call the “heart and soul” of the team. That the Panthers made the Stanley Cup Finals in only their third season was due in no small part to the man they referred to as “the Beezer.” Until the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs, he was the only Panther goaltender who could say that he won a playoff game while with the club. he was inducted into the Hockey Hall-of-Fame with the Class of 2007.
All-Time Statline: Five seasons, 268 games played (second all-time), 15,503 minutes, 106-108-43 record, 13 shutouts, 7,605 shots faced, 6,939 saves made, 666 goals allowed, .912 save percentage, 2.58 GAA, 40.5 APS.
3. Olli Jokinen
Jokinen was a 6’2″ center from Kuopio, Finland. He scored 14 goals and 27 assists in 50 games for HIFK Helsinki in 1996-97 in the Finnish League. In the NHL’s annual draft soon afterward, Jokinen was selected by the Los Angeles Kings with the third overall pick. He started the 1997-98 season going scoreless in eight contests with the Kings before rejoining Helsinki (30 games, 11 goals, 28 assists).
1998-99 would see Jokinen begin his season with the AHL’s Springfield Falcons (nine games, three goals, six assists) before earning a promotion back to the Kings again. His nine games with Springfield remain as his only North American minor league experience. When he rejoined the Kings, he scored nine goals and 12 assists in 66 contests. After the season, the Kings traded him to the New York Islanders with Josh Green, Mathieu Biron and a first round pick (Taylor Pyatt) for Ziggy Palffy, Bryan Smolinski, Marcel Cousineau and a fourth round selection (Daniel Johansson).
For the Islanders in 1999-00, Jokinen played in all 82 contests for the team, scoring 11 goals and 10 assists while averaging just over 16 minutes per game. After the season the Islanders sent him to the Panthers along with Roberto Luongo for Mark Parrish and Oleg Kvasha.
Jokinen averaged 13:23 per game for Florida in 2000-01. He skated in 78 games, scoring six goals on 121 shots with 10 assists. On October 30th, he scored a season high two goals in a 6-5 loss to the New Jersey Devils. He had a team worst minus-22 rating with a team third most 106 penalty minutes.
2001-02 would see Jokinen play in 80 games for Florida, averaging 18:05 per contest on the Panthers second (and occasionally first) line. He scored nine goals on 153 shots with a team fourth ranking 20 assists, finishing the season with a minus-16 rating and 98 penalty minutes. After totalling only one point (a goal in a 5-1 Florida loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on November 19th) through his first 28 games, he scored 10 points (three goals, seven assists) in his next ten games.
Before the 2002-03 season, Jokinen scored a total of 35 goals. In 2002-03, he scored a team leading 36 on 240 shots, along with a team second 29 assists. He also achieved a new career high by averaging 22:02 through 81 games, a time-on-ice total that ranked him second on Florida’s forward corps. He finished the season with a minus-17 rating and 79 penalty minutes. He put up two four-point games (both two goals and two assists), first on October 12th in a 5-4 win over the Atlanta Thrashers, then later in a 4-4 tie with the Tampa Bay Lightning on February 8th. In addition to his two four-point efforts, he had three points in three games, and 10 times put up two. He also played on his only all-star team to date.
In 2003-04, Jokinen played in every game, continuing to lead the Panthers in scoring, leading the team by putting up 26 goals on 280 shots with 32 assists. He ranked first amongst Florida forwards with 22:35 ATOI, rating at minus-16 with 81 penalty minutes. He had 14 multi-point games over the course of the season, including three (two goals, one assist) on February 4th in a 5-4 Florida victory over the Phoenix Coyotes.
When the 2004-05 NHL season was cancelled, Jokinen decided to play the field in Europe, splitting his time between Kloten of the Swiss-A League (eight games, six goals, one assist), the Swedish Sodertalje SK (23 games, 13 goals, nine assists), and his old Finnish team, HIFK Helsinki (14 games, nine goals, eight assists).
Jokinen rejoined the Panthers when the NHL resumed play for the 2005-06 season. He played in every game, playing 20:29 per contest while centering Florida’s first line. He led the team with 38 goals (on 351 shots), nine game winners, 51 assists, and 89 total points. His plus-14 rating ranked third on the team, while 88 penalty minutes ranked him fourth. He had a very respectable 27 multi-point efforts, including nine three point games. He scored his first career hat trick for the Panthers on November 25th as the Panthers took care of the Pittsburgh Penguins, 6-3.
In 2006-07, Jokinen appeared in every Florida game for the third consecutive NHL season. He set career highs and led the team in most offensive categories, including 39 goals on 351 shots, 52 assists, and 91 points. He was second on the club with a plus-18 rating and was fifth on the team with 78 penalty minutes. He had 28 multi-point games, nine three-point games. On October 11th, he scored two goals with two assists as the Panthers defeated the Carolina Hurricanes, 6-3. November 16th would see him score his second Panthers hat trick in a 5-1 Florida victory over the Montreal Canadiens. He also collected hat tricks on January 10th (Florida 5, Penguins 2) and on February 27th (Florida 6, Washington Capitals 5). On March 17th, he put up a career high six points (two goals, four assists) as the Panthers took care of the New York Islanders, 8-5.
2007-08 would see Jokinen again play in all 82 games for Florida. Although he finished last on the team with a minus-19 rating, he led the team with 34 goals on 341 shots with 37 assists. He averaged 19:54 per contest, with 67 total penalty minutes. He had 16 games with two or more points. After the season, Florida traded him to the Coyotes for Keith Ballard, Nick Boynton, and a second round pick (Jared Staal).
Olli Jokinen Tribute (via italianstalion33)
After spending part of a season with the Coyotes (57 games, 21 goals, 21 assists), he was sent to the Calgary Flames with a third round pick (Josh Birkholz) for Matthew Lombardi, Brandon Prust, and a first round pick (Brandon Gormley). He played parts of four seasons with the Flames (236 games, 59 goals, 106 assists), punctuated by a short stop with the New York Rangers (26 games, four goals, 11 assists). After the 2011-12 season, he signed on with the Winnipeg Jets for two years / $9,000,000.
This one never gets old.
OLLI JOKINEN WAFFLE UFO 🙂 (via sharkieQue)
Jokinen had skill, stamina, and toughness in spades. He is Florida’s all-time leader in game winning goals, with 36, and should still head up Florida’s leaderboard in goals after next season, as he is still 38 ahead of fourth place Stephen Weiss.
All-Time Statline: Seven seasons, 567 games (fourth all-time), 188 goals (all-time leader), 231 assists (second all-time), 419 points (all-time leader), minus-58 rating, 597 penalty minutes (sixth all-time), 42.0 APS.
2. Robert Svehla
Svehla was a 6′ tall center from the city of Martin, Slovakia, population 58,000. As such, it is currently the eighth largest city in Slovakia. After three seasons with Dukla Trencin of the Czech League (132 games, 43 goals, 40 assists), the Calgary Flames selected him in the fourth round of the 1992 NHL Entry Draft, with the 78th overall pick. Instead of joining the Flames, he elected to join Malmo IF of the Swedish League, for most of three seasons (109 games, 44 goals, 48 assists). It was during this time that the Flames sent him to the Panthers with Magnus Svensson for third (Dmitri Vlasenkov) and fourth (Ryan Ready) round picks. Svehla would never again play professional hockey outside of the NHL.
Svehla joined the Panthers near the end of the strike-shortened 1994-95 season as a 26-year old rookie. He scored his first goal in his second game for the Panthers, a 4-2 win over the Quebec Nordiques on April 22nd. In five total games that season, he scored one goal on six shots with an assist and a plus-3 rating as the Panthers posted a 4-1-0 record with him in the lineup.
Svehla scored eight goals on 146 shots in 1995-96, leading the Panthers with what would remain a career high 49 assists. He had a minus-3 rating with 94 penalty minutes through a team fourth-best 81 games. He had multiple points on 11 occasions, including three three assist efforts. First in a 6-2 Florida win over the Ottawa Senators on October 13th, then two weeks later in a rematch with the Senators, a 4-1 Panthers win. He repeated the feat on February 18th, in a 6-4 win over the Dallas Stars. In the playoffs, he collected six assists while appearing in all 22 contests, also accruing 32 minutes in the penalty box.
1996-97 would see Svehla make his only NHL All-Star team appearance. He had 12 multi-point games, including a season high three (one goals, two assists) in a 5-2 win over the Senators on October 23rd. He scored a career high 13 goals on 159 shots, leading the team with 32 assists, finishing the season with a plus-2 rating and 86 penalty minutes. In Florida’s five postseason contests, Svehla led the team with five points on one goal and four assists as the Panthers were eliminated by the New York Rangers in five.
In 1997-98, Svehla totalled nine goals on 144 shots with a team leading 34 assists in 79 contests. He ranked fifth on the club with 113 penalty minutes and finished the season with a minus-3 rating. From November 6th through the 14th, he totalled seven points in four games (one goals, six assists). On December 10th, he scored a goal and two assists in a 5-2 win over the Carolina Hurricanes. On December 26th, he equalled his season high by dishing out three assists in another 5-2 Florida win over the Canes. He totalled seven additional two point games over the course of the season.
Svehla scored a goal and two assists for a season high three points on November 28th as the Panthers defeated the Buffalo Sabres 6-2. He appeared in 80 games through the 1998-99 season, scoring eight goals on 157 shots with a team fourth best 29 assists. He also had a minus-13 rating and 83 penalty minutes.
1999-00 would see Svehla rank third on the Panthers last playoff team for over a decade with 40 assists and a plus-23 rating. He also scored nine goals on 143 shots, ranking first on the team with 24:33 per game while appearing in all 82 contests. He finished the season with 64 PIM. He scored two goals and four assists over a three game period from October 16th through the 22nd. On January 17th, he scored two goals as the Panthers outhustled the Philadelphia Flyers, 3-1. In the playoffs, he contributed one assist in four games against the New Jersey Devils, who swept Florida in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals.
In 2000-01, Svehla’s offensive numbers tailed off while his ice time actually increased to a team second best 25:34, as he again appeared in all 82 contests. His six goals (on 121 shots) and team fourth best 22 assists both represented career lows for the former all-star. On December 27th, he again scored twice on the Flyers, the only bright spot in a 5-2 Philadelphia victory. He finished the season with a minus-8 rating and a team fourth most 76 penalty minutes.
2001-02 would be Svehla’s final season in Sunrise, as the defenseman closed his Panthers career with seven goals on 119 shots and a Panthers second best 22 assists. He had a minus-19 rating and 87 penalty minutes, averaging a career high 25:41 average TOI. On February 26th, he dished out a season high three assists in a 4-3 loss to the Washington Capitals. After the season, Florida traded him to the Toronto Maple Leafs for Dmitry Yushkevich.
Svehla spent one season in Toronto, and scored seven goals with 38 assists through the 2002-03 season. He officially announced his retirement prior to the Leafs 2003-04 training camp.
Svehla showed remarkable resiliency during his tenure with the Panthers, missing six games over his seven full seasons with the club. Even playing all those games, he consistently ranked with the league leaders in ice time and hits (not consistently tracked until 2008-09).
All-Time Statline: Eight seasons (fourth all-time), 573 games (third all-time), 61 goals, 229 assists (third all-time), minus-18 rating, 603 PIM (fifth all-time), 51.3 APS.
I hope you enjoyed reading this series as much as I liked writing it. The Number One Player in the series – a goaltender – can be found here.