Craig Adams (ice hockey)
Bruneian-Canadian ice hockey player
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Craig Douglas Adams (born April 26, 1977) is a Bruneian-born Canadian former professional ice hockey player, who most recently played with the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League. Adams was born in Seria, Brunei, but was raised in Calgary, Alberta, residing and playing hockey in the community of Lake Bonavista. Adams is a two-time Stanley Cup winner, winning with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2006 and the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2009.[2]
| Craig Adams | |||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Adams in 2013 | |||
| Born |
April 26, 1977 | ||
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (183 cm) | ||
| Weight | 200 lb (91 kg; 14 st 4 lb) | ||
| Position | Right wing | ||
| Shot | Right | ||
| Played for |
Carolina Hurricanes Chicago Blackhawks Pittsburgh Penguins | ||
| NHL draft |
223rd overall, 1996 Hartford Whalers[1] | ||
| Playing career | 1999–2015 | ||
Playing career
Amateur
Adams was selected in the 9th round, 223rd overall, in the 1996 NHL entry draft by the Hartford Whalers where he gained the distinction of being their last draft pick. Adams was drafted after his freshman season at Harvard University. He suffered a season-ending shoulder injury on December 27, 1997 in a game against the University of Wisconsin–Madison.
Carolina Hurricanes
During the 2000–01 season, Adams would make his NHL debut on October 24, 2000 in a 3-2 loss against the San Jose Sharks with the Carolina Hurricanes, who had relocated from Hartford since drafting him.[3] On November 10, 2000, Adams would score his first NHL goal and point against goaltender Glenn Healy in a 3-1 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs.[4] This goal would be the only point he would get the entire season, playing in a total of 44 games.
During the 2001-02 season, Adams would split time between the Carolina Hurricanes and their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate the Lowell Lock Monsters. In the NHL, Adams would, for the second season in a row, finish the season with a single point.
In the following two seasons however, Adams would find his footing, finishing the seasons with 18 and 17 points respectively. During the 2004-05 NHL lockout, Adams would sign with the Milano Vipers in Italy, where he would score 29 points in 30 games in the regular season before scoring 11 points in 15 games in the postseason, helping the Milano Vipers win the championship.
On August 25, 2005 he signed a contract with the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, but was traded back to the Hurricanes on October 3, a few days before the 2005–06 NHL season began. Adams would once again split time between the Hurricanes and the Lowell Lock Monsters. The Carolina Hurricanes would make the playoffs, defeating the Montreal Canadiens, New Jersey Devils, and Buffalo Sabres to secure their spot in the Stanley Cup Finals. Carolina would face the Edmonton Oilers in a series that would go to a game 7, which the Hurricanes would win, giving Adams his first Stanley Cup victory. By winning the Stanley Cup, Adams became the first Bruneian-born player to have his name engraved on the trophy.
During the 2007-08 season, Adams would continue to struggle, only scoring 5 points in 40 games. On December 19, 2007, Adams was suspended for 2 games for high-sticking Toronto Maples Leafs player Alex Steen. Adams would play 40 games that season before being traded to the Chicago Blackhawks.
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Chicago Blackhawks
On January 17, 2008 Adams was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks for a conditional pick in the 2009 NHL entry draft.[5] On March 4, 2008, Adams would score his first goal on the Chicago Blackhawks in a 4-2 victory over the Minnesota Wild. On March 4, 2009, the Pittsburgh Penguins claimed Adams off of waivers when the Blackhawks attempted to send him to the AHL.[6]
Pittsburgh Penguins
After only playing 9 games in the regular season for the Penguins, Adams would play in 24 games in the playoffs, where he would help Pittsburgh win the Stanley Cup against the Detroit Red Wings, giving Adams his second Stanley Cup win. On June 29, 2009, Adams was re-signed by the Penguins to a two-year contract.[7]
On June 9, 2011, Adams was re-signed by the Penguins to another two-year contract.[8]
On July 5, 2013, Adams was re-signed again to a two-year contract.[9] At the beginning of the 2013–14 season, on October 3, 2013, Adams scored the 50th goal of his career against Cory Schneider of the New Jersey Devils.
On April 29, 2015, after seven seasons within the organization, Adams was informed by the Pittsburgh Penguins that he would not be re-signed to another contract.[10] On January 26, 2016, after a 14-year career, Adams announced his retirement.[11]
Personal
Adams was the first NHL player to be born in Brunei. He was born in the country, as his father was an employee of Shell Oil at the time of his birth. The family settled in Calgary, Alberta shortly afterwards.[12] He attended Strathcona Tweedsmuir School for high school.[13]
Adams is married since 2003 to his wife Anne Cellucci, a daughter of the late Paul Cellucci, former Governor of Massachusetts and US Ambassador to Canada.[14] They have three children.[11]
Adams now works as a financial advisor for hockey players at Merrill Lynch in Boston. He has pledged his brain to research on the effects of CTE.[15]
Career statistics
Regular season and playoffs
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1993–94 | Calgary Buffaloes AAA | AMHL | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1994–95 | Calgary Canucks | AJHL | 40 | 14 | 24 | 38 | 82 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1995–96 | Harvard University | ECAC | 34 | 8 | 9 | 17 | 56 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1996–97 | Harvard University | ECAC | 32 | 6 | 4 | 10 | 36 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1997–98 | Harvard University | ECAC | 12 | 6 | 6 | 12 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1998–99 | Harvard University | ECAC | 31 | 9 | 14 | 23 | 53 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1999–00 | Cincinnati Cyclones | IHL | 73 | 12 | 12 | 24 | 124 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 14 | ||
| 2000–01 | Cincinnati Cyclones | IHL | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||
| 2000–01 | Carolina Hurricanes | NHL | 44 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 20 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2001–02 | Lowell Lock Monsters | AHL | 22 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 51 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2001–02 | Carolina Hurricanes | NHL | 33 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 38 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2002–03 | Carolina Hurricanes | NHL | 81 | 6 | 12 | 18 | 71 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2003–04 | Carolina Hurricanes | NHL | 80 | 7 | 10 | 17 | 69 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2004–05 | Milano Vipers | ITA | 30 | 15 | 14 | 29 | 57 | 15 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 26 | ||
| 2005–06 | Lowell Lock Monsters | AHL | 13 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 20 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2005–06 | Carolina Hurricanes | NHL | 67 | 10 | 11 | 21 | 51 | 25 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | ||
| 2006–07 | Carolina Hurricanes | NHL | 82 | 7 | 7 | 14 | 54 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2007–08 | Carolina Hurricanes | NHL | 40 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 34 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2007–08 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 35 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 24 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2008–09 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 36 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 22 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2008–09 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 9 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 24 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 16 | ||
| 2009–10 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 82 | 0 | 10 | 10 | 72 | 13 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 15 | ||
| 2010–11 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 80 | 4 | 11 | 15 | 76 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | ||
| 2011–12 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 82 | 5 | 13 | 18 | 34 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 | ||
| 2012–13 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 48 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 28 | 15 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 10 | ||
| 2013–14 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 82 | 5 | 6 | 11 | 46 | 13 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | ||
| 2014–15 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 70 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 44 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| NHL totals | 951 | 55 | 105 | 160 | 683 | 106 | 7 | 5 | 12 | 74 | ||||
| AHL totals | 35 | 9 | 7 | 16 | 71 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
Awards and honours
| Award | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| College | ||
| All-ECAC Hockey Rookie Team | 1995–96 | |
| NHL | ||
| Stanley Cup champion | 2005–06, 2008–09 | |
Transactions
- On June 22, 1996 the Hartford Whalers drafted Craig Adams in the ninth-round (#223 overall) of the 1996 NHL draft.
- On July 31, 2001 the Carolina Hurricanes re-signed restricted free agent Craig Adams to a 2-year contract.
- On May 1, 2003 the Carolina Hurricanes re-signed restricted free agent Craig Adams to a 1-year contract.
- On July 28, 2004 the Milano Vipers (Italy) signed Craig Adams.
- On August 25, 2005 the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim signed free agent Craig Adams to a 1-year contract.
- On October 3, 2005 the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim traded Craig Adams to the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for Bruno St. Jacques.
- On June 30, 2006 the Carolina Hurricanes re-signed Craig Adams to a 3-year contract.
- On January 17, 2008 the Carolina Hurricanes traded Craig Adams to the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for a conditional 2009 ninth-round pick (Not exercised).
- On March 4, 2009 the Pittsburgh Penguins claimed Craig Adams off of waivers from the Chicago Blackhawks.
- On June 29, 2009 the Pittsburgh Penguins re-signed Craig Adams to a 2-year contract.
- On June 9, 2011 the Pittsburgh Penguins re-signed Craig Adams to a 2-year/$1.35 million contract.
- On July 5, 2013 Adams was re-signed by the Pittsburgh Penguins to a 2-year, $1.5 million contract.
- On January 26, 2016, Adams announced his retirement from professional hockey at the age of 38, and after 14 seasons in the NHL.[11]