Pat Jablonski
Encyclopedia
Patrick D. Jablonski was a professional ice hockey
goaltender
. Between 1989 and 1998, he played for five teams in the National Hockey League
: the St. Louis Blues
, Tampa Bay Lightning
, Montreal Canadiens
, Phoenix Coyotes
and Carolina Hurricanes
.
Jablonski, who played junior hockey the Windsor Spitfires
of the Ontario Hockey League
, was drafted by St. Louis 139th overall in the 1985 NHL Entry Draft
. After three years with the Blues' farm team, the Peoria Rivermen
, Jablonski was called up to the NHL at the start of the 1989–90 season and played four games with the Blues, losing all four.
He returned to Peoria until February 1991, when he replaced an injured Curtis Joseph
. Jablonski shared goaltending duties with Vincent Riendeau
for the remainder of the regular season, as well as for three games in a playoff series with the Minnesota North Stars
.
Continuing as a backup for St. Louis in the 1991–92 season, Jablonski was traded to the expansion Tampa Bay Lightning in June 1992, and was named the starting goaltender for their inaugural season of 1992–93. Jablonski played 42 games that season, including his only career NHL shutout; against the Ottawa Senators
in November. He played 15 games for the Lightning in 1993–94 before being traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs
in February 1994.
Jablonski never played in the NHL for Toronto, spending his time in the lockout-shortened 1994–95 season between their farm team in St. John's
and the Chicago Wolves
and Houston Aeros
of the International Hockey League. He returned to the Blues as a free agent in the summer of 1995, but only played one game for St. Louis before being traded to the Montreal Canadiens in November.
After Patrick Roy
was traded to the Colorado Avalanche
that December, Jablonski shared goaltending duties with Jocelyn Thibault
for the remainder of 1995–96 and into the 1996–97 season, but was traded to the Phoenix Coyotes in January 1997.
In Phoenix, Jablonski saw little playing time, only playing two games as a replacement for Nikolai Khabibulin
. He signed as a free agent with Carolina in August 1997, and played five games in the 1997–98 season for the Hurricanes, with most of the rest of the season spent with the IHL's Cleveland Lumberjacks
.
Jablonski never played in the NHL again. He played the 1998–99 season with the Chicago Wolves of the IHL, followed by two seasons for Västra Frölunda HC in Sweden.
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...
goaltender
Goaltender
In ice hockey, the goaltender is the player who defends his team's goal net by stopping shots of the puck from entering his team's net, thus preventing the opposing team from scoring...
. Between 1989 and 1998, he played for five teams in 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...
: 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...
, 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...
, Montreal Canadiens
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 ...
, Phoenix Coyotes
Phoenix Coyotes
The Phoenix Coyotes are a professional ice hockey team based in Glendale, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They play their home games at Jobing.com Arena....
and Carolina Hurricanes
Carolina Hurricanes
The Carolina Hurricanes are a professional ice hockey team based in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League , and play their home games at the 18,680-seat RBC Center...
.
Jablonski, who played junior hockey the Windsor Spitfires
Windsor Spitfires
The Windsor Spitfires are a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League. The team is based in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. The franchise was granted for the 1975–76 season and revived a previous OHA Jr. A Spitfires team which moved to become the Hamilton Tiger Cubs in 1953.-History:The...
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....
, was drafted by St. Louis 139th overall in the 1985 NHL Entry Draft
1985 NHL Entry Draft
The 1985 NHL Entry Draft was the first draft outside of Montreal. The event was held at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre in Toronto, Ontario, and attended by 7,000 fans. The National Hockey League teams selected 252 players eligible for entry into professional ranks, in the reverse order of the...
. After three years with the Blues' farm team, the Peoria Rivermen
Peoria Rivermen
The Peoria Rivermen are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They play in Peoria, Illinois, USA at the Carver Arena.-History:...
, Jablonski was called up to the NHL at the start of the 1989–90 season and played four games with the Blues, losing all four.
He returned to Peoria until February 1991, when he replaced an injured Curtis Joseph
Curtis Joseph
Curtis Shayne Joseph is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender. He last played for the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League....
. Jablonski shared goaltending duties with Vincent Riendeau
Vincent Riendeau
Vincent Riendeau is a retired professional ice hockey goaltender. During his time in the National Hockey League, Riendeau played for the Montreal Canadiens, St. Louis Blues, Detroit Red Wings, and the Boston Bruins...
for the remainder of the regular season, as well as for three games in a playoff series with the Minnesota North Stars
Minnesota North Stars
The Minnesota North Stars were a professional ice hockey team in the National Hockey League for 26 seasons, from 1967 to 1993. The North Stars played their home games at the Met Center in Bloomington, and the team's colors for most of its history were green, yellow, gold and white...
.
Continuing as a backup for St. Louis in the 1991–92 season, Jablonski was traded to the expansion Tampa Bay Lightning in June 1992, and was named the starting goaltender for their inaugural season of 1992–93. Jablonski played 42 games that season, including his only career NHL shutout; against the Ottawa Senators
Ottawa Senators
The Ottawa Senators are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
in November. He played 15 games for the Lightning in 1993–94 before being 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...
in February 1994.
Jablonski never played in the NHL for Toronto, spending his time in the lockout-shortened 1994–95 season between their farm team in 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:...
and the Chicago Wolves
Chicago Wolves
The Chicago Wolves are a professional hockey team playing in the American Hockey League. They are the top affiliate of the Vancouver Canucks of the NHL. The Wolves play home games at the Allstate Arena in the Chicago suburb of Rosemont, Illinois...
and 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 :...
of the International Hockey League. He returned to the Blues as a free agent in the summer of 1995, but only played one game for St. Louis before being traded to the Montreal Canadiens in November.
After Patrick Roy
Patrick Roy
Patrick Edward Armand Roy is a former Canadian ice hockey goaltender. Nicknamed "Saint Patrick," Roy split his professional career between the Montreal Canadiens, whom he played with for 10 years, and the Colorado Avalanche, whom he played with for 8 years, both of the National Hockey League...
was traded to 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...
that December, Jablonski shared goaltending duties with Jocelyn Thibault
Jocelyn Thibault
Jocelyn Thibault is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who played 14 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Quebec Nordiques, Colorado Avalanche, Montreal Canadiens, Chicago Blackhawks, Pittsburgh Penguins and Buffalo Sabres...
for the remainder of 1995–96 and into the 1996–97 season, but was traded to the Phoenix Coyotes in January 1997.
In Phoenix, Jablonski saw little playing time, only playing two games as a replacement for Nikolai Khabibulin
Nikolai Khabibulin
Nikolai Ivanovich Khabibulin is a Russian professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League...
. He signed as a free agent with Carolina in August 1997, and played five games in the 1997–98 season for the Hurricanes, with most of the rest of the season spent with the IHL's Cleveland Lumberjacks
Cleveland Lumberjacks
The Cleveland Lumberjacks were an International Hockey League team based in Cleveland, Ohio.-Facts:The Cleveland Lumberjacks were an International Hockey League team based in Cleveland, Ohio.-Facts:...
.
Jablonski never played in the NHL again. He played the 1998–99 season with the Chicago Wolves of the IHL, followed by two seasons for Västra Frölunda HC in Sweden.
Career statistics
| GP | W | L | T | SO | GAA | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regular Season | 128 | 28 | 62 | 18 | 1 | 3.74 | ||
| Playoffs | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2.59 | ||