| Ryan Craig | |||
|---|---|---|---|
_(cropped).jpg) Craig with theCleveland Monsters in 2017 | |||
| Born | (1982-01-06)January 6, 1982 (age 43) Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada | ||
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (188 cm) | ||
| Weight | 221 lb (100 kg; 15 st 11 lb) | ||
| Position | Centre | ||
| Shot | Left | ||
| Played for | Tampa Bay Lightning Pittsburgh Penguins Columbus Blue Jackets | ||
| NHL draft | 255th overall,2002 Tampa Bay Lightning | ||
| Playing career | 2003–2017 | ||
Ryan F. Craig (born January 6, 1982) is aCanadian formerprofessionalice hockeycentre and current head coach of theHenderson Silver Knights of theAmerican Hockey League. Prior to retirement, he was thecaptain of theCleveland Monsters in theAmerican Hockey League (AHL). Craig was drafted 255th overall in the2002 NHL Entry Draft by theTampa Bay Lightning.
As a youth, Craig played in the 1996Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with aminor ice hockey team fromAbbotsford, British Columbia.[1]
Craig started hisjunior ice hockey career with theBrandon Wheat Kings of theWestern Hockey League and made his debut by appearing in one game in the1997–98 season as a 16-year-old. In the2000–01 season, Craig led Brandon in scoring and was named the team MVP the following year. Serving as a captain in his final two seasons in the WHL, Craig tied for the lead in scoring in the2002–03 season, and ranked sixth in the WHL in goals, first in game-winning goals (11) and tied for eighth in power play goals.[citation needed]
After spending his first seven professional seasons within the Lightning organization, on July 3, 2010, Craig signed as a free agent to a two-way, 1-year $500,000 contract with thePittsburgh Penguins. On June 13, 2011, Craig re-signed with the Penguins for one year.[2]
After captaining the Penguins' AHL affiliate, theWilkes Barre Scranton Penguins, for two seasons, Craig left the Penguins' organization. Unable to earn an NHL deal, he signed a one-year AHL contract with theSpringfield Falcons on July 19, 2012.[3]
Craig was selected as the Falcons' captain in his first season with the club, in2012–13. He scored 20 goals and 47 points in 75 games to help Springfield reach the second round of the post-season. On July 5, 2013, Craig was signed to a two-year, two-way contract with the Falcons' NHL affiliate, theColumbus Blue Jackets.[4]
On June 29, 2015, Craig continued his affiliation with the Blue Jackets, by signing a two-year contract with their new AHL affiliate, theLake Erie Monsters.[5] In his first season with the Monsters in2015–16, Craig led the team asCaptain in capturing their firstCalder Cup championship.[citation needed]
He was announced as an assistant coach with theVegas Golden Knights expansion team on June 9, 2017 and simultaneously retired from his playing career.[6]
Craig served as an assistant coach for Vegas since the team's first season, and had served as an assistant coach for theteam's first 6 seasons and for all three of Vegas' head coaches up to2023 (Gerard Gallant,Peter DeBoer, andBruce Cassidy). He won theStanley Cup in2023.
Nearly 2 weeks after winning the Stanley Cup on June 13, 2023, Craig was appointed as the head coach of Vegas'American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, theHenderson Silver Knights, on June 26, 2023.[7]
Craig is married to Jaydee, who grew up in Souris, Manitoba. They have three children together.[8][9]
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1997–98 | Brandon Wheat Kings | WHL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1998–99 | Brandon Wheat Kings | WHL | 54 | 11 | 12 | 23 | 46 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | ||
| 1999–00 | Brandon Wheat Kings | WHL | 65 | 17 | 19 | 36 | 40 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2000–01 | Brandon Wheat Kings | WHL | 70 | 38 | 33 | 71 | 49 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 7 | ||
| 2001–02 | Brandon Wheat Kings | WHL | 52 | 29 | 35 | 64 | 52 | 19 | 11 | 10 | 21 | 13 | ||
| 2002–03 | Brandon Wheat Kings | WHL | 60 | 42 | 32 | 74 | 69 | 17 | 5 | 8 | 13 | 29 | ||
| 2003–04 | Pensacola Ice Pilots | ECHL | 5 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 2003–04 | Hershey Bears | AHL | 61 | 4 | 8 | 12 | 24 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2004–05 | Springfield Falcons | AHL | 80 | 27 | 14 | 41 | 50 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2005–06 | Springfield Falcons | AHL | 28 | 12 | 10 | 22 | 14 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2005–06 | Tampa Bay Lightning | NHL | 48 | 15 | 13 | 28 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | ||
| 2006–07 | Tampa Bay Lightning | NHL | 72 | 14 | 13 | 27 | 55 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | ||
| 2007–08 | Norfolk Admirals | AHL | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2007–08 | Tampa Bay Lightning | NHL | 7 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2008–09 | Tampa Bay Lightning | NHL | 54 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 60 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2009–10 | Norfolk Admirals | AHL | 73 | 23 | 22 | 45 | 64 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2009–10 | Tampa Bay Lightning | NHL | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2010–11 | Wilkes–Barre/Scranton Penguins | AHL | 71 | 19 | 29 | 48 | 84 | 12 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 12 | ||
| 2010–11 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2011–12 | Wilkes–Barre/Scranton Penguins | AHL | 68 | 11 | 19 | 30 | 70 | 12 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 2 | ||
| 2012–13 | Springfield Falcons | AHL | 75 | 20 | 27 | 47 | 71 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 7 | ||
| 2013–14 | Springfield Falcons | AHL | 55 | 18 | 15 | 33 | 52 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 4 | ||
| 2013–14 | Columbus Blue Jackets | NHL | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2014–15 | Springfield Falcons | AHL | 67 | 17 | 20 | 37 | 60 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2014–15 | Columbus Blue Jackets | NHL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2015–16 | Lake Erie Monsters | AHL | 60 | 9 | 11 | 20 | 38 | 17 | 3 | 10 | 13 | 8 | ||
| 2016–17 | Cleveland Monsters | AHL | 71 | 11 | 11 | 22 | 25 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| AHL totals | 711 | 172 | 188 | 360 | 554 | 54 | 13 | 20 | 33 | 33 | ||||
| NHL totals | 198 | 32 | 31 | 63 | 148 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22 | ||||
| Awards | Year | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| WHL | |||
| East First All-Star Team | 2002–03 | ||
| Doug Wickenheiser Memorial Trophy | 2002–03 | ||
| CHLHumanitarian of the Year Award | 2002–03 | ||
| AHL | |||
| Calder Cup (Lake Erie Monsters) | 2015-16 | [10] | |
| NHL | |||
| Stanley Cup (Vegas Golden Knights) | 2022-23 | ||
| Awards and achievements | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Winner of theCHLHumanitarian of the Year Award 2003 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Winner of theWHLDoug Wickenheiser Memorial Trophy 2003 | Succeeded by |
| Sporting positions | ||
| Preceded by | Captain of theWilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins 2010-12 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Head coach of theHenderson Silver Knights 2023–present | Succeeded by Incumbent |