Mike Stapleton

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.

Mike Stapleton
Born	(1966-05-05) May 5, 1966 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 team	Canada
NHL draft	132nd overall, 1984 Chicago Black Hawks
Playing career	1986–2004

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 Canada
World Junior Championships
	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, the 2010-11 American Hockey League season. 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, but 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	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1981–82	Strathroy Blades	WOHL		42	25	18	43	38		—	—	—	—	—
1982–83	Strathroy Blades	WOHL		40	39	38	77	99		3	1	2	3	4
1983–84	Cornwall Royals	OHL		70	24	45	69	94		3	1	2	3	4
1984–85	Cornwall Royals	OHL		56	41	44	85	68		9	2	4	6	23
1985–86	Cornwall Royals	OHL		56	39	65	104	74		6	2	3	5	2
1986–87	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL		39	3	6	9	6		4	0	0	0	2
1986–87	Canadian National Team	Intl		21	2	4	6	4		—	—	—	—	—
1987–88	Saginaw Hawks	IHL		31	11	19	30	52		10	5	6	11	10
1987–88	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL		43	2	9	11	59		—	—	—	—	—
1988–89	Saginaw Hawks	IHL		69	21	47	68	162		6	1	3	4	4
1988–89	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL		7	0	1	1	7		—	—	—	—	—
1989–90	Arvika	SWE-2		32	15	19	34	49		—	—	—	—	—
1989–90	Indianapolis Ice	IHL		16	5	10	15	6		13	9	10	19	38
1990–91	Indianapolis Ice	IHL		75	29	52	81	76		7	1	4	5	0
1990–91	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL		7	0	1	1	2		—	—	—	—	—
1991–92	Indianapolis Ice	IHL		59	18	40	58	65		—	—	—	—	—
1991–92	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL		19	4	4	8	8		—	—	—	—	—
1992–93	Pittsburgh Penguins	NHL		78	4	9	13	10		4	0	0	0	0
1993–94	Pittsburgh Penguins	NHL		58	7	4	11	18		—	—	—	—	—
1993–94	Edmonton Oilers	NHL		23	5	9	14	28		—	—	—	—	—
1994–95	Edmonton Oilers	NHL		46	6	11	17	21		—	—	—	—	—
1995–96	Winnipeg Jets	NHL		58	10	14	24	37		6	0	0	0	21
1996–97	Phoenix Coyotes	NHL		55	4	11	15	36		7	0	0	0	14
1997–98	Phoenix Coyotes	NHL		64	5	5	10	36		6	0	0	0	2
1998–99	Phoenix Coyotes	NHL		76	9	9	18	34		7	1	0	1	0
1999–00	Atlanta Thrashers	NHL		62	10	12	22	30		—	—	—	—	—
2000–01	New York Islanders	NHL		34	1	4	5	2		—	—	—	—	—
2000–01	Vancouver Canucks	NHL		18	1	2	3	8		—	—	—	—	—
2001–02	Blues	FIN		41	18	19	37	42		3	0	0	0	4
2002–03	Leksands	SWE		19	5	5	10	10		—	—	—	—	—
2002–03	Blues	FIN		33	8	20	28	55		7	1	2	3	10
2003–04	Tappara	FIN		18	6	12	18	26		3	1	1	2	2
NHL totals				687	71	111	182	342		34	1	0	1	39

International

Year	Team	Event		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1986	Canada	WJC		7	3	3	6	6
Junior totals				7	3	3	6	7

External links

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