Tim Stapleton
Encyclopedia
Timothy Gabriel Stapleton (born July 19, 1982) is an American professional ice hockey
center
who is currently playing for the Winnipeg Jets
of the National Hockey League
(NHL).
of the USHL. Stapleton then represented the University of Minnesota Duluth
for four seasons, where he led the team in scoring as a freshman and had back-to-back 40 point seasons.
After a brief stint with the Portland Pirates
of the AHL
, he signed with Jokerit
of the Finnish
SM-liiga
, completing a tryout which led to a one-year contract. During his first Jokerit season, Stapleton won the SM-liiga silver medal and finished second in playoff scoring.
On June 6, 2008, Stapleton signed as a free agent to the Toronto Maple Leafs
for the 2008–09 season. Stapleton was assigned to the Toronto Marlies
of the American Hockey League
on September 26, 2008.
On 26 February 2009, Stapleton played his first career NHL game with the Toronto Maple Leafs, scoring the shootout winner. In his next game Stapleton was credited with his first NHL goal against the Ottawa Senators
, goaltender Brian Elliott
on February 28, 2009.
On July 1, 2009, Stapleton was traded to the Atlanta Thrashers
with Pavel Kubina
for Garnet Exelby
and Colin Stuart
. After signing with the Thrashers, Stapleton was then assigned to affiliate, the Chicago Wolves, for the 2009-10 season.
For the 2010-2011 season, Stapleton signed a Professional Try-out agreement with the San Antonio Rampage
of the AHL
. On November 30, 2010, Stapleton was signed to a 2-year contract by the Atlanta Thrashers
.
On February 27, 2011, Stapleton scored his first goal since April 16, 2010. It was against his former team, the Toronto Maple Leafs. He was invited and accepted an invitation to join the USA hockey team for the 2011 IIHF tournament.
On April 10, 2011, Stapleton scored a goal in the 3rd period against the Pittsburgh Penguins
. This was the last game of the season for the Thrashers and would be the last goal in their history.
Despite being born and raised in the Chicago area, Stapleton is not related to 1970s Chicago Blackhawks
star defenseman Pat Stapleton
.
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...
center
Centre (ice hockey)
The centre in ice hockey is a forward position of a player whose primary zone of play is the middle of the ice, away from the side boards. Centres have more flexibility in their positioning and are expected to cover more ice surface than any other player...
who is currently playing for the Winnipeg Jets
Winnipeg Jets
The Winnipeg Jets were a professional ice hockey team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. They began play in the World Hockey Association in 1972, moving to the National Hockey League in 1979 following the collapse of the WHA...
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).
Playing career
Undrafted, Stapleton played for two seasons with the Green Bay GamblersGreen Bay Gamblers
The Green Bay Gamblers are a Tier 1 junior ice hockey team in the East Division of the United States Hockey League. They play in Green Bay, Wisconsin, at the Resch Center.-History:...
of the USHL. Stapleton then represented the University of Minnesota Duluth
University of Minnesota Duluth
The University of Minnesota Duluth is a regional branch of the University of Minnesota system located in Duluth, Minnesota, USA. As Duluth's public research university, UMD offers 13 bachelor's degrees in 74 majors, graduate programs in 24 different fields, a two-year program at the School of...
for four seasons, where he led the team in scoring as a freshman and had back-to-back 40 point seasons.
After a brief stint with the Portland Pirates
Portland Pirates
The Portland Pirates is a minor professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They are the top affiliate of the Phoenix Coyotes of the National Hockey League. They play in the Cumberland County Civic Center in downtown Portland, Maine. The franchise was previously known as the...
of the 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...
, he signed with Jokerit
Jokerit
Jokerit is an ice-hockey team from Helsinki, Finland, playing in the Finnish Elite League, SM-liiga. The team has won 6 league championships...
of the Finnish
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
SM-liiga
SM-liiga
The SM-liiga is the top professional ice hockey league in Finland. As of March 2008, it is ranked by the IIHF as the second strongest league in Europe. It was created in 1975 to replace the SM-sarja, which was fundamentally an amateur league. The SM-liiga is not directly overseen by the Finnish Ice...
, completing a tryout which led to a one-year contract. During his first Jokerit season, Stapleton won the SM-liiga silver medal and finished second in playoff scoring.
On June 6, 2008, Stapleton signed as a free agent 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 the 2008–09 season. Stapleton was assigned to the Toronto Marlies
Toronto Marlies
The Toronto Marlies is a Canadian professional ice hockey team currently playing in the American Hockey League . The top affiliate of the National Hockey League 's Toronto Maple Leafs, the Marlies play at the Ricoh Coliseum in Toronto, Ontario...
of 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...
on September 26, 2008.
On 26 February 2009, Stapleton played his first career NHL game with the Toronto Maple Leafs, scoring the shootout winner. In his next game Stapleton was credited with his first NHL goal 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...
, goaltender Brian Elliott
Brian Elliott
Brian Elliott is a Canadian ice hockey goaltender who currently plays for the St. Louis Blues of the National Hockey League. He was drafted by the Ottawa Senators in the ninth round of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft, 291st overall...
on February 28, 2009.
On July 1, 2009, Stapleton was traded to 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...
with Pavel Kubina
Pavel Kubina
Pavel Kubina is a Czech professional ice hockey defenceman, and is currently playing for the Tampa Bay Lightning.-Playing career:Kubina started his professional career with HC Vítkovice of the Czech Extraliga...
for Garnet Exelby
Garnet Exelby
Garnet Exelby is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman currently with the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League. He is particularly known for his aggressive style of play and his fearsome bodychecking skills....
and Colin Stuart
Colin Stuart (ice hockey)
Colin Stuart is an American professional ice hockey winger who currently plays for the Buffalo Sabres of the National Hockey League . He is the older brother of Winnipeg Jets defenseman, Mark Stuart.-Playing career:...
. After signing with the Thrashers, Stapleton was then assigned to affiliate, the Chicago Wolves, for the 2009-10 season.
For the 2010-2011 season, Stapleton signed a Professional Try-out agreement with the San Antonio Rampage
San Antonio Rampage
The San Antonio Rampage are an ice hockey team in the American Hockey League based in San Antonio, Texas. They are the top affiliate of the Florida Panthers of the NHL. Their home arena is the AT&T Center.-History:...
of the 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...
. On November 30, 2010, Stapleton was signed to a 2-year contract by 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 February 27, 2011, Stapleton scored his first goal since April 16, 2010. It was against his former team, the Toronto Maple Leafs. He was invited and accepted an invitation to join the USA hockey team for the 2011 IIHF tournament.
On April 10, 2011, Stapleton scored a goal in the 3rd period against the Pittsburgh Penguins
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the first expansion teams during the league's original...
. This was the last game of the season for the Thrashers and would be the last goal in their history.
Despite being born and raised in the Chicago area, Stapleton is not related to 1970s Chicago Blackhawks
Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They have won four Stanley Cup championships since their founding in 1926, most recently coming in 2009-10...
star defenseman Pat Stapleton
Pat Stapleton
Patrick James "Whitey" Stapleton is a Canadian ice hockey former professional ice hockey player. A defenceman, Stapleton played 15 seasons in the National Hockey League and the World Hockey Association , most notably for the Chicago Black Hawks...
.
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 | ||
| 2000–01 | Green Bay Gamblers Green Bay Gamblers The Green Bay Gamblers are a Tier 1 junior ice hockey team in the East Division of the United States Hockey League. They play in Green Bay, Wisconsin, at the Resch Center.-History:... |
USHL United States Hockey League The United States Hockey League is the top junior ice hockey league in the United States. The USHL has 16 member teams located in the Midwestern United States, consisting of players who are 20 years of age and younger... |
52 | 7 | 15 | 22 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | ||
| 2001–02 | Green Bay Gamblers | USHL | 61 | 24 | 36 | 60 | 10 | 7 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 0 | ||
| 2002–03 | U. of Minnesota-Duluth University of Minnesota Duluth The University of Minnesota Duluth is a regional branch of the University of Minnesota system located in Duluth, Minnesota, USA. As Duluth's public research university, UMD offers 13 bachelor's degrees in 74 majors, graduate programs in 24 different fields, a two-year program at the School of... |
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.... |
42 | 14 | 28 | 42 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2003–04 | U. of Minnesota-Duluth | WCHA | 43 | 16 | 25 | 41 | 18 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2004–05 | U. of Minnesota-Duluth | WCHA | 38 | 19 | 20 | 39 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2005–06 | U. of Minnesota-Duluth | WCHA | 39 | 14 | 16 | 30 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2005–06 2005–06 AHL season The 2005–06 AHL season was the 70th season of the American Hockey League. Twenty-seven teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Hershey Bears won the Calder Cup, defeating the Milwaukee Admirals in the finals.... |
Portland Pirates Portland Pirates The Portland Pirates is a minor professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They are the top affiliate of the Phoenix Coyotes of the National Hockey League. They play in the Cumberland County Civic Center in downtown Portland, Maine. The franchise was previously known as the... |
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... |
9 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||
| 2006-07 | Jokerit Jokerit Jokerit is an ice-hockey team from Helsinki, Finland, playing in the Finnish Elite League, SM-liiga. The team has won 6 league championships... |
SM-l SM-liiga The SM-liiga is the top professional ice hockey league in Finland. As of March 2008, it is ranked by the IIHF as the second strongest league in Europe. It was created in 1975 to replace the SM-sarja, which was fundamentally an amateur league. The SM-liiga is not directly overseen by the Finnish Ice... |
56 | 19 | 29 | 48 | 28 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 10 | 8 | ||
| 2007–08 | Jokerit | SM-l | 55 | 28 | 33 | 61 | 36 | 14 | 9 | 8 | 17 | 8 | ||
| 2008–09 | Toronto Marlies Toronto Marlies The Toronto Marlies is a Canadian professional ice hockey team currently playing in the American Hockey League . The top affiliate of the National Hockey League 's Toronto Maple Leafs, the Marlies play at the Ricoh Coliseum in Toronto, Ontario... |
AHL | 70 | 28 | 51 | 79 | 26 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | ||
| 2008–09 | 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 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... |
4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2009–10 | 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... |
AHL | 73 | 30 | 29 | 59 | 18 | 14 | 4 | 9 | 13 | 12 | ||
| 2009–10 | 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 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2010–11 | San Antonio Rampage San Antonio Rampage The San Antonio Rampage are an ice hockey team in the American Hockey League based in San Antonio, Texas. They are the top affiliate of the Florida Panthers of the NHL. Their home arena is the AT&T Center.-History:... |
AHL | 20 | 8 | 7 | 15 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2010–11 | Chicago Wolves | AHL | 4 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2010–11 | Atlanta Thrashers | NHL | 45 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| SM-l totals | 111 | 47 | 62 | 109 | 64 | 24 | 15 | 12 | 27 | 16 | ||||
| NHL totals | 55 | 8 | 2 | 10 | 14 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
International
| Year | Team | Event | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | United States | WC | 7 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Senior int'l totals | 7 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | ||