Michael Anthony Cammalleri (born June 8, 1982) is a
Canadian
Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...
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 h ...
player who played 15 seasons in 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) for five different teams. He was selected in the second round, 49th overall, by the
Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles. The team competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference and was founded on June 5, 1967, after Jack Kent ...
at the
2001 NHL Entry Draft.
Cammalleri made his NHL debut with the Kings in 2002. In September 2007, he scored the
first regular season goal ever scored in an
NHL game played in Europe. After playing with the
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 ...
for one season in 2008–09, he joined 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 ...
, with whom he scored the 20,000th goal in franchise history in 2009 and tied a franchise record for goals in one playoff series in 2010. He returned to the Flames in 2012 following an unusual transaction in which he was traded in the middle of a game. After the expiry of his contract in 2014, Cammalleri signed a five-year contract with the
New Jersey Devils, but was bought-out just three years into the deal. In the subsequent free agency period, he signed a one-year contract to return to the Kings, opting for a second tenure with a team for the second time in his career.
Representing
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
internationally on four occasions, Cammalleri won bronze and silver medals at the
2001 and
2002 World Junior Championships respectively. He was named the tournament's best forward in 2002. He won a gold medal at the
2007 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships
The 2007 Men's Ice Hockey World Championships was the 71st World Ice Hockey Championship. The competition also served as qualification for division placements in the 2008 competition. Canada won the tournament, receiving the gold medal for the ...
. An all-star in college and the
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental league for the National Hockey League (NHL). Since the 2010–11 season, every team in the le ...
, Cammalleri played in the "
Cold War", an
outdoor game that set a then world attendance record in 2001. He has also been recognized for his involvement in charitable efforts supporting children and the military.
Early life
Cammalleri was born in
Richmond Hill,
Ontario
Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central C ...
, and was raised there in a secular household (he described his upbringing as "
non-denominational"), but his family background is half-Italian and half-Jewish.
His father, Leo, is Catholic and of
Italian
Italian(s) may refer to:
* Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries
** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom
** Italian language, a Romance language
*** Regional Ita ...
(
Sicilian) descent and his mother, Ruth, is
Jewish
Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...
.
He has one sister, Melanie.
His maternal grandparents, from
Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populou ...
and
Czechoslovakia
, rue, Чеськословеньско, , yi, טשעכאסלאוואקיי,
, common_name = Czechoslovakia
, life_span = 1918–19391945–1992
, p1 = Austria-Hungary
, image_p1 ...
, were
Holocaust
The Holocaust, also known as the Shoah, was the genocide of European Jews during World War II. Between 1941 and 1945, Nazi Germany and its collaborators systematically murdered some six million Jews across German-occupied Europe; ...
survivors.
He said, "It's a family of deep-rooted closeness and unity coming from very desperate times. It is who I am as a person."
Cammalleri's best sport as a youth was
soccer, while he also played
baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding t ...
and
golf
Golf is a club-and-ball sport in which players use various clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a course in as few strokes as possible.
Golf, unlike most ball games, cannot and does not use a standardized playing area, and coping ...
.
His passion was hockey, and he played most of his
minor ice hockey
Minor hockey is an umbrella term for amateur ice hockey which is played below the junior age level. Players are classified by age, with each age group playing in its own league. The rules, especially as it relates to body contact, vary from c ...
with the Toronto Red Wings organization of the
Greater Toronto Hockey League
The Greater Toronto Hockey League (GTHL), formerly known as the Metro Toronto Hockey League, is a minor level ice hockey organization based in the Greater Toronto Area of Ontario. The league was founded in 1911 as the Beaches Hockey League by ...
(GTHL).
He played in the 1996
Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament
The Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament (french: Tournoi international de hockey pee-wee de Québec) is an annual minor ice hockey event in Quebec City. The tournament was founded in 1960 to coincide with the Quebec Winter Carnival, ...
with the Toronto Red Wings.
Cammalleri was selected by the
Ontario Hockey League
The Ontario Hockey League (OHL; french: Ligue de hockey de l'Ontario (LHO)) is one of the three major junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League. The league is for players aged 16–19. There are exceptions for overa ...
(OHL)'s
St. Michael's Majors in the OHL Priority Draft, but chose not to play in the OHL in order to preserve his American college eligibility. Instead, he joined the Junior A
Bramalea Blues
The Bramalea Blues were a Junior "A" ice hockey team from Bramalea, Ontario, Canada. Their final two seasons were played in Brampton, Ontario at the Powerade Centre. They were a part of the Ontario Junior A Hockey League but also used to be a pa ...
of the
Ontario Provincial Junior Hockey League
The Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL) is a Junior A ice hockey league in Ontario, Canada. It is under the supervision of the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA) and the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL). The league was listed as the 7th best d ...
(OPJHL), where he was named the league's rookie of the year as a 15-year-old in 1997–98.
He was named an all-star the following season and was selected as the
Ontario Hockey Association's top
draft
Draft, The Draft, or Draught may refer to:
Watercraft dimensions
* Draft (hull), the distance from waterline to keel of a vessel
* Draft (sail), degree of curvature in a sail
* Air draft, distance from waterline to the highest point on a vesse ...
prospect after scoring 103 points in 41 games.
At age 15, Cammalleri committed to attend the
University of Michigan
, mottoeng = "Arts, Knowledge, Truth"
, former_names = Catholepistemiad, or University of Michigania (1817–1821)
, budget = $10.3 billion (2021)
, endowment = $17 billion (2021)As o ...
on a full hockey scholarship.
He took an accelerated course schedule and graduated from
The Country Day School
The Country Day School (CDS) is an independent, non-profit, preparatory, co-educational day school in King City, Ontario, Canada. It was founded in 1972.
CDS is a member of Canadian Accredited Independent Schools (CAIS) and the Conference of ...
in
King City, Ontario
King City is an unincorporated Canadian community in the township of King, Ontario, located north of Toronto. It is the largest community in King township, with 2,730 dwellings and a population of 8,396 as of the 2021 Canadian census.
History
...
, at age 17.
He then moved on to Michigan, where he studied sports management and communications.
Playing career
University of Michigan
Cammalleri joined the
Michigan Wolverines men's ice hockey
The Michigan Wolverines men's ice hockey team is the college ice hockey team that represents the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Earning varsity status in 1922, the program has competed in 100 seasons. Between 1959 and 1981, th ...
program in 1999, scoring 13 goals in 39 games as a freshman.
He led the team with 29 goals as a sophomore in 2000–01, and was named a first-team
Central Collegiate Hockey Association
The Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) is a college athletic conference that participates in the NCAA's Division I as a hockey-only conference. The current CCHA began play in the 2021–22 season; a previous incarnation, which the curr ...
(CCHA) all-star. Michigan reached the
2001 Frozen Four, where it lost the
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic programs of colleges ...
(NCAA) semi-final game to
Boston College.
He was also voted to the NCAA west second All-American team.
The
Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles. The team competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference and was founded on June 5, 1967, after Jack Kent ...
selected Cammalleri in the second round of the
2001 NHL Entry Draft, 49th overall. He chose to remain in college, rejoining a much-younger Wolverines team as an alternate captain and expected to be the team's offensive leader.
Early in the season, on October 1, 2001, he played in the "
Cold War" against
Michigan State University, an
outdoor game that set a then-world record attendance for a hockey game at 74,554 fans. Though he nearly missed the game due to a hip-flexor injury, Cammalleri figured in all three of Michigan's goals as the game ended in a 3–3 draw.
With 23 goals and 44 points in 29 games,
Cammalleri led the Wolverines to the CCHA conference championship in 2001–02.
He was named a CCHA second team all-star and an NCAA first team All-American.
At the West Regional tournament, Cammalleri was named both an all-star at forward and the most valuable player as he led Michigan back to the
Frozen Four
The annual NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Tournament is a college ice hockey tournament held in the United States by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) to determine the top men's
team in Division I. Like other Division I cham ...
.
The Wolverines again lost the national semifinal, this time to the
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, formally the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, (UMN Twin Cities, the U of M, or Minnesota) is a public land-grant research university in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States. ...
.
Los Angeles Kings
Cammalleri chose to forgo his senior year of eligibility, signing a contract with the Kings ahead of the
2002–03 NHL season. He attended the Kings' training camp, but failed to make the roster and was assigned to their then-minor league affiliate, the
Manchester Monarchs of the
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental league for the National Hockey League (NHL). Since the 2010–11 season, every team in the le ...
(AHL).
He scored 14 points in 9 games and earned his first recall to Los Angeles on November 7, 2002.
He made his NHL debut the following night against the
Ottawa Senators
The Ottawa Senators (french: Sénateurs d'Ottawa), officially the Ottawa Senators Hockey Club and colloquially known as the Sens, are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a membe ...
and earned his first point, an assist, in a 3–2 victory. His first goal came one week later, on November 16, against
Tommy Salo
Tommy Mikael Salo (born February 1, 1971) is a Swedish former professional ice hockey goaltender and the current general manager of Leksands IF of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL). He previously played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the ...
of the
Edmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton. The Oilers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. They play their home games at Rogers Place, which ...
. He was demoted and recalled by the Kings twice more during the season, and appeared in a total of 28 NHL games, scoring 8 points in addition to 20 points in 13 games in the AHL before his season was ended on January 28, 2003, when he suffered a concussion in a game against the
San Jose Sharks
The San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference, and are owned by San Jose Sports & Entertainm ...
.
Cammalleri again bounced between the Kings and the Monarchs throughout the
2003–04 season, while a
labour dispute in the NHL resulted in his spending the entire
2004–05 season in Manchester.
Cammalleri opened the season with 20 goals in his first 22 games en route to a league leading and franchise record setting total of 46. His total of 109 points, also a Monarchs record, was second in the AHL behind
Jason Spezza
Jason Rocco Anthony Spezza (born June 13, 1983) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre. Spezza played 19 career seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 2002 to 2022, and is currently a part of the Toronto Maple Leafs' fr ...
's 117.
He was voted a starter in the 2005 AHL All-Star Game, was named to the second All-Star team and received the
Willie Marshall Award for leading the league in goals.
Returning to Los Angeles in
2005–06, Cammalleri established himself as an NHL regular, appearing in 80 games with the Kings and leading the team with 26 goals. He improved to 34 goals and 80 points in
2006–07 and was voted the recipient of the
Bill Libby Memorial Award as the Kings' most valuable player by the local media.
He and the Kings were unable to agree on a new contract following the season. Cammalleri was asking for
$6 million per season, while the team offered $2.6 million. The two sides proceeded to salary arbitration, after which Cammalleri was awarded a two-year contract that paid him $3.1 million and $3.6 million for the two seasons, respectively.
The Kings opened the season in
London
London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
, England, for the first regular season games played in Europe in league history. Cammalleri scored two goals, including the first ever in Europe, in a 4–1 victory over the
Anaheim Ducks on September 29, 2007.
He opened the season with ten goals in ten games before a protracted offensive slump and rib injury that forced him out of lineup for a month resulted in only nine more goals scored over the remainder of the season.
Calgary and Montreal
Cammalleri was involved in trade rumours following his arbitration hearing, which was considered contentious. At the
2008 NHL Entry Draft
The 2008 NHL Entry Draft was the 46th NHL Entry Draft. It was hosted by the Ottawa Senators at Scotiabank Place in the city of Ottawa, Ontario, on June 20–21, 2008. The Senators were originally awarded the 2005 NHL Entry Draft, but because of ...
held on June 20, he was traded to the
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 ...
as part of a three-way trade. The Kings received Anaheim's first-round pick, 12th overall, and a second-round pick from Calgary, while the Ducks received Calgary's first-round pick, 17th overall, and Los Angeles' 28th overall selection. Paired with
Jarome Iginla
Jarome Arthur-Leigh Adekunle Tig Junior Elvis Iginla (; born July 1, 1977) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey winger. He played over 1500 games in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Calgary Flames, Pittsburgh Penguins, Boston Br ...
, Cammalleri had a career year with the Flames in
2008–09, leading the team with 39 goals and finishing second to Iginla with 82 points.
He scored his 100th career NHL goal as part of his first NHL
hat-trick
A hat-trick or hat trick is the achievement of a generally positive feat three times in a match, or another achievement based on the number three.
Origin
The term first appeared in 1858 in cricket, to describe H. H. Stephenson taking three wic ...
early in a 4–3 victory over the
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division of the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference, and ...
on November 27, 2008.
Faced with
salary cap
In professional sports, a salary cap (or wage cap) is an agreement or rule that places a limit on the amount of money that a team can spend on players' salaries. It exists as a per-player limit or a total limit for the team's roster, or both. Sever ...
constraints, the Flames were unable sign Cammalleri to a new contract following the season.
He subsequently left Calgary to sign a five-year, $30 million contract with 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 ...
. Midway through the
2009–10 season, he scored the 20,000th goal in Montreal franchise history on December 28, 2009, against the Ottawa Senators. A knee injury resulted in Cammalleri missing six weeks of play, but he finished the season with 50 points in 65 games.
Following a series victory over the
Washington Capitals
The Washington Capitals (colloquially known as the Caps) are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. The team competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference, a ...
in the first round of the
2010 Stanley Cup playoffs
The 2010 Stanley Cup playoffs of the National Hockey League (NHL) began on April 14, 2010, after the 2009–10 NHL regular season. The Finals ended on June 9, 2010, with the Chicago Blackhawks defeating the Philadelphia Flyers in six games to ...
, Cammalleri led the Canadiens into the conference finals for the first time since 1993 by tying a franchise record for goals in one series in a victory over the
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 ...
. His total of seven tied the mark held jointly by
Maurice Richard,
Jean Béliveau
Joseph Jean Arthur Béliveau (August 31, 1931 – December 2, 2014) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player who played parts of 20 seasons with the National Hockey League's (NHL) Montreal Canadiens from 1950 to 1971. Inducted into the ...
,
Bernie Geoffrion,
Guy Lafleur
Guy Damien Lafleur (September 20, 1951 – April 22, 2022), nicknamed "the Flower" and "Le Démon Blond", was a Canadian professional ice hockey player. He was the first player in National Hockey League (NHL) history to score 50 goals in six c ...
, and
Marcel Bonin
Joseph Jacques Marcel Bonin (born September 12, 1931) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey forward. He played in the National Hockey League with the Detroit Red Wings, Boston Bruins, and Montreal Canadiens between 1952 and 1962. He won t ...
. Montreal lost their third-round series to the
Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia. The Flyers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home games in Well ...
, but Cammalleri's 13 goals led all playoff scorers despite Montreal failing to reach the final.
Cammalleri began the
2010–11 season on the suspended list after earning a one-game ban for a
slashing incident against
Nino Niederreiter
Nino Niederreiter (born 8 September 1992) is a Swiss professional ice hockey winger for the Winnipeg Jets of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected fifth overall by the New York Islanders in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, making him the h ...
during a preseason game against the
New York Islanders. He then missed a month when he suffered a separated shoulder after being
crosschecked into the boards by the
Buffalo Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. The Sabres compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The team was established in 1970, along w ...
'
Mike Weber. He returned to action in time to appear in his second outdoor game, the
2011 Heritage Classic
The 2011 Heritage Classic was a regular season outdoor National Hockey League (NHL) game between the Montreal Canadiens and the Calgary Flames. The game was played at McMahon Stadium in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, on February 20, 2011. The Flame ...
against Calgary.
Opening the
2011–12 season, Cammalleri scored the first NHL regular season goal at the
MTS Centre
Canada Life Centre (formerly MTS Centre and Bell MTS Place) is an indoor arena in downtown Winnipeg, Manitoba. The arena is the home of the National Hockey League's Winnipeg Jets and their American Hockey League affiliate, the Manitoba Moose.
T ...
as Montreal spoiled the debut of the new
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, p ...
franchise with a 5–1 victory. However, he had to leave the game after suffering a cut on his leg from the skate blade of teammate
Yannick Weber. He struggled throughout the first part of the season, and with the team also losing, was booed by the fans in Montreal during a 3–0 defeat against 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 ...
. Following the game, he expressed his frustration, saying, "I can't accept that we will display a losing attitude as we're doing this year. We prepare for our games like losers. We play like losers. So it's no wonder why we lose." The commentary sparked controversy, while the ''
Montreal Gazette
The ''Montreal Gazette'', formerly titled ''The Gazette'', is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Three other daily English-language newspapers shuttered at various times during the second half of th ...
'' suggested later that the comments, originally spoken in English, were misrepresented after they were translated to French by
Réseau des sports
Réseau des sports (RDS), is a Canadian French language specialty channel oriented towards sports and sport-related shows. It is available in 2.5 million homes, and is owned by CTV Specialty Television Inc. ( Bell Media 80% and ESPN 20%). Its ful ...
then translated back to English.
Two nights later, on January 12, 2012, Cammalleri was pulled from the Montreal lineup during their game against the
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 ...
after the team completed a trade that saw him return to Calgary (along with the playing rights to goaltender
Karri Rämö and a fifth-round pick in the
2012 NHL Entry Draft
The 2012 NHL Entry Draft was the 50th NHL Entry Draft. The draft was held June 22–23, 2012, at Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It was the first time that Pittsburgh hosted the draft since the 1997 NHL Entry Draft. The top thr ...
) in exchange for
Rene Bourque,
Patrick Holland, and a second-round pick in the
2013 NHL Entry Draft
The 2013 NHL Entry Draft was the 51st NHL Entry Draft. All seven rounds of the draft took place on June 30, 2013, at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. The top three selections were Nathan MacKinnon going to the Colorado Avalanche, Al ...
. The circumstances of the trade, described as "bizarre" by the media, stunned Cammalleri's former teammates, none of whom could recall a player being traded mid-game before. In his return debut with the Flames, Cammalleri scored one goal in a 4–1 loss to Los Angeles. On February 13, 2013, he scored his 200th career NHL goal (again while completing a hat-trick) in a game against the
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 in the Western Conference, and were founded during the 1967 NHL expansion as the Minne ...
.
Cammalleri reached 500 points for his NHL career on April 4, 2014, with a goal in a 2–1 victory over the
Florida Panthers.
Later career
On July 1, 2014, as a free agent, Cammalleri signed a five-year, $25 million contract with the
New Jersey Devils. In his first
season
A season is a division of the year based on changes in weather, ecology, and the number of daylight hours in a given region. On Earth, seasons are the result of the axial parallelism of Earth's tilted orbit around the Sun. In temperate and ...
for the Devils, he was the team's leading scorer with 27 goals. For the
2015–16 season, following the departure of long-time general manager
Lou Lamoriello
Louis P. Lamoriello (born October 21, 1942) is an American professional ice hockey executive who is the president of hockey operations and general manager for the New York Islanders of the National Hockey League (NHL). He is also the former ge ...
, Cammalleri became the first player in the history of the Devils to wear sweater #13, becoming the first player to wear it since
Robin Burns
Robin Arthur Burns (born August 27, 1946) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey left winger. He is the cousin of coach Pat Burns.
Playing career
Burns is the son of the late Robert and Eileen Burns. Robert Burns was an employee of the Mo ...
wore it with the
Kansas City Scouts
The Kansas City Scouts were a professional ice hockey team in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1974 to 1976. In 1976, the franchise relocated to Denver, and became the Colorado Rockies. In 1982, the Rockies relocated to New Jersey where ...
. He scored his sixth career NHL hat-trick on November 6, 2016, against the
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 ...
.
Following the
2016–17 season, and suffering his second successive year in struggling offensively with the Devils, Cammalleri was placed on waivers by the Devils in order to buy-out the remaining two years and $10 million of his contract, which the team accomplished on June 30, 2017.
On July 1, 2017, Cammalleri was promptly signed as a free agent by his original club, the Los Angeles Kings, on a one-year, bonus-laden $1 million contract. In the
2017–18 season, Cammelleri contributed with 3 goals and 7 points in 15 games before he was traded to the
Edmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton. The Oilers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. They play their home games at Rogers Place, which ...
in exchange for forward
Jussi Jokinen
Jussi Petteri Jokinen (born April 1, 1983) is a Finnish former professional ice hockey forward. After playing in his native Finland with Oulun Kärpät of the Liiga he was drafted by the National Hockey League (NHL)'s Dallas Stars in 2001 in t ...
on November 14, 2017. Cammalleri was used in a depth role by the Kings and was even a healthy scratch on two occasions; he was reportedly displeased with his role in the organization prior to the trade. Cammalleri scored his first goal with the Oilers on December 9, 2017, against the Montreal Canadiens.
International play
Cammalleri made his international debut in 2000, joining the
Canadian junior team at the
2001 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. He had four goals and six points in seven games for Canada, who won the bronze medal. He returned
the following year, leading Canada to a silver medal.
Cammalleri led the 2002 tournament in scoring with 7 goals and 11 points, and was named the tournament's top forward.
He made his debut with the
senior team at the
2006 World Championships
A world championship is generally an international competition open to elite competitors from around the world, representing their nations, and winning such an event will be considered the highest or near highest achievement in the sport, game, ...
where he scored one goal and five points in eight games for the fourth place Canadians. He returned for the
2007 tournament held in
Moscow
Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 millio ...
, where his seven points helped Canada win the gold medal with a perfect 9–0 record.
Playing style
Though he stands five feet, nine inches tall, Cammalleri's teammates have argued his small stature is not a drawback. While at Michigan, teammate Craig Murray said that "a lot of people look at his size and they hold it against him, but there's no one stronger out there". On the ice, Cammalleri says he tries to play bigger than his opponents.
His coach at Michigan,
Red Berenson
Gordon Arthur "Red, The Red Baron" Berenson (born December 8, 1939) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre and head coach of the Michigan Wolverines men's ice hockey team from 1984 to 2017. Berenson was inducted into Canada's Sports ...
, agreed. He stated that Cammalleri played like he was "6-foot-4" with the puck and could beat any opponent one-on-one.
''
The Hockey News
''The Hockey News'' (''THN'') is a Canadian-based ice hockey magazine. ''The Hockey News'' was founded in 1947 by Ken McKenzie and Will Cote and has since become the most recognized hockey publication in North America. The magazine has a readers ...
'' rates his offensive skills and intelligence on the ice as his greatest strength, but notes that he can be inconsistent away from the puck. He is a natural goal scorer and is capable of playing at either
centre
Center or centre may refer to:
Mathematics
* Center (geometry), the middle of an object
* Center (algebra), used in various contexts
** Center (group theory)
** Center (ring theory)
* Graph center, the set of all vertices of minimum eccentri ...
or on the
wing
A wing is a type of fin that produces lift while moving through air or some other fluid. Accordingly, wings have streamlined cross-sections that are subject to aerodynamic forces and act as airfoils. A wing's aerodynamic efficiency is e ...
.
Injuries have been a concern for Cammalleri; his time in Montreal were marked by both shoulder and knee problems.
Personal life
Cammalleri and his wife, Jennifer Bernaudo, have a daughter, Chloe, born in 2011. Their second daughter, Mya, was born in December 2014. The couple have been involved in numerous charitable endeavours since Cammalleri joined the NHL. He has focused on children's charities, supporting the
Starlight Children's Foundation
Starlight Children's Foundation is a nonprofit organization founded in 1982. Starlight's programs include providing hospital wear, games, and deliveries to hospitalized children. The programs are provided directly to children through Starlight's ne ...
,
World Vision
In its most general sense, the term "world" refers to the totality of entities, to the whole of reality or to everything that is. The nature of the world has been conceptualized differently in different fields. Some conceptions see the worl ...
and the SickKids Foundation in Toronto among others.
During his time in Montreal, Cammalleri also supported the military via his "Cammy's Heroes" program. He bought tickets for Quebec's soldiers and their families to attend Canadiens games, meeting with them prior to each game. In recognition of his service, the Canadiens named Cammalleri the 2010–11 recipient of the Jean Béliveau Trophy, a team award given annually to the player who "best exemplifies leadership qualities in the community".
Cammalleri's cousin,
Jonathan Erlichman, is a coach for the
Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are an American professional baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Since its inception, the team's home v ...
of
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
.
While still an active player in 2009 Cammalleri was one of the co-founders of
BioSteel Sports Nutrition
BioSteel Sports Nutrition Inc. is a Canadian company based in Toronto that produces dietary supplement products for athletes and exercise enthusiasts.
History
Officially founded in 2009 by John Celenza and former professional ice hockey player ...
, which produces nutrition products for athletes; his longtime interest in safe and effective training and nutrition products for athletes grew out of dealing with
ulcerative colitis
Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a long-term condition that results in inflammation and ulcers of the colon and rectum. The primary symptoms of active disease are abdominal pain and diarrhea mixed with blood (hematochezia). Weight loss, fever, and ...
since a diagnosis at age 11.
Career statistics
Regular season and playoffs
Bold indicates led league
International
Awards and honours
See also
*
List of select Jewish ice hockey players
References
External links
*
Sports IllustratedYahoo SportsESPN.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cammalleri, Mike
1982 births
Living people
Calgary Flames players
Canadian expatriate ice hockey players in the United States
Canadian ice hockey centres
Canadian sportspeople of Italian descent
Canadian people of Polish-Jewish descent
Canadian people of Sicilian descent
Edmonton Oilers players
Ice hockey people from Ontario
Jewish Canadian sportspeople
Jewish ice hockey players
Los Angeles Kings draft picks
Los Angeles Kings players
Manchester Monarchs (AHL) players
Michigan Wolverines men's ice hockey players
Montreal Canadiens players
New Jersey Devils players
Sportspeople from Richmond Hill, Ontario
AHCA Division I men's ice hockey All-Americans