| Craig Rivet | |||
|---|---|---|---|
.jpg) Rivet with theSan Jose Sharks | |||
| Born | (1974-09-13)September 13, 1974 (age 51) | ||
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (188 cm) | ||
| Weight | 207 lb (94 kg; 14 st 11 lb) | ||
| Position | Defense | ||
| Shot | Right | ||
| Played for | Montreal Canadiens San Jose Sharks Buffalo Sabres Columbus Blue Jackets | ||
| National team |  Canada | ||
| NHL draft | 68th overall,1992 Montreal Canadiens | ||
| Playing career | 1994–2012 | ||
Anthony Craig Rivet (/ˈrɪvɪt/; born September 13, 1974) is a Canadian former professionalice hockeydefenceman who played 18 seasons in theNHL, including 12 with theMontreal Canadiens. He later played for theSan Jose Sharks,Buffalo Sabres, andColumbus Blue Jackets before finishing his career with theElmira Jackals of theECHL.
Rivet was drafted by theMontreal Canadiens in the1992 NHL Entry Draft from theKingston Frontenacs in theOntario Hockey League. He was drafted in the third round, 68th overall. Upon being drafted, he recorded junior career highs in1992–93 with 19 goals, 55 assists, and 74 points. He added 12 points in the playoffs as Kingston advanced to the semi-finals but were eliminated by thePeterborough Petes in five games.
After spending his first few professional seasons with Montreal'sAHL affiliate, theFredericton Canadiens, Rivet earned a full-time roster spot with Montreal in1997–98 and became analternate captain toSaku Koivu during his time with the team.[1] After a 25-point season with a career-high 8 goals in2001–02, he re-signed with the Canadiens to a four-year, $12 million contract extension.[1] In2005–06, Rivet improved to 34 points, his best offensive output with the Canadiens.
With his contract set to expire at the end of the2006–07 season, Rivet was traded on February 25, 2007, to theSan Jose Sharks with a fifth-round draft pick in2008 forJosh Gorges and a first-round draft pick in2007.[2] This pick would later be used to draft former Canadien captainMax Pacioretty. Before becoming anunrestricted free agent in the off-season, he re-signed with the Sharks to a four-year,US$14 million contract, citing San Jose's fan base and competitiveness as major factors in staying with the club.[3] He reportedly chose that offer over San Jose's offer of $12 million over the same time span, but with a no-trade clause. In the first season of his new contract, he recorded a career-high 30 assists and 35 points, topping all team defencemen in scoring (Brian Campbell finished with more points overall during the season, but only scored 19 of his points with San Jose).[4]
On July 4, 2008, Rivet was traded to theBuffalo Sabres with a2010 seventh round draft pick in exchange for two second round selections in the2009 and 2010 drafts.[5] Before making his2008–09 debut with the Sabres, he was namedteam captain on October 8, replacingJason Pominville, the last to be named captain as part of the Sabres rotating captaincy the previous season.[6] At the end of the2009-10 season, it was revealed that Rivet's play in the previous two seasons had been hampered by a double labrum tear, for which he would have off-season surgery. Despite initial estimates of 4–6 months for recovery, which would have impinged on the start of the 2010-11 season, he was expected to return for training camp.[7] Despite this, the veteran defenseman announced that the 2010-11 season might be his last in the NHL.[8] Rivet was waived by Buffalo on February 23, 2011.[9]
After clearing waivers on February 24, 2011, Rivet was reassigned to the Sabres'American Hockey League farm team, thePortland Pirates.[10][11]
On February 26, 2011, Rivet was claimed on re-entry waivers by theColumbus Blue Jackets.[12]
On October 10, 2011, Rivet signed a deal with theElmira Jackals just 6 months after announcing his retirement. He later revealed the move was necessary to obtain his United States permanent residency.[13]
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1990–91 | Barrie Colts | CJHL | 42 | 9 | 17 | 26 | 55 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1991–92 | Kingston Frontenacs | OHL | 66 | 5 | 21 | 26 | 97 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1992–93 | Kingston Frontenacs | OHL | 64 | 19 | 55 | 74 | 117 | 16 | 5 | 7 | 12 | 39 | ||
| 1993–94 | Kingston Frontenacs | OHL | 61 | 12 | 52 | 64 | 100 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 6 | ||
| 1993–94 | Fredericton Canadiens | AHL | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1994–95 | Fredericton Canadiens | AHL | 78 | 5 | 27 | 32 | 126 | 12 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 17 | ||
| 1994–95 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1995–96 | Fredericton Canadiens | AHL | 49 | 5 | 18 | 23 | 189 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | ||
| 1995–96 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 19 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 54 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1996–97 | Fredericton Canadiens | AHL | 23 | 3 | 12 | 15 | 99 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1996–97 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 35 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 54 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 14 | ||
| 1997–98 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 61 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 93 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||
| 1998–99 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 66 | 2 | 8 | 10 | 66 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1999–2000 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 61 | 3 | 14 | 17 | 76 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2000–01 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 26 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 36 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2001–02 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 82 | 8 | 17 | 25 | 76 | 12 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 4 | ||
| 2002–03 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 82 | 7 | 15 | 22 | 71 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2003–04 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 80 | 4 | 8 | 12 | 98 | 11 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 2 | ||
| 2004–05 | TPS | SM-l | 18 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 28 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 39 | ||
| 2005–06 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 82 | 7 | 27 | 34 | 109 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | ||
| 2006–07 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 54 | 6 | 10 | 16 | 57 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2006–07 | San Jose Sharks | NHL | 17 | 1 | 7 | 8 | 12 | 11 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 18 | ||
| 2007–08 | San Jose Sharks | NHL | 74 | 5 | 30 | 35 | 104 | 13 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 16 | ||
| 2008–09 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 64 | 2 | 22 | 24 | 125 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2009–10 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 78 | 1 | 14 | 15 | 100 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 11 | ||
| 2010–11 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 23 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2010–11 | Columbus Blue Jackets | NHL | 14 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 23 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2011–12 | Elmira Jackals | ECHL | 61 | 5 | 19 | 24 | 102 | 10 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 0 | ||
| NHL totals | 923 | 50 | 186 | 237 | 1171 | 69 | 4 | 19 | 23 | 69 | ||||
| Year | Team | Event | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Canada | WC | 9 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 6 |
Rivet made one international appearance forTeam Canada at the2003 World Championships inFinland. He recorded 1 assist in 9 games as Team Canada captured the gold medal againstSweden 3-2 in the final.
Rivet co-hosted "The Instigators" withAndrew Peters onWGR 550 out of Buffalo andMSG Western New York.[14] After stepping down from the show in September 2021, Rivet is currently co-hosting the podcast "After The Whistle" reunited with Andrew Peters.
| Preceded by Jason Pominville rotating captaincy ended | Buffalo Sabres captain 2008–11 | Succeeded by |