Mike Stapleton

Last updated
Mike Stapleton
Born (1966-05-05) May 5, 1966 (age 59)
Sarnia, Ontario, Canada
Height 5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
Weight 183 lb (83 kg; 13 st 1 lb)
Position Centre
Shot Right
Played for Chicago Blackhawks
Pittsburgh Penguins
Edmonton Oilers
Winnipeg Jets
Phoenix Coyotes
Atlanta Thrashers
New York Islanders
Vancouver Canucks
National teamFlag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada
NHL draft 132nd overall, 1984
Chicago Black Hawks
Playing career 19862004

Michael Patrick Stapleton (born May 5, 1966) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played fourteen seasons in the National Hockey League from 1986 until 2001. Throughout his career Stapleton played for the Chicago Blackhawks, Pittsburgh Penguins, Edmonton Oilers, Winnipeg Jets, Phoenix Coyotes, Atlanta Thrashers, New York Islanders and Vancouver Canucks. After leaving the NHL he spent several years playing in Europe, retiring in 2004. The son of former NHL player Pat Stapleton, he also played internationally for Canada at the 1986 World Junior Championships, winning a silver medal. After his playing career ended Stapleton served as a coach and since 2014 has been a scout with the Anaheim Ducks.

Contents

Playing career

Junior

Stapleton played Junior B hockey for the Strathroy Blades and Junior A hockey in the Ontario Hockey League for the Cornwall Royals, where he scored 104 goals and 258 points over three seasons and 182 games. He was rated OHL Leyden Division's hardest worker, best faceoff man and best penalty killer in a 1985–86 poll of league coaches.

NHL

He was drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks #132 overall in the 1984 NHL Entry Draft. He played 697 NHL games for seven different teams, netting 71 goals and 182 points along with 342 penalty minutes.

Europe

In 2001, Stapleton moved to Finland's SM-liiga and played for the Espoo Blues, scoring 18 goals and 37 points in 41 games. He then had a brief spell in the Swedish Elitserien for Leksands IF before returning to Espoo. He spent one more season in Finland for Tappara before retiring in 2004.

International career

Medal record
Representing Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Canada
World Junior Championships
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 1986 Canada

Stapleton was named to the Canadian national junior team for the 1986 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. Scoring 6 points in 7 games, Stapleton helped the team win the silver medal.

Coaching career

Stapleton served as an assistant to head coach/GM Scott Gardiner with the NAHL's Traverse City North Stars during the club's inaugural 2005–06 season before accepting a position as associate coach of the OHL's Erie Otters. He accepted a position to become the new assistant coach for the Syracuse Crunch of the AHL in the 2010-11 American Hockey League season. [1] He served as the head coach of the Ontario Hockey League's Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds for the 2011–12 season and part of the 2012–2013 season. He was fired on December 3, 2012 and replaced by Sheldon Keefe.

Personal life

Stapleton is the son of former NHL defenceman and 1972 Summit Series Team Canada member Pat Stapleton. Stapleton and his wife Laura and have two sons, Luke and Nick.

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season TeamLeagueGP G A Pts PIM GPGAPtsPIM
1981–82 Strathroy Blades WOHL 4225184338
1982–83Strathroy BladesWOHL403938779931234
1983–84 Cornwall Royals OHL 702445699431234
1984–85 Cornwall RoyalsOHL5641448568924623
1985–86 Cornwall RoyalsOHL5639651047462352
1986–87 Chicago Blackhawks NHL 39369640002
1986–87 Canadian National Team Intl212464
1987–88 Saginaw Hawks IHL 311119305210561110
1987–88 Chicago BlackhawksNHL43291159
1988–89 Saginaw HawksIHL6921476816261344
1988–89 Chicago BlackhawksNHL70117
1989–90 Arvika SWE-2 3215193449
1989–90 Indianapolis Ice IHL16510156139101938
1990–91 Indianapolis IceIHL752952817671450
1990–91 Chicago BlackhawksNHL70112
1991–92 Indianapolis IceIHL5918405865
1991–92 Chicago BlackhawksNHL194488
1992–93 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL7849131040000
1993–94 Pittsburgh PenguinsNHL58741118
1993–94 Edmonton Oilers NHL23591428
1994–95 Edmonton OilersNHL466111721
1995–96 Winnipeg Jets NHL5810142437600021
1996–97 Phoenix Coyotes NHL554111536700014
1997–98 Phoenix CoyotesNHL6455103660002
1998–99 Phoenix CoyotesNHL7699183471010
1999–00 Atlanta Thrashers NHL6210122230
2000–01 New York Islanders NHL341452
2000–01 Vancouver Canucks NHL181238
2001–02 Blues FIN 411819374230004
2002–03 Leksand SWE 19551010
2002–03 BluesFIN338202855712310
2003–04 Tappara FIN18612182631122
NHL totals687711111823423410139

International

YearTeamEventGPGAPtsPIM
1986 Canada WJC 73366
Junior totals73367

References