Mike Duco
Encyclopedia
Michael Duco is a Canadian professional ice hockey
winger
who currently plays for the National Hockey League's
(NHL) Vancouver Canucks
organization. Duco played his major junior hockey with the Kitchener Rangers
of the Ontario Hockey League
. After his junior career he was signed as a free agent by the NHL's Florida Panthers
. After three years in their system the Panthers traded his rights to Vancouver for Sergei Shirokov
.
(OHL) career late in the 2003–04 season with the Kitchener Rangers
. In five games Duco registered one goal and two assists and added another assist in three playoff games. In his first full season Duco recorded 24 goals and 50 points in 62 games. He also registered a +16 rating, eight power play goals, and two shorthanded
goals. At seasons end Duco was named to the OHL's All-Rookie Second Team. Prior to the 2005–06 season Duco was invited to the Edmonton Oilers
training camp. He failed to make the team or be given a contract and returned to Kitchener. There his overall production dipped to 22 goals and 44 points, but he increased his power play goal total to 11. In the post-season Duco added 2 goals and an assist in 5 games. The following year he was again invited to Oilers camp where he was unable to gain a contract and was assigned back to the Rangers. During the 2006–07 season Duco registered his third straight 20 goal season, but his production dropped for a second consecutive season registering 40 points. In the playoffs Duco notched a goal and an assist in nine post-season games. In the off-season Duco was invited to the Florida Panthers
training camp in Kitchener. His performance at this camp earned him an invite to the Panthers main training camp, where he played in one pre-season game and was signed to an entry-level contract. Duco was reassigned to Kitchner for his overage season and set career highs in goals, 32, points, 54, and penalty minutes (PIM), 173.
(AHL) affiliate the Rochester Americans
in the 2008–09 season
. He finished the year with 14 goals, 28 points and 141 PIMs. Duco ranked fifth on the team in goal scoring while leading the club in penalty minutes. The following season
Duco began the year with Rochester but was called up by the Panthers where he made his NHL debut on December 2, 2009 in a game against the Colorado Avalanche
. He finished the year playing in 10 NHL games with out recording a goal or an assist but notched 50 PIMs, in the AHL he recorded 9 goals and 19 points in 59 games. In the off-season he was re-signed by the Panthers to a one-year deal. In the 2010–11 season
Duco had a professional career high with 20 goals in 67 games for the Americans, but managed to play in only two games for the Panthers. His 20 goals led Rochester. At the end of the season Duco became a restricted free agent and the Panthers tendered him a qualifying offer. During the off-season, on July 9, 2011 his rights were traded by the Panthers to the Vancouver Canucks
for the rights to Russian winger Sergei Shirokov
. Five days later he signed a contract with Vancouver.
, but plays an aggressive physical style with a willingness to fight
. He plays an energetic game, finishing his checks, and can be an agitator. Former coach Peter DeBoer
said that Duco doesn't play small but rather plays like a player a foot taller.
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...
winger
Forward (ice hockey)
In ice hockey, a forward is a player position on the ice whose primary responsibility is to score goals. Generally, the forwards try to stay in three different lanes, also known as thirds, of the ice going from goal to goal. It is not mandatory however, to stay in a lane. Staying in a lane aids in...
who currently plays for the National Hockey League's
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) Vancouver Canucks
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,...
organization. Duco played his major junior hockey with the Kitchener Rangers
Kitchener Rangers
The Kitchener Rangers are a major junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League that have called Kitchener, Ontario, Canada their home since 1963. The Rangers are a publicly owned hockey team, governed by a 40-person Board of Directors made up of season ticket subscribers. The Rangers hosted...
of the Ontario Hockey League
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....
. After his junior career he was signed as a free agent by the NHL's Florida Panthers
Florida Panthers
The Florida Panthers are a professional ice hockey team based in Sunrise, Florida, in the Miami metropolitan area. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . They play their games at the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise and are the...
. After three years in their system the Panthers traded his rights to Vancouver for Sergei Shirokov
Sergei Shirokov
Sergei Sergeyevich Shirokov is a Russian professional ice hockey winger currently with HC CSKA Moscow of the Kontinental Hockey League . Drafted 163rd overall in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft, he is a prospect for the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League...
.
Ontario Hockey League
Duco began his Ontario Hockey LeagueOntario 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....
(OHL) career late in the 2003–04 season with the Kitchener Rangers
Kitchener Rangers
The Kitchener Rangers are a major junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League that have called Kitchener, Ontario, Canada their home since 1963. The Rangers are a publicly owned hockey team, governed by a 40-person Board of Directors made up of season ticket subscribers. The Rangers hosted...
. In five games Duco registered one goal and two assists and added another assist in three playoff games. In his first full season Duco recorded 24 goals and 50 points in 62 games. He also registered a +16 rating, eight power play goals, and two shorthanded
Shorthanded
Short handed is a term used in ice hockey and refers to having fewer skaters on the ice during play, as a result of a penalty. The player removed from play serves the penalty in the penalty box for a set amount of time proportional to the severity of the infraction...
goals. At seasons end Duco was named to the OHL's All-Rookie Second Team. Prior to the 2005–06 season Duco was invited to 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 ....
training camp. He failed to make the team or be given a contract and returned to Kitchener. There his overall production dipped to 22 goals and 44 points, but he increased his power play goal total to 11. In the post-season Duco added 2 goals and an assist in 5 games. The following year he was again invited to Oilers camp where he was unable to gain a contract and was assigned back to the Rangers. During the 2006–07 season Duco registered his third straight 20 goal season, but his production dropped for a second consecutive season registering 40 points. In the playoffs Duco notched a goal and an assist in nine post-season games. In the off-season Duco was invited to the Florida Panthers
Florida Panthers
The Florida Panthers are a professional ice hockey team based in Sunrise, Florida, in the Miami metropolitan area. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . They play their games at the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise and are the...
training camp in Kitchener. His performance at this camp earned him an invite to the Panthers main training camp, where he played in one pre-season game and was signed to an entry-level contract. Duco was reassigned to Kitchner for his overage season and set career highs in goals, 32, points, 54, and penalty minutes (PIM), 173.
Professional
Duco played his first professional season with the Panthers American Hockey LeagueAmerican 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...
(AHL) 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...
in the 2008–09 season
2008–09 AHL season
The 2008–09 AHL season is the 73rd season of the American Hockey League. 29 teams each played 80 games in the regular season, which ran from October 8 until April 12.-Team and NHL affiliation changes:...
. He finished the year with 14 goals, 28 points and 141 PIMs. Duco ranked fifth on the team in goal scoring while leading the club in penalty minutes. The following season
2009–10 AHL season
The 2009–10 AHL season was the 74th season of the American Hockey League. Twenty-nine teams played 80 regular-season games each from October 2 to April 11...
Duco began the year with Rochester but was called up by the Panthers where he made his NHL debut on December 2, 2009 in a game against 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...
. He finished the year playing in 10 NHL games with out recording a goal or an assist but notched 50 PIMs, in the AHL he recorded 9 goals and 19 points in 59 games. In the off-season he was re-signed by the Panthers to a one-year deal. In the 2010–11 season
2010–11 AHL season
The 2010–11 AHL season is the 75th season of the American Hockey League. An all-time high of thirty teams will play 80 games each during the regular season schedule, which started on October 8, 2010 and ended on April 10, 2011...
Duco had a professional career high with 20 goals in 67 games for the Americans, but managed to play in only two games for the Panthers. His 20 goals led Rochester. At the end of the season Duco became a restricted free agent and the Panthers tendered him a qualifying offer. During the off-season, on July 9, 2011 his rights were traded by the Panthers to the Vancouver Canucks
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,...
for the rights to Russian winger Sergei Shirokov
Sergei Shirokov
Sergei Sergeyevich Shirokov is a Russian professional ice hockey winger currently with HC CSKA Moscow of the Kontinental Hockey League . Drafted 163rd overall in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft, he is a prospect for the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League...
. Five days later he signed a contract with Vancouver.
Playing style
At 5 foot 10 inches tall Duco is small for a power forwardPower forward (ice hockey)
In ice hockey, power forward is a loosely applied characterization of a forward who is big and strong, equally capable of playing physically or scoring goals and would most likely have high totals in both points and penalties...
, but plays an aggressive physical style with a willingness to fight
Fighting in ice hockey
Fighting in ice hockey is an established tradition of the sport in North America, with a long history involving many levels of amateur and professional play and including some notable individual fights. Although a definite source of criticism, it is a considerable draw for the sport, and some fans...
. He plays an energetic game, finishing his checks, and can be an agitator. Former coach Peter DeBoer
Peter DeBoer
Peter DeBoer is the head coach of the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League and current part-owner of the Oshawa Generals of the Ontario Hockey League...
said that Duco doesn't play small but rather plays like a player a foot taller.