Drew Stafford
Encyclopedia
Drew Stafford is an American
ice hockey
forward, an alternate captain for the Buffalo Sabres
of the National Hockey League
(NHL). He started playing hockey at an early age and played for the Waukesha Warhawks in Waukesha, Wisconsin, playing with local area legends Todd Rose and Damian Carrasco-Zanini. He then went on to play for the American Hockey League
's Rochester Americans
before being called up to the National Hockey League
to play for the Buffalo Sabres
on November 5, 2006.
Stafford is the nephew of the Edmonton Oilers
head equipment manager Barrie Stafford. His Father, Gordie, had also played professional hockey in the International Hockey League.
, playing for the St. Albert Bantam AA Flyers. During this season (1999–2000) he finished 3rd in league scoring with 26 goals and 47 points in 30 league games, and led his team to a provincial berth. At the conclusion of the season Stafford was selected to participate in Hockey Alberta
's elite development program as a member of the Northwest Sharks in the 2000 Pioneer Chrysler Alberta Cup.
Prior to playing at North Dakota, Stafford played minor hockey at Shattuck-Saint Mary's
in Faribault, Minnesota. Following his stint at Shattuck he took another step forward in his hockey career, playing three seasons with the North Dakota Fighting Sioux
. Following his freshman season, Stafford was drafted in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft
13th overall by the Buffalo Sabres
. After two more seasons, he signed a contract with the Sabres in 2006 for his impressive play at both the WCHA
and international level, foregoing his senior season at the University of North Dakota
. Stafford finished his three-year collegiate career with an impressive 118 points (48 goals, 70 assists).
Stafford formed a band called "Red Seal Peach" while at UND with former Lowell Devils
goaltender, Jordan Parise
.
He started his professional career with Buffalo's AHL
affiliate, the Rochester Americans
. With nine points in the first eleven games of the season, he caught the attention of the Sabres' management, and was called up to Buffalo in early November to replace injured winger Maxim Afinogenov
. In his NHL debut on November 5 against the New York Rangers
, Stafford assisted on a game-winning overtime goal by Danny Brière, receiving his first NHL point. On November 11, he scored his first goal in the NHL on the Philadelphia Flyers
' Antero Niittymäki
. He won NHL Rookie of the Month honors for March 2007 despite the fact that Paul Stastny
of the Colorado Avalanche
had his record breaking rookie scoring streak in the same month. Stafford scored his first game-winning goal on February 27 against the Toronto Maple Leafs
.
Stafford became a regular to the Sabres lineup in the 2007–2008 season, scoring his first career hat trick
against the Atlanta Thrashers
on January 18, 2008. More than a year later he went on to score his second hat trick in a 10-2 rout of the Edmonton Oilers
on January 27, 2009. A little less than a year after that, he celebrated this third hat trick on December 15, 2010 against the Boston Bruins
. He added his fourth, also against Boston, on January 1, 2011, his fifth on February 8, 2011 versus the Tampa Bay Lightning
, and his sixth on February 13, 2011 against the New York Islanders
.
On June 3, 2011, Stafford signed a 4 year, $16 million dollar extension with the Sabres.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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...
forward, an alternate captain for the Buffalo Sabres
Buffalo Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League .-Founding and early success: 1970-71—1980-81:...
of the National Hockey League
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...
(NHL). He started playing hockey at an early age and played for the Waukesha Warhawks in Waukesha, Wisconsin, playing with local area legends Todd Rose and Damian Carrasco-Zanini. He then went on to play for the American Hockey League
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...
's Rochester Americans
Rochester Americans
The Rochester Americans are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League, and a top affiliate of the Buffalo Sabres. The team plays its home games in Rochester, New York, at the Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial...
before being called up to the National Hockey League
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...
to play for the Buffalo Sabres
Buffalo Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League .-Founding and early success: 1970-71—1980-81:...
on November 5, 2006.
Stafford is the nephew of the 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 ....
head equipment manager Barrie Stafford. His Father, Gordie, had also played professional hockey in the International Hockey League.
Playing career
Stafford spent one year in St. Albert, AlbertaSt. Albert, Alberta
St. Albert is a suburban city in Alberta, located northwest of Edmonton, on the Sturgeon River. It was originally settled as a Métis community, and is now the second largest city in the Edmonton area. St...
, playing for the St. Albert Bantam AA Flyers. During this season (1999–2000) he finished 3rd in league scoring with 26 goals and 47 points in 30 league games, and led his team to a provincial berth. At the conclusion of the season Stafford was selected to participate in Hockey Alberta
Hockey Alberta
Hockey Alberta is the governing body of all ice hockey in Alberta, Canada and is affiliated with Hockey Canada. It was founded in 1907 as the Alberta Amateur Hockey Association to be the governing body for Alberta intra-city ice hockey play....
's elite development program as a member of the Northwest Sharks in the 2000 Pioneer Chrysler Alberta Cup.
Prior to playing at North Dakota, Stafford played minor hockey at Shattuck-Saint Mary's
Shattuck-Saint Mary's
Shattuck-St Mary's School is a coeducational Episcopal Church-affiliated boarding school in Faribault, Minnesota, and is known for its Centers of Excellence hockey, soccer, music and figure skating programs.-National recognition:...
in Faribault, Minnesota. Following his stint at Shattuck he took another step forward in his hockey career, playing three seasons with the North Dakota Fighting Sioux
North Dakota Fighting Sioux hockey
The North Dakota Fighting Sioux men's ice hockey team is the college ice hockey team at the Grand Forks campus of the University of North Dakota. They are members of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association and compete in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I ice hockey...
. Following his freshman season, Stafford was drafted in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft
2004 NHL Entry Draft
The 2004 NHL Entry Draft was held on June 26 at the RBC Center in Raleigh, North Carolina. It is especially notable because it was the last NHL event to take place before the beginning of the lockout which canceled all the games scheduled for the 2004–05 NHL season.- Selections by round :Listed...
13th overall by the Buffalo Sabres
Buffalo Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League .-Founding and early success: 1970-71—1980-81:...
. After two more seasons, he signed a contract with the Sabres in 2006 for his impressive play at both the WCHA
Western Collegiate Hockey Association
The Western Collegiate Hockey Association is a college athletic conference which operates over a wide area of the Midwestern and Western United States. It participates in the NCAA's Division I as an ice hockey-only conference....
and international level, foregoing his senior season at the University of North Dakota
University of North Dakota
The University of North Dakota is a public university in Grand Forks, North Dakota, USA. Established by the Dakota Territorial Assembly in 1883, six years before the establishment of the state of North Dakota, UND is the oldest and largest university in the state and enrolls over 14,000 students. ...
. Stafford finished his three-year collegiate career with an impressive 118 points (48 goals, 70 assists).
Stafford formed a band called "Red Seal Peach" while at UND with former Lowell Devils
Lowell Devils
The Lowell Devils, formerly known as the Lowell Lock Monsters from 1998 to 2006, were an ice hockey team in the American Hockey League playing in Lowell, Massachusetts at the Tsongas Center at UMass Lowell. In 2006, they were purchased by the New Jersey Devils franchise and renamed to the Lowell...
goaltender, Jordan Parise
Jordan Parise
Jordan Robert Parise is an American professional ice hockey goaltender who is currently working with a professional tryout contract with the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League. He is the son of former NHL player J. P...
.
He started his professional career with Buffalo's 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...
affiliate, the Rochester Americans
Rochester Americans
The Rochester Americans are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League, and a top affiliate of the Buffalo Sabres. The team plays its home games in Rochester, New York, at the Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial...
. With nine points in the first eleven games of the season, he caught the attention of the Sabres' management, and was called up to Buffalo in early November to replace injured winger Maxim Afinogenov
Maxim Afinogenov
Maxim Sergeyevich Afinogenov is a Russian professional ice hockey player who is a member of the SKA St. Petersburg of the Kontinental Hockey League . Known for his blistering skating speed, he was drafted by the Buffalo Sabres 69th overall in 1997 and played nine seasons with the club. He played...
. In his NHL debut on November 5 against the New York Rangers
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the...
, Stafford assisted on a game-winning overtime goal by Danny Brière, receiving his first NHL point. On November 11, he scored his first goal in the NHL on the Philadelphia Flyers
Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
' Antero Niittymäki
Antero Niittymäki
Antero Pertti Elias Niittymäki is a Finnish professional ice hockey goaltender who is currently a member of the San Jose Sharks of the National Hockey League. He has previously played for the NHL's Philadelphia Flyers and Tampa Bay Lightning, as well as in the SM-liiga and the American Hockey League...
. He won NHL Rookie of the Month honors for March 2007 despite the fact that Paul Stastny
Paul Stastny
Paul Stastny is an American professional ice hockey center, an alternate captain for the Colorado Avalanche of the National Hockey League . Of Slovak lineage, Stastny is the son of Hockey Hall of Famer Peter Stastny, who played for the Avalanche's predecessor, the Quebec Nordiques...
of the Colorado Avalanche
Colorado Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver, Colorado, United States. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Avalanche have won the Stanley Cup twice, in 1995–96 and 2000–01. The franchise...
had his record breaking rookie scoring streak in the same month. Stafford scored his first game-winning goal on February 27 against 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...
.
Stafford became a regular to the Sabres lineup in the 2007–2008 season, scoring his first career 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...
against the Atlanta Thrashers
Atlanta Thrashers
The Atlanta Thrashers were a professional ice hockey team based in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Atlanta was granted a franchise in the National Hockey League on June 25, 1997, and became the league's 28th franchise when it began play in the 1999–2000 NHL season...
on January 18, 2008. More than a year later he went on to score his second hat trick in a 10-2 rout of the 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 ....
on January 27, 2009. A little less than a year after that, he celebrated this third hat trick on December 15, 2010 against 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...
. He added his fourth, also against Boston, on January 1, 2011, his fifth on February 8, 2011 versus the Tampa Bay Lightning
Tampa Bay Lightning
The Tampa Bay Lightning are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . They have one Stanley Cup championship in their history, in 2003–04. They are often referred to as the...
, and his sixth on February 13, 2011 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...
.
On June 3, 2011, Stafford signed a 4 year, $16 million dollar extension with the Sabres.
Awards
- 2004: Gold medal (2004 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships2004 World Junior Ice Hockey ChampionshipsThe 2004 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships was held between December 26, 2003 and January 5, 2004 in Helsinki and Hämeenlinna, Finland...
) - 2006–072006–07 AHL seasonThe 2006–07 AHL season was the 71st season of the American Hockey League. Twenty-seven teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Hamilton Bulldogs won their first Calder Cup, defeating the defending champions, the Hershey Bears in the finals....
: Played in the AHLAmerican Hockey LeagueThe 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...
All-Star Classic for Planet USA
Regular season and playoffs
| 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 | ||
| 2003–04 | North Dakota Fighting Sioux North Dakota Fighting Sioux hockey The North Dakota Fighting Sioux men's ice hockey team is the college ice hockey team at the Grand Forks campus of the University of North Dakota. They are members of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association and compete in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I ice hockey... |
WCHA Western Collegiate Hockey Association The Western Collegiate Hockey Association is a college athletic conference which operates over a wide area of the Midwestern and Western United States. It participates in the NCAA's Division I as an ice hockey-only conference.... |
36 | 11 | 21 | 32 | 30 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2004–05 | North Dakota Fighting Sioux | WCHA | 40 | 13 | 22 | 35 | 34 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2005–06 | North Dakota Fighting Sioux | WCHA | 41 | 24 | 23 | 47 | 63 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2006–07 2006–07 AHL season The 2006–07 AHL season was the 71st season of the American Hockey League. Twenty-seven teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Hamilton Bulldogs won their first Calder Cup, defeating the defending champions, the Hershey Bears in the finals.... |
Rochester Americans Rochester Americans The Rochester Americans are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League, and a top affiliate of the Buffalo Sabres. The team plays its home games in Rochester, New York, at the Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial... |
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... |
34 | 22 | 22 | 44 | 30 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2006–07 | Buffalo Sabres Buffalo Sabres The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League .-Founding and early success: 1970-71—1980-81:... |
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... |
41 | 13 | 14 | 27 | 33 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | ||
| 2007–08 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 64 | 16 | 22 | 38 | 51 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2008–09 2008–09 NHL season The 2008–09 NHL season was the 92nd season of operation of the National Hockey League . It was the first season since prior to the 2004–05 lockout in which every team played each other at least once during the season, following three seasons where teams only played against two divisions in the... |
Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 79 | 20 | 25 | 45 | 29 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2009–10 2009–10 NHL season The 2009–10 NHL season was the 93rd season of operation of the National Hockey League , and the 100th season since the founding of the predecessor National Hockey Association . It ran from October 1, 2009, including four games in Europe on October 2 and 3—until April 11, 2010, with the 2010... |
Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 71 | 14 | 20 | 34 | 35 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2010–11 2010–11 NHL season The 2010–11 NHL season was the 94th season of operation of the National Hockey League . It was the fourth consecutive season that opened in Europe with NHL Premiere . A record three events were scheduled, all in previous NHL Premiere cities: Helsinki, Finland; Stockholm, Sweden; and Prague, Czech... |
Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 62 | 31 | 21 | 52 | 34 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | ||
| NHL totals | 317 | 94 | 102 | 196 | 182 | 20 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 6 | ||||
International
| Year | Team | Comp | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 2003 IIHF World U18 Championships -Final standings: and are relegated to Division I for the 2004 IIHF World U18 Championships.- Table :- Table :- Table :- Table :- Table :- Table :-External links:*... |
United States | WJC18 IIHF World U18 Championships The IIHF World U18 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 system similar to Ice Hockey World Championships and World... |
6 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 8 |
| 2004 2004 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships The 2004 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships was held between December 26, 2003 and January 5, 2004 in Helsinki and Hämeenlinna, Finland... |
United States | WJC World Junior Ice Hockey Championships The International Ice Hockey Federation World Under 20 Championship is an annual event organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation for national under-20 ice hockey teams from around the world... |
6 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| 2005 2005 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships The 2005 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships was held between December 25, 2004, and January 4, 2005, at the Ralph Engelstad Arena in Grand Forks, North Dakota, and at the Ralph Engelstad Arena in Thief River Falls, Minnesota, United States... |
United States | WJC | 7 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 14 |
| 2006 2006 IIHF World Championship -Group B :All times local - Group C :All times local - Group D :All times local -Qualifying round:The top three teams from each group in the Preliminary round advance to the Qualifying Round... |
United States | WC | 7 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 2008 2008 IIHF World Championship The 2008 IIHF World Championship was played between May 2 and May 18, 2008 in the Canadian cities of Halifax and Quebec City . The two venues were the Halifax Metro Centre and the Colisée Pepsi... |
United States | WC | 7 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 6 |
| 2009 2009 IIHF World Championship The 2009 IIHF World Championship took place in Switzerland from 24 April to 10 May. The games were played in the PostFinance Arena in Bern and Schluefweg in Kloten.... |
United States | WC | 9 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 6 |
| Junior int'l totals | 19 | 8 | 8 | 16 | 24 | ||
| Senior int'l totals | 23 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 12 | ||