David Ellett
Encyclopedia
David George John "Dave" Ellett (born March 30, 1964 in Cleveland, Ohio
but raise in Ottawa, Ontario) is a Canadian
former professional ice hockey
defenseman who played in the NHL
for 16 seasons. He was born in Cleveland because his father, Bob, was a minor-league hockey player playing for the Cleveland Barons of the AHL
.
and then played the next two seasons after that at Bowling Green State University
. In Ellett's second (and final) season at BGSU (1983–84), the Falcons won the NCAA Championship. When Ellett joined the Jets in 1984, he was a solid defenseman right away, scoring 38 points and garnering a +20 plus/minus rating. He became part of a solid Jets nucleus in the mid-to-late 80's that had the misfortune of playing in the same division as the dominant Edmonton Oilers
and Calgary Flames
. As a result, Ellett did not garner very much late-round playoff experience with the Jets.
Ellett's most notable moment with the Jets came in the 1990 Smythe Division semi-final series against the Edmonton Oilers. With the game tied at 2-2 in the second overtime period, Ellett scored a power play goal to give the Jets the win and a 3-1 series lead. Despite losing the next 3 games to the Oilers, this goal is considered the most memorable goal in the Jets' NHL history.
In the middle of the 1990–91 season, Ellett was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs
with Paul Fenton
for Ed Olczyk
and Mark Osborne. It was with the Leafs that Ellett transitioned from an offensive defenseman into a solid two-way rearguard. He was an integral part to the Leafs clubs of 1993 and 1994 that reached the Conference Finals.
Ellett was traded to the New Jersey Devils
with Doug Gilmour
in the 1996–97 season, but only played with the club until the end of the season. He then played with the Boston Bruins
for two years and then the St. Louis Blues
for a year before retiring. He played his 1000th career game with Boston on March 1, 1998, against the New York Islanders
. He retired in 2000.
In 1989 Ellett was the subject of controversy when he decided to play for Team Canada in the World Championships. Bob Johnson, coach of the American team, complained that Ellett had to play for the United States because of his birthplace and because he attended Team USA's training camp for the 1987 Canada Cup
. But in actuality, Ellett was allowed to play for Team Canada because he never actually played for the USA internationally.
Ellett was part of one of Wayne Gretzky
's most-remembered goals. In Game 7 of the 1993 Campbell Conference Finals between the Leafs and the Los Angeles Kings
, Gretzky scored a hat trick
. He scored his third goal from behind the net by banking it off Ellett's skate and past the Toronto goaltender, Félix Potvin
. Ellett returned the favor by scoring for Toronto with just over a minute remaining, but Los Angeles hung on to win the game and go to the Stanley Cup Finals against Montreal
.
International statistics
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
but raise in Ottawa, Ontario) is a Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
former professional ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
defenseman who played in the NHL
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
for 16 seasons. He was born in Cleveland because his father, Bob, was a minor-league hockey player playing for the Cleveland Barons of the AHL
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
.
Playing career
Ellett was drafted 75th overall by the Winnipeg Jets in the 1982 NHL Entry Draft1982 NHL Entry Draft
The 1982 NHL Entry Draft was held at the Montreal Forum in Montreal, Quebec. The National Hockey League teams selected 252 players eligible for entry into professional ranks, in the reverse order of the 1981–82 NHL season and playoff standings. This is the list of those players...
and then played the next two seasons after that at Bowling Green State University
Bowling Green State University
Bowling Green State University, often referred to as Bowling Green or BGSU, is a public, coeducational research university located in Bowling Green, Ohio, United States. The institution was granted a charter in 1910 by the State of Ohio as part of the Lowry Bill, which also established Kent State...
. In Ellett's second (and final) season at BGSU (1983–84), the Falcons won the NCAA Championship. When Ellett joined the Jets in 1984, he was a solid defenseman right away, scoring 38 points and garnering a +20 plus/minus rating. He became part of a solid Jets nucleus in the mid-to-late 80's that had the misfortune of playing in the same division as the dominant Edmonton Oilers
Edmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division in the Western Conference of the National Hockey League ....
and Calgary Flames
Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is the third major-professional ice hockey team to represent the city of Calgary, following the...
. As a result, Ellett did not garner very much late-round playoff experience with the Jets.
Ellett's most notable moment with the Jets came in the 1990 Smythe Division semi-final series against the Edmonton Oilers. With the game tied at 2-2 in the second overtime period, Ellett scored a power play goal to give the Jets the win and a 3-1 series lead. Despite losing the next 3 games to the Oilers, this goal is considered the most memorable goal in the Jets' NHL history.
In the middle of the 1990–91 season, Ellett was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
with Paul Fenton
Paul Fenton (ice hockey)
Paul John Fenton is a retired American ice hockey forward.Fenton started his National Hockey League career with the Hartford Whalers in 1985. He would also play for the New York Rangers, Los Angeles Kings, Winnipeg Jets, Toronto Maple Leafs, Calgary Flames, and San Jose Sharks...
for Ed Olczyk
Ed Olczyk
Edward Walter "Eddie" Olczyk is an American former head coach for the National Hockey League Pittsburgh Penguins and former center for Toronto Maple Leafs, Winnipeg Jets, New York Rangers, Los Angeles Kings, Chicago Blackhawks and Pittsburgh Penguins...
and Mark Osborne. It was with the Leafs that Ellett transitioned from an offensive defenseman into a solid two-way rearguard. He was an integral part to the Leafs clubs of 1993 and 1994 that reached the Conference Finals.
Ellett was traded to the New Jersey Devils
New Jersey Devils
The New Jersey Devils are a professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey, United States. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
with Doug Gilmour
Doug Gilmour
Douglas Robert Gilmour is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player who is the current general manager of the Kingston Frontenacs of the Ontario Hockey League . During his National Hockey League career, Gilmour played for 7 NHL clubs: the St...
in the 1996–97 season, but only played with the club until the end of the season. He then played with the Boston Bruins
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the...
for two years and then the St. Louis Blues
St. Louis Blues
The St. Louis Blues are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The team is named after the famous W. C. Handy song "St. Louis Blues", and plays in the 19,150-seat Scottrade...
for a year before retiring. He played his 1000th career game with Boston on March 1, 1998, against the New York Islanders
New York Islanders
The New York Islanders are a professional ice hockey team based in Uniondale, New York. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
. He retired in 2000.
In 1989 Ellett was the subject of controversy when he decided to play for Team Canada in the World Championships. Bob Johnson, coach of the American team, complained that Ellett had to play for the United States because of his birthplace and because he attended Team USA's training camp for the 1987 Canada Cup
1987 Canada Cup
The 1987 Canada Cup was a professional international ice hockey tournament held from August 28 to September 15, 1987. The finals took place in Montreal on September 11 and Hamilton, Ontario, on September 13 and September 15, and were won by Team Canada....
. But in actuality, Ellett was allowed to play for Team Canada because he never actually played for the USA internationally.
Ellett was part of one of Wayne Gretzky
Wayne Gretzky
Wayne Douglas Gretzky, CC is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and former head coach. Nicknamed "The Great One", he is generally regarded as the best player in the history of the National Hockey League , and has been called "the greatest hockey player ever" by many sportswriters,...
's most-remembered goals. In Game 7 of the 1993 Campbell Conference Finals between the Leafs and the Los Angeles Kings
Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles, California. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
, Gretzky scored a hat trick
Hat Trick
Hat trick, hat-trick or hattrick may refer to:* hat-trick — in various sports, achieving three goals, wickets, etc. in a single match* Hattrick — online football management game** Hattrick Limited — producers of this game...
. He scored his third goal from behind the net by banking it off Ellett's skate and past the Toronto goaltender, Félix Potvin
Felix Potvin
Félix "The Cat" Potvin is a former National Hockey League goaltender.-QMJHL career:From 1988 through to 1991 Potvin played with the Chicoutimi Saguenéens, a Quebec Major Junior Hockey League team...
. Ellett returned the favor by scoring for Toronto with just over a minute remaining, but Los Angeles hung on to win the game and go to the Stanley Cup Finals against Montreal
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...
.
Awards
- Named to the CCHA Second All-Star Team (1984)
- Named to the NCAA All-Tournament Team (1984)
- Played in the NHL All-Star Game (1989, 1992)
Records
- Most points by a Toronto Maple LeafsToronto Maple LeafsThe Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
defenseman in a playoff year (18 in 19941994 Stanley Cup PlayoffsThe 1994 Stanley Cup playoffs, the championship of the National Hockey League , began after the conclusion of the 1993–94 NHL season. The sixteen teams that qualified, eight from each conference, played best-of-7 series for conference quarterfinals, semifinals and championships, and then the...
) - Most assists by a Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman in a playoff year (15 in 1994)
Career statistics
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season Season (sports) In an organized sports league, a season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session. For example, in Major League Baseball, one season lasts approximately from April 1 through October 1; in Association football, it is generally from August until May In an... | Team | League | GP | G Goal (ice hockey) In ice hockey, a goal is scored when the puck completely crosses the goal line between the two goal posts and below the goal crossbar. A goal awards one point to the team attacking the goal scored upon, regardless of which team the player who actually deflected the puck into the goal belongs to... | A Assist (ice hockey) In ice hockey, an assist is attributed to up to two players of the scoring team who shot, passed or deflected the puck towards the scoring teammate, or touched it in any other way which enabled the goal, meaning that they were "assisting" in the goal. There can be a maximum of two assists per goal... | Pts Point (ice hockey) Point in ice hockey has three official meanings:* A point is awarded to a player for each goal scored or assist earned. The total number of goals plus assists equals total points. In some European leagues, a goal counts as two points, and an assist counts as one... | PIM Penalty (ice hockey) A penalty in ice hockey is a punishment for inappropriate behavior. Most penalties are enforced by detaining the offending player within a penalty box for a set number of minutes, during which, the player can not participate in play. The offending team usually may not replace the player on the ice,... | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1982–83 | Bowling Green State University Bowling Green State University Bowling Green State University, often referred to as Bowling Green or BGSU, is a public, coeducational research university located in Bowling Green, Ohio, United States. The institution was granted a charter in 1910 by the State of Ohio as part of the Lowry Bill, which also established Kent State... | CCHA | 40 | 4 | 13 | 17 | 34 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1983–84 | Bowling Green State University | CCHA | 43 | 15 | 39 | 54 | 96 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1984–85 | Winnipeg Jets | NHL | 80 | 11 | 27 | 38 | 85 | 8 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 4 | ||
| 1985–86 | Winnipeg Jets | NHL | 80 | 15 | 31 | 46 | 96 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 1986–87 | Winnipeg Jets | NHL | 78 | 13 | 31 | 44 | 53 | 10 | 0 | 8 | 8 | 2 | ||
| 1987–88 | Winnipeg Jets | NHL | 68 | 13 | 45 | 58 | 106 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 10 | ||
| 1988–89 | Winnipeg Jets | NHL | 75 | 22 | 34 | 56 | 62 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1989–90 | Winnipeg Jets | NHL | 77 | 17 | 29 | 46 | 96 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 6 | ||
| 1990–91 | Winnipeg Jets | NHL | 17 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1990–91 | Toronto Maple Leafs Toronto Maple Leafs The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League... | NHL | 60 | 8 | 30 | 38 | 69 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1991–92 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 79 | 18 | 33 | 51 | 95 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1992–93 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 70 | 6 | 34 | 40 | 46 | 21 | 4 | 8 | 12 | 8 | ||
| 1993–94 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 68 | 7 | 36 | 43 | 42 | 18 | 3 | 15 | 18 | 31 | ||
| 1994–95 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 33 | 5 | 10 | 15 | 26 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | ||
| 1995–96 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 80 | 3 | 19 | 22 | 59 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | ||
| 1996–97 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 56 | 4 | 1 | 14 | 34 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1996–97 | New Jersey Devils New Jersey Devils The New Jersey Devils are a professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey, United States. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League... | NHL | 20 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 10 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 10 | ||
| 1997–98 | Boston Bruins Boston Bruins The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the... | NHL | 82 | 3 | 20 | 23 | 67 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 6 | ||
| 1998–99 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 54 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 25 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | ||
| 1999–00 | St. Louis Blues St. Louis Blues The St. Louis Blues are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The team is named after the famous W. C. Handy song "St. Louis Blues", and plays in the 19,150-seat Scottrade... | NHL | 52 | 2 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||
| 16 seasons | NHL career | 1129 | 153 | 415 | 568 | 985 | 116 | 11 | 46 | 57 | 87 | |||
International play
- Attended training camp for USA at 1987 Canada Cup1987 Canada CupThe 1987 Canada Cup was a professional international ice hockey tournament held from August 28 to September 15, 1987. The finals took place in Montreal on September 11 and Hamilton, Ontario, on September 13 and September 15, and were won by Team Canada....
, but did not play. - Played for Canada at the 1989 World Championships.
International statistics
| Year | Team | Event | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | Canada | WC | 10 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 14 |