| Kris Versteeg | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 Versteeg with theLos Angeles Kings in April 2016 | |||
| Born | (1986-05-13)May 13, 1986 (age 39) Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada | ||
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (180 cm) | ||
| Weight | 176 lb (80 kg; 12 st 8 lb) | ||
| Position | Right wing | ||
| Shot | Right | ||
| Played for | Chicago Blackhawks Toronto Maple Leafs Philadelphia Flyers Florida Panthers Carolina Hurricanes Los Angeles Kings Calgary Flames Avangard Omsk Växjö Lakers Nitra | ||
| NHL draft | 134th overall,2004 Boston Bruins | ||
| Playing career | 2006–2020 | ||
Kristopher Royce Versteeg (born May 13, 1986) is a Canadian entrepreneur and former professionalice hockeywinger. During his career, he played for theChicago Blackhawks,Toronto Maple Leafs,Philadelphia Flyers,Florida Panthers,Carolina Hurricanes,Los Angeles Kings,Calgary Flames,Avangard Omsk,Växjö Lakers andNitra. Versteeg is a two-timeStanley Cup champion with theChicago Blackhawks in2010 and2015.
Originally selected 134th overall in the2004 NHL Entry Draft by theBoston Bruins, he played with the club's minor league affiliate, theProvidence Bruins of theAmerican Hockey League (AHL), for parts of two seasons before being traded to the Blackhawks. Versteeg continued playing in the AHL with the Blackhawks' affiliates until making his NHL debut during the2007–08 season. The following campaign, he received a nomination for theCalder Memorial Trophy as the NHL's best rookie. In his second full season with the Blackhawks, he helped the club win theStanley Cup in2010. Following Chicago's Cup win, Versteeg played for theToronto Maple Leafs,Philadelphia Flyers andFlorida Panthers before being traded back to Chicago during the2013–14 season, winning theStanley Cup again in2015.
Versteeg was drafted 134th overall in the2004 NHL Entry Draft by theBoston Bruins, after a four-yearWestern Hockey League (WHL) career spanning from2002–03 to2005–06 and spent with theLethbridge Hurricanes,Kamloops Blazers andRed Deer Rebels. During his time with Lethbridge, he played with future Blackhawks teammateBrent Seabrook for three seasons. Versteeg made his professional debut, playing in the final 13 games of the2005–06 season with Boston'sAmerican Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, theProvidence Bruins.
Versteeg remained with Providence for the beginning of2006–07 before being traded by Boston on February 3, 2007, along with a conditional draft pick, to the Chicago Blackhawks forBrandon Bochenski.[1] As a result, he moved within the AHL to Chicago's minor league affiliate, theNorfolk Admirals. Versteeg then played for theRockford IceHogs in2007–08, as Chicago switched its AHL affiliation. He made his NHL debut that season as he was called up for a total of 13 games, recording two goals and two assists.
Versteeg played his first full season with the Blackhawks in2008–09. On January 1, 2009, he scored the opening goal of the2009 Winter Classic held atWrigley Field against theDetroit Red Wings. Finishing the season with 22 goals and 53 points, second in rookie scoring toBobby Ryan of theAnaheim Ducks, he was nominated for theCalder Memorial Trophy as rookie of the year along with Ryan and goaltenderSteve Mason of theColumbus Blue Jackets for his efforts.[2] Mason ended up winning the Calder.
Versteeg's entry-level contract expired after the 2008–09 season, which would typically have made him arestricted free agent (RFA). However, a clerical error in which the Blackhawks failed to tender qualifying offers to their pending RFAs by the league deadline led to speculation Versteeg and several of his teammates would becomeunrestricted free agents. As a result, theNHL Players' Association (NHLPA) filed a grievance on the players' behalf. Shortly thereafter, on July 8, 2009, he re-signed with the Blackhawks to a three-year contract, worth nearlyUS$9 million.[3]
Versteeg's offensive production dropped in his second full NHL season, recording 20 goals and 44 points over 79 games. In the 2010 playoffs, he added 14 points in 22 games, helping the Blackhawks to aStanley Cup championship, defeating thePhiladelphia Flyers in the Finals. His name was originally misspelled "Kris Vertseeg" when engraved on the Stanley Cup, but was quickly corrected.[4]
Due tosalary cap restraints, the Blackhawks were forced to trade away several players in the off-season, including Versteeg. On June 30, 2010, he was dealt to theToronto Maple Leafs along with the rights to prospectBill Sweatt in exchange for forwardsViktor Stålberg,Chris DiDomenico andPhilippe Paradis. He recorded his firstGordie Howe hat trick (a goal, an assist and a fight) with the Maple Leafs in a game against theOttawa Senators on October 9, 2010; he scored againstPascal Leclaire, assisted on a goal byPhil Kessel and foughtMike Fisher.
After recording 35 points over 53 games with the Maple Leafs in2010–11, he was traded for the third time in his career on February 14, 2011. Toronto sent him to thePhiladelphia Flyers in exchange for first-round and third-round draft picks.[5] Versteeg joined the team that he helped defeat in the previous season's Stanley Cup Finals and scored seven goals to go with four assists during the remainder of the regular season. He scored one goal during the2011 playoffs, which came in the fourth and final game of the Flyers second round series against theBoston Bruins in a 5-1 loss, ending with the Bruins sweeping the Flyers in four
On July 1, 2011, the Flyers traded Versteeg to theFlorida Panthers for a second-round pick (either 2012 or 2013— Florida's choice) and a third-round pick in the2012 NHL Entry Draft.[6] The trade came just a few hours after the Flyers announced the signing ofJaromír Jágr.
On November 14, 2013, the Panthers traded Versteeg, along with Philippe Lefebvre, to the Chicago Blackhawks forJimmy Hayes andDylan Olsen.[7] Since Versteeg's jersey #32, which he wore during his first stint with the club was being worn by defensemanMichal Rozsíval, Versteeg opted to wear #23 upon his return to the club.
On June 15, 2015, Versteeg won his second Stanley Cup with the Chicago Blackhawks in a 2–0 game 6 victory over theTampa Bay Lightning in the2015 Stanley Cup Finals.
On September 11, 2015, Versteeg was again traded by the Blackhawks due to salary cap constraints, along withJoakim Nordstrom, to theCarolina Hurricanes along with a 3rd round pick in the2017 NHL Entry Draft for a 5th round pick in the2017 NHL Entry Draft and two prospects. The move was done to make more cap space available forMarcus Kruger, who was re-signed the next day. In the following2015–16 season, Versteeg transitioned to the Hurricanes quickly and was used on the club's top scoring lines throughout the year.
Versteeg produced 33 points in 63 games before on February 28, 2016, he was familiarly traded at the trade deadline to theLos Angeles Kings in exchange forValentin Zykov and a conditional 5th round pick in2016 (if Los Angeles advanced to the 2016 Western Conference Final, failed).[8] Acquired by the Kings for depth in their playoff run, the team would fail to make it deep, losing in the first round to theSan Jose Sharks. In his stint with the Kings, Versteeg scored 5 points in 14 games, while adding 2 more in the team's 5 playoff appearances.
On July 25, 2016, as a free agent from the Kings, Versteeg opted to pause his NHL career in agreeing to sign a one-year deal with theSC Bern of theSwiss NLA.[9] However, he later failed to pass the medical exam in early September and therefore the contract was voided.[10] On September 9, 2016, Versteeg returned to continue his career in the NHL in agreeing to join theEdmonton Oilers at their training camp on aprofessional tryout basis.[11]
After a successful training camp with the Oilers, on October 11, 2016, Versteeg rejected a contract offer from the Oilers, opting to instead join provincial rivals the Calgary Flames on a one-year deal worth $900,000 in the NHL.[12] Versteeg enjoyed a productive first season in Calgary, establishing himself as a key contributor on the powerplay. His eight goals with the man-advantage led the team, while his 15 total goals finished tied for fifth. Versteeg finished second in team scoring during the Flames' round-one series against theAnaheim Ducks, tallying a goal and three assists as the Flames were swept in four games.
With Versteeg and Flames management both interested in coming to terms on a new contract, they agreed to a one-year, $1.75 million contract on June 29, 2017.[13] Versteeg played 24 games for the club after suffering a hip injury on November 24, and having surgery on December 4.[14]
On September 1, 2018, Versteeg signed an overseas contract, joining Russian club,Avangard Omsk of theKontinental Hockey League (KHL).[15] In the2018–19 season, Versteeg was limited to just 11 games with Omsk, recording 5 points, before opting to leave for the remainder of the season with Swedish club,Växjö Lakers of the SHL on February 7, 2019.[16] Versteeg contributed down the tail end of the regular season with 11 points through 12 games. He continued his scoring pace in the post season for the Lakers with 6 points in 7 games.
At the conclusion of the Lakers' season, Versteeg left the organization to return to North America. On April 22, 2019, Versteeg signed a one-year contract with theRockford IceHogs of theAmerican Hockey League (AHL) and would be named team captain.[17] He last played for the IceHogs during the2007–08 season and the team was still affiliated with the Blackhawks. After appearing in just six games through injury, he announced he was leaving the team on November 17, 2019.[18][19]
With the intention to play out the remainder of the season before retiring, Versteeg signed a contract to join his brother Mitch at HK Nitra of the Tipsport liga on November 20, 2019.[20] He retired from playing on April 14, 2020.[21]
Versteeg and his brothers founded Klevr.ai, a sports technology app that launched in 2021.[22]
Versteeg teamed up with fellow professional hockey playerDevin Setoguchi to launch the VersSet Skills Camp, run each summer inTaber,Alberta. The camp brings together hockey players age 4 to 18 for on-ice and off-ice training, conditioning, and skills development. The goal of the camp is to share the love of the game and give back to the future generation of hockey players.[23]
Passionate about supporting youth in sport and providing them the tools and opportunities to succeed, Versteeg raised $15,000 forOpokaa’sin Early Intervention Society while competing onBattle of the Blades. Versteeg dedicated his support of the organization to his best friend Colton Yellowhorn and his upbringing near the largest treaty area in Canada, located in southern Alberta. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, he also donated funds to struggling families in Southern Alberta to purchase groceries and other essential items.[24]
Versteeg is a regular contributor onSportsnetHockey Central andSirius XM NHL Radio.[25][26] He has gained notoriety for his bold opinions and thoughtful critiques on topics ranging from rule enforcement to players’ fashion sense.[27][28]
Versteeg was born in Lethbridge, Alberta, to Marilyn and Roy; Versteeg's grandparents Morris and Joanne also played an important role in his upbringing.[29] He is married with three children,[30][31] and his younger brotherMitch is a formerdefenceman who played for teams in the minor leagues and in Europe.
Versteeg developed a reputation within the NHL for his habit of singing in public, as evidenced by his recitation of a portion ofFergie's "Glamorous" on Mouthpiece Sports, as well as performing an altered version ofLMFAO's "Yes" during the 2010 Chicago Blackhawks' Stanley Cup victory parade, as well as many impromptu performances for fans and media throughout his career.[32][33]
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 2002–03 | Lethbridge Hurricanes | WHL | 57 | 8 | 10 | 18 | 32 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2003–04 | Lethbridge Hurricanes | WHL | 68 | 16 | 33 | 49 | 85 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2004–05 | Lethbridge Hurricanes | WHL | 68 | 22 | 30 | 52 | 68 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | ||
| 2005–06 | Kamloops Blazers | WHL | 14 | 6 | 6 | 12 | 24 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2005–06 | Red Deer Rebels | WHL | 57 | 10 | 26 | 36 | 103 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2005–06 | Providence Bruins | AHL | 13 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 13 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | ||
| 2006–07 | Providence Bruins | AHL | 43 | 22 | 27 | 49 | 19 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2006–07 | Norfolk Admirals | AHL | 27 | 4 | 19 | 23 | 20 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||
| 2007–08 | Rockford IceHogs | AHL | 56 | 18 | 31 | 49 | 174 | 12 | 6 | 5 | 11 | 6 | ||
| 2007–08 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 13 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2008–09 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 78 | 22 | 31 | 53 | 55 | 17 | 4 | 8 | 12 | 22 | ||
| 2009–10 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 79 | 20 | 24 | 44 | 35 | 22 | 6 | 8 | 14 | 14 | ||
| 2010–11 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 53 | 14 | 21 | 35 | 29 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2010–11 | Philadelphia Flyers | NHL | 27 | 7 | 4 | 11 | 24 | 11 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 12 | ||
| 2011–12 | Florida Panthers | NHL | 71 | 23 | 31 | 54 | 49 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 8 | ||
| 2012–13 | Florida Panthers | NHL | 10 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2013–14 | Florida Panthers | NHL | 18 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 9 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2013–14 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 63 | 10 | 19 | 29 | 27 | 15 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | ||
| 2014–15 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 61 | 14 | 20 | 34 | 35 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 | ||
| 2015–16 | Carolina Hurricanes | NHL | 63 | 11 | 22 | 33 | 36 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2015–16 | Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 14 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | ||
| 2016–17 | Calgary Flames | NHL | 69 | 15 | 22 | 37 | 46 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 4 | ||
| 2017–18 | Calgary Flames | NHL | 24 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2018–19 | Avangard Omsk | KHL | 11 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2018–19 | Växjö Lakers | SHL | 12 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 4 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 4 | ||
| 2019–20 | Rockford IceHogs | AHL | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2019–20 | HK Nitra | SVK | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| NHL totals | 643 | 149 | 209 | 358 | 374 | 93 | 18 | 30 | 48 | 70 | ||||
| Year | Team | Event | Result | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Canada | WJC18 | 4th | 7 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | |
| Junior totals | 7 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | ||||
| Award | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| NHL | ||
| NHL All-Rookie Team | 2009 | |
| Stanley Cup (Chicago Blackhawks) | 2010,2015 | |
| Spengler Cup (Canada) | 2019 | |
