| Lee Stempniak | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 Stempniak with theBoston Bruins in 2016 | |||
| Born | (1983-02-04)February 4, 1983 (age 42) West Seneca, New York, U.S. | ||
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (180 cm) | ||
| Weight | 190 lb (86 kg; 13 st 8 lb) | ||
| Position | Right wing | ||
| Shot | Right | ||
| Played for | St. Louis Blues Toronto Maple Leafs Phoenix Coyotes Calgary Flames Pittsburgh Penguins New York Rangers Winnipeg Jets New Jersey Devils Boston Bruins Carolina Hurricanes | ||
| National team |  United States | ||
| NHL draft | 148th overall,2003 St. Louis Blues | ||
| Playing career | 2005–2019 | ||
Lee Edward Stempniak (born February 4, 1983) is anAmerican former professionalice hockeyforward who played in theNational Hockey League (NHL). He played for theSt. Louis Blues,Toronto Maple Leafs,Phoenix Coyotes,Calgary Flames,Pittsburgh Penguins,New York Rangers,Winnipeg Jets,New Jersey Devils,Boston Bruins andCarolina Hurricanes. He is now in charge of player development for theUtah Mammoth.
Stempniak graduated fromSt. Francis High School inAthol Springs, New York, in 2001, and played hiscollege hockey atDartmouth College inNew Hampshire. A well-traveled and versatile forward, Stempniak has played for ten different teams in his NHL career, which is tied for the second-most in NHL history. On October 1, 2019, after 14 seasons in the NHL he announced his retirement.[1][2]
Stempniak lived near an ice hockey rink where he knew the owner. The owner would let him practice whenever he could. After high school, he wanted to continue to play hockey, but his parents wanted him to go to college. Stempniak went to the only college that showed interest in him,Dartmouth. At Dartmouth, he majored ineconomics. He became a top player for theBig Green ice hockey team and was named a two-time All American, as well as his team's captain.[3]
Stempniak was drafted by theSt. Louis Blues in the fifth round, 148th overall, at the2003 NHL Entry Draft. He led the team in goals in his first full season (2006–07), with 27, despite being just 23 years of age. He andDavid Backes joinedJay McClement to form one of the NHL's youngest lines.
On November 24, 2008, Stempniak was traded to theToronto Maple Leafs in exchange forAlexander Steen andCarlo Colaiacovo. Stempniak wore number 12 in Toronto.[4][5]
On March 3, 2010, Stempniak was traded to thePhoenix Coyotes forMatt Jones and a fourth- and seventh-round draft pick2010. Twelve days later, Stempniak was named the NHL's Second Star of the Week, scoring five goals in three games, all in victories for the Coyotes.[6] On April 1, 2010, Stempniak earned the NHL's Player of the Month honor for March after scoring 13 goals since the trade to Phoenix.[7]
On August 30, 2010, Stempniak signed a two-year contract extension with the Coyotes.[8]
On August 29, 2011, the Coyotes traded Stempniak to theCalgary Flames forDaymond Langkow.[9] He went on to record 14 goals with 14 assists during 61 games in2011–12. On June 29, 2012, Stempniak re-signed with the Flames on a two-year, $5 million deal.[10]
During the2013–14 season, on March 5, 2014, Stempniak was dealt at theNHL trade deadline to thePittsburgh Penguins for a third-round draft pick.[11] In 21 games with the club, Stempniak recorded 11 points. He also had three points in 13 playoff games as the Penguins would lose in Round 2 against the New York Rangers.
On July 19, 2014, Stempniak agreed to join his sixth NHL team, signing a one-year contract as a free agent with theNew York Rangers.[12] In the2014–15 season, Stempniak was primarily used by the Rangers in a bottom six role, compiling nine goals and 18 points in 53 games.
On March 1, 2015, Stempniak was traded to theWinnipeg Jets in exchange forCarl Klingberg.[13]
Stempniak scored the first playoff goal in Winnipeg since 1996 when he beat Anaheim'sFrederik Andersen in the first period of Game 3 of the Western Conference Quarter Finals for a 1-0 Jets lead.[14]
On September 16, 2015, Stempniak agreed to join theNew Jersey Devils on a professional tryout. He was signed by the Devils to a one-year contract worth $850,000 on October 3, 2015.[15] In the2015–16 season, Stempniak made a seamless transition to provide instant value to the Devils. In a scoring role, Stempniak was leading the Devils with 41 points in 63 games, having his best offensive season since 2010.
Stempniak was traded for a third consecutive season at the trade deadline to theBoston Bruins in exchange for a second-round and fourth-round pick on February 29, 2016.[16] Stempniak finished out the season scoring 10 points in 19 games.
Unable to help the Bruins into the post-season, Stempniak familiarly approached the off-season as a free agent. Following a successful individual year, on July 1, 2016, Stempniak was promptly signed to a two-year contract to join his tenth NHL club, the Carolina Hurricanes.[17]
Stempniak joined theBoston Bruins during the start of training camp, signing a Professional Tryout (PTO) contract on September 10, 2018.[18] Stempniak began the2018–19 without a contract, however continued to train with the Bruins at times throughout the first months of the season.[19] While continuing informally with the team, Stempniak belatedly signed a professional try-out contract in the AHL to join affiliate, the Providence Bruins, on February 15, 2019.[20] After 4 games with Providence, and ahead of the NHL trade deadline, Stempniak signed a one-year, one-way contract with Boston on February 24, 2019.[21]
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1998–99 | Saint Francis High School | HSNY | 16 | 16 | 16 | 32 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1999–2000 | Saint Francis High School | HSNY | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1999–2000 | Rochester Jr. Americans AAA | Midget | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2000–01 | Buffalo Lightning | OPJHL | 48 | 34 | 41 | 85 | 36 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2001–02 | Dartmouth College | ECAC | 32 | 12 | 9 | 21 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2002–03 | Dartmouth College | ECAC | 34 | 21 | 28 | 49 | 32 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2003–04 | Dartmouth College | ECAC | 34 | 16 | 22 | 38 | 42 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2004–05 | Dartmouth College | ECAC | 35 | 14 | 29 | 43 | 34 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2005–06 | Peoria Rivermen | AHL | 20 | 8 | 5 | 13 | 25 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 2 | ||
| 2005–06 | St. Louis Blues | NHL | 57 | 14 | 13 | 27 | 22 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2006–07 | St. Louis Blues | NHL | 82 | 27 | 25 | 52 | 33 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2007–08 | St. Louis Blues | NHL | 80 | 13 | 25 | 38 | 40 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2008–09 | St. Louis Blues | NHL | 14 | 3 | 10 | 13 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2008–09 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 61 | 11 | 20 | 31 | 31 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2009–10 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 62 | 14 | 16 | 30 | 18 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2009–10 | Phoenix Coyotes | NHL | 18 | 14 | 4 | 18 | 8 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | ||
| 2010–11 | Phoenix Coyotes | NHL | 82 | 19 | 19 | 38 | 19 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2011–12 | Calgary Flames | NHL | 61 | 14 | 14 | 28 | 16 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2012–13 | Calgary Flames | NHL | 47 | 9 | 23 | 32 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2013–14 | Calgary Flames | NHL | 52 | 8 | 15 | 23 | 28 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2013–14 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 21 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 4 | 13 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 6 | ||
| 2014–15 | New York Rangers | NHL | 53 | 9 | 9 | 18 | 18 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2014–15 | Winnipeg Jets | NHL | 18 | 6 | 4 | 10 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 2015–16 | New Jersey Devils | NHL | 63 | 16 | 25 | 41 | 34 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2015–16 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 19 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2016–17 | Carolina Hurricanes | NHL | 82 | 16 | 24 | 40 | 32 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2017–18 | Charlotte Checkers | AHL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2017–18 | Carolina Hurricanes | NHL | 37 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2018–19 | Providence Bruins | AHL | 20 | 7 | 11 | 18 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 10 | ||
| 2018–19 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| NHL totals | 911 | 203 | 266 | 469 | 327 | 28 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 6 | ||||
| Year | Team | Event | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | United States | WC | 7 | 6 | 4 | 10 | 27 | |
| 2008 | United States | WC | 7 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 6 | |
| 2009 | United States | WC | 9 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 6 | |
| Senior totals | 23 | 8 | 7 | 15 | 39 | |||
| Award | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| College | ||
| All-ECAC HockeyRookie Team | 2001–02 | |
| All-ECAC HockeyFirst Team | 2003–04,2004–05 | |
| AHCAEast First-Team All-American | 2003–04 | |
| AHCAEast Second-Team All-American | 2004–05 | |