Trent McCleary

Last updated
Trent McCleary
Born (1972-09-08) September 8, 1972 (age 51)
Swift Current, Saskatchewan, Canada
Height 6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight 182 lb (83 kg; 13 st 0 lb)
Position Right Wing
Shot Right
Played for Ottawa Senators
Boston Bruins
Montreal Canadiens
NHL Draft Undrafted
Playing career 1993–2000

Trent Kenneth McCleary (born September 8, 1972) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played for the Ottawa Senators, Boston Bruins, and Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League (NHL). His career was ended in 2000 after he took a slapshot to the throat, an injury that required life-saving surgery moments after the incident. He played 192 games, scoring 8 goals and 23 points.

Contents

Playing career

Early career

A native of Swift Current, Saskatchewan, McCleary played junior hockey in the Western Hockey League (WHL) with his hometown Swift Current Broncos beginning in 1988. He played a total of four seasons with the Broncos, winning the WHL championship and Memorial Cup with the team in 1988–89 though he played only three games with the team. [1] He was a defensive forward in the WHL, but scored 50 points in his final year in helping the Broncos win a second championship. He added a goal in four games at the 1993 Memorial Cup. [2]

The Ottawa Senators signed McCleary as an undrafted free agent upon his graduation, and he spent the majority of the 1993–94 season with the Thunder Bay Senators of the Colonial Hockey League (CoHL). [2] He moved up to the Prince Edward Island Senators of the American Hockey League (AHL) in 1994–95 but missed three months of the season after suffering retinal damage to his right eye when he was hit in the face by a stick. Upon his recovery, McCleary returned wearing a visor that he would retain throughout his career. [3]

He made his NHL debut in Ottawa in 1995–96, scoring 14 points in 75 games. The Senators traded McCleary, along with a draft pick, to the Boston Bruins for Shawn McEachern following the season. [2] McCleary appeared in 59 games with the Bruins but was unable to come to an agreement on a new contract for the 1997–98 season. As a result, he signed to play in the International Hockey League (IHL), splitting the season between the Las Vegas Thunder and Detroit Vipers. [4]

His rights ultimately released by the Bruins, McCleary signed with the Montreal Canadiens as a free agent in 1998, appearing in 46 NHL games in 1998–99. [2] Early the following season, he again suffered a severe injury to his right eye, suffering a severed tear duct when he was hit in the face by an errant skate. [5] He recovered, splitting the early part of the season between the Canadiens and the Quebec Citadelles of the AHL. [2]

Throat injury and retirement

On January 29, 2000, during a game between the Canadiens and the Philadelphia Flyers, McCleary was critically injured when he was hit in the throat by a slapshot by the Flyers' Chris Therien; McCleary had dropped to the ice in order to block the shot. [6] The shot fractured McCleary's larynx and resulted in a collapsed lung. [3] Unable to breathe, he rushed to the bench, collapsing upon his arrival. Medical staff worked to partially open his airway in the hallways of Molson Centre, actions which McCleary credits with saving his life. [7] He was then rushed to a waiting ambulance and transported to hospital, where surgeons performed an emergency tracheotomy. He remained in full equipment during the procedure; hospital staff did not even have time to remove his skates. [6]

Unable to speak immediately following his surgery, McCleary sent a written note to his teammates explaining he was all right while his surgeon revealed that he came "as close ... as you could come" to dying in the moments after he was struck. [5] He met with the media two weeks following his injury, responding to questions via note pad, stating that he hoped to return to his career upon recovery. [8] He regained the ability to talk after six weeks and several surgeries. [9]

McCleary attempted a comeback at the start of the 2000–01 season. Despite doubts he would be capable of returning, the Canadiens signed him to a one-year, US$300,000 contract. He appeared in an exhibition game with the Canadiens, but found he was unable to play a full shift without running short of breath. He was examined by his doctor, who noted that because his air passage was left 15% narrower than before his injury, it was too dangerous for him to continue playing. As a result, on September 20, 2000, McCleary announced his retirement, calling it the "toughest day" in his seven-year career. [10] The Canadiens kept him in the organization, naming him a WHL scout. [3]

Family

McCleary's parents Ken and Leah still live in Swift Current. He has an elder brother, Scott, and a younger sister, Shannon. [11] He and his wife Tammy have three children. [7]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season TeamLeagueGP G A Pts PIM GPGAPtsPIM
1988–89 Swift Current Broncos WHL 30000—————
1989–90 Swift Current BroncosWHL70315184341010
1990–91 Swift Current BroncosWHL701624405330002
1991–92 Swift Current BroncosWHL72232245240812316
1992–93 Swift Current BroncosWHL631733501381754916
1992–93 New Haven Senators AHL 21016—————
1993–94 Prince Edward Island Senators AHL40006—————
1993–94 Thunder Bay Senators CoHL 5123174012392111315
1994–95 Prince Edward Island SenatorsAHL519202960923526
1995–96 Ottawa Senators NHL 754101468—————
1996–97 Boston Bruins NHL5935833—————
1997–98 Las Vegas Thunder IHL 54761312031012
1997–98 Detroit Vipers IHL2111245—————
1998–99 Montreal Canadiens NHL4600029—————
1999–00 Montreal CanadiensNHL121014—————
1999–00 Quebec Citadelles AHL27791656—————
NHL totals19281523134—————

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References

  1. ↑ "2010 MasterCard Memorial Cup Record Book" (PDF). Western Hockey League. p. 8. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-06-02. Retrieved 2010-07-16.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "Trent McCleary biography". Hockey Hall of Fame . Retrieved 2010-07-16.
  3. 1 2 3 Podnieks, Andrew (2003). Players: The ultimate A–Z guide of everyone who has ever played in the NHL. Toronto: Doubleday Canada. p. 556. ISBN   0-385-25999-9.
  4. ↑ Felger, Michael (1997-09-12). "B's becoming road warriors". Boston Herald. p. 115.
  5. 1 2 Diamos, Jason (2000-01-31). "Fallen player sends note of recovery to Canadiens". New York Times. Retrieved 2010-07-16.
  6. 1 2 "Out of the Woods". CNN/SI. 2000-01-31. Retrieved 2010-07-16.
  7. 1 2 Leblanc, Eric (2010-01-29). "Il y a dix ans, l'incident Trent McLeary" (in French). Réseau des sports. Retrieved 2010-07-16.
  8. ↑ "McCleary would "definitely" return to rink". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. 2000-02-09. Retrieved 2010-07-16.
  9. ↑ "Trent McCleary happy to talk after near-fatal accident". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. 2000-03-08. Retrieved 2010-07-16.
  10. ↑ "McCleary announces retirement". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. 2000-09-20. Retrieved 2010-07-16.
  11. ↑ "Parents watch in horror as McCleary almost dies". Kitchener Record. 2000-01-31. p. D2.
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