Lee Stempniak
Lee Stempniak | |
|---|---|
| Born | February 4, 1983 |
| Occupation | Professional ice hockey forward (retired) |
| Years active | 2006–2019 |
| Known for | Playing for ten NHL franchises; overseeing player development for the Utah Mammoth |
Lee Edward Stempniak (born February 4, 1983) is a retired American professional ice hockey forward who competed in the National Hockey League (NHL). Throughout his career, he played for ten different franchises: the St. Louis Blues, Toronto Maple Leafs, Phoenix Coyotes, Calgary Flames, Pittsburgh Penguins, New York Rangers, Winnipeg Jets, New Jersey Devils, Boston Bruins, and Carolina Hurricanes. Presently, he oversees player development for the Utah Mammoth.
Stempniak completed his high school education at St. Francis High School in Athol Springs, New York, in 2001 before advancing to collegiate hockey at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire. Recognized for his adaptability and speed on the ice, he shares the distinction of having played for the second-highest number of NHL teams in league history. After a 14-season tenure, he officially retired on October 1, 2019.
Early life
Stempniak’s formative years were influenced by proximity to an ice rink and ample practice opportunities. Although passionate about continuing hockey after high school, he prioritized academics following his parents’ advice and enrolled at Dartmouth—the sole institution to offer him a spot. Majoring in economics, he excelled with the Dartmouth Big Green men’s ice hockey squad, earning two All-American accolades and serving as team captain.
St. Louis Blues
Selected by the St. Louis Blues in the fifth round as the 148th overall pick at the 2003 NHL Entry Draft, Stempniak led his team in goals during his first full NHL season (2006–07) by netting 27 goals at age 23. He was part of one of the league’s youngest forward lines alongside David Backes and Jay McClement.
Toronto Maple Leafs
On November 24, 2008, Stempniak was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for Alexander Steen and Carlo Colaiacovo. While with Toronto, he sported jersey number 12.
Phoenix Coyotes
Stempniak was traded to the Phoenix Coyotes on March 3, 2010, in return for Matt Jones and two draft selections. Shortly thereafter, he was honored as the NHL’s Second Star of the Week after scoring five goals across three consecutive victories for Phoenix. On April 1, 2010, he received NHL Player of the Month recognition for March after accumulating 13 goals since joining the Coyotes.
He secured a two-year contract extension with Phoenix on August 30, 2010.
Calgary Flames
The Coyotes traded Stempniak to the Calgary Flames on August 29, 2011, in exchange for Daymond Langkow. During the 2011–12 campaign, he tallied 14 goals and 14 assists over 61 games. On June 29, 2012, Stempniak agreed to a two-year deal worth $5 million to remain with Calgary.
Pittsburgh Penguins
At the trade deadline of the 2013–14 season on March 5, 2014, Stempniak was dealt to the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for a third-round draft pick. He contributed 11 points in 21 regular-season games and added three points over 13 playoff contests before Pittsburgh’s elimination in the second round by the New York Rangers.
New York Rangers
On July 19, 2014, Stempniak inked a one-year deal as a free agent with the New York Rangers, marking the sixth NHL franchise of his career. During the 2014–15 campaign, he primarily contributed in a lower-six forward position, registering nine goals and accumulating 18 points across 53 contests.
Winnipeg Jets
Stempniak was traded to the Winnipeg Jets on March 1, 2015, in exchange for Carl Klingberg.
In Game 3 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals against Anaheim, Stempniak netted Winnipeg's first playoff goal since 1996, putting the Jets ahead 1-0.
New Jersey Devils
On September 16, 2015, Stempniak accepted a professional tryout with the New Jersey Devils and subsequently earned a one-year contract valued at $850,000 on October 3. He led the Devils offensively during the 2015–16 season by posting 41 points in 63 games, marking his most productive scoring year since 2010.
Boston Bruins
On February 29, 2016, Stempniak was traded to the Boston Bruins in return for a second-round and a fourth-round draft selection. He finished that season contributing 10 points over 19 games.
Carolina Hurricanes
Following that season, on July 1, 2016, Stempniak signed a two-year contract with the Carolina Hurricanes, becoming his tenth NHL team.
Return to Boston
Stempniak returned to the Boston Bruins by signing a Professional Tryout (PTO) contract during training camp on September 10, 2018. Without a formal contract at the start of the season, he practiced sporadically with the team before agreeing to a PTO with their AHL affiliate, the Providence Bruins, on February 15, 2019. After appearing in four games for Providence, he secured a one-year NHL contract with Boston on February 24, 2019.
Regular season and playoffs
... [table continues unchanged] ...| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1998–99 | Saint Francis High School | HSNY | 16 | 16 | 16 | 32 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1999–2000 | Saint Francis High School | HSNY | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1999–2000 | Rochester Jr. Americans AAA | Midget | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2000–01 | Buffalo Lightning | OPJHL | 48 | 34 | 41 | 85 | 36 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2001–02 | Dartmouth College | ECAC | 32 | 12 | 9 | 21 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2002–03 | Dartmouth College | ECAC | 34 | 21 | 28 | 49 | 32 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2003–04 | Dartmouth College | ECAC | 34 | 16 | 22 | 38 | 42 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2004–05 | Dartmouth College | ECAC | 35 | 14 | 29 | 43 | 34 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2005–06 | Peoria Rivermen | AHL | 20 | 8 | 5 | 13 | 25 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 2 | ||
| 2005–06 | St. Louis Blues | NHL | 57 | 14 | 13 | 27 | 22 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| NHL totals | 911 | 203 | 266 | 469 | 327 | 28 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 6 | ||||
International
| Year | Team | Event | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | United States | WC | 7 | 6 | 4 | 10 | 27 | |
| 2008 | United States | WC | 7 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 6 | |
| 2009 | United States | WC | 9 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 6 | |
| Senior totals | 23 | 8 | 7 | 15 | 39 | |||
Awards and honors
| Award | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| College | ||
| All-ECAC Hockey Rookie Team | 2001–02 | |
| All-ECAC Hockey First Team | 2003–04, 2004–05 | |
| AHCA East First-Team All-American | 2003–04 | |
| AHCA East Second-Team All-American | 2004–05 | |