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Theoren Fleury
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 |
|
| Position | Right Wing |
| Shoots | Right |
| Height Weight |
5 ft 6 in (1.68 m) 180 lb (82 kg) |
| Pro Clubs | NHL Calgary Flames Colorado Avalanche New York Rangers Chicago Blackhawks SM-liiga Tappara EIHL Belfast Giants |
| Nationality |  Canada |
| Born | June 29, 1968 , Oxbow, SK, CAN |
| NHL Draft | 166th overall, 1987 Calgary Flames |
| Pro Career | 1989 – 2006 |
Theoren Wallace "Theo" Fleury (born June 29, 1968 in Oxbow, Saskatchewan, Canada, raised in Russell, Manitoba, Canada) is a retired international and professional ice hockey player. Fleury overcame significant challenges to excel at the top level of the game, including winning Stanley Cups and an Olympic gold medal.
He played right wing. Fleury is remembered for his successful career in the National Hockey League. He played for the Calgary Flames, Colorado Avalanche, New York Rangers and Chicago Blackhawks. He holds the NHL individual record for most short-handed goals in one game (three). No one on the Calgary Flames has worn number 14 since he has left, there is speculation it would be retired when Fleury got his life in order. As of December 2006, he is the owner of Fleury's Concrete Coatings, a family business that he started with newlywed Jennifer and brother Travis.
Contents |
Fleury played junior with the Moose Jaw Warriors of the Western Hockey League.
Fleury was a member of Canada's national junior team at the World Junior Championships. On January 4, 1987, he was involved in a fight that started the infamous Punch-up in Piestany against the Soviet Union team. A bench-clearing brawl resulted in both teams being ejected from the tournament, costing Canada an assured medal.[1]
Fleury was drafted by the Calgary Flames 166th overall in the 1987 NHL Entry Draft. Initially regarded as being too small to compete in the NHL, Fleury proved to play with the strength and physicality of a power forward, despite being 5’6” tall and 180lbs. In addition to having speed and play making ability, he also possessed strength and did not need the presence of an enforcer on his line as he could hit, fight and grind despite his size.
He was a member of the 1989 Stanley Cup Champion Calgary Flames. In his first full season with the Flames in 1989-90, Fleury tallied 31 goals and 35 assists. Fleury tallied two 100 point seasons, one 50+ goal season and three 40+ goal seasons in his time with the Flames. At the latter point in the 1998-99 NHL season, it was clear Calgary was not going to be able to keep Fleury, as he would be commanding a high price on the unrestricted free agency market and Calgary would not be able to afford his salary. Instead of losing Fleury through the free agency market, the Flames arranged a deal with the Colorado Avalanche before the trade deadline in exchange for Rene Corbet, Wade Belak and Robyn Regehr. By the time he left the Flames in 1999, he was the last remaining Flame on the roster of their 1989 Stanley Cup winning team and held numerous club and NHL records. In the end, the Flames’ future plans panned out. With the departure of Fleury, Jarome Iginla became the new star and Robyn Regehr developed into a successful defenseman.
Upon arrival in Denver, Fleury played in 15 games before the end of the season, scoring 10 goals and 14 assists for 24 points and another 5 goals and 12 assists for 17 points in 18 playoff games. Despite his success with the Avalanche, Fleury was not re-signed and eventually landed a spot on the New York Rangers on July 5, 1999. After three seasons with the Rangers, Fleury signed with the Chicago Blackhawks for the 2002-03 NHL season.
However, by this time, wrestling with off-ice worries, including his father's cancer operation, his substance abuse problems had began to surface, something which he battled since his playing career began in Calgary. In 1996, he was diagnosed with Crohn's Disease. Although seemingly under control for half a year by the time he won Olympic gold, Fleury's substance abuse issues resurfaced. In October 2002 he suffered a relapse and was suspended for six months, and placed in the NHL/NHLPA Substance Abuse and Behavioral Health Program for violating his aftercare program. His drug problems were a source of great taunting from opposing fans, primarily those of the New York Islanders.[2]
Fleury began the 2002-03 NHL season serving out the 25-game suspension. Soon after his return, however, he missed a practice, claiming he had overslept, and in January, he was involved in an incident at a strip club in Columbus, Ohio.[3] He was suspended in 2003 for again violating the substance abuse program.[4]
In an attempt to restore his career, Fleury attempted to join the North Peace Hockey League's Horse Lake Thunder, which is based in the Horse Lake First Nations, Alberta. His first game was to be on January 6, 2005, but he was ruled ineligible because he was under an NHL contract during the previous season. After two appeals, Fleury and the Thunder were able to overturn the decision.[5] In Fleury's first game with the Thunder, on January 22, 2005, he scored one goal and two assists. Fleury's cousin, Todd Holt, as well as former NHLer, Gino Odjick also play for the Thunder. The Thunder played in the 2005 Allan Cup in Lloydminster. After two convincing round robin wins, the Thunder were upset by the eventual champion Thunder Bay Bombers, 6-5, in the semi-final.
Fleury signed for the 2005-06 season with the Belfast Giants of the British Elite Ice Hockey League, and made a stellar debut on October 15, 2005 against Edinburgh Capitals scoring a hat-trick, gaining 4 assists, and fighting Fredrik Oduya which led to him being named man of the match. Although he helped the Giants to the league championship, he was involved in several incidents including one game in which he attempted to climb out of the penalty box in order to reach a Coventry Blaze fan who had taunted him, and threatened match officials as a result of frustrating officiating.[6] Following a particularly frustrating encounter with a British ice hockey official (in which the referee got disciplined as a result of his actions)[citation needed], Fleury, clearly enraged, stated in a press conference after the game, that he would not return to the league for the next season, citing the poor standard of officiating in the EIHL.
He was also voted the Elite League Player of the year by the British Ice Hockey Writers Association.
He said on several occasions that if he had been able to make a comeback to the NHL, the only team for which he would play would be the Calgary Flames.[citation needed]
Fleury was part of an ownership group for the Calgary Hitmen that included wrestler Bret Hart and Joe Sakic.
As of January, 2007, he resides in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, and has started a concrete sealing business.[7]
- Alka-Seltzer Plus Award - 1991 (shared with Marty McSorley) +48
- Played in 7 NHL All-Star Games - 1991, 1992, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001
- British Ice Hockey Writers Elite League Player of the Season 2005-06
- British Elite Ice Hockey League First Team All-Star 2005-06
- Number (9) retired by Moose Jaw Warriors (WHL)
- Calgary Flames franchise record for points scored (830), goals scored (364), most 1st goals of the season (3), and most shots in one season (353); tied for franchise record: 3 or more goal games in one season (5; Hakan Loob), most shots in one game (13; Al MacInnis), and most penalties in one game (8 - 5 minors and 3 10-minute misconducts; Charlie Bourgeois)
- 53rd in goals on NHL all-time rankings (455)
- 63rd in assists on NHL all-time rankings (633)
- 55th in points on NHL all-time rankings (1088)
- NHL record 3 short-handed goals in one game (only short-handed hat trick ever recorded)
- NHL record highest plus/minus rating in one game, plus-9 (February 10, 1993 against the San Jose Sharks)
- Holds single season record for assists (92) and points (160) for Moose Jaw Warriors (WHL)
- All-time record holder for goals (201), assists (271), and points (472) for the Moose Jaw Warriors (WHL)
- Fury: Inside the life of Theoren Fleury is a biography by Andrew H. Malcolm, published by McClelland & Stewart Inc. The book was criticized for glossing over Fleury's association with the infamous Graham James.[8]
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1984-85 | Moose Jaw Warriors | WHL | 71 | 29 | 46 | 75 | 82 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 1985-86 | Moose Jaw Warriors | WHL | 72 | 43 | 65 | 108 | 124 | 13 | 7 | 13 | 20 | 16 | ||
| 1986-87 | Moose Jaw Warriors | WHL | 66 | 61 | 68 | 129 | 110 | 9 | 7 | 9 | 16 | 34 | ||
| 1987-88 | Moose Jaw Warriors | WHL | 65 | 68 | 92 | 160 | 235 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 1987-88 | Salt Lake Golden Eagles | IHL | 2 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 11 | 5 | 16 | 16 | ||
| 1988-89 | Salt Lake Golden Eagles | IHL | 40 | 37 | 37 | 74 | 81 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 1988-89 | Calgary Flames | NHL | 36 | 14 | 20 | 34 | 46 | 22 | 5 | 6 | 11 | 24 | ||
| 1989-90 | Calgary Flames | NHL | 80 | 31 | 35 | 66 | 157 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 10 | ||
| 1990-91 | Calgary Flames | NHL | 79 | 51 | 53 | 104 | 136 | 7 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 14 | ||
| 1991-92 | Calgary Flames | NHL | 80 | 33 | 40 | 73 | 133 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 1992-93 | Calgary Flames | NHL | 83 | 34 | 66 | 100 | 88 | 6 | 5 | 7 | 12 | 27 | ||
| 1993-94 | Calgary Flames | NHL | 83 | 40 | 45 | 85 | 186 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 10 | 5 | ||
| 1994-95 | Calgary Flames | NHL | 47 | 29 | 29 | 58 | 112 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 14 | 2 | ||
| 1994-95 | Tappara | SM-l | 10 | 8 | 9 | 17 | 22 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 1995-96 | Calgary Flames | NHL | 80 | 46 | 50 | 96 | 112 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 14 | ||
| 1996-97 | Calgary Flames | NHL | 81 | 29 | 38 | 67 | 104 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 1997-98 | Calgary Flames | NHL | 82 | 27 | 51 | 78 | 197 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 1998-99 | Calgary Flames | NHL | 60 | 30 | 39 | 69 | 68 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 1998-99 | Colorado Avalanche | NHL | 15 | 10 | 14 | 24 | 18 | 18 | 5 | 12 | 17 | 20 | ||
| 1999-00 | New York Rangers | NHL | 80 | 15 | 49 | 64 | 68 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 2000-01 | New York Rangers | NHL | 62 | 30 | 44 | 74 | 122 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 2001-02 | New York Rangers | NHL | 82 | 24 | 39 | 63 | 216 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 2002-03 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 54 | 12 | 21 | 33 | 77 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 2004-05 | Horse Lake Thunder | NPHL | 7 | 4 | 10 | 14 | 28 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 2005-06 | Belfast Giants | EIHL | 34 | 22 | 52 | 74 | 270 | 7 | 1 | 12 | 13 | 34 | ||
| NHL Totals | 1084 | 455 | 633 | 1088 | 1840 | 77 | 34 | 45 | 79 | 116 | ||||
| Olympic medal record | |||
| Men's Ice Hockey | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Gold | 2002 Salt Lake City | Ice Hockey | |
Played for Canada in:
- 1988 World Junior Hockey Championships - Team Captain (gold medal)
- 1991 World Championships (silver medal)
- 1991 Canada Cup (gold medal)
- 1996 World Cup of Hockey
- 1998 Winter Olympics
- 2002 Winter Olympics (gold medal)
- ^ http://archives.cbc.ca/IDC-1-41-1984-12742-10/on_this_day/sports/twt
- ^ Alan Hahn, Fish Sticks: The Fall and Rise of the New York Islanders, page 92
- ^ "More problems for Fleury", Chicago Sun-Times, January 23, 2003, <http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4155/is_20030123/ai_n9616885>. Retrieved on November 1, 2007
- ^ "NHL shelves Fleury for six months", Chicago Sun-Times, April 12, 2003, <http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4155/is_20030412/ai_n12504098>. Retrieved on November 1, 2007
- ^ "Fleury wins appeal to play in independent league", USA Today, January 21, 2005, <http://www.usatoday.com/sports/hockey/2005-01-21-fleury-appeal_x.htm>. Retrieved on November 1, 2007
- ^ "Fleury threatens ref in British league" (English). TSN (2006-03-06). Retrieved on 2007-04-19.
- ^ Link to his new business website's 'About' page. Fleury's Concrete Coatings. Retrieved on 2007-01-24.
- ^ http://www.canoe.ca/SlamReviews/fury.html
- Captain (hockey)
- List of NHL seasons
- List of NHL players
- List of NHL players with 1000 points
- List of NHL players with 1000 games played
| Preceded by Paul Cavallini |
Co-winner of the NHL Plus/Minus Award (with Marty McSorley) 1991 |
Succeeded by Paul Ysebaert |
| Preceded by Joe Nieuwendyk |
Calgary Flames captains 1995-97 |
Succeeded by Todd Simpson |
Categories: All articles with unsourced statements | Articles with unsourced statements since February 2007 | Articles with unsourced statements since October 2007 | 1968 births | Belfast Giants players | Canadian ice hockey right wingers | Calgary Flames players | Chicago Blackhawks players | Colorado Avalanche players | Ice hockey personnel from Saskatchewan | Living people | Moose Jaw Warriors alumni | National Hockey League players with 50 goal seasons | National Hockey League players with 100 point seasons | National Hockey League All-Stars | New York Rangers players | Olympic ice hockey players of Canada | Olympic gold medalists for Canada | Salt Lake Golden Eagles players | Stanley Cup champions