Craig Weller

Last updated
Craig Weller
Craig Weller.JPG
Born (1981-03-17) March 17, 1981 (age 43)
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Height 6 ft 4 in (193 cm)
Weight 220 lb (100 kg; 15 st 10 lb)
Position Right Wing
Shot Right
Played for Phoenix Coyotes
Minnesota Wild
Florida Panthers
Cardiff Devils
Villacher SV
ERC Ingolstadt
NHL Draft 167th overall, 2000
St. Louis Blues
Playing career 2002–2013

Craig Weller (born March 17, 1981) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman and right winger who played in the National Hockey League (NHL). Drafted 167th overall in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft, Weller played for the Phoenix Coyotes, Minnesota Wild, and Florida Panthers during his career.

Contents

Playing career

Weller was born in Calgary, Alberta. As a youth, he played in the 1995 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with the Calgary Junior Flames minor ice hockey team. [1]

Weller was the St. Louis Blues 5th round choice, 167th overall, in the 2000 NHL Draft. After playing with the Charlotte Checkers of the ECHL and the Hartford Wolfpack of the American Hockey League, he was signed as a free agent by the Phoenix Coyotes on July 19, 2007. [2]

He scored his first career NHL goal on October 25, 2007, against the Anaheim Ducks; the goal turned out to be the game-winning goal. [3]

On July 1, 2008, Weller signed a two-year, $1.2 million contract with the Minnesota Wild. On October 18, 2009, he was traded to the Boston Bruins along with prospect Alexander Fallstrom and a second round draft pick in 2011 in exchange for Chuck Kobasew. [4]

On March 3, 2010, Weller was traded from the Bruins to the Florida Panthers along with Byron Bitz and a second round draft pick in exchange for Dennis Seidenberg and Matt Bartkowski. [5]

On 1 November 2010, the Cardiff Devils of the EIHL in the UK announced they had signed Weller, who was a free agent at the time. He became the most experienced NHL player after Theoren Fleury to play in the Elite League, playing in his preferred position as a defenceman.[ citation needed ]

With Weller on board, the Devils embarked on 22-game unbeaten streak, breaking the league and world records. However, the Devils narrowly missed out on the league title, finishing level on points with the Sheffield Steelers but having won 1 regulation game less, before being beaten in the Playoff final 5–4 to the Nottingham Panthers. After his first season in the UK Weller quickly established himself as a reliable, solid two way defenceman, drawing admiration from across the league, culminating in 3 awards - League Player of the Season (Journalist's Choice), Player of the Season (Voted by League GM's and Coaches) and Defenceman of the Season (Voted by League GM's and Coaches).[ citation needed ]

Weller left the Devils to join Villacher SV of the Austrian Hockey League for a single season before venturing to Germany to accept a try-out with ERC Ingolstadt for the 2012–13 season. In establishing a position within Panther's lineup, Weller was signed for the remainder of the campaign on September 5, 2012. [6]

Career statistics

Regular season Playoffs
Season TeamLeagueGP G A Pts PIM GPGAPtsPIM
1997–98Calgary Flames AAA AMHL 33210126530112
1998–99 Calgary Canucks AJHL 4941418801301110
1999–2000Calgary CanucksAJHL533141710040004
2000–01 University of Minnesota Duluth WCHA 60110—————
2000–01 Kootenay Ice WHL 30156401102226
2001–02 Kootenay IceWHL695131812722371027
2002–03 Hartford Wolf Pack AHL 11000820000
2002–03 Charlotte Checkers ECHL 483111484—————
2003–04 Hartford Wolf PackAHL685914861622430
2004–05 Hartford Wolf PackAHL761091918260116
2005–06 Hartford Wolf PackAHL801221331521323544
2006–07 Hartford Wolf PackAHL56116179640004
2007–08 Phoenix Coyotes NHL 59381180—————
2008–09 Minnesota Wild NHL3612347—————
2009–10 Houston Aeros AHL50117—————
2009–10 Providence Bruins AHL554101462—————
2009–10 Chicago Wolves AHL140332140004
2010–11 Cardiff Devils EIHL 411636525242026
2011–12 EC VSV AUT 455611107—————
2012–13 ERC Ingolstadt DEL 3401136401127
2013–14 Bentley Generals ChHL 8257052136
AHL totals365426010261445461088
NHL totals9541014127—————

Awards and honours

AwardYear
WHL
West Second All-Star Team 2002
EIHL
Defenseman of the season 2011
Player of the season2011
League Player of the season2011

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nick Boynton</span> Canadian ice hockey player (born 1979)

Nicholas Carl Boynton is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman who played 11 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Boston Bruins, Phoenix Coyotes, Florida Panthers, Anaheim Ducks, Chicago Blackhawks and Philadelphia Flyers. Boynton was most recently the color analyst for the Arizona Coyotes radio broadcasts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joël Bouchard</span> Canadian ice hockey player

Joël Bouchard is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman. He played in the National Hockey League with eight teams for parts of 11 seasons. He is currently serving as the head coach of the American Hockey League's Syracuse Crunch, the minor league affiliate of the Tampa Bay Lightning.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eric Boguniecki</span> American ice hockey player and coach

Eric Boguniecki is an American former National Hockey League player.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jim Campbell (ice hockey)</span> American ice hockey player (born 1973)

James Tower Campbell is an American former political candidate and professional ice hockey player. He played 285 games in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Tampa Bay Lightning, Florida Panthers, Chicago Blackhawks, Montreal Canadiens, St. Louis Blues and Mighty Ducks of Anaheim before finishing his career in Europe. Campbell was born in Worcester, Massachusetts, but grew up in Westborough.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aaron Ward (ice hockey)</span> Canadian ice hockey player

Aaron Christian Ward is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman who played more than 800 games over a span of 13 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Detroit Red Wings, Carolina Hurricanes, New York Rangers, Boston Bruins and Anaheim Ducks. He is a three-time Stanley Cup champion, having won twice with Detroit in 1997 and 1998 and once with Carolina in 2006.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paul Mara</span> American ice hockey player (born 1979)

Paul Richard Mara is an American former professional ice hockey defender, and current head coach of the Boston Pride in the PHF.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ian Moran</span> American ice hockey player

Ian Patrick Moran is an American former professional ice hockey defenseman. Throughout his 15-year professional career, Moran played for the Pittsburgh Penguins, Boston Bruins and Anaheim Ducks in the National Hockey League (NHL). He retired in 2008 after suffering a knee injury. Since 2017 he has served as the head scout and Director of Neutral Zone New England.

Daniel Scott LaCouture is an American former professional ice hockey left winger who played in the National Hockey League (NHL). LaCouture is a graduate of South Hadley High School, in South Hadley Massachusetts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dennis Seidenberg</span> German ice hockey player (born 1981)

Dennis Marvin Seidenberg is a German former professional ice hockey defenceman who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Philadelphia Flyers, Phoenix Coyotes, Carolina Hurricanes, Florida Panthers, New York Islanders, and Boston Bruins, with whom he won the Stanley Cup in 2011. His younger brother Yannic played for EHC Red Bull München in the DEL.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sean O'Donnell</span> Ice hockey player

Sean O'Donnell is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman. Drafted 123rd overall by the Buffalo Sabres in the 1991 NHL Entry Draft, O'Donnell has played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Los Angeles Kings, Minnesota Wild, New Jersey Devils, Boston Bruins, Phoenix Coyotes, Anaheim Ducks, Philadelphia Flyers and Chicago Blackhawks. He won the Stanley Cup as a member of the Ducks in 2007.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jean-François Jacques</span> Canadian ice hockey player

Jean-François "J. F." Jacques is a Canadian professional ice hockey left winger. He is currently an unrestricted free agent who most recently played for HC Pustertal Wölfe of the Alps Hockey League. Jacques was selected by the Edmonton Oilers in the second round of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kyle Cumiskey</span> Canadian ice hockey player (born 1986)

Kyle Cumiskey is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who is currently playing with the Düsseldorfer EG in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL). Cumiskey won the 2015 Stanley Cup with the Chicago Blackhawks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brian Salcido</span> American ice hockey player (born 1985)

Brian Michael Salcido is an American former professional ice hockey player. He was the 23rd California-born NHL hockey player and first born and developed player from southern California to play for the Anaheim Ducks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Moore (ice hockey)</span> American ice hockey player (born 1990)

John Carroll Moore Jr. is an American professional ice hockey defenseman who is an unrestricted free agent. He was drafted in the first round, 21st overall, of the 2009 NHL Entry Draft by the Columbus Blue Jackets.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Emerson Etem</span> American ice hockey player (born 1992)

Emerson Albert Spratlen Etem is an American former professional ice hockey right winger and current Color Analyst for the Anaheim Ducks radio broadcast. He is also a co-owner of the Long Beach Shredders of the USPHL. He was originally selected in the first round, 29th overall, by the Anaheim Ducks in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. He has also played for the New York Rangers and Vancouver Canucks. He retired in 2020 and became the head coach and general manager of the Missoula Jr. Bruins in the North American 3 Hockey League. In 2021, he purchased a junior team and became the head coach of the Long Beach Shredders in the United States Premier Hockey League.

Timo Pielmeier is a German professional ice hockey goaltender, currently an unrestricted free agent. He most recently played with ERC Ingolstadt of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL). He was a third-round selection of the San Jose Sharks in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft prior to being traded to the Anaheim Ducks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steven Kampfer</span> American ice hockey player (born 1988)

Steven Allan Kampfer is an American professional ice hockey defenseman for the Tucson Roadrunners in the American Hockey League (AHL) while under contract to the Utah NHL team in the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected by the Anaheim Ducks in the fourth round of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft. Kampfer was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan, but grew up in Jackson, Michigan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hampus Lindholm</span> Swedish ice hockey player (born 1994)

Hampus Lindholm is a Swedish professional ice hockey defenceman for the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League (NHL). Lindholm began his ice hockey career with Jonstorps IF and previously played with Rögle BK. He then played with the Anaheim Ducks for his first eight seasons in the NHL, before being dealt to Boston.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frank Vatrano</span> American ice hockey player (born 1994)

Frank Vatrano is an American professional ice hockey player for the Anaheim Ducks of the National Hockey League (NHL). He has previously played for the Boston Bruins, Florida Panthers, and New York Rangers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blake Pietila</span> Ice hockey player

Blake Chester Pietila is an American former professional ice hockey left winger who played with the New Jersey Devils in the National Hockey League (NHL). Pietila was drafted by the Devils in the 5th round of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft.

References

  1. ↑ "Pee-Wee players who have reached NHL or WHA" (PDF). Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament. 2018. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2019-03-06. Retrieved 2019-02-10.
  2. ↑ "COYTOES SIGN CRAIG WELLER". NHL.com. July 19, 2007. Retrieved February 10, 2019.
  3. ↑ "Auld blanks Ducks as Coyotes' end Anaheim losing streak". espn.com. October 26, 2007. Retrieved February 10, 2019.
  4. ↑ "B's sign Fallstrom to entry-level contract". Boston Bruins. 2013-03-17. Retrieved 2013-03-17.
  5. ↑ "Bruins trade Bitz, Weller for Seidenberg". ESPN. 2010-03-03. Retrieved 2010-07-12.
  6. ↑ "Weller remains a Panther" (in German). ERC Ingolstadt. 2012-09-05. Archived from the original on 2012-12-09. Retrieved 2012-09-05.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.