Eric Boulton
Encyclopedia
Eric Boulton is a Canadian
professional ice hockey
left winger for the New Jersey Devils
.
in the 1994 NHL Entry Draft
. Boulton recorded his first career hat trick on December 18, 2010, scoring 3 goals against the New Jersey Devils. He made his NHL debut playing for the Buffalo Sabres
, where he played for four seasons. During the 2004 NHL Lockout, he played for the Columbia Inferno
of the East Coast Hockey League. After the Lockout ended, Boulton landed in Atlanta. He was re-signed by Atlanta in 2008 to a two year deal, and then signed as an Unrestricted Free Agent with the New Jersey Devils
to a 2 year contract for an undisclosed amount. Boulton joins former Atlanta Thrashers
teammates Ilya Kovalchuk
and Johan Hedberg
in New Jersey.
rookie Paul Ranger
causing a hairline fracture of the jaw and a concussion. The incident occurred at the end of a 6–0 rout of the Thrashers on October 20, 2005. NHL vice-president Colin Campbell
said, "It is clear Mr. Boulton's actions were careless and caused injury. There is no circumstance that can justify this type of action." Only a week earlier Boulton had made a similar move in a game against Toronto, almost injuring Eric Lindros
. Both Tampa Bay coach John Tortorella
and Toronto coach Pat Quinn
have made angry comments about Boulton's style of play. Tortorella said "no one wants to see him on the ice."
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...
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...
left winger for 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...
.
Playing career
Boulton was drafted in the ninth round, 234th overall by the New York RangersNew 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...
in the 1994 NHL Entry Draft
1994 NHL Entry Draft
The 1994 NHL Entry Draft was held at the Hartford Civic Center on June 28–29, 1994.-Selections by round:Club teams are located in North America unless otherwise noted.-Round one:-Round two:-Round three:-Round four:...
. Boulton recorded his first career hat trick on December 18, 2010, scoring 3 goals against the New Jersey Devils. He made his NHL debut playing 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:...
, where he played for four seasons. During the 2004 NHL Lockout, he played for the Columbia Inferno
Columbia Inferno
The Columbia Inferno are an ECHL team based in Columbia, South Carolina. The team is currently on voluntary suspension awaiting construction of a new arena in suburban Lexington County. They played their home games at the Carolina Coliseum. They planned on playing in a new arena during the...
of the East Coast Hockey League. After the Lockout ended, Boulton landed in Atlanta. He was re-signed by Atlanta in 2008 to a two year deal, and then signed as an Unrestricted Free Agent with 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...
to a 2 year contract for an undisclosed amount. Boulton joins former 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...
teammates Ilya Kovalchuk
Ilya Kovalchuk
Ilya Valerevich Kovalchuk is a Russian professional ice hockey left winger who is an alternate captain of the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League. Drafted first overall in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft by the Atlanta Thrashers, he began his NHL career in 2001–02 with Atlanta and was...
and Johan Hedberg
Johan Hedberg
Johan "Moose" Hedberg is a Swedish professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing with the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:...
in New Jersey.
2005 elbowing incident
In October 2005, Boulton was suspended for 6 games after he elbowed Tampa Bay LightningTampa 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...
rookie Paul Ranger
Paul Ranger
Paul Ranger is a former Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who is currently a free agent. He has spent the majority of his career with the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League....
causing a hairline fracture of the jaw and a concussion. The incident occurred at the end of a 6–0 rout of the Thrashers on October 20, 2005. NHL vice-president Colin Campbell
Colin Campbell (hockey)
Colin John Campbell , nicknamed "Sheriff", is a former professional ice hockey defenceman, coach and the former Senior Vice President and current Director of Hockey Operations for the National Hockey League...
said, "It is clear Mr. Boulton's actions were careless and caused injury. There is no circumstance that can justify this type of action." Only a week earlier Boulton had made a similar move in a game against Toronto, almost injuring Eric Lindros
Eric Lindros
Eric Bryan Lindros is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player. Lindros played junior hockey in the OHL for the Oshawa Generals prior to being selected first overall in the 1991 NHL Entry Draft by the Quebec Nordiques...
. Both Tampa Bay coach John Tortorella
John Tortorella
Jonathan "John" Tortorella is an American professional ice hockey coach and is now the head coach of the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League . He is perhaps best known for his tenure as head coach of the Tampa Bay Lightning when he led the team to the 2004 Stanley Cup championship...
and Toronto coach Pat Quinn
Pat Quinn (ice hockey)
John Brian Patrick Quinn , is a former head coach in the National Hockey League , most recently with the Edmonton Oilers. Known by the nickname "The Big Irishman",...
have made angry comments about Boulton's style of play. Tortorella said "no one wants to see him on the ice."
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 | ||
| 1993–94 1993–94 OHL season The 1993–94 OHL season was the 14th season of the Ontario Hockey League. Sixteen teams each played 66 games. The North Bay Centennials won the J... |
Oshawa Generals Oshawa Generals The Oshawa Generals are a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League. They are based in Oshawa, Ontario. The team is named for General Motors, an early sponsor which has its Canadian headquarters in Oshawa. The Generals are one of the most successful franchises in Canadian Hockey League... |
OHL Ontario Hockey League The Ontario Hockey League is one of the three Major Junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League. The league is for players aged 15-20.The OHL also operates under the Ontario Hockey Federation of Hockey Canada.... |
45 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 149 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | ||
| 1994–95 1994–95 OHL season The 1994–95 OHL season was the 15th season of the Ontario Hockey League. Sixteen teams each played 66 games. The Detroit Junior Red Wings won the J. Ross Robertson Cup, defeating the Guelph Storm... |
Oshawa Generals | OHL | 27 | 7 | 5 | 12 | 125 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1994–95 | Sarnia Sting Sarnia Sting The Sarnia Sting are a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League. They play out of the RBC Centre, formerly the Sarnia Sports and Entertainment Centre in Sarnia, Ontario, Canada.-History:... |
OHL | 24 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 134 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 10 | ||
| 1995–96 1995–96 OHL season The 1995–96 OHL season was the 16th season of the Ontario Hockey League. Seventeen teams each played 66 games. The Peterborough Petes won the J. Ross Robertson Cup, defeating the Guelph Storm. The Detroit Junior Red Wings become the Detroit Whalers.-Notes:... |
Sarnia Sting | OHL | 66 | 14 | 29 | 43 | 243 | 9 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 29 | ||
| 1996–97 1996–97 ECHL season The 1996-97 ECHL season was the ninth season of the ECHL. Before the start of the season, two franchises relocated, one was renamed, and two expansion franchises were founded... |
Charlotte Checkers | ECHL ECHL The ECHL is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Princeton, New Jersey with teams scattered across the United States... |
44 | 14 | 11 | 25 | 325 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 6 | ||
| 1996–97 1996–97 AHL season The 1996–97 AHL season was the 61st season of the American Hockey League. The league renames its divisions due to relocating teams. The Northern Conferences consists of the Atlantic Division becoming the Canadian Division, and the Central Division becoming the Empire State Division... |
Binghamton Rangers Binghamton Rangers The Binghamton Rangers were an ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They played in Binghamton, New York, USA at the Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena.-History:The market was previously served by:-Playoffs:-Single Season:... |
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... |
23 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 67 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | ||
| 1997–98 1997–98 ECHL season The 1997-98 ECHL season was the tenth season of the ECHL. Before the start of the season, the league saw the Knoxville Cherokees move to Florence, SC and welcomed expansion teams in New Orleans, LA and Upper Marlboro, MD... |
Charlotte Checkers | ECHL | 53 | 11 | 16 | 27 | 202 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 1997–98 | Fort Wayne Komets Fort Wayne Komets The Fort Wayne Komets are a minor league ice hockey franchise currently a member of the Central Hockey League in the Northern Conference. The team was previously a member of the International Hockey League before it merged into the CHL in 2010... |
IHL | 8 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 42 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1998–99 1998–99 AHL season The 1998–99 AHL season was the 63rd season of the American Hockey League. Nineteen teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Providence Bruins finished first overall in the regular season, and won their first Calder Cup championship.-Team changes:... |
Kentucky Thoroughblades Kentucky Thoroughblades The Kentucky Thoroughblades were a minor professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League, who existed from 1996 to 2001. The Thoroughblades were based in Lexington, Kentucky, playing home games at Rupp Arena... |
AHL | 34 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 154 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 36 | ||
| 1998–99 1998–99 ECHL season The 1998-99 ECHL season was the 11th season of the ECHL. Before the start of the season, the league saw the Louisville River Frogs move to Miami, FL and the Raleigh Icecaps move to Augusta, GA as well as welcoming two new franchises in Estero, FL and Greenville, SC... |
Florida Everblades Florida Everblades The Florida Everblades are an ECHL ice hockey team playing in the Southeast Division. The team is based in Estero, Florida and plays at Germain Arena . The team has existed since 1998... |
ECHL | 26 | 9 | 13 | 22 | 143 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1998–99 | Houston Aeros Houston Aeros The Houston Aeros are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. The team plays in Houston, Texas, at the Toyota Center. They are the AHL affiliate of the NHL's Minnesota Wild.- History :... |
IHL | 7 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 41 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1999–00 1999–2000 AHL season The 1999–2000 AHL season was the 64th season of the American Hockey League. Nineteen teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Hartford Wolf Pack finished first overall in the regular season, and won their first Calder Cup championship.-Team changes:... |
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 | 76 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 276 | 18 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 53 | ||
| 2000–01 | 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 | 35 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 94 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2001–02 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 35 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 129 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2002–03 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 58 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 178 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2003–04 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 44 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 110 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2004–05 | Columbia Inferno Columbia Inferno The Columbia Inferno are an ECHL team based in Columbia, South Carolina. The team is currently on voluntary suspension awaiting construction of a new arena in suburban Lexington County. They played their home games at the Carolina Coliseum. They planned on playing in a new arena during the... |
ECHL | 48 | 23 | 16 | 39 | 124 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 8 | ||
| 2005–06 | 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... |
NHL | 51 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 87 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2006–07 | Atlanta Thrashers | NHL | 45 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 49 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 | ||
| 2007–08 | Atlanta Thrashers | NHL | 74 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 127 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 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... |
Atlanta Thrashers | NHL | 76 | 3 | 10 | 13 | 176 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 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... |
Atlanta Thrashers | NHL | 62 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 113 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 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... |
Atlanta Thrashers | NHL | 69 | 6 | 4 | 10 | 87 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| NHL totals | 549 | 27 | 46 | 73 | 1150 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 | ||||