Raphael Salvador Diaz (born January 9, 1986) is a Swiss 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 ...
defenceman
Defence or defense (in American English) in ice hockey is a player position that is primarily responsible for preventing the opposing team from Goal (ice hockey), scoring. They are often referred to as defencemen, D, D-men or blueliners (the la ...
who currently plays with
HC Fribourg-Gottéron
HC Fribourg-Gottéron is a professional ice hockey team based in Fribourg, Switzerland, which competes in the National League (NL). The team is the sixth most attended team in Switzerland for the 2015/16 season with 6,156 spectators.
History
The ...
in the
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League (NL), is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, and the world's oldest extant professional team s ...
(NL). Diaz previously played with the Rangers during the 2014 season after the trade deadline. He began his professional career with EV Zug in 2003 and has also played 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 ...
,
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 of the Western Conference, and play their home games at Rogers Arena. Bruce B ...
,
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 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 ...
. After returning to Switzerland with
EV Zug
EV Zug is a professional men's ice hockey team from Zug, Switzerland. It is a member of the National League and plays its home games at the Bossard Arena.
History
EV Zug won its first championship in the 1997–98 season, and the second one in t ...
Diaz has won the
2019 Swiss Cup and the
2020-21 NL Championship
Diaz was selected to play for the
Switzerland men's national ice hockey team
The Switzerland men's national ice hockey team (german: Schweizer Eishockeynationalmannschaft; french: Équipe de Suisse de hockey sur glace; it, Nazionale di hockey su ghiaccio della Svizzera) is a founding member of the International Ice Hock ...
at the
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 ...
and
2014 Winter Olympics
, ''Zharkie. Zimnie. Tvoi'')
, nations = 88
, events = 98 in 7 sports (15 disciplines)
, athletes = 2,873
, opening = 7 February 2014
, closing = 23 February 2014
, opened_by = President Vladimir Putin
, cauldron =
, stadium = Fisht Olympic ...
. He previously represented Switzerland at the 2004
IIHF World U18 Championships
The IIHF U18 World Championship is an annual event organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation for national under-18 ice hockey teams from around the world. The tournament is usually played in April and is organized according to a sy ...
, the 2005 and 2006
IIHF World U20 Championship
The IIHF World Junior Championship (WJC), or simply the "World Juniors" in ice hockey circles, is an annual event organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) for national under-20 ice hockey teams from around the world. It is t ...
, the 2008
Ice Hockey World Championship
The Ice Hockey World Championships are an annual international men's ice hockey tournament organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF). First officially held at the 1920 Summer Olympics, it is the sport's highest profile annua ...
, and captained the team at the
2017 Spengler Cup.
Playing career
As a youth, Diaz played in the 2000
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 a team from Central
Switzerland
). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...
.
On May 13, 2011, Diaz signed a one-year
two-way contract
A two-way contract is a professional sports contract that stipulates that an athlete's salary is dependent upon the league in which the athlete is assigned to play. This is opposed to a one-way contract that would pay the same salary regardless of ...
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 ...
of the NHL. He made his NHL debut October 6, 2011 against the
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 ...
.
Diaz scored his first NHL goal on October 18, 2011, against
Ryan Miller
Ryan Dean Miller (born July 17, 1980) is an American former ice hockey goaltender who played 18 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) mostly for the Buffalo Sabres. Miller was drafted 138th overall by the Buffalo Sabres in the 1999 NHL E ...
of 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 ...
in the 2nd Period. He appeared as a rookie team member at the
2012 All Star game skills competition, as an injury replacement for
Adam Larsson
Nils Erik Adam Larsson (born 12 November 1992) is a Swedish professional ice hockey defenceman and alternate captain for the Seattle Kraken of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected fourth overall by the New Jersey Devils in the 2011 ...
. He participated in the G Series NHL Skills Challenge Relay performing the control relay skill skating with the puck through a series of 6 cones. Diaz was traded to 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 of the Western Conference, and play their home games at Rogers Arena. Bruce B ...
on February 3, 2014, for
Dale Weise
Dale Kenton Weise (born August 5, 1988) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey right winger. He played for the New York Rangers, Vancouver Canucks, Montreal Canadiens, Chicago Blackhawks, and Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey Leag ...
.
On March 5, 2014, Diaz was traded to the
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 ...
for a 5th-round pick in the
2015 NHL Entry Draft
The 2015 NHL Entry Draft was the 53rd NHL Entry Draft. The draft was held on June 26–27, 2015, at the BB&T Center in Sunrise, Florida. The first three selections were Connor McDavid going to the Edmonton Oilers, Jack Eichel going to the Buffa ...
After attending 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 ...
training camp on a try-out, Diaz capped a successful pre-season by signing a one-year contract with the club on October 6, 2014.
On July 1, 2015, the New York Rangers signed Diaz as a free agent to a one-year, $700,000 contract. In his return to the Rangers organization, Diaz was assigned to AHL affiliate, the
Hartford Wolf Pack
The Hartford Wolf Pack are a professional ice hockey team based in Hartford, Connecticut. A member of the American Hockey League (AHL), they play their home games at the XL Center. The team was established in 1926 as the Providence Reds. After a ...
for the duration of the
2015–16 regular season. On December 23, 2015, Diaz was signed by the
EV Zug
EV Zug is a professional men's ice hockey team from Zug, Switzerland. It is a member of the National League and plays its home games at the Bossard Arena.
History
EV Zug won its first championship in the 1997–98 season, and the second one in t ...
to a five-year, CHF 5 million contract starting in the 2016–17 season.
On June 2, 2017, Diaz was named captain of EV Zug. He won his first NL title with Zug in
2021
File:2021 collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: the James Webb Space Telescope was launched in 2021; Protesters in Yangon, Myanmar following the 2021 Myanmar coup d'état, coup d'état; A civil demonstration against the October–November 2021 ...
.
On January 27, 2021, Diaz was signed to a four-year deal by
HC Fribourg-Gottéron
HC Fribourg-Gottéron is a professional ice hockey team based in Fribourg, Switzerland, which competes in the National League (NL). The team is the sixth most attended team in Switzerland for the 2015/16 season with 6,156 spectators.
History
The ...
, starting with the 2021–22 season and through the 2024–25 season.
Personal life
Diaz's father is originally from Spain, while his mother is Swiss.
His name was originally 'Rafael,' and is still used by the
Swiss national team, though as his passport uses 'Raphael,' he uses that as his official name.
His sister
Daniela Diaz also played hockey.
Career statistics
Regular season and playoffs
International
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Diaz, Raphael
1986 births
Living people
Calgary Flames players
Hartford Wolf Pack players
Ice hockey players at the 2010 Winter Olympics
Ice hockey players at the 2014 Winter Olympics
Ice hockey players at the 2018 Winter Olympics
Ice hockey players at the 2022 Winter Olympics
Montreal Canadiens players
New York Rangers players
Olympic ice hockey players of Switzerland
People from Baar, Switzerland
Sportspeople from the canton of Zug
Swiss ice hockey defencemen
Swiss people of Spanish descent
Undrafted National Hockey League players
Vancouver Canucks players
EV Zug players