Kelly Fairchild
Encyclopedia
Kelly Fairchild is a former professional ice hockey
player. He played in the NHL with the Toronto Maple Leafs
, Dallas Stars
and the Colorado Avalanche
.
by the Los Angeles Kings
in the 7th round, 152nd overall. He attended Grand Rapids High School
and was a standout play-maker before committing to a collegiate career with the University of Wisconsin
in 1991. In 1993–94, his junior year with the Badgers, Kelly led the Western Collegiate Hockey Association
in scoring with 64 points and was named to the WCHA's First All-Star Team and finished as a runner up in the Hobey Baker
Award.
Prior to his first professional season, Fairchild was traded by the Kings, along with Dixon Ward
, Guy Leveque
and Shane Toporowski, to the Toronto Maple Leafs
for Eric Lacroix
, Chris Snell
and fourth round pick (Eric Belanger
) on October 3, 1994. After two seasons with the Maple Leafs AHL
affiliate, St. John's
he made his NHL debut appearing in a single game and recording an assist in the 1995–96
season. Over the next couple of seasons, Kelly played in 22 further games with the Maple Leafs, but ultimately assigned to minor league affiliates.
On July 2, 1998, Fairchild signed a two-year contract with the Dallas Stars
. Despite contributing largely to the offense of the Michigan K-Wings, he was only able to make a lone Star appearance in 1998–99. Looked upon as an established minor-league veteran, Fairchild was then signed by the Colorado Avalanche
in 2000. Fairchild was assigned to AHL affiliate, the Hershey Bears
, for the most part of two seasons but played in 10 Avalanche games and scoring his first 2, and only, goals in the 2001–02 season.
After totaling just 34 NHL games, Kelly left North America when he signed with Eisbären Berlin
of the German
DEL in 2002. After a prolific first season in the DEL with Berlin, Fairchild was unexpectedly chosen to the United States team to participate in the 2003 World Championships
in Finland. As an understrength team, Fairchild scored in the upset loss to Denmark. Fairchild finished with 5 goals in 6 games as Team USA finished a disappointing 13th out of 16 teams. Fairchild was then apart of two championships with Berlin in 2005 and 2006 before leaving in 2007 to join the Vienna Capitals
in the Austrian Hockey League
.
In his last season of professional hockey, Fairchild won the Asia League Ice Hockey
Championship with the Nippon Paper Cranes
in 2009.
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...
player. He played in the NHL with 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...
, Dallas Stars
Dallas Stars
The Dallas Stars are a professional ice hockey team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The team was founded during the 1967 NHL expansion as the Minnesota North Stars, based in Bloomington, Minnesota. The...
and 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...
.
Playing career
Fairchild was drafted to the NHL in 19911991 NHL Entry Draft
The 1991 NHL Entry Draft was held on June 22 at the Memorial Auditorium in Buffalo, New York. A total of 264 players were drafted. The draft was famous for the controversy surrounding star first overall draft pick, touted by some observers to be The Next One, Eric Lindros, who was drafted by the...
by 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...
in the 7th round, 152nd overall. He attended Grand Rapids High School
Grand Rapids High School
Grand Rapids High School is a four year public high school located in Grand Rapids, Minnesota on 800 Conifer Drive. GRHS offers a wide range of extra curricular activities, and boasts one of the only competitive field show marching band programs north of Minneapolis/St...
and was a standout play-maker before committing to a collegiate career with the University of Wisconsin
Wisconsin Badgers men's ice hockey
The Wisconsin Badgers men's ice hockey team is the college ice hockey team that represents the University of Wisconsin–Madison in Madison, Wisconsin. The team plays at the Kohl Center and is coached by former Badger and NHL player Mike Eaves...
in 1991. In 1993–94, his junior year with the Badgers, Kelly led the Western Collegiate Hockey Association
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....
in scoring with 64 points and was named to the WCHA's First All-Star Team and finished as a runner up in the Hobey Baker
Hobey Baker
Hobart Amory Hare "Hobey" Baker was an American amateur athlete of the early twentieth century. Regarded as the first American star in ice hockey, he was also an accomplished football player. Born into a prominent family from Philadelphia, he enrolled at Princeton University in 1910...
Award.
Prior to his first professional season, Fairchild was traded by the Kings, along with Dixon Ward
Dixon Ward
Dixon McRae Ward is a former National Hockey League right wing. He was drafted in the seventh round, 128th overall, by the Vancouver Canucks in the 1988 NHL Entry Draft....
, Guy Leveque
Guy Leveque
Guy Scott Leveque is a deceased retired professional ice hockey player.-Playing career:...
and Shane Toporowski, 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...
for Eric Lacroix
Eric Lacroix
Eric Lacroix is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. Lacroix played eight seasons in the National Hockey League for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Los Angeles Kings, Colorado Avalanche, New York Rangers and Ottawa Senators. Currently, he is the owner and governor of the Arizona Sundogs of...
, Chris Snell
Chris Snell
Chris Snell is a former professional ice hockey defenceman and an amateur scout of the Winnipeg Jets...
and fourth round pick (Eric Belanger
Eric Belanger
Éric Bélanger is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre who is currently playing for the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League.-Playing career:...
) on October 3, 1994. After two seasons with the Maple Leafs 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, St. John's
St. John's Maple Leafs
The St. John's Maple Leafs were an ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They played in St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada at Memorial Stadium from 1991–2001, and at Mile One Stadium from 2001–2005.-History:...
he made his NHL debut appearing in a single game and recording an assist in the 1995–96
1995-96 NHL season
The 1995–96 NHL season was the 79th regular season of the National Hockey League. The Stanley Cup winners were the Colorado Avalanche, who, in their first year as the Avalanche, swept the Florida Panthers in four games.-League business:...
season. Over the next couple of seasons, Kelly played in 22 further games with the Maple Leafs, but ultimately assigned to minor league affiliates.
On July 2, 1998, Fairchild signed a two-year contract with the Dallas Stars
Dallas Stars
The Dallas Stars are a professional ice hockey team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The team was founded during the 1967 NHL expansion as the Minnesota North Stars, based in Bloomington, Minnesota. The...
. Despite contributing largely to the offense of the Michigan K-Wings, he was only able to make a lone Star appearance in 1998–99. Looked upon as an established minor-league veteran, Fairchild was then signed by 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...
in 2000. Fairchild was assigned to AHL affiliate, the Hershey Bears
Hershey Bears
The Hershey Bears Hockey Club is a professional ice hockey team playing in the American Hockey League, and is currently the top affiliate of the NHL Washington Capitals. The hockey club is based in the unincorporated town of Hershey, Pennsylvania, located within Derry Township some 14 miles east of...
, for the most part of two seasons but played in 10 Avalanche games and scoring his first 2, and only, goals in the 2001–02 season.
After totaling just 34 NHL games, Kelly left North America when he signed with Eisbären Berlin
Eisbären Berlin
' are a professional ice hockey team based in Berlin, Germany. The team competes in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga , the highest level of play in professional German ice hockey and is also one of the league's founding members...
of the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
DEL in 2002. After a prolific first season in the DEL with Berlin, Fairchild was unexpectedly chosen to the United States team to participate in the 2003 World Championships
2003 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships
-Relegation round: avoids relegation by defeating 4-1 in the 2004 IIHF World Championship Far East Qualification game. and are demoted to Division I at the 2004 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships.-Scoring leaders:-Goaltending leaders:-Group A:...
in Finland. As an understrength team, Fairchild scored in the upset loss to Denmark. Fairchild finished with 5 goals in 6 games as Team USA finished a disappointing 13th out of 16 teams. Fairchild was then apart of two championships with Berlin in 2005 and 2006 before leaving in 2007 to join the Vienna Capitals
Vienna Capitals
Vienna Capitals are a member of the Erste Bank Hockey League. They play their home games in Vienna, Austria, at Albert Schultz Eishalle.-Current roster:-References:...
in the Austrian Hockey League
Austrian Hockey League
The Austrian Hockey League , called the Erste Bank Eishockey Liga for sponsorship reasons, is the highest-level ice hockey league in Austria.-History:...
.
In his last season of professional hockey, Fairchild won the Asia League Ice Hockey
Asia League Ice Hockey
Asia League Ice Hockey is an association which operates a professional ice hockey league based in East Asia, with seven teams from Japan, China, and South Korea. The league is headquartered in Japan...
Championship with the Nippon Paper Cranes
Nippon Paper Cranes
The are an Asia League Ice Hockey team based in Kushiro City in Hokkaidō, Japan.The club were founded as Jūjō Paper Kushiro Ice Hockey Club in 1949. They adopted the new name Nippon Paper Cranes in 1994 when Jūjō Paper and Sanyō Kokusaku Pulp merged to form Nippon Paper.They won the inaugural...
in 2009.
Awards and achievements
- 1993–94 WCHAWestern Collegiate Hockey AssociationThe 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....
First All-Star Team
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 | ||
| 1991–92 | University of Wisconsin Wisconsin Badgers men's ice hockey The Wisconsin Badgers men's ice hockey team is the college ice hockey team that represents the University of Wisconsin–Madison in Madison, Wisconsin. The team plays at the Kohl Center and is coached by former Badger and NHL player Mike Eaves... |
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.... |
41 | 11 | 10 | 21 | 45 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1992–93 | University of Wisconsin | WCHA | 42 | 25 | 29 | 54 | 54 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1993–94 | University of Wisconsin | WCHA | 42 | 20 | 44 | 64 | 81 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1994–95 1994–95 AHL season The 1994–95 AHL season was the 59th season of the American Hockey League. The All-Star Game is revived, with All-Stars grouped into "Team Canada" and "Team USA." Sixteen teams played 80 games each in the schedule... |
St. John's Maple Leafs St. John's Maple Leafs The St. John's Maple Leafs were an ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They played in St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada at Memorial Stadium from 1991–2001, and at Mile One Stadium from 2001–2005.-History:... |
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... |
53 | 27 | 23 | 50 | 51 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | ||
| 1995–96 | St. John's Maple Leafs | AHL | 78 | 29 | 49 | 78 | 85 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | ||
| 1995–96 1995-96 NHL season The 1995–96 NHL season was the 79th regular season of the National Hockey League. The Stanley Cup winners were the Colorado Avalanche, who, in their first year as the Avalanche, swept the Florida Panthers in four games.-League business:... |
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 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1996–97 | St. John's Maple Leafs | AHL | 29 | 9 | 22 | 31 | 36 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1996–97 1996-97 NHL season The 1996–97 NHL season was the 80th regular season of the National Hockey League. The Stanley Cup winners were the Detroit Red Wings, who swept the Philadelphia Flyers in four games and won the Stanley Cup for the first time in 42 years. The regular season saw a decline in scoring and rise in the... |
Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 22 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1996–97 | Orlando Solar Bears | IHL | 25 | 9 | 6 | 15 | 20 | 9 | 6 | 5 | 11 | 16 | ||
| 1997–98 | Orlando Solar Bears | IHL | 22 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 20 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1997–98 | Milwaukee Admirals Milwaukee Admirals The Milwaukee Admirals are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They play in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA at the Bradley Center.-History:... |
IHL | 40 | 20 | 24 | 44 | 32 | 10 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 4 | ||
| 1997–98 | St. John's Maple Leafs | AHL | 17 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 24 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1998–99 | Dallas Stars Dallas Stars The Dallas Stars are a professional ice hockey team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The team was founded during the 1967 NHL expansion as the Minnesota North Stars, based in Bloomington, Minnesota. The... |
NHL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1998–99 | Michigan K-Wings | IHL | 74 | 17 | 33 | 50 | 88 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 16 | ||
| 1999–00 | Michigan K-Wings | IHL | 78 | 21 | 41 | 62 | 89 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2000–01 2000–01 AHL season The 2000–01 AHL season was the 65th season of the American Hockey League. The league realigns its divisions again. The Atlantic division is renamed the Canadian division. The Empire State division is replaced by the South division, with many teams shifting from the Mid-Atlantic division.Twenty... |
Hershey Bears Hershey Bears The Hershey Bears Hockey Club is a professional ice hockey team playing in the American Hockey League, and is currently the top affiliate of the NHL Washington Capitals. The hockey club is based in the unincorporated town of Hershey, Pennsylvania, located within Derry Township some 14 miles east of... |
AHL | 70 | 23 | 40 | 63 | 68 | 12 | 2 | 9 | 11 | 10 | ||
| 2001–02 2001–02 AHL season The 2001–02 AHL season was the 66th season of the American Hockey League. It was the season of the biggest growth in the AHL's history, as it accepted eight new teams. The demise of the International Hockey League brought six teams transferring from the defunct league, in addition to two expansion... |
Hershey Bears | AHL | 63 | 22 | 25 | 47 | 92 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 6 | ||
| 2001–02 | 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... |
NHL | 10 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2002–03 | Eisbären Berlin | DEL | 51 | 20 | 32 | 52 | 74 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 20 | ||
| 2003–04 | Eisbären Berlin | DEL | 42 | 20 | 23 | 43 | 86 | 11 | 6 | 7 | 13 | 6 | ||
| 2004–05 | Eisbären Berlin | DEL | 43 | 17 | 16 | 33 | 54 | 7 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 4 | ||
| 2005–06 | Eisbären Berlin | DEL | 33 | 15 | 17 | 32 | 22 | 11 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 12 | ||
| 2006–07 | Eisbären Berlin | DEL | 47 | 13 | 15 | 28 | 60 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | ||
| 2007–08 | Vienna Capitals Vienna Capitals Vienna Capitals are a member of the Erste Bank Hockey League. They play their home games in Vienna, Austria, at Albert Schultz Eishalle.-Current roster:-References:... |
EBEL Austrian Hockey League The Austrian Hockey League , called the Erste Bank Eishockey Liga for sponsorship reasons, is the highest-level ice hockey league in Austria.-History:... |
44 | 7 | 29 | 36 | 58 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 12 | ||
| 2008–09 | Nippon Paper Cranes Nippon Paper Cranes The are an Asia League Ice Hockey team based in Kushiro City in Hokkaidō, Japan.The club were founded as Jūjō Paper Kushiro Ice Hockey Club in 1949. They adopted the new name Nippon Paper Cranes in 1994 when Jūjō Paper and Sanyō Kokusaku Pulp merged to form Nippon Paper.They won the inaugural... |
ALH Asia League Ice Hockey Asia League Ice Hockey is an association which operates a professional ice hockey league based in East Asia, with seven teams from Japan, China, and South Korea. The league is headquartered in Japan... |
20 | 9 | 14 | 23 | 52 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| NHL Totals | 34 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
International
| Year | Team | Comp | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 2003 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships -Relegation round: avoids relegation by defeating 4-1 in the 2004 IIHF World Championship Far East Qualification game. and are demoted to Division I at the 2004 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships.-Scoring leaders:-Goaltending leaders:-Group A:... |
United States | WC | 6 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 2 |
| Senior int'l totals | 6 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 2 | ||