Brian Norman Skrudland (born July 31, 1963) is a Canadian former professional

ice hockey Ice hockey (or simply hockey) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an ice skating rink with lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. In ice hockey, two opposing teams use ice hock ...

player who played for the

Montreal Canadiens The Montreal CanadiensEven in English, the French spelling is always used instead of ''Canadians''. The French spelling of ''Montréal'' is also sometimes used in the English media. (french: link=no, Les Canadiens de Montréal), officially ...

Calgary Flames The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary. The Flames compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference, and ...

Florida Panthers The Florida Panthers are a professional ice hockey team based in the Miami metropolitan area. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern ...

New York Rangers The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the New York City borough of Manhattan. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home ...

and

Dallas Stars The Dallas Stars are a professional ice hockey team based in Dallas. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference, and were founde ...

Playing career

Junior

Skrudland played for the

Saskatoon Blades The Saskatoon Blades are a major junior ice hockey team playing in the Eastern Division of the Western Hockey League, formerly the Western Canadian Hockey League (WCHL). They are based in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, playing at the 15,195-seat SaskTe ...

of the

Western Hockey League The Western Hockey League (WHL) is a major junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitutes the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) as the highest level of junior h ...

from 1980 to 1983. His #10 jersey has been retired by the Blades since 2003.

Professional

Skrudland won the Jack A. Butterfield Trophy as the Most Valuable Player in the 1985 AHL Playoffs. Skrudland scored 17 points in 17 games leading the Sherbrooke Canadiens to a Calder Cup championship. Sherbrooke defeated the Baltimore Skipjacks 4 games to 2 in the final. Skrudland made his NHL debut in 1985 for the

. He played 7.5 seasons with the Habs, winning the

Stanley Cup The Stanley Cup (french: La Coupe Stanley) is the championship trophy awarded annually to the National Hockey League (NHL) playoff champion. It is the oldest existing trophy to be awarded to a professional sports franchise in North America, an ...

1986 The year 1986 was designated as the International Year of Peace by the United Nations. Events January * January 1 ** Aruba gains increased autonomy from the Netherlands by separating from the Netherlands Antilles. **Spain and Portugal ente ...

. In game two of that series, Skrudland put his name in the NHL record books, when he scored the fastest overtime goal in Stanley Cup finals history at nine seconds. He was selected to go to the 1991 NHL All-Star Game, but could not attend due to injury. Skrudland was traded to the

during the 1992–1993 season. He moved to the expansion

for the 1993–1994 season and was the first captain in franchise history, a title he held for four seasons. Skrudland was with the team until 1997, including Florida's run to the 1996 Stanley Cup Finals, where they lost 4–0 to the

Colorado Avalanche The Colorado Avalanche (colloquially known as the Avs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference. The Avalanche play thei ...

. He signed with the

in the summer of 1997 and played one season with them until he was dealt along with

Mike Keane Michael John Keane (born May 29, 1967) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey winger. Undrafted, Keane played over 1,100 games in the National Hockey League from 1988 until 2004. He then played five seasons for his hometown Manitoba Moose ...

to the

in exchange for

Todd Harvey Todd Douglas Ross Harvey (born February 17, 1975) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey forward and current director of amateur scouting for the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League (NHL). During his playing career, he played for ...

and

Bob Errey Robert Errey (born September 21, 1964) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey left wing and current sportscaster for the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted 15th overall by Pittsburgh in the 1983 NHL E ...

. Skrudland was instrumental in helping the Stars win the Stanley Cup in 1999. Skrudland retired after the 2000 Stanley Cup finals (which Dallas lost to the

New Jersey Devils The New Jersey Devils are a professional sports, professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey. The Devils compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern ...

), at 36 years old. Skrudland was one of the final cuts for Team Canada during the 1991 Canada Cup tournament. Skrudland was a finalist for the

Selke Trophy The Frank J. Selke Trophy, or simply the Selke Trophy, is awarded annually to the National Hockey League forward who demonstrates the most skill in the defensive component of the game. The winner is selected by a poll of the Professional Hockey W ...

in 1994. The Frank J Selke Trophy is awarded annually to the best defensive minded forward in the NHL. Skrudland holds the NHL record for fastest goal in a playoff overtime when he scored the winning goal at 0:09 seconds into overtime in Game 2 in the 1986 finals.

Personal life

Skrudland lives in

Calgary Calgary ( ) is the largest city in the western Canadian province of Alberta and the largest metro area of the three Prairie Provinces. As of 2021, the city proper had a population of 1,306,784 and a metropolitan population of 1,481,806, makin ...

Alberta Alberta ( ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is part of Western Canada and is one of the three prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to the west, Saskatchewan to the east, the Northwest Ter ...

, with his wife Lana, and their three children. From July 6, 2010 until July 9, 2015, he was the director of player development for the Florida Panthers. Skrudland also served as assistant coach for the Panthers during the 2013–14 season.

Career statistics

Awards and honours

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Skrudland, Brian 1963 births Living people Calgary Flames coaches Calgary Flames players Canadian ice hockey centres Canadian people of Norwegian descent Dallas Stars players Florida Panthers coaches Florida Panthers players Ice hockey people from Alberta Montreal Canadiens players National Hockey League All-Stars New York Rangers players Nova Scotia Voyageurs players People from Northern Sunrise County Saskatoon Blades players Sherbrooke Canadiens players Stanley Cup champions Undrafted National Hockey League players Canadian ice hockey coaches