Lee Edward Stempniak (born February 4, 1983) is an

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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 ...

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who played the

National Hockey League The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...

(NHL). He played for the

St. Louis Blues The St. Louis Blues are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Louis. The Blues compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference. The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the s ...

Toronto Maple Leafs The Toronto Maple Leafs (officially the Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club and often referred to as the Leafs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Div ...

Phoenix Coyotes The Arizona Coyotes are a professional ice hockey team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. The Coyotes compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference and currently play at the Mull ...

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 ...

Pittsburgh Penguins The Pittsburgh Penguins (colloquially known as the Pens) are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division of the Eastern Conference, and have playe ...

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 ...

Winnipeg Jets The Winnipeg Jets are a professional ice hockey team based in Winnipeg. The team competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference, and is owned by True North Sports & Entertainment, pl ...

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 ...

Boston Bruins The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston. The Bruins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The team has been in existence since 1924, making t ...

and

Carolina Hurricanes The Carolina Hurricanes (colloquially known as the Canes) are a professional ice hockey team based in Raleigh, North Carolina. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference, ...

. Stempniak graduated from St. Francis High School in

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, in 2001, and played his

college hockey College ice hockey is played principally in the United States and Canada, though leagues exist outside North America. In the United States, competitive "college hockey" refers to ice hockey played between colleges and universities within the g ...

Dartmouth College Dartmouth College (; ) is a private research university in Hanover, New Hampshire. Established in 1769 by Eleazar Wheelock, it is one of the nine colonial colleges chartered before the American Revolution. Although founded to educate Native A ...

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. A well-traveled and versatile forward, Stempniak has played for ten different teams in his NHL career, which is tied for the second-most in NHL history. On October 1, 2019 after 14 seasons in the NHL he announced his retirement.

Early life

Stempniak lived near an ice hockey rink where he knew the owner. The owner would let him practice whenever he could. After high school, he wanted to continue to play hockey, but his parents wanted him to go to college. Stempniak went to the only college that showed interest in him, Dartmouth. At Dartmouth, he majored in

economics Economics () is the social science that studies the Production (economics), production, distribution (economics), distribution, and Consumption (economics), consumption of goods and services. Economics focuses on the behaviour and intera ...

. He became a top player for the Big Green ice hockey team and was named a two-time All American, as well as his team's captain.

Playing career

St. Louis Blues

Stempniak was drafted by the

in the fifth round, 148th overall, at the

2003 NHL Entry Draft The 2003 NHL Entry Draft was the 41st NHL Entry Draft. It was held at the Gaylord Entertainment Center in Nashville, Tennessee on June 21 and 22, 2003. Goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury was selected first overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins. This was ...

. He led the team in goals in his first full season ( 2006–07), with 27, despite being just 23 years of age. He and

David Backes David Anthony Backes (born May 1, 1984) is an American former professional ice hockey forward. He played for fifteen seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the St. Louis Blues, Boston Bruins and Anaheim Ducks. Backes was bor ...

joined

Jay McClement Jay McClement (born March 2, 1983) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre. He was originally selected by the St. Louis Blues in the second round, 57th overall, in 2001, playing for the team before later joining the Colorado Avalanche, ...

to form one of the NHL's youngest lines.

Toronto Maple Leafs

On November 24, 2008, Stempniak was traded to the

in exchange for

Alexander Steen Alexander Lennart Steen (born 1 March 1984) is a Canadian-born Swedish former professional ice hockey player. Steen was drafted 24th overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft, and started his NHL career with Toronto. Steen ...

and

Carlo Colaiacovo Carlo Colaiacovo ( ; born January 27, 1983) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman who is currently co-hosting a show on Canada’s TSN 1050 radio station, ''First Up with Korolnek and Colaiacovo''. He most recently played for Ad ...

. Stempniak wore number 12 in Toronto.

Phoenix Coyotes

On March 3, 2010, Stempniak was traded to the

for Matt Jones and a fourth- and seventh-round draft pick

2010 File:2010 Events Collage New.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2010 Chile earthquake was one of the strongest recorded in history; The Eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland disrupts air travel in Europe; A scene from the opening ceremony of ...

. Twelve days later, Stempniak was named the NHL’s Second Star of the Week, scoring five goals in three games, all in victories for the Coyotes. On April 1, 2010, Stempniak earned the NHL's Player of the Month honor for March after scoring 13 goals since the trade to Phoenix. On August 30, 2010, Stempniak signed a two-year contract extension with the Coyotes. Lee Stempniak Flames

Calgary Flames

On August 29, 2011, the Coyotes traded Stempniak to the

for

Daymond Langkow Daymond Randolph Langkow (born September 27, 1976) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre. He was the fifth overall selection of the Tampa Bay Lightning at the 1995 NHL Entry Draft. He played junior hockey with the Tri-City American ...

. He went on to record 14 goals with 14 assists during 61 games in 2011–12. On June 29, 2012, Stempniak re-signed with the Flames on a two-year, $5 million deal.

Pittsburgh Penguins

During the 2013–14 season, on March 5, 2014, Stempniak was dealt at the

NHL trade deadline In professional sports within the United States and Canada, a trade is a sports league transaction between sports clubs involving the exchange of player rights from one team to another. Though player rights are the primary trading assets, draft p ...

to the

for a third-round draft pick. In 21 games with the club, Stempniak recorded 11 points. He also had three points in 13 playoff games as the Penguins would lose in Round 2 against the New York Rangers.

New York Rangers

On July 19, 2014, Stempniak agreed to join his sixth NHL team, signing a one-year contract as a free agent with the

. In the 2014–15 season, Stempniak was primarily used by the Rangers in a bottom six role, compiling nine goals and 18 points in 53 games.

Winnipeg Jets

On March 1, 2015, Stempniak was traded to the

in exchange for Carl Klingberg. Lee Stempniak 2 2014-03-22

Stempniak scored the first playoff goal in Winnipeg since 1996 when he beat Anaheim's

Frederik Andersen Frederik "Freddie" Andersen (born 2 October 1989) is a Danish professional ice hockey goaltender for the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League (NHL). He previously played for the Anaheim Ducks and Toronto Maple Leafs. Andersen was a ...

in the first period of Game 3 of the Western Conference Quarter Finals for a 1-0 Jets lead.

New Jersey Devils

On September 16, 2015, Stempniak agreed to join the

on a professional tryout. He was signed by the Devils to a one-year contract worth $850,000 on October 3, 2015. In the 2015–16 season, Stempniak made a seamless transition to provide instant value to the Devils. In a scoring role, Stempniak was leading the Devils with 41 points in 63 games, having his best offensive season since 2010.

Boston Bruins

Stempniak was traded for a third consecutive season at the trade deadline to the

in exchange for a second-round and fourth-round pick on February 29, 2016. Stempniak finished out the season scoring 10 points in 19 games.

Carolina Hurricanes

Unable to help the Bruins into the post-season, Stempniak familiarly approached the off-season as a free agent. Following a successful individual year, on July 1, 2016, Stempniak was promptly signed to a two-year contract to join his tenth NHL club, the Carolina Hurricanes.

Return to Boston

Stempniak joined the

during the start of training camp, signing a Professional Tryout (PTO) contract on September 10, 2018. Stempniak began the 2018–19 without a contract, however continued to train with the Bruins at times throughout the first months of the season. While continuing informally with the team, Stempniak belatedly signed a professional try-out contract in the AHL to join affiliate, the Providence Bruins, on February 15, 2019. After 4 games with Providence, and ahead of the NHL trade deadline, Stempniak signed a one-year, one-way contract with Boston on February 24, 2019.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

International

Awards and honors

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Stempniak, Lee 1983 births Living people American men's ice hockey right wingers American people of Slavic descent Boston Bruins players Calgary Flames players Carolina Hurricanes players Charlotte Checkers (2010–) players Dartmouth Big Green men's ice hockey players Ice hockey people from Buffalo, New York New Jersey Devils players New York Rangers players Peoria Rivermen (AHL) players Phoenix Coyotes players Pittsburgh Penguins players Providence Bruins players St. Louis Blues draft picks St. Louis Blues players Toronto Maple Leafs players Winnipeg Jets players AHCA Division I men's ice hockey All-Americans