| Chris Kunitz | |||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Kunitz with theTampa Bay Lightning in May 2018 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | (1979-09-26)September 26, 1979 (age 45) Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (185 cm) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 188 lb (85 kg; 13 st 6 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Left wing | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Shot | Left | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Played for | Anaheim Ducks Atlanta Thrashers Pittsburgh Penguins Tampa Bay Lightning Chicago Blackhawks | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| National team |  Canada | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| NHL draft | Undrafted | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Playing career | 2003–2019 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Christopher Kunitz (born September 26, 1979) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey winger who played in the National Hockey League (NHL). He played for theAnaheim Ducks (where he won his firstStanley Cup in2007),Atlanta Thrashers, thePittsburgh Penguins (where he won his second, third and fourth Stanley Cup in2009,2016 and2017),Tampa Bay Lightning andChicago Blackhawks.
Internationally, Kunitz won a gold medal with Team Canada at the2014 Winter Olympics.
Kunitz playedJunior A in theSaskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) with theMelville Millionaires for two seasons before joining theNCAA college ranks with theFerris State Bulldogs in 1999–00. After a 79-point campaign in his senior year, he was a finalist for theHobey Baker Award in 2003 (given toPeter Sejna), the same year Ferris State made it to the Division I Regional Finals, just missing out on theFrozen Four. He was part of the first Ferris State team to make anNCAA Tournament appearance (now joined by the 2011–2012, 2013–14, 2015-16 squads).[1]
Kunitz was originally signed as an undrafted free agent by theMighty Ducks of Anaheim on April 1, 2003.[2] He split his professional rookie season between Anaheim and theirAmerican Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, theCincinnati Mighty Ducks. After spending the2004–05 NHL lock-out with Cincinnati, he was picked up on waivers by theAtlanta Thrashers in2005–06.[3] Two weeks later, however, he was re-claimed off waivers by the Ducks and went on to play 67 games with them, scoring 19 goals and adding 22 assists for 41 points, surpassingPaul Kariya's club record 39-point rookie season in1994–95 (Kunitz still qualified as a first-year player because he did not play the minimum required games with Anaheim in 2003–04 to register as his NHL rookie season; the record was broken the following season byDustin Penner's 45 points).[3]
In the2006–07 NHL season, Kunitz improved to 25 goals and 60 points. He went on to help the Ducks advance through the playoffs, past theMinnesota Wild,Vancouver Canucks, andDetroit Red Wings, en route to aFinals victory against theOttawa Senators to capture both his and the franchise's firstStanley Cup championship. Kunitz had been injured during the semi-finals against the Red Wings, but returned late in the Stanley Cup Finals against Ottawa to help clinch the championship in game five.
The next season, in2007–08, Kunitz was named one of the team'salternate captains, his first time with the Ducks and his professional career. In regards to Kunitz' new position, Ducks head coachRandy Carlyle explained, "Rob Niedermayer was an alternate last year and did a fine job, and we thought it was important to involve our younger players in the leadership role. Chris Kunitz fit that role."."[4] Kunitz's production dipped to 50 points that season.
In the midst of another slow season in2008–09, he was traded to thePittsburgh Penguins along withprospectEric Tangradi fordefencemanRyan Whitney. The move was also precipitated by a need for secondary scoring on the Penguins behindSidney Crosby andEvgeni Malkin. During the 2009 playoffs, he recorded 1 goal and 13 assists as the Pittsburgh Penguins won the Stanley Cup in a rematch of the previous year's Stanley Cup Finals against theDetroit Red Wings, giving Kunitz his second championship in three years.
On November 6, 2010, Kunitz played his 400th career game and recorded a goal in that game against the Phoenix Coyotes. On March 15, 2016, he played his 800th career game and recorded a goal against the New York Islanders.[5] In the 2016 Playoffs, he recorded 4 goals and 8 assists for 12 points, as the Penguins went to defeat theSan Jose Sharks in six games in2016. It would be Kunitz's third Stanley Cup of his career, his second with the Pens. Since 2010, he has been a regular member of the Penguins' top lines withEvgeni Malkin and/orSidney Crosby. On May 25, 2017, Kunitz sent the Penguins to the Stanley Cup Finals with a double overtime game winner in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals versus theOttawa Senators. This would later become Kunitz's last career playoff goal. He became the oldest player to score a game 7 playoff series winning goal at the age 37. The Penguins faced off against theNashville Predators in the2017 Finals, defeating them in six games to successfully defend the Stanley Cup, with Kunitz assisting on the series-winning goal. This marked Kunitz's fourth Stanley Cup of his career, and his third as a member of the Penguins.[6]
On July 1, 2017, Kunitz left the Penguins as a free agent and signed a one-year, $2 million, contract with theTampa Bay Lightning.[7] The Lightning announced through its social media account that Kunitz would wear the #14.[8] Kunitz had previously worn the number with the Penguins and the Ducks. Kunitz recorded 13 goals and 29 points during the season, but just one assist in the playoffs as the Lightning lost in the Eastern Conference Final to the eventual championWashington Capitals in 7 games.
On July 1, 2018, Kunitz signed a one-year, $1 million contract with theChicago Blackhawks. He played 56 games and had 5 goals and 10 points.[9]
On July 30, 2019, Kunitz announced his retirement from professional hockey after 15 seasons. He joined the Blackhawks' organization as a player development adviser as well as the coaching staff of their American League affiliate, theRockford IceHogs.[10]
Kunitz made his international hockey debut forTeam Canada at the2008 World Hockey Championships.[11] He contributed 7 points in 9 games, helping Canada to a silver medal. On January 7, 2014, he was named to the2014 Canadian Olympic Hockey Team.
Kunitz attendedMichael A. Riffel High School in northwestRegina, graduating in 1997. Ten years after his graduation, he brought theStanley Cup back to Riffel in July 2007 when he had his day with the trophy. He also took the Stanley Cup back to his college town (Big Rapids, Michigan) on the same day.[12] On August 11, 2009, Kunitz brought the trophy back to Regina and had a larger celebration in the city's downtown. Kunitz admitted that during his first visit, he had a low-key celebration at Riffel as a result of teammateRyan Getzlaf's profile.
Kunitz marriedChicago-native Maureen Pfeiffer in July 2008. The couple reside with their three children in Chicago. Kunitz and his family lived in the Bridgeville area of Pittsburgh during his tenure with the Penguins.[13][14][citation needed]
Kunitz earned a degree in marketing and business fromFerris State University.
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1996–97 | Yorkton Mallers AAA | SMHL | 64 | 38 | 38 | 76 | 233 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1997–98 | Melville Millionaires | SJHL | 60 | 30 | 27 | 57 | 151 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1998–99 | Melville Millionaires | SJHL | 63 | 57 | 32 | 89 | 222 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 19 | ||
| 1999–2000 | Ferris State Bulldogs | CCHA | 38 | 20 | 9 | 29 | 70 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2000–01 | Ferris State Bulldogs | CCHA | 37 | 16 | 13 | 29 | 81 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2001–02 | Ferris State Bulldogs | CCHA | 35 | 28 | 10 | 38 | 68 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2002–03 | Ferris State Bulldogs | CCHA | 42 | 35 | 44 | 79 | 56 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2003–04 | Mighty Ducks of Anaheim | NHL | 21 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2003–04 | Cincinnati Mighty Ducks | AHL | 59 | 19 | 25 | 44 | 101 | 9 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 24 | ||
| 2004–05 | Cincinnati Mighty Ducks | AHL | 54 | 22 | 17 | 39 | 71 | 12 | 1 | 7 | 8 | 20 | ||
| 2005–06 | Atlanta Thrashers | NHL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2005–06 | Mighty Ducks of Anaheim | NHL | 67 | 19 | 22 | 41 | 69 | 16 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 8 | ||
| 2005–06 | Portland Pirates | AHL | 5 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2006–07 | Anaheim Ducks | NHL | 81 | 25 | 35 | 60 | 81 | 13 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 19 | ||
| 2007–08 | Anaheim Ducks | NHL | 82 | 21 | 29 | 50 | 80 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 8 | ||
| 2008–09 | Anaheim Ducks | NHL | 62 | 16 | 19 | 35 | 55 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2008–09 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 20 | 7 | 11 | 18 | 16 | 24 | 1 | 13 | 14 | 19 | ||
| 2009–10 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 50 | 13 | 19 | 32 | 39 | 13 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 8 | ||
| 2010–11 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 66 | 23 | 25 | 48 | 47 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | ||
| 2011–12 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 82 | 26 | 35 | 61 | 49 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | ||
| 2012–13 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 48 | 22 | 30 | 52 | 39 | 15 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 6 | ||
| 2013–14 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 78 | 35 | 33 | 68 | 66 | 13 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 16 | ||
| 2014–15 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 74 | 17 | 23 | 40 | 56 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 8 | ||
| 2015–16 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 80 | 17 | 23 | 40 | 41 | 24 | 4 | 8 | 12 | 15 | ||
| 2016–17 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 71 | 9 | 20 | 29 | 36 | 20 | 2 | 9 | 11 | 27 | ||
| 2017–18 | Tampa Bay Lightning | NHL | 82 | 13 | 16 | 29 | 35 | 17 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 16 | ||
| 2018–19 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 56 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 23 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| NHL totals | 1,022 | 268 | 351 | 619 | 746 | 178 | 27 | 66 | 93 | 164 | ||||
| Year | Team | Event | Result | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Canada | WC |  | 9 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 4 | |
| 2014 | Canada | OG |  | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | |
| Senior totals | 15 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 10 | ||||
| Awards and achievements | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | CCHA Player of the Year 2002–03 | Succeeded by |
