Bill Guerin

Last updated

Bill Guerin
BillGuerin2015 2.jpg
Guerin in 2015
Born (1970-11-09) November 9, 1970 (age 53)
Worcester, Massachusetts, U.S.
Height 6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Weight 220 lb (100 kg; 15 st 10 lb)
Position Right Wing
Shot Right
Played for New Jersey Devils
Edmonton Oilers
Boston Bruins
Dallas Stars
St. Louis Blues
San Jose Sharks
New York Islanders
Pittsburgh Penguins
National teamFlag of the United States.svg  United States
NHL Draft 5th overall, 1989
New Jersey Devils
Playing career 19912010

William Robert Guerin (born November 9, 1970) is an American former professional ice hockey player and the current general manager of the Minnesota Wild. He previously was the assistant general manager of the Pittsburgh Penguins and general manager of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.

Contents

Guerin played 18 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL), winning two Stanley Cup championships with the New Jersey Devils and Pittsburgh Penguins.

Internationally, Guerin represented the United States in the Olympics in 1998, 2002 and 2006, and participated in two Ice Hockey World Championships. Guerin is the first player of Hispanic descent to play in the NHL. [1] [2]

Playing career

Professional

Guerin during his time as Islanders captain Bill Guerin.jpg
Guerin during his time as Islanders captain

Guerin was drafted in the 1989 NHL Entry Draft fifth overall by the New Jersey Devils and played with the team from 1991 to 1998, winning the Stanley Cup in 1995. Midway through the 1997–98 season, Guerin was traded (along with Valeri Zelepukin) to the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for Jason Arnott and Bryan Muir.

In November 2001 Guerin was traded to his hometown team, the Boston Bruins. [3]

After a 41-goal season in 2001–02, Guerin left the Bruins as a free agent and signed a five-year contract with the Dallas Stars. [4] He performed below expectations during his tenure with the Stars. After a disappointing season in 2005–06 in which he recorded just 40 points, Dallas opted to buy-out the remainder of his contract. The conditions of buyouts in the NHL meant that the Stars would have to pay him two-thirds of the remaining salary on his contract spread out over twice as many years; this meant $6.7 million over one year became $4.4 million over two years.

On July 3, 2006, Guerin signed a one-year, $2 million contract with the St. Louis Blues. [5] Playing on a line with former Oiler teammate Doug Weight, Guerin revived his career, easily eclipsing his disappointing goal-scoring mark from the 2005–06 season. He was named to the 2007 All-Star Game (hosted by the Stars) to represent the Blues. Despite numerous criticisms of his play during his time as a Star, Guerin received a standing ovation from the Dallas fans in recognition as his status as a longtime fan favorite.

On February 2, 2007, Guerin became the 214th NHL player to play in 1,000 games. [6] Later that month, he was traded to the San Jose Sharks [7] in exchange for Ville Nieminen, prospect Jay Barriball and a conditional first-round pick (either New Jersey's in 2007 or San Jose's in 2008). During the subsequent off-season, Guerin signed a two-year contract with the New York Islanders. [8] On July 9, 2007, he was named captain of the Islanders, making him the 11th captain in team history. [9]

Guerin fights Jim Slater, April 2010 Bill Guerin 2010-04-03.JPG
Guerin fights Jim Slater, April 2010

On March 4, 2009, Guerin was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for a conditional draft pick. The pick, a 2009 fourth-round pick if the Penguins made the playoffs, was later turned into a 2009 third-round pick once the Penguins advanced to the second round of the 2009 Stanley Cup playoffs. [10] Guerin won the Stanley Cup on June 12, 2009, with the Penguins, defeating the Detroit Red Wings by a final score of 2–1 for Game 7 at Joe Louis Arena. His 14 years between Stanley Cups as a player was the third-longest wait in NHL history, behind Chris Chelios (16) and Mark Recchi (15).

After vocal encouragement for his return from the crowd and teammates at Pittsburgh's Stanley Cup parade on June 15, as well as expressing his own affection for the city and team, Guerin signed a one-year contract extension with the Penguins on June 29 at a greatly reduced salary to play through the 2009–10 season. He became the first player to have a 20-goal season with seven different teams and one of only three to have a 20-goal season with five or more different teams (the two others being Eddie Shack and Ray Sheppard). Ray Shero, the general manager for the Penguins opted not to offer Guerin a contract for the 2010–11 season. On September 7, 2010, the Philadelphia Flyers invited Guerin to try out at training camp, but on October 4, the Flyers released him prior to the start of the regular season.

On December 6, 2010, Guerin announced his retirement as a player from the NHL as a Pittsburgh Penguin. [11] At the time of his retirement, Guerin ranked seventh all-time among Americans in the NHL with 429 goals. [12]

Management career

On June 6, 2011, the Penguins hired Guerin as their player development coach. [13] On June 6, 2014, Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford announced that Guerin would be promoted to assistant general manager of the team. Rutherford said that Guerin would be focusing on developing the analytical side of the game. Following consecutive Stanley Cup triumphs in 2016 and 2017, the Penguins announced that Guerin's duties would expand to include the role of general manager of their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, made vacant via the departure of Jason Botterill to the NHL's Buffalo Sabres. [14]

On August 21, 2019, Guerin was named the fourth general manager of the Minnesota Wild. [15] On March 21, 2022, Guerin was named the TSN TradeCentre GM of the Day, for his transactions at the 2022 NHL Trade Deadline.

Controversies

Sexual assault coverup allegation

In a lawsuit filed on November 3, 2020, in Pennsylvania, it was alleged that Guerin played a role in covering up an alleged sexual assault on the wife of Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins assistant coach Jarrod Skalde by the team's head coach Clark Donatelli. [16] [17] [18] [19] [20] The lawsuit, Skalde et al. v. Lemieux Group, L.P. et al., alleges that Guerin, then the general manager of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, "told Skalde to keep quiet about the alleged assault." Guerin denied any wrongdoing on his part, claiming that he had "promptly brought (the allegation) to Pittsburgh Penguins senior management". [16] [17] [18] [19] [20] The lawsuit remained open as of May 6, 2021 and was being litigated in the Pennsylvania Middle District Court with Judge Jennifer P Wilson presiding over the case. [20]

The United States Center for SafeSport opened an investigation on Guerin over his alleged role in the whistleblower lawsuit. [21]

Verbal Abuse Investigation

In 2023 the Wild conducted an investigation after an employee filed a verbal abuse complaint against Guerin to human resources. [22] Guerin retained his position, no sanctions were announced, and the Wild refused to comment. [22]

Personal life

Guerin was born in Worcester, Massachusetts, and raised in Wilbraham, Massachusetts. He attended Wilbraham & Monson Academy, and played junior hockey for the Springfield Olympics in lieu of high school hockey. Guerin is of Nicaraguan and Irish descent. [2]

Guerin and his wife Kara have four children and reside in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. They previously lived in Moorestown, New Jersey during his tenure with the Devils. [23] [24] [25] [26] [27]

Guerin is honored as the Penguins nominee for the Masterton Trophy during a pregame ceremony in April 2010 Bill Guerin Masterton Nominee 2010-04-03.JPG
Guerin is honored as the Penguins nominee for the Masterton Trophy during a pregame ceremony in April 2010

Awards and achievements

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season TeamLeagueGP G A Pts PIM GPGAPtsPIM
1985–86Springfield OlympicsNEJHL4826194571
1986–87Springfield OlympicsNEJHL3234205440
1987–88Springfield OlympicsNEJHL38314475146
1988–89Springfield OlympicsNEJHL3132356790
1989–90 Boston College Eagles HE 3914112564
1990–91 Boston College EaglesHE38261945102
1991–92 United States Intl4612152767
1991–92 Utica Devils AHL 221310236413414
1991–92 New Jersey Devils NHL 5011963034
1992–93 Utica DevilsAHL181071747
1992–93 New Jersey DevilsNHL651420346351124
1993–94 New Jersey DevilsNHL812519441011721335
1994–95 New Jersey DevilsNHL481213257220381130
1995–96 New Jersey DevilsNHL80233053116
1996–97 New Jersey DevilsNHL8229184795821318
1997–98 New Jersey DevilsNHL19551013
1997–98 Edmonton Oilers NHL40131629801271817
1998–99 Edmonton OilersNHL8030346413330222
1999–2000 Edmonton OilersNHL7024224612353259
2000–01 Edmonton OilersNHL2112102218
2000–01 Boston Bruins NHL64283563122
2001–02 Boston BruinsNHL784125669164266
2002–03 Dallas Stars NHL6425255011340004
2003–04 Dallas StarsNHL8234356910950114
2005–06 Dallas StarsNHL7013274011553140
2006–07 St. Louis Blues NHL6128194752
2006–07 San Jose Sharks NHL1681914902212
2007–08 New York Islanders NHL8123214465
2008–09 New York IslandersNHL6116203663
2008–09 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL1757121824781515
2009–10 Pittsburgh PenguinsNHL7821244575114592
NHL totals1,2634294278561,660133393473152

International

YearTeamEvent GPGAPtsPIM
1989 United States WJC 703316
1990 United StatesWJC700018
1996 United States WCH 702217
1998 United States OG 40332
2002 United StatesOG64044
2004 United StatesWCH52248
2006 United StatesOG61010
Junior totals1403334
Senior totals28771431

Transactions

See also

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Preceded by New Jersey Devils first round draft pick
1989
Succeeded by
Preceded by New York Islanders captain
200709
Succeeded by
Preceded by General manager of the Minnesota Wild
2019–present
Incumbent