 |
|
| Position | Defence |
| Shoots | Left |
| Height Weight |
6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 233 lb (106 kg; 16 st 9 lb) |
| NHL team F. teams |
Edmonton Oilers Montreal Canadiens New Jersey Devils |
| Nationality |  Canada |
| Born | July 13, 1976 , Elk Point, AB, Canada |
| NHL Draft | 71st overall, 1994 New Jersey Devils |
| Pro career | 1995 – present |
Sheldon Sherrick Souray (born July 13, 1976) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman currently playing for the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League (NHL). He has previously played for the New Jersey Devils, who originally drafted him 71st overall in 1994, and the Montreal Canadiens. He is best known for his heavy slapshot, setting the unofficial NHL record for the hardest recorded shot at the Oilers' 2009 Skills Competition.[1]
Contents |
Playing career
Before playing in the NHL, Sheldon was a member of the Fort Saskatchewan Traders in the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL). He was drafted in the 1994 NHL Entry Draft in the third round (71st overall) by the New Jersey Devils where he played from 1997 to 1999 before being traded to the Montreal Canadiens on March 1, 2000 for Vladimir Malakhov.
After suffering a serious wrist injury which kept him out of the entire 2002–03 season, Souray returned to play for the Canadiens and had a milestone season, amassing a breakout 15 goals and 35 points. He participated in the 2004 NHL All-Star Game and recorded the hardest shot at the Skills Competition with a 102.2 mph slapshot. During the 2004–05 NHL lockout, he played for Färjestads BK of the Swedish Elitserien.
In 2006–07, Souray emerged as a top-tier defenceman in the league with 26 goals and 64 points, placing second in team-scoring in both categories. On April 5, 2007, Souray broke the NHL single-season record for most powerplay goals scored by a defenceman, with his 19th of the season. The record was previously shared by Denis Potvin of the New York Islanders (1974–75) and Adrian Aucoin of the Vancouver Canucks (1998–99). He was named to his second NHL All-Star Game that season and posted the second hardest slapshot at the Skills Competition with a 100.4 mph shot.
In the off-season, Souray became an unrestricted free agent and, on July 12, 2007, he signed a 5-year, $27 million contract with the Edmonton Oilers. During the third period of a 5-2 victory over the Dallas Stars on December 3, 2008, the Stars' broadcast team referred to Souray as "Studly Wonderbomb." It has since become a popular meme amongst Oilers fans. His debut season with the Oilers was, however, marred by injuries and he only suited up for 26 games. The next season, in 2008–09, he bounced back from the injury-shortened campaign to record 23 goals and 53 points. During the Oilers' 2009 Skills Competition, on January 4, Souray set the unofficial NHL record for the hardest shot. Clocked at 106.7 mph, his slapshot beat Chad Kilger's old unofficial record of 106.6 mph set at the Toronto Maple Leafs' 2006 Skills Competition.[1] The record is deemed unofficial as the league does not recognize individual team Skills Competition and instead goes by the NHL All-Star Game's Skills Competition results. As such, the official record is held by Boston Bruins defenceman Zdeno Chára, whose 105.4 mph slapshot beat Souray's third-place 103.3 mph effort at the 2009 NHL All-Star Game later that month.[2]
International play
Souray represented Team Canada at the 2005 World Championships in Austria. He was also on the Canadian Olympic men's hockey team's shortlist for the 2006 Winter Olympics but did not make the cut, partly due to his slow start at the beginning of the 2005–06 NHL season.
Personal life
Souray was born in Elk Point, Alberta to Richard Souray and Lillian Parenteau. Growing up, he attended Archbishop O'Leary High School with fellow Oiler Fernando Pisani.
Souray dated model actress Kylie Bax[citation needed] before meeting former Baywatch actress Angelica Bridges, whom he married. The two were separated in 2006, but reconciled later. They have two daughters, Valentina Raine and Scarlett Skye Souray.
Souray is co-owner, along with New Jersey Devils goalie Martin Brodeur and Montreal restaurateur Andrea Dell'Orefice of a Rivière des Prairies pizzeria.[3]
Awards
- Played in the NHL All-Star Game in 2004, 2007 (starter) and 2009.
- Won the Hardest Shot at the NHL All-Star Skills Competition in 2004.
- Won the Hardest Shot at the Edmonton Oilers Skills Competition in 2009.
Records
- NHL record for most single-season powerplay goals - 19 in 2006–07 (surpassed Denis Potvin and Adrian Aucoin - 18)
- Unofficial NHL record for hardest recorded slapshot - 106.7 mph at the 2009 Edmonton Oilers Skills Competition[1]
Career statistics
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1992–93 | Tri-City Americans | WHL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1993–94 | Tri-City Americans | WHL | 42 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 122 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1994–95 | Tri-City Americans | WHL | 40 | 2 | 24 | 26 | 140 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1994–95 | Prince George Cougars | WHL | 11 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 23 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1994–95 | Albany River Rats | AHL | 7 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1995–56 | Prince George Cougars | WHL | 32 | 9 | 18 | 27 | 91 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1995–96 | Kelowna Rockets | WHL | 27 | 7 | 20 | 27 | 94 | 6 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 2 | ||
| 1995–96 | Albany River Rats | AHL | 6 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 12 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | ||
| 1996–97 | Albany River Rats | AHL | 70 | 2 | 11 | 13 | 160 | 16 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 47 | ||
| 1997–98 | Albany River Rats | AHL | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1997–98 | New Jersey Devils | NHL | 60 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 85 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||
| 1998–99 | New Jersey Devils | NHL | 70 | 1 | 7 | 8 | 110 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 1999–00 | New Jersey Devils | NHL | 52 | 0 | 8 | 8 | 70 | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| 1999–00 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 19 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 44 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2000–01 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 52 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 95 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2001–02 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 34 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 62 | 12 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 16 | ||
| 2003–04 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 63 | 15 | 20 | 35 | 104 | 11 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 39 | ||
| 2004–05 | Farjestads BK Karlstad | SEL | 39 | 9 | 8 | 17 | 117 | 15 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 77 | ||
| 2005–06 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 75 | 12 | 27 | 39 | 116 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 8 | ||
| 2006–07 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 81 | 26 | 38 | 64 | 135 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2007–08 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 26 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 36 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2008–09 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 81 | 23 | 30 | 53 | 98 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| NHL totals | 613 | 92 | 157 | 249 | 955 | 34 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 65 | ||||
References
- ^ a b c "Surprise winner in skills test". Faceoff. 2009-01-05. http://www.faceoff.com/hockey/teams/story.html?id=1142177. Retrieved on 2009-04-13.
- ^ "Chara's record shot caps NHL's Saturday All-Star festivities". Faceoff. 2009-01-25. http://www.usatoday.com/sports/hockey/allstar/2009-01-24-nhl-all-star-saturday_N.htm. Retrieved on 2009-04-13.
- ^ "Sheldon Souray: Devils Enlist Brodeur as Recruiter". Yahoo. http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/news;_ylt=AmVnUsh1VD4fTJKwNSiJ8SBivLYF?slug=rotowire-heldonourayevilsnlis&prov=rotowire&type=fantasy. Retrieved on 2007-07-09.
External links
Template:DEAULTSORT:Souray, Sheldon
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