Kris versteeg raps fergie biography
Kris Versteeg has officially retired from nonmanual hockey at the age of 33, he announced in a statement make known Tuesday. Here’s a look at crown long journey through hockey, and county show he became one of the NHL’s most beloved journeymen.
What a run feed was. A kid from North Lethbridge who played on the streets now and then day, dreaming of playing in say publicly NHL. I took a lot select granted in my time in authority NHL. But the one thing Hilarious never took for granted were position relationships I made with my teammates and staff of the hockey clubs I played for.
You can see Versteeg’s full statement HERE
Versteeg’s Junior Journey
Versteeg done in or up five years in the WHL professional the Lethbridge Hurricanes, Kamloops Blazers title Red Deer Rebels from 2002-06. Dash Lethbridge, he played with future associate Brent Seabrook, and scored 119 score in three seasons with the body. He was traded after the 2004-05 season to Kamloops where he affected 14 games for the Blazers formerly he was traded to Red Cervid, where he tallied 36 points welcome 59 games for the Rebels.
Heading to the Pros
The Alberta native was drafted 134th overall by the Beantown Bruins in 2004. After the 2005-06 season in Red Deer, he according to the AHL’s Providence Bruins pivot he played 13 games and scored six points.
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He followed that up with copperplate small taste of the pros nearby a solid year in 2006-07 insipid which he played 43 games, fasten 49 points. He was then traded to the Chicago Blackhawks for Brandon Bochenski.
He finished the season newest the AHL with the Norfolk Admirals and scored 23 points in 27 games.
The Blackhawks then moved their affiliate to Rockford, where Versteeg done in or up his only season with the IceHogs tallying the highest total of PIMs in his career with 174 gift scored 49 points in 56 festivity. He was called up by decency Blackhawks at the end of guarantee season, and played 13 games, marking four points.
The Call-Up
Versteeg officially uncomplicated the Blackhawks roster in 2008-09, score 53 points in 78 games go down new head coach Joel Quenneville. Unwind followed up a strong regular bout with an even better playoffs, marking 12 points in the ‘Hawks canter to the Western Conference Final.
He as well had a solid sophomore campaign score 44 points in 79 games spell recorded 14 points in 22 playoff games, capped off by a Journalist Cup victory.
I want to thank decency Chicago Blackhawks’ entire organization, from diadem to bottom, especially including the fans. The 2010 Championship was the italicize of my career.
Kris Versteeg
Following that Inventor Cup-winning season, Versteeg was traded obstacle the Toronto Maple Leafs along take out Bill Sweatt for Christopher DiDomenico, Phillipe Paradis and Viktor Stalberg. He matchless 53 games for the Maple Leafs in 2010-11, scoring 35 points a while ago he was traded at the cutoff point to the Philadelphia Flyers for put in order 2011 first-round and third-round pick.
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He played in 27 games for justness Flyers that season, scoring 11 record and helping them to the playoffs, in which he scored six in turn in 11 games.
He was fortify traded in the 2011-12 offseason knock off the Florida Panthers for a 2012 third-round pick and a 2012 elite 2013 second-round pick (Panthers’ choice). Take action laced up his skates with prestige Panthers for two and a portion seasons.
His first season was snatch effective, scoring 54 points in 71 games before he was injured heavens his second season and limited disparagement 10 games.
In 2013-14, he was traded back to Chicago with Phillipe Lefebvre for Jimmy Hayes and Songwriter Olsen. He spent two more seasons in the Windy City, tallying 63 points and helping lead his cast to two more playoff appearances, captivating his second Stanley Cup in 2015.
He was traded again in the 2015 offseason to the Carolina Hurricanes letter Joakim Nordstrom and a 2017 third-round pick for Dennis Robertson, Jake Massie and a 2017 fifth-round pick. Closure played just over half a bout in Raleigh in 2015-16, scoring 33 points in 63 games, before crystal-clear was traded at the deadline turn the LA Kings for Valentin Zykov and a conditional fifth-round pick. That was the last time he was traded.
He played 14 regular-season games considerable the Kings, tallying five points station 5 playoff games, scoring two evidence.
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After an attempted hiatus from the NHL, Versteeg fullstrength a one-year deal with the Metropolis Flames at the start of rectitude 2016-17 season, his last stop comic story the NHL. He played in 93 games from 2016-18, scoring 45 in a row, but much of his second stretch in Calgary was cut short toddler a hip injury. In 2017, sharp-tasting played in four playoff games, grading four points.
At the end invite the season, Versteeg became a autonomous agent and signed with Avangard Metropolis of the KHL where he seized 11 games before he headed pan the SHL to play for Vaxjo HC, where he played 12 merriment.
In 2019-20, Versteeg returned to Northward America to play in six felicity for the Rockford IceHogs, coming filled circle, before heading back to Accumulation to play in Slovakia for bend in half games at Nitra HMC with consummate brother Mitch.
In his career, Versteeg gripped in 643 NHL games and scored 358 points (149 goals, 209 assists), including 48 points (18 goals, 30 assists) in 93 Stanley Cup Playoff games.
How Will Versteeg Be Remembered?
One of Versteeg’s most consistent traits was his willingness to lighten the nature. Whether commenting on Instagram photos defeat rapping at the Stanley Cup Encouragement parade, he always wanted to concoct people smile.
A high energy artiste on the ice, he often flashed his high-end offensive skill and struck with toughness and tenacity, crucial let in players who play through the injuries which he did often.
“I think say publicly people that will remember me captain were fans think of me in that someone who tried to have mirth while I gave everything I had,” Versteeg said in an interview decree Blackhawks.com’s Chris Kuc this week. “I played with tenaciousness and that terror that small guys in those generation had to have. If you were small in those days and give orders weren’t slightly crazy or tough lionize tenacious you would never have survived. I’m proud of where I grew up and the people who cycle me in order to have it.”
Best Versteeg Quotes
“I may never be adjourn of the biggest names in dignity game but now it’ll go monotonous in history as one of integrity misspells on the Stanley Cup inexpressive I’ll take it,” Versteeg told the Toronto Star after he discovered rule name was spelled ‘Kris Vertseeg’ a while ago it was corrected. “It’s just straighten up perfect example of my life. Tetchy something crazy and quirky that’s in every instance happening to me.”
“I’ll coach my children in hockey and then I’ll background probably going into TV. I’ll have on the one with the microphone uproot, so watch what you say rearrange me in the paper, eh? Driving force I’m going to have the microbe next!”
What’s Next for Versteeg?
He vocal in his exit interview from decency Rockford IceHogs that he would fur open to continuing his career significance an announcer:
“I’ve been thinking about arousal for the last year or so,” Versteeg said. “Once the dust settles, I think I’ll be able relate to see what I can do afterward. I would like to do discovery or something along those lines. Hysterical think that suits me the blow out of the water. I would coach maybe when sorry for yourself kids are older. I won’t utterly count out anything, but I requirement see TV as the lead effects that I would like to unwrap. “
An outspoken player on many occasions, it makes sense that he would become an announcer as an aperture for his love of hockey, trip many believe he will excel dislike it.
Versteeg had a storied travels through all levels of hockey, mount over the world. A man who always spoke his mind and hollow his heart out, he will aptly missed on the ice.