Ken Daneyko
Ken Daneyko | |
|---|---|
| Born | Kenneth Stephen Daneyko April 17, 1964 Windsor, Ontario, Canada |
| Occupation(s) | Professional ice hockey defenseman (retired), broadcaster |
| Years active | 1983–2003 (NHL career) |
| Known for | Playing entire NHL career with New Jersey Devils, three Stanley Cup championships, "Mr. Devil" |
Kenneth Stephen Daneyko (born April 17, 1964) is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey defenseman who devoted his entire NHL career to the New Jersey Devils, contributing to three Stanley Cup victories. Affectionately known by supporters as "Mr. Devil," he holds franchise records for the most games played (1,283) and penalty minutes accumulated (2,516). Currently, Daneyko works as a colour commentator alongside Don La Greca during Devils game broadcasts on MSG Sportsnet.
Early years
Born in Windsor, Ontario, Daneyko lived there until age seven before his family moved to Edmonton, Alberta. As the youngest among four siblings, he was raised in a household with a German immigrant father and a mother of Ukrainian descent. Growing up in Edmonton, he was childhood friends with future NHL legend Mark Messier, whose influence was significant despite their age gap.
Amateur
Daneyko began his hockey journey playing Bantam AA with the Great Falls Americans before advancing to junior hockey at age 15, a decision supported by his father but opposed by his mother.[1][2] He spent one season with the Yorkton Terriers of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League, tallying one goal and 20 assists. Subsequently, he joined the Spokane Flyers competing in the Western Hockey League (WHL), appearing in 88 games before transferring to the Seattle Breakers in December 1981 following Spokane’s franchise suspension.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name His strong showing in Seattle improved his draft prospects, culminating in being selected 18th overall by the New Jersey Devils in the 1982 NHL Entry Draft.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name
Professional
Daneyko participated in the Devils’ training camp in 1982 but was sent back to the Seattle Breakers where he recorded 17 goals and 43 assists during the 1982–83 season. Due to concerns regarding coaching quality, he was reassigned to the Kamloops Junior Oilers of the WHL. At the Devils’ 1983 training camp, paired with veteran defenseman Phil Russell, Daneyko made his NHL debut on October 6, 1983, facing the New York Rangers and netted his first NHL goal later that month.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name Early in his rookie season, he ranked sixth in scoring among newcomers but suffered a fibula fracture in November that sidelined him for over two months. After recovering, he returned to Kamloops and contributed to their qualification for the 1984 Memorial Cup.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name
Starting the 1984–85 season with New Jersey’s AHL affiliate, the Maine Mariners, Daneyko credited this period for significant growth in both his physicality and mental approach.[3] During the 1985 offseason, he attended training camp with Adler Mannheim in West Germany but faced suspension and fines for doing so without NHL authorization.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name Limited playing time with New Jersey followed in 1985 before being demoted back to the AHL; he concluded that season without scoring any goals but contributed ten assists. In June 1986, he secured a two-year contract extension.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name
On March 29, 1994, Daneyko’s streak of consecutive NHL appearances ended at 388 games due to a shoulder injury.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name He reached the milestone of playing his 800th NHL game on October 18, 1996, placing him second on New Jersey’s all-time list for games played.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name
During the 1997–98 season, Daneyko faced personal challenges that impacted his play. In early November, he publicly revealed his struggle with alcoholism and entered the NHL’s voluntary Substance Abuse and Behavioral Health program, missing 45 games.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name Following rehabilitation, he returned to action on February 25, 1998.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name His resilience and commitment were honored when he received the Bill Masterton Trophy in 2000.[4]
Together with Scott Stevens, Daneyko formed a cornerstone of New Jersey’s defensive lineup that captured three Stanley Cup titles (1995, 2000, and 2003). From their inaugural playoff appearance in 1988 through most campaigns until 2003, Daneyko was a constant presence except for a brief absence during the 2003 quarterfinals. Coach Pat Burns reinstated him for game seven of the 2003 Stanley Cup Finals where Daneyko played a pivotal role in securing New Jersey’s third championship.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name
Post-playing career
Following his retirement from professional hockey, Daneyko transitioned to a broadcasting role with the Devils on MSGSN, serving as a studio analyst for eight years. In September 2014, he advanced to the position of in-game analyst for the team.
Legacy and honours
On March 24, 2006, the Devils honored Daneyko by retiring his jersey number, making him the second player to receive this distinction after Scott Stevens; both players had their numbers retired during the same year.
In October 2009, Daneyko took part in CBC's reality competition Battle of the Blades as a pairs figure skater. The following year, he played himself in the short film Ice Hockey, directed by Larry Cohen and featuring Randy Velischek.
Daneyko was inducted into the Ukrainian Sports Hall of Fame in 2016.
Personal life
Daneyko is a father to two children: one daughter and one son.
Regular season and playoffs
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1979–80 | Yorkton Terriers | SJHL | 60 | 2 | 24 | 26 | 102 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1979–80 | Great Falls Americans | WHL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1980–81 | St. Albert Saints | AJHL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1980–81 | Spokane Flyers | WHL | 62 | 6 | 13 | 19 | 140 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1981–82 | St. Albert Saints | AJHL | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1981–82 | Spokane Flyers | WHL | 26 | 1 | 11 | 12 | 147 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| NHL totals | 1,283 | 36 | 142 | 178 | 2,516 | 175 | 5 | 17 | 22 | 296 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
International
| Year | Team | Event | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | Canada | WC | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 1989 | Canada | WC | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | |
| Senior totals | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | |||
Awards and distinctions
| Honour | Year |
|---|---|
| National Hockey League | |
| Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy | 2000 |
See also
- List of New Jersey Devils award recipients
- List of New Jersey Devils franchise records
- List of New Jersey Devils commentators
- List of New Jersey Devils draft selections
- List of New Jersey Devils roster members
- List of NHL players with 1,000+ games played
- List of NHL players with 2,000+ career penalty minutes
- List of NHL players who spent their entire careers with a single team
External links
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
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- Pages with script errors
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- Articles with short description
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- 1964 births
- Battle of the Blades participants
- Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy winners
- Canadian ice hockey defencemen
- Canadian people of Ukrainian descent
- Great Falls Americans players
- Kamloops Junior Oilers players
- Living people
- Maine Mariners (AHL) players
- MSG Network people
- NHL first-round draft picks
- National Hockey League players with retired numbers
- New Jersey Devils draft picks
- New Jersey Devils players
- People from North Caldwell, New Jersey
- Seattle Breakers players
- Spokane Flyers players
- Ice hockey people from Edmonton
- Ice hockey people from Windsor, Ontario
- Stanley Cup champions
- Yorkton Terriers players
- 20th-century Canadian sportsmen
- Ice hockey players from New Jersey