Johnny Oduya

Johnny Oduya
Oduya with the Dallas Stars in April 2016
Born	(1981-10-01) 1 October 1981 (age 42) Stockholm, Sweden
Height	6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight	195 lb (88 kg; 13 st 13 lb)
Position	Defence
Shot	Left
Played for	Djurgårdens IF Frölunda HC New Jersey Devils Atlanta Thrashers Winnipeg Jets Chicago Blackhawks Dallas Stars Ottawa Senators Philadelphia Flyers
National team	Sweden
NHL draft	221st overall, 2001 Washington Capitals
Playing career	1999–2018

David Johnny Oduya (born 1 October 1981) is a Swedish former professional ice hockey defenceman who played in the National Hockey League (NHL). Oduya is a two-time Stanley Cup champion with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2013 and 2015.

Playing career

Oduya with the New Jersey Devils

Early career

Oduya's first club was Hammarby IF, where he played as a junior. In 2000, at the age of 19, he moved to North America to play in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). He spent one season in North America, splitting time between the Victoriaville Tigres and Moncton Wildcats. After moving back to Sweden, he played two seasons with Hammarby in HockeyAllsvenskan before signing a contract with Djurgårdens IF in the Swedish Elitserien. During the two seasons he spent with the team, he was known as an aggressive defenceman and an enforcer. At times, he fought with opposition players and registered high penalties in minutes numbers. Despite this, he was also a dependable player and played regularly in the Swedish national team during the Euro Hockey Tour. In the 2005–06 season, after he had been dismissed by the Washington Capitals, the NHL organization that drafted him 221st overall in 2001, he moved to another Swedish team, Frölunda HC. With Frölunda, he played as a more offensive defenceman, scoring eight goals and 11 assists.

Oduya with the Winnipeg Jets in 2012

New Jersey Devils

The following season, 2006–07, Oduya signed with the New Jersey Devils in the NHL. Although expected by many to be a depth player with the Devils, when several of the team's defenders were injured, Oduya earned a spot in the lineup. He played surprisingly well in the NHL, periodically registering nearly 20 minutes of ice time per game. He played in 76 Devils games that season, only missing eight due to a mid-season injury. However, in the 2007 Stanley Cup playoffs, he was not dressed for New Jersey when the Devils were defeated in the second round, largely due to the impressive play of rookie defenceman Andy Greene. ^[1] After several successful NHL seasons, Oduya was named to the Swedish roster for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Atlanta Thrashers/Winnipeg Jets

Oduya in June 2015 at the Chicago Blackhawks Stanley Cup championship parade

On 4 February 2010, he was traded to the Atlanta Thrashers, along with Niclas Bergfors, Patrice Cormier and a first-round draft pick in 2010, in exchange for Ilya Kovalchuk and Anssi Salmela. ^[2] Oduya skated for the team during its inaugural season after moving to Winnipeg, Manitoba to become the Winnipeg Jets.

Chicago Blackhawks

On 27 February 2012, Oduya was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks for a second- and third-round pick in 2013. ^[3]

In October 2012, during the 2012–13 NHL lockout, Oduya traveled to Bangkok, Thailand, to play for the local Flying Farangs team in the 18th Annual "Land of Smiles" Hockey tournament. He carried his team to the championship against Abu-Dhabi, and helped bring home Bangkok's first title in tournament history. ^{[4] [5]}

In June 2013, Oduya won his first Stanley Cup with the Chicago Blackhawks, who defeated the Boston Bruins in six games in the Finals. ^[6] In Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals, Oduya assisted on the Cup winning goal scored by Dave Bolland. Oduya's shot came from the left point and deflected off the stick of Michael Frolík. Bolland, in position in front of the Boston goal, pushed the deflected shot past Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask to give the Blackhawks their second Stanley Cup in four years.

On 15 June 2015, at the United Center in Chicago, Oduya won his second Stanley Cup with the Chicago Blackhawks over the Tampa Bay Lightning in six games. It was the Blackhawks' third Stanley Cup in six years.

Dallas Stars

After four seasons with the Blackhawks, Oduya left as a free agent and signed a two-year contract with the Dallas Stars on 15 July 2015. ^[7] Blackhawks teammate Patrick Sharp also joined the Stars a few weeks earlier via trade.

Later years: Second stint in Chicago, Ottawa and Philadelphia

In the final year of his contract with the Stars in the 2016–17 season, Oduya was traded back to Chicago in exchange for Mark McNeill and a conditional fourth-round draft pick on 28 February 2017. ^[8] He played out the season with the Blackhawks appearing in 15 regular season games for 1 goal and 1 assist.

As a free agent, having left the Blackhawks for a second time, Oduya agreed to a one-year bonus-ladened contract with the Ottawa Senators on 24 July 2017. ^[9] After being placed on waivers by the Senators, Oduya was claimed by the Philadelphia Flyers on 26 February 2018. ^[10] After playing in only one game as a Flyer on 4 March, he was pulled out of the lineup with a lower body injury on 10 March. ^[11] He did not play another game with the Flyers before his contract expired.

Personal life

Oduya is the son of a Kenyan father and a Swedish mother. ^{[12] [13]} He is the younger brother of the late Fredrik Oduya, a former NHL draftee who was an enforcer in the minor leagues. ^[14]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1996–97	Hammarby IF	J20		13	0	0	0	—		—	—	—	—	—
1997–98	Hammarby IF	J20 II		26	3	11	14	70		—	—	—	—	—
1998–99	Hammarby IF	J20 II		38	14	31	45	45		—	—	—	—	—
1999–00	Hammarby IF	J20		32	3	18	21	48		6	1	2	3	4
1999–00	Hammarby IF	Allsv		1	0	0	0	0		1	0	0	0	0
2000–01	Moncton Wildcats	QMJHL		44	11	38	49	147		—	—	—	—	—
2000–01	Victoriaville Tigres	QMJHL		24	3	16	19	112		13	4	9	13	10
2001–02	Hammarby IF	Allsv		46	11	14	25	66		2	1	0	1	4
2002–03	Hammarby IF	Allsv		38	8	20	28	162		10	7	5	12	38
2003–04	Djurgårdens IF	SEL		42	4	4	8	173		4	0	0	0	6
2004–05	Djurgårdens IF	SEL		49	2	4	6	139		12	0	2	2	39
2005–06	Frölunda HC	SEL		47	8	11	19	95		17	1	2	3	16
2006–07	New Jersey Devils	NHL		76	2	9	11	61		6	0	1	1	6
2007–08	New Jersey Devils	NHL		75	6	20	26	46		5	0	1	1	6
2008–09	New Jersey Devils	NHL		82	7	22	29	30		7	0	0	0	2
2009–10	New Jersey Devils	NHL		40	2	2	4	18		—	—	—	—	—
2009–10	Atlanta Thrashers	NHL		27	1	8	9	12		—	—	—	—	—
2010–11	Atlanta Thrashers	NHL		82	2	15	17	22		—	—	—	—	—
2011–12	Winnipeg Jets	NHL		63	2	11	13	33		—	—	—	—	—
2011–12	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL		18	1	4	5	0		6	0	3	3	0
2012–13	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL		48	3	9	12	10		23	3	5	8	16
2013–14	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL		77	3	13	16	38		19	2	5	7	8
2014–15	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL		76	2	8	10	26		23	0	5	5	6
2015–16	Dallas Stars	NHL		82	4	17	21	26		13	1	2	3	2
2016–17	Dallas Stars	NHL		37	1	6	7	10		—	—	—	—	—
2016–17	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL		15	1	1	2	8		4	0	0	0	0
2017–18	Ottawa Senators	NHL		51	4	4	8	32		—	—	—	—	—
2017–18	Philadelphia Flyers	NHL		1	0	0	0	0		—	—	—	—	—
SHL totals				138	14	19	33	407		33	1	4	5	61
NHL totals				850	41	149	190	372		106	6	22	28	46

Medal record
Men's ice hockey
Representing Sweden
Winter Olympics
	2014 Sochi
World Championships
	2009 Kloten

International

Year	Team	Event	Result		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2009	Sweden	WC			5	3	1	4	2
2010	Sweden	OG	5th		4	0	0	0	12
2014	Sweden	OG			6	0	1	1	0
Senior totals					15	3	2	5	14

Awards and honors

Awards	Year
NHL
Stanley Cup (Chicago Blackhawks)	2013, 2015

See also

• List of ice hockey players of black African descent

References

1. "Defenceman Johnny Oduya re-signs with Devils". The Hockey News . 25 June 2007. Archived from the original on 5 May 2016. Retrieved 29 June 2007.
2. "Thrashers ship Kovalchuk to Devils for players, 1st rounder". The Sports Network . 4 February 2010. Archived from the original on 17 December 2013. Retrieved 5 February 2010.
3. "Jets send Oduya to Blackhawks for picks". Times Colonist . 27 February 2012. Retrieved 1 March 2012.^{[ permanent dead link ]}
4. "Oduya head to Thailand for hockey fix". Toronto Sun . 31 October 2012. Archived from the original on 14 May 2021. Retrieved 1 November 2012.
5. Holt, Randy (31 October 2012). "Chicago Blackhawks' Johnny Oduya heading to Thailand during NHL lockout". rantsports.com. Archived from the original on 28 October 2018. Retrieved 1 November 2012.
6. "17 Seconds, 2 Goals and a Victory". New York Times. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
7. "Dallas Stars sign defenseman Johnny Oduya to a two-year contract". Dallas Stars. 15 July 2015. Retrieved 15 July 2015.
8. "Blackhawks re-acquire defenseman Johnny Oduya". Chicago Sun Times . 28 February 2017. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
9. "Senators sign defenceman Johnny Oduya to one-year contract". Ottawa Senators. 24 July 2017. Retrieved 24 July 2017.
10. "OTF: Flyers claim D Johnny Oduya from Ottawa". NHL.com. 26 February 2018. Retrieved 26 February 2018.
11. "OTF: Hagg, Oduya injured; out vs. Jets". NHL.com. 10 March 2018. Retrieved 14 March 2018.
12. McGourty, John (25 May 2009). "Unsung Oduya a big key to Devils' success". NHL.com. Retrieved 14 March 2018. Oduya, the son of a Kenyan father and Swedish mother
13. Verdi, Bob (3 April 2017). "Verdict: Oduya fitting right back in with Blackhawks". NHL.com. Retrieved 14 March 2018.
14. "FREDRIK ODUYA". eliteprospects.com. Retrieved 14 March 2018.

External links

Media related to Johnny Oduya at Wikimedia Commons

• Biographical information and career statistics from NHL.com , or  Eliteprospects.com , or  Eurohockey.com , or  Hockey-Reference.com , or  The Internet Hockey Database