Mike Fisher (ice hockey)

Mike Fisher
Fisher with the Ottawa Senators in 2008
Born	(1980-06-05) June 5, 1980 (age 43) Peterborough, Ontario, Canada
Height	6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight	217 lb (98 kg; 15 st 7 lb)
Position	Centre
Shot	Right
Played for	Ottawa Senators EV Zug Nashville Predators
National team	Canada
NHL Draft	44th overall, 1998 Ottawa Senators
Playing career	1999–2018
Website	mikefisher.ca

Michael Andrew Fisher (born June 5, 1980) is a Canadian-American former professional ice hockey centre who played for the Ottawa Senators and Nashville Predators in the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted by the Senators in the second round, 44th overall, in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft. ^[1]

Playing career

Junior

Fisher grew up playing hockey in the Peterborough Minor Hockey Association (OMHA) with the rep Minor Petes program.^{[ citation needed ]} He was drafted from Jr. A Peterborough Petes (OHA) by the Sudbury Wolves in the second round, 22nd overall, in the 1997 OHL Priority Draft. ^[2] After putting up 49 points in 66 games in his first year with the Wolves, Fisher was drafted in the second round, 44th overall, by the Ottawa Senators in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft. Returning to the OHL for one more season, Fisher recorded 106 points, fifth overall in league scoring. ^[3]

Ottawa Senators

Fisher debuted with the Senators in 1999–2000 and recorded 9 points in an injury-shortened 32-game rookie season. He became known for his aggressive style of play and began to also show his penchant for offensive production as he improved to 18 goals and 38 points in his fourth season in 2002–03.

During the lock-out year of 2004–05, Fisher played overseas for EV Zug in the Swiss Nationalliga A. As NHL play resumed the next season, in 2005–06, Fisher emerged with 22 goals and 44 points, providing valuable secondary scoring for the Spezza-Heatley-Alfredsson line. He helped the Senators to a first seed in the Eastern Conference going into the playoffs, but they were defeated by the fourth-seeded division rivals Buffalo Sabres in five games in the second round. With a career-high plus-minus (+/-) rating of +23 in the regular season, Fisher was nominated for the Frank J. Selke Trophy as the best defensive forward. He finished as second runner-up behind Jere Lehtinen of the Dallas Stars and trophy-winner Rod Brind'Amour, captain of the Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes. ^[4]

The following season, Fisher duplicated his previous campaign's goals total with 22 and improved to a personal best 26 assists and 48 points. He was kept to 68 games due to a left knee injury, sustained on December 27, 2006, against the New York Islanders, ^[5] forcing him to sit out four weeks. In the playoffs, Fisher helped the Senators to the 2007 Stanley Cup Finals, where they fell short to the Anaheim Ducks in five games. Fisher posted career playoff highs with 5 goals, 5 assists and 10 points in 20 games.

With one year left on his contract heading into the 2007–08 season, Fisher re-signed with the Senators to a five-year, $21 million contract extension. ^[6] He went on to set a career-high 23 goals that season. However, Fisher was forced to miss the playoffs, injuring his left knee in a knee-on-knee hit from Toronto Maple Leafs forward Mark Bell in the final game of the regular season. ^[7]

Fisher with the Ottawa Senators, November 2009.

A month and a half into the 2008–09 season, Fisher suffered another knee injury, straining a ligament in his right knee against the New York Islanders on November 17, 2008. ^[8]

Nashville Predators

On February 10, 2011, Fisher was traded to the Nashville Predators in exchange for the Predators' 2011 first round draft pick (Stefan Noesen) and a conditional pick in 2012 (Jarrod Maidens). The condition was that should the Predators win a playoff series, the Senators would receive a third-round pick, and a second round pick if the Predators won two or more playoff series. ^[9] The Predators won their first round playoff but ultimately lost their second round series, to the Vancouver Canucks, meaning the Senators received a third-round pick. According to Fisher, although there were many trade deals for him, Ottawa GM Bryan Murray and Ottawa owner Eugene Melnyk had chosen to accept Nashville's offer so that Fisher could be closer to his wife, country singer Carrie Underwood. ^{[10] [11]}

Fisher played his first game with the Predators on February 12, 2011, and registered an assist in a 5–3 win over the Colorado Avalanche. He scored his first goal as a Predator five days later, on February 17, against the Vancouver Canucks. ^{[12] [13]}

Fisher was the winner of the 2012 NHL Foundation Player Award, awarded to the NHL player who applies the core values of hockey – commitment, perseverance and teamwork – to enrich the lives of people in his community. ^[14]

On July 7, 2014, the Predators announced that Fisher had been injured during a training session and ruptured his Achilles tendon. This caused him to be out four-to-six months rehabbing the injury and missing the beginning of the season. ^[15] Fisher finished the 2014–15 season with 19 goals and 39 points in 59 games. On June 26, 2015, just prior to becoming an unrestricted free agent on July 1, Fisher signed a two-year, $8.8 million contract extension with the Predators, paying $4.8 million in 2015–16 and $4 million in 2016–17. ^[16]

On December 1, 2015, Fisher suffered a lower-body injury in a game against the Arizona Coyotes. He was placed on injured reserve and only began skating again on December 19. ^[17] On March 2, 2016, Fisher played in his 1,000th game. ^[18] On May 5, 2016, he scored with 8:48 left in triple overtime in game four of the Western Conference Semi-finals to beat the San Jose Sharks 4–3, tying the series at two games apiece and ending the longest game in Nashville franchise history. ^[19]

On September 7, 2016, Fisher was named the sixth captain of the Predators after previous captain Shea Weber was traded to the Montreal Canadiens for defenseman P. K. Subban. He led the Predators to the 2017 Stanley Cup Finals eventually losing to the Pittsburgh Penguins in six games. On August 3, 2017, Fisher announced his retirement from the NHL via a letter addressed to Predators fans in that day's edition of The Tennessean , ^[20] becoming the first Predators captain to retire with the team. ^[21]

On January 31, 2018, Fisher announced that he intended to end his retirement to help the Predators make another Stanley Cup run. Fisher said that he would practice with the Predators and eventually sign a contract before the trade deadline of February 26, 2018. ^[22] On February 26, 2018, Fisher signed a one-year contract with the Predators. ^[23] In his final season, Fisher registered two goals and four points in 16 games with the Predators and only one goal in 12 playoff games. Fisher retired for a second time on May 12, 2018, a few days after the Predators were eliminated in the second round of the playoffs by the Winnipeg Jets. ^[24]

Personal life

Fisher was born and raised in Peterborough, Ontario, to parents Jim and Karen ^[25] and is a devout Christian. ^[26] He has two brothers (Rob and Gregory, aka "Bud") and one sister (Meredith). ^[27] Fisher's uncle is David Fisher, a former chaplain to the Toronto Blue Jays baseball club. ^[28] Fisher's brother Gregory is also a hockey player; he is a goaltender who played for Quinnipiac University in the ECAC. ^{[29] [25]} On October 23, 2009, Gregory replaced the Senators' then-starting goaltender Pascal Leclaire in net during a Senators' practice after Leclaire fell ill. ^[30]

In the off-season, Fisher devotes time to hockey camps in his hometown in Peterborough, Kingston and Ottawa through Hockey Ministries International. ^[26] Fisher has also been a guest instructor at the Roger Neilson Hockey Camp. ^[31]

Fisher is married to American singer Carrie Underwood. They met backstage after one of Underwood's concerts in 2008. The couple became engaged on December 20, 2009. ^[32] On July 10, 2010, Fisher married Underwood at The Ritz-Carlton Lodge, Reynolds Plantation, in Greensboro, Georgia, with more than 250 people in attendance. ^{[33] [34]} Underwood surprised Fisher by having one of their favorite artists, Brandon Heath, sing his song "Love Never Fails" for their first dance. ^[35] It was announced on September 1, 2014, that Fisher and Underwood were expecting their first child together. In February 2015, Underwood gave birth to their first child, a son. ^[36] In January 2019, she gave birth to their second son. ^[37]

On March 21, 2019, Fisher became a United States citizen. ^[38]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1996–97	Peterborough Bees	OJHL		51	26	30	56	56		—	—	—	—	—
1997–98	Sudbury Wolves	OHL		66	24	24	49	64		9	2	2	4	13
1998–99	Sudbury Wolves	OHL		66	41	65	106	55		4	2	1	3	4
1999–00	Ottawa Senators	NHL		32	4	5	9	15		—	—	—	—	—
2000–01	Ottawa Senators	NHL		60	7	12	19	46		4	0	1	1	4
2001–02	Ottawa Senators	NHL		58	15	9	24	55		10	2	1	3	0
2002–03	Ottawa Senators	NHL		74	18	20	38	54		18	2	2	4	16
2003–04	Ottawa Senators	NHL		24	4	6	10	39		7	1	0	1	4
2004–05	EV Zug	NLA		21	9	18	27	39		9	2	3	5	20
2005–06	Ottawa Senators	NHL		68	22	22	44	64		10	2	2	4	12
2006–07	Ottawa Senators	NHL		68	22	26	48	41		20	5	5	10	24
2007–08	Ottawa Senators	NHL		79	23	24	47	82		—	—	—	—	—
2008–09	Ottawa Senators	NHL		78	13	19	32	66		—	—	—	—	—
2009–10	Ottawa Senators	NHL		79	25	28	53	59		6	2	3	5	6
2010–11	Ottawa Senators	NHL		55	14	10	24	33		—	—	—	—	—
2010–11	Nashville Predators	NHL		27	5	7	12	10		12	3	4	7	11
2011–12	Nashville Predators	NHL		72	24	27	51	33		10	1	3	4	8
2012–13	Nashville Predators	NHL		38	10	11	21	27		—	—	—	—	—
2013–14	Nashville Predators	NHL		75	20	29	49	60		—	—	—	—	—
2014–15	Nashville Predators	NHL		59	19	20	39	39		3	0	1	1	0
2015–16	Nashville Predators	NHL		70	13	10	23	29		14	5	2	7	2
2016–17	Nashville Predators	NHL		72	18	24	42	55		20	0	4	4	2
2017–18	Nashville Predators	NHL		16	2	2	4	8		12	1	0	1	2
NHL totals				1,104	278	311	589	815		146	24	28	52	91

International

Year	Team	Event	Result		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2005	Canada	WC			9	0	1	1	4
2009	Canada	WC			9	2	3	5	14
Senior totals					18	2	4	6	18

References

1. Rexrode, Joe (August 3, 2017). "What Mike Fisher's retirement means to the Predators" . Retrieved August 3, 2017.
2. "1997 OHL Midget Priority Draft" . Retrieved November 17, 2008.
3. "1998–99 OHL League Leaders". Hockeydb.com. Retrieved November 18, 2008.
4. "Thornton is NHL MVP". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. June 22, 2006. Retrieved November 18, 2008.
5. "Senators lose center Fisher with left knee injury". ESPN. December 28, 2006. Retrieved November 19, 2008.
6. "Sens lock up Mike Fisher". Ottawa Citizen . September 17, 2007. Archived from the original on June 28, 2011. Retrieved November 19, 2008.
7. "Alfredsson, Fisher will miss weeks". The Globe and Mail . April 4, 2008. Retrieved November 19, 2008.
8. "Slumping Senators lose Fisher, Neil to injuries". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. November 19, 2008. Retrieved November 19, 2008.
9. "Sens trade Fisher to Predators for 1st round, conditional pick". TSN. February 10, 2011.^{[ dead link ]}
10. Gillis, Megan (December 15, 2016). "'I just wanted you to be with your wife': Fisher reveals heartwarming story of trade". Ottawa Citizen . Retrieved December 15, 2016.
11. Fisher, Mike (December 15, 2016). "One-Way Ticket". The Players' Tribune. Retrieved December 15, 2016.
12. "Predators 5-3 Avalanche (Feb 12, 2011) Game Recap". ESPN. Retrieved February 9, 2024.
13. "Fisher scores 1st goal since being traded as Predators beat ailing Canucks 3-1". The Hockey News. The Canadian Press. February 17, 2011. Retrieved February 9, 2024.
14. "Preds' Fisher wins NHL Foundation Award". Fox Sports. June 20, 2012. Retrieved April 26, 2024.
15. Boylen, Rory (July 7, 2014). "Mike Fisher out four-to-six months with ruptured Achilles tendon - who are Nashville's top centers now?". The Hockey News. Retrieved April 26, 2024.
16. "Predators sign center Fisher to two-year contract". National Hockey League. June 26, 2015. Retrieved June 26, 2015.
17. Vingan, Adam (December 19, 2015). "Injured Mike Fisher skates with teammates for first time". The Tennessean. Retrieved April 26, 2024.
18. Vingan, Adam (March 2, 2016). "Mike Fisher grateful for Predators, 1,000th NHL game". The Tennessean. Retrieved April 26, 2024.
19. "Mike Fisher lifts Predators in triple overtime". Boston Globe. Associated Press. May 5, 2016. Retrieved April 26, 2024.
20. Fisher, Mike (August 3, 2017). "Read Mike Fisher's heartfelt goodbye letter to Predators fans". The Tennessean . Retrieved August 3, 2017.
21. "Mike Fisher Announces Retirement in Heartfelt Letter to Fans". Nashville Predators. Retrieved August 3, 2017– via NHL.com.
22. Bratten, Brooks (January 31, 2018). "Mike Fisher Coming Back to Play for Preds". Nashville Predators. Retrieved February 1, 2018– via NHL.com.
23. "Predators Sign Mike Fisher to One-Year Deal". Nashville Predators. February 26, 2018. Retrieved February 26, 2018– via NHL.com.
24. Satriano, David (May 12, 2018). "Fisher retires from Predators after 18 seasons in NHL". National Hockey League. Retrieved May 13, 2018.
25. "Bud Fisher". Quinnipiac University . Retrieved November 20, 2008.^{[ permanent dead link ]}
26. Wierenga, Emily. "Faithful Fisher". Canadian Sports Magazine. Archived from the original on July 6, 2011. Retrieved November 19, 2008– via Christianity.ca.
27. Davies, Mike (July 7, 2010). "Fisher's family intent on keeping wedding private". Toronto Sun. Retrieved March 2, 2011.^{[ dead link ]}
28. ^[ dead link ]
29. "Bud Fisher". eliteprospects.com. Retrieved May 13, 2018.
30. "Senators Forward Cheechoo Struggling to Score Goals". TSN . Retrieved October 26, 2009.^{[ dead link ]}
31. Brodie, Rob (July 29, 2009). "Fisher hockey camp feels Roger's touch". NHL.com. Retrieved March 18, 2018. Fisher, the veteran Ottawa Senators centre, spent a lot of years working as an instructor at the famed Roger Neilson's Hockey Camp in Lindsay, Ont^{[ dead link ]}
32. Garrioch, Bruce; Brennan, Don. "It's true: Mike & Carrie engaged". Ottawa Sun. Archived from the original on December 22, 2009. Retrieved March 2, 2011.
33. Finan, Eileen (July 10, 2010). "Carrie Underwood Gets Married in Southern Style – Weddings, Carrie Underwood". People. Retrieved March 2, 2011.
34. "Carrie Underwood and Mike Fisher Tie the Knot! – Style & Beauty". Us Weekly. July 10, 2010. Retrieved March 2, 2011.^{[ dead link ]}
35. "Brandon Heath Sings at Carrie Underwood's Wedding". Clash Entertainment. January 18, 2010. Retrieved February 11, 2011.^{[ dead link ]}
36. "Carrie Underwood announces the birth of Isaiah Michael Fisher". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved March 18, 2018.^{[ dead link ]}
37. Paulson, Dave; Watts, Cindy (January 23, 2019). "Carrie Underwood welcomes second baby with Mike Fisher". The Tennessean. Retrieved January 23, 2019..
38. Kimble, Lindsay (March 22, 2019). "Mike Fisher — NHL Star and Carrie Underwood's Husband — Is Officially an American Citizen". People. Retrieved March 22, 2019.

External links

• Biographical information and career statistics from NHL.com , or  Eliteprospects.com , or  Eurohockey.com , or  Hockey-Reference.com , or  The Internet Hockey Database
• Official website ^[usurped]

Sporting positions
Preceded by Shea Weber	Nashville Predators captain 2016–17	Succeeded by Roman Josi