This is an accepted version of this page
138-657: Theoren Wallace " Theo " Fleury (born June 29, 1968) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player, author and motivational speaker. Fleury played for the Calgary Flames , Colorado Avalanche , New York Rangers , and Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League (NHL), Tappara of Finland 's SM-liiga , and the Belfast Giants of the UK 's Elite Ice Hockey League . He was drafted by
276-419: A centre and two wingers : a left wing and a right wing . Forwards often play together as units or lines , with the same three forwards always playing together. The defencemen usually stay together as a pair generally divided between left and right. Left and right side wingers or defencemen are generally positioned on the side on which they carry their stick. A substitution of an entire unit at once
414-479: A bully . He turned to hockey as an outlet when he borrowed an old pair of skates and a broken stick to play his first game at the age of five. From that point on, he played hockey at every opportunity, often accompanying his father to the arena in Russell in the pre-dawn hours. He was described by his teachers as a determined youth, who would repeat any activity he failed at until he got it right. Although his mother
552-401: A penalty shootout . If the score remains tied after an extra overtime period, the subsequent shootout consists of three players from each team taking penalty shots. After these six total shots, the team with the most goals is awarded the victory. If the score is still tied, the shootout then proceeds to sudden death . Regardless of the number of goals scored by either team during the shootout,
690-520: A shootout and failed to medal. Four years later, Fleury was invited by General Manager Wayne Gretzky to participate in Canada's selection camp for the 2002 Olympics . The invitation was controversial, as his behavioural and substance abuse issues had become increasingly public in previous months. Fleury wanted to justify Gretzky's support and, knowing that he would be removed from consideration if he failed, refrained from drinking or taking drugs during
828-607: A 5–2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens . Fleury was leading his team, and was fourth in the league, with 74 points in 62 games, when the Rangers announced that he had again entered the league's substance abuse program. The decision ended his season. Prior to the 2001–02 season Fleury said that he continued to struggle with substance abuse and had difficulty adapting to life in Manhattan after growing up in
966-612: A Canadian and know that stuff is still going on." Fleury was convinced by a friend to move to the United Kingdom to play with the Belfast Giants of the Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL) for the 2005–06 season . He scored three goals and added four assists and a fight in his first game, against the Edinburgh Capitals . He scored 22 goals and 52 assists in 34 games, as Belfast won
1104-596: A Canadian prairie town of 1,500. He played all 82 games in 2001–02, but his problems affected his behavior on the ice. After receiving a major and game misconduct penalty in a game against the San Jose Sharks on December 28, he wound up in a confrontation with the Sharks' mascot, S.J. Sharkie, in a hallway of the HP Pavilion, reportedly breaking the rib of the mascot portrayer. Fleury himself later downplayed
1242-524: A brief hold-out during training camp before signing a five-year, $ 12 million deal with the Flames. He agreed to take less money than he could have received on the open market out of loyalty to the franchise that had given him his NHL opportunity. He missed much of the preseason with a stomach ailment, but joined the team for the season opener. Although he felt like somebody was "stabbing a knife in [his] gut every five minutes", Fleury had played every game for
1380-547: A career as a public speaker . He was a recipient of the Indspire Award in the sports category in 2013. Additionally, Theoren hosts the "Theo Fleury 14 Hockey Camp" which helps to teach, inspire and educate young hockey players ages 6 to 16. Moreover, Fleury travelled to Vancouver in 2013 where he assisted and co-hosted the 19th Annual Aboriginal Achievement Awards. Fleury was born on June 29, 1968, in Oxbow, Saskatchewan ,
1518-405: A chest protector, a goalie mask, and a large jersey. Goaltenders' equipment has continually become larger and larger, leading to fewer goals in each game and many official rule changes. Ice hockey skates are optimized for physical acceleration, speed and manoeuvrability. This includes rapid starts, stops, turns, and changes in skating direction. In addition, they must be rigid and tough to protect
SECTION 10
#17327836329181656-591: A concrete business in Calgary with his family, and filmed a pilot for a reality television show about it. He marketed his own brand of clothing, which led him to play two professional baseball games for the Calgary Vipers of the Golden Baseball League . In 1995, he was diagnosed with Crohn's disease , and his annual charity golf tournament has helped raise more than $ 1 million for
1794-577: A criminal complaint against James, and was volunteering with an organization dedicated to helping male sexual abuse victims. Sheldon Kennedy , another victim of James, encouraged Fleury to press charges. In January 2010, investigators with the Winnipeg Police Service began an investigation after Fleury met with officers to file a complaint. James plead guilty to charges stemming from his abuse of Fleury and his cousin Todd Holt . James
1932-537: A forward. The seventh defenceman may play as a substitute defenceman, spend the game on the bench, or if a team chooses to play four lines then this seventh defenceman may see ice-time on the fourth line as a forward. A professional ice hockey game consists of three periods of twenty minutes, the clock running only when the puck is in play. The teams change ends after each period of play, including overtime. Recreational leagues and children's leagues often play shorter games, generally with three shorter periods of play. If
2070-549: A game is tied after regulation, then a 20-minute period of 5-on-5 sudden-death overtime will be added. If the game is still tied after the overtime, another period is added until a team scores, which wins the match. Since 2019, the IIHF World Championships and the gold medal game in the Olympics use the same format, but in a 3-on-3 format. In ice hockey, infractions of the rules lead to a play stoppage whereby
2208-412: A goal scored by the other team. Major penalties assessed for fighting are typically offsetting, meaning neither team is short-handed and the players exit the penalty box upon a stoppage of play following the expiration of their respective penalties. The foul of boarding (defined as "check[ing] an opponent in such a manner that causes the opponent to be thrown violently in the boards") is penalized either by
2346-594: A gold medal in 2002 . Throughout his career, he battled drug and alcohol addictions that ultimately forced him out of the NHL in 2003 . He played one season in the British Elite Ice Hockey League in 2005–06 , and made two attempts to win the Allan Cup . After an unsuccessful NHL comeback attempt with the Flames, he retired in 2009. Outside of hockey, Fleury overcame his addictions, operated
2484-528: A larger blade and a wide, flat shaft. This stick is primarily intended to block shots, but the goaltender may use it to play the puck as well. Ice hockey is a full-contact sport and carries a high risk of injury. Players are moving at speeds around approximately 20–30 mph (30–50 km/h) and much of the game revolves around the physical contact between the players. Skate blades, hockey sticks, shoulder contact, hip contact, and hockey pucks can all potentially cause injuries. Lace bite , an irritation felt on
2622-457: A long journey. It's time to put down some roots. And there's no better place than here," said Fleury of his decision not to seek an offer from another team. Fleury made his debut with the Canadian senior team at the 1990 Ice Hockey World Championships , scoring 11 points in nine games for the fourth-place Canadians. He returned the following year despite a knee injury, helping Canada win
2760-458: A minor or major penalty at the discretion of the referee, based on the violent state of the hit. A minor or major penalty for boarding is often assessed when a player checks an opponent from behind and into the boards. Some varieties of penalty do not require the offending team to play a man short. Concurrent five-minute major penalties in the NHL usually result from fighting. In the case of two players being assessed five-minute fighting majors, both
2898-436: A neck protector. Goaltenders use different equipment. With hockey pucks approaching them at speeds of up to 100 mph (160 km/h) they must wear equipment with more protection. Goaltenders wear specialized goalie skates (these skates are built more for movement side to side rather than forwards and backwards), a jock or jill, large leg pads (there are size restrictions in certain leagues), blocking glove, catching glove,
SECTION 20
#17327836329183036-539: A penalty, but was an infraction in the NHL before recent rules changes, is the two-line offside pass . Prior to the 2005–06 NHL season, play was stopped when a pass from inside a team's defending zone crossed the centre line, with a face-off held in the defending zone of the offending team. Now, the centre line is no longer used in the NHL to determine a two-line pass infraction, a change that the IIHF had adopted in 1998. Players are now able to pass to teammates who are more than
3174-528: A personal trainer in February 2009 and began an attempt to return to the NHL. By August, he petitioned Commissioner Gary Bettman to lift his suspension. He was reinstated on September 10 following a meeting with Bettman, Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly and league doctors. Fleury then accepted a try-out offer from the Flames. He said he wanted to prove to himself that he could still play at the NHL level, though his skeptics pointed to his child support payments and
3312-409: A player may receive up to nineteen minutes in penalties for one string of plays. This could involve receiving a four-minute double-minor penalty, getting in a fight with an opposing player who retaliates, and then receiving a game misconduct after the fight. In this case, the player is ejected and two teammates must serve the double-minor and major penalties. A penalty shot is awarded to a player when
3450-488: A role model for kids on the Horse Lake First Nation . Hockey Alberta initially ruled that he was ineligible to play senior hockey in 2004–05 because he had been signed to a professional contract during the 2003–04 season. Hockey Alberta denied an appeal, citing a new policy it had put in effect to prevent NHL players from joining senior teams during the 2004–05 NHL lockout . It reversed its decision on
3588-509: A second appeal after the NHL and National Hockey League Players Association both agreed that Fleury was a free agent, and not a locked-out player. Fleury played his first game for the Thunder on January 22, 2005, scoring a goal and two assists. Fleury remained embroiled in controversy at the 2005 Allan Cup tournament. The Thunder were repeatedly accused of paying players despite being an amateur team, and Fleury angrily denied rumours that he
3726-415: A shot or pass play. Officials also stop play for puck movement violations, such as using one's hands to pass the puck in the offensive end, but no players are penalized for these offences. The sole exceptions are deliberately falling on or gathering the puck to the body, carrying the puck in the hand, and shooting the puck out of play in one's defensive zone (all penalized two minutes for delay of game). In
3864-599: A strip club in Columbus, Ohio , that left him bloodied; he has no memory of the night and described it as among the lowest points of his life. He was not suspended, but the incident contributed to a collapse in the standings by the Blackhawks, and they placed him on waivers in March. No team claimed him, and Fleury finished the season with the Blackhawks, recording 12 goals and 21 assists in 54 games. Following
4002-492: A team losing a skater during regulation instead causes the other side to add a skater. Once the penalized team's penalty ends, the penalized skater exits the penalty box and the teams continue at 4-on-4 until the next stoppage of play, at which point the teams return to three skaters per side. International play and several North American professional leagues, including the NHL (in the regular season), now use an overtime period identical to that from 1999–2000 to 2003–04 followed by
4140-409: A tie occurs in tournament play, as well as in the NHL playoffs, North Americans favour sudden death overtime , in which the teams continue to play twenty-minute periods until a goal is scored. Up until the 1999–2000 season, regular-season NHL games were settled with a single five-minute sudden death period with five players (plus a goalie) per side, with both teams awarded one point in the standings in
4278-483: A variety of other countries. The first IIHF Women's World Championship was held in 1990, and women's play was introduced into the Olympics in 1998 . Ice hockey is believed to have evolved from simple stick and ball games played in the 18th and 19th centuries in Britain, Ireland, and elsewhere, primarily bandy , hurling , and shinty . The North American sport of lacrosse , derived from tribal Native American games,
Theoren Fleury - Misplaced Pages Continue
4416-462: Is a full-contact sport, body checks are allowed so injuries are a common occurrence. Protective equipment is mandatory and is enforced in all competitive situations. This includes a helmet with either a visor or a full face mask, shoulder pads, elbow pads, mouth guard, protective gloves, heavily padded shorts (also known as hockey pants) or a girdle, athletic cup (also known as a jock, for males; and jill, for females), shin pads, skates, and (optionally)
4554-410: Is also a penalty in certain leagues in order to reduce the chance of injury to players. Often the term checking is used to refer to body checking, with its true definition generally only propagated among fans of the game. One of the most important strategies for a team is their forecheck . Forechecking is the act of attacking the opposition in their defensive zone. Forechecking is an important part of
4692-459: Is called a line change . Teams typically employ alternate sets of forward lines and defensive pairings when short-handed or on a power play . The goaltender stands in a, usually blue, semi-circle called the crease in the defensive zone keeping pucks out of the goal. Substitutions are permitted at any time during the game, although during a stoppage of play the home team is permitted the final change. When players are substituted during play, it
4830-418: Is called changing on the fly . An NHL rule added in the 2005–06 season prevents a team from changing their line after they ice the puck. The boards surrounding the ice help keep the puck in play and they can also be used as tools to play the puck. Players are permitted to bodycheck opponents into the boards to stop progress. The referees, linesmen and the outsides of the goal are "in play" and do not stop
4968-528: Is if a team opts to pull their goalie in exchange for an extra skater during overtime and is subsequently scored upon (an empty net goal), in which case the losing team receives no points for the overtime loss. Since the 2015–16 season, the single five-minute sudden-death overtime session involves three skaters on each side. Since three skaters must always be on the ice in an NHL game, the consequences of penalties are slightly different from those during regulation play; any penalty during overtime that would result in
5106-403: Is the left wing lock , which has two forwards pressure the puck and the left wing and the two defencemen stay at the blueline. Offensive tactics include improving a team's position on the ice by advancing the puck out of one's zone towards the opponent's zone, progressively by gaining lines, first your own blue line, then the red line and finally the opponent's blue line. NHL rules instated for
5244-462: Is the second book about Fleury's life, following Fury , released in 1997, which did not discuss many of the problems he was facing at the time. Playing with Fire became the top seller on Amazon.ca within a week of its release, and Fleury stated that he had been contacted by several sexual abuse victims who were motivated by his book to seek help. He told CBC in October 2009 he was contemplating
5382-457: The dump and chase strategy (i.e. shooting the puck into the offensive zone and then chasing after it). Each team uses their own unique system but the main ones are: 2–1–2 , 1–2–2, and 1–4. The 2–1–2 is the most basic forecheck system where two forwards go in deep and pressure the opposition's defencemen, the third forward stays high and the two defencemen stay at the blueline. The 1–2–2 is a bit more conservative system where one forward pressures
5520-522: The 1987 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships . Once considered unlikely to play in the NHL due to his small size, Fleury scored over 1,000 points in his career, placing him 61st in career NHL scoring and won the Stanley Cup in 1989 with the Flames. During his career Fleury recorded 90+ points four times, and 100+ points twice. He twice represented Canada at the Winter Olympics , winning
5658-654: The 1988 tournament in Moscow . He was named captain, finished second in team scoring with eight points in seven games, and was named a tournament all-star as Canada won the gold medal. Although he scored 129 points for the Warriors in 1986–87 , Fleury's small stature led many teams to doubt that he could play in the NHL. The Calgary Flames drafted him in the 8th round, 166th overall, of the 1987 NHL Entry Draft . Upon completing his junior season in 1988, Fleury signed his first professional contract, worth C$ 415,000, and joined
Theoren Fleury - Misplaced Pages Continue
5796-487: The 2001–02 NHL season , later describing himself as a "dry drunk". He earned a spot on the team and recorded two assists in six games as the Canadian hockey team won its first Olympic gold medal in 50 years. Fleury considers the championship to be the pinnacle of his career. With the help of Kirstie McLellan Day , Fleury wrote his autobiography , Playing with Fire , which was released on October 16, 2009. He wrote he
5934-741: The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation during the first intermission, prior to the brawl. Fleury twice represented Canada at the World Junior Hockey Championships . He first joined the team for the 1987 tournament in Piešťany , Czechoslovakia . The tournament is best remembered for the " Punch-up in Piestany " on January 4, 1987, an infamous bench-clearing brawl between the Canadians and
6072-604: The Dallas Stars in the Western Conference Finals . The Avalanche chose not to re-sign Fleury, and he joined the New York Rangers on a three-year contract worth $ 21 million that included a club option for a fourth year at $ 7 million. He touched off a wave of anger on signing with the Rangers when he claimed he was unappreciated in Calgary, comments he later stated were directed at
6210-676: The Moose Jaw Warriors , who had just relocated from Winnipeg , scoring 29 goals and 75 points in 71 games as a 16-year-old. He improved his totals in each of his four years in the WHL, culminating with a 68-goal, 92- assist season in 1987–88 . Fleury's 160 points tied him for the league lead with Joe Sakic , and the two players shared the Bob Clarke Trophy as the WHL's top scorers. Fleury's 92 assists and 160 points remain team records; he also holds
6348-471: The Pacific Division and missing the playoffs for only the second time since their arrival in Calgary in 1980. Fleury again led the team in scoring, but his 29 goals were the fewest he had scored in a full season in the NHL. He was the Flames' lone representative at the 1997 All-Star Game . He scored only 27 goals in 1997–98 , but increased his point total from 67 to 78 while also leading
6486-532: The Soviet Union . Fleury scored the first goal of the game and, as part of his celebration, used his stick to mimic firing a machine gun at the Soviet bench, a move that was criticized by Canadian officials. The brawl began early in the second period with Canada leading 4–2, when Pavel Kostichkin slashed Fleury, leading to a fight between the two. It quickly escalated into a line brawl involving all skaters on
6624-679: The Steinbach North Stars in a second bid to win the Allan Cup. He played 13 league games, scoring eight goals and 19 assists. At the 2009 Allan Cup tournament, he recorded a goal and an assist to lead the host North Stars to a 5–0 win in their opening game, and finished tied for the lead in tournament scoring at seven points. The North Stars lost the semi-finals to the South East Prairie Thunder , 4–2. Unhappy with how his NHL career ended, Fleury hired
6762-677: The Western Hockey League (WHL). James told Fleury that he had the skill to play in the NHL despite his size, and promised to recruit him to play junior hockey for the Warriors when he was old enough. Fleury began his junior career in 1983–84 as a 15-year-old with the St. James Canadians of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League , scoring 33 goals and 64 points in 22 games, an incredible pace of nearly three points per game. In 1984–85 he moved to
6900-617: The "Dominion Hockey Challenge Cup" and was first awarded in 1893 to recognise the Canadian amateur champion and later became the championship trophy of the National Hockey League (NHL). In the early 1900s, the Canadian rules were adopted by the Ligue Internationale de Hockey sur Glace , in Paris , France, the precursor to the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF). The sport was played for
7038-416: The 2006 season redefined the offside rule to make the two-line pass legal; a player may pass the puck from behind his own blue line, past both that blue line and the centre red line, to a player on the near side of the opponents' blue line. Offensive tactics are designed ultimately to score a goal by taking a shot. When a player purposely directs the puck towards the opponent's goal, he or she is said to "shoot"
SECTION 50
#17327836329187176-469: The Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of Canada. Fleury co-wrote Playing with Fire , a best-selling autobiography released in October 2009, in which he revealed that he had been sexually abused by former coach Graham James . Fleury filed a criminal complaint against James, who subsequently pleaded guilty to charges of sexual assault. Fleury has since become an advocate for sexual abuse victims and developed
7314-524: The Flames a 5–4 win. After the game, he saluted the crowd as the fans chanted "Theo! Theo! Theo!" Three nights later, he scored a goal and an assist in a 5–2 victory over the Florida Panthers . Fleury played four exhibition games, scoring four points, before being released by the Flames. General Manager Darryl Sutter expressed his pride in Fleury's attempt and commended his effort, but decided he
7452-415: The Flames in the 8th round, 166th overall, at the 1987 NHL Entry Draft , and played over 1,000 games in the NHL between 1989 and 2003. One of the smallest players of his generation, Fleury played a physical style that often led to altercations. As a junior , he was at the centre of the infamous Punch-up in Piestany , a brawl that resulted in the disqualification of both Canada and the Soviet Union from
7590-558: The Flames missed the playoffs. That season, he made his second All-Star Game appearance, recording a goal for the Campbell Conference. Fleury finished with over 100 points for the second time in his career in 1992–93 to lead the team in scoring, and set a franchise record by going +9 in a 13–1 victory over the San Jose Sharks on February 10, 1993, in which he scored six points. The 1994–95 NHL lockout reduced
7728-505: The Flames when he revealed in December 1995 that he had been diagnosed with Crohn's disease and doctors had finally found the correct medication to control it. Despite the ailment, Fleury led the team in goals, assists, and points, and played in his third All-Star Game , serving as Calgary's only representative. When Joe Nieuwendyk refused to report to the Flames prior to the 1995–96 season, they named Fleury interim captain . The title
7866-655: The Flames' International Hockey League (IHL) affiliate, the Salt Lake Golden Eagles . He scored seven points in two regular season games, then 16 more in eight playoff games as the Eagles won the Turner Cup championship. Fleury arrived at the Flames' 1988 training camp 20 pounds (9.1 kg) overweight, and was assigned back to Salt Lake to begin the 1988–89 season. He averaged nearly two points per game, recording 37 goals and 37 assists to lead
8004-737: The Flames' owners and not the team's fans, who he said always supported him. Fleury's first year in Manhattan was a disappointment. He scored only 15 goals in 1999–2000 , struggling under the pressure of trying to lead the Rangers into the playoffs and adapting to life in New York . After the season, he voluntarily entered a league-operated program that treats substance abuse and emotional problems, though he denied that either had any effect on his play. Fleury rebounded to score 30 goals in 2000–01 and participated in his seventh All-Star Game . He scored his 400th NHL goal on November 4, 2000, in
8142-780: The IHL in scoring after 40 games. Mired in a slump, the Flames recalled Fleury on January 1, 1989, in the hope he could help their offence. He played his first NHL game against the Quebec Nordiques two nights later and recorded his first points – three assists – on January 5 against the Los Angeles Kings . He scored his first two NHL goals in a 7–2 victory over the Edmonton Oilers on January 7. Fleury continued to score, and finished with 34 points in 36 games in his NHL rookie season. He added 11 points in
8280-423: The IIHF and the NHL. Both of these codes, and others, originated from Canadian rules of ice hockey of the early 20th century. Ice hockey is played on a hockey rink . During normal play, there are six players on ice skates on the ice per side, one of them being the goaltender. The objective of the game is to score goals by shooting a hard vulcanized rubber disc, the puck , into the opponent's goal net at
8418-600: The Metis descent throughout his playing career. The Fleurys lived in Williams Lake, British Columbia , for four years, a period that saw Theo's brother Ted born in 1970, before settling in Russell, Manitoba , by 1973, the year his youngest brother Travis was born. Wally worked as a truck driver and maintenance worker at the arena in Russell. Fleury and his family shared a passion for music. One of his fondest memories when he
SECTION 60
#17327836329188556-617: The NHL nearly ended at the age of 13 when, during a game, he suffered a deep cut under his arm that severed his brachial artery . He missed nearly a year of contact hockey as a result. Five months after the incident, the community raised money to send him to the Andy Murray Hockey School in Brandon, Manitoba . It was there that Fleury met Graham James , who was working as a scout for the Winnipeg Warriors of
8694-410: The NHL, a unique penalty applies to the goalies. The goalies now are forbidden to play the puck in the "corners" of the rink near their own net. This will result in a two-minute penalty against the goalie's team. Only in the area in front of the goal line and immediately behind the net (marked by two red lines on either side of the net) can the goalie play the puck. An additional rule that has never been
8832-610: The National Hockey League, a number of leagues have implemented the "four-official system", where an additional referee is added to aid in the calling of penalties normally difficult to assess by one referee. The system is used in every NHL game since 2001, at IIHF World Championships , the Olympics and in many professional and high-level amateur leagues in North America and Europe. Officials are selected by
8970-602: The Warriors' career records for goals (201), assists (271) and points (472). As of 2014, he remains 10th all-time in WHL scoring. Always one of the smallest players in the game, Fleury learned early that he had to play an unpredictable style of game to survive against players much larger than he was. He found that the best way to protect himself was to intimidate his opponents by playing a feisty, physical game, which he said led to many retaliatory penalties and several arguments with his coaches. He recorded 235 minutes in penalties in his final year of junior, nearly 100 more than any of
9108-479: The achievement. Following the season, the Rangers did not exercise their option , and traded Fleury's playing rights to the San Jose Sharks , which entitled the Sharks to a compensatory draft pick if Fleury signed elsewhere. He did so with a two-year, $ 8.5 million contract with the Chicago Blackhawks . Two days prior to the opening of the 2002–03 season , he was suspended by the NHL for violating
9246-415: The app determines that a particular impact has the potential to cause brain injury, it will alert the coach who can in turn seek medical attention for the individual. Defensive ice hockey tactics vary from more active to more conservative styles of play. One distinction is between man-to-man oriented defensive systems, and zonal oriented defensive systems, though a lot of teams use a combination between
9384-477: The blue and centre ice red line away. The NHL has taken steps to speed up the game of hockey and create a game of finesse, by reducing the number of illegal hits, fights, and "clutching and grabbing" that occurred in the past. Rules are now more strictly enforced, resulting in more penalties, which provides more protection to the players and facilitates more goals being scored. The governing body for United States' amateur hockey has implemented many new rules to reduce
9522-489: The boards as his teammates attempted to catch up to him. CBC Hockey Night in Canada play-by-play announcer Chris Cuthbert called Fleury's goal in a dramatic fashion: Messier gives it away! HERE'S FLEURY! LOOKING FOR HIS FIRST GOAL OF THE SERIES... SCORES! And Theoren Fleury and the Flames are in seventh heaven!" Unfortunately, the Flames were defeated in game seven overtime goal by Esa Tikkanen , which ended their season. Fleury fell back to 33 goals in 1991–92 as
9660-407: The end of February, he lashed out against the league's officials. He claimed they were not judging him fairly, and threatened to retire. The league dismissed his complaints. He did achieve a personal milestone during the season, however: on October 27, 2001, Fleury assisted on a goal by Mike York , scoring the 1,000th point of his NHL career. The Rangers presented him with a silver stick in honour of
9798-452: The event of a tie. With a goal, the winning team would be awarded two points and the losing team none (just as if they had lost in regulation). The total elapsed time from when the puck first drops, is about 2 hours and 20 minutes for a 60-minute game. From the 1999–2000 until the 2003–04 seasons, the National Hockey League decided ties by playing a single five-minute sudden-death overtime period with each team having four skaters per side (plus
9936-483: The failure of his concrete business, as well as the planned release of his autobiography, and argued Fleury's comeback was financially motivated. He made his return to the NHL in an exhibition game in Calgary against the New York Islanders on September 17 on a line with Daymond Langkow and Nigel Dawes . Fleury was met with loud cheers throughout the game, and scored the only goal in a shootout to give
10074-571: The final four minutes of the championship game against the American team . National Hockey League players were first allowed to participate in the Olympic ice hockey tournament at the 1998 games . Invited to join Canada's "Dream Team", Fleury described his selection as a highlight of his life. He scored a goal for Canada, who lost their semi-final match-up against the Czech Republic in
10212-411: The final score recorded will award the winning team one more goal than the score at the end of regulation time. In the NHL if a game is decided in overtime or by a shootout the winning team is awarded two points in the standings and the losing team is awarded one point. Ties no longer occur in the NHL. Overtime in the NHL playoffs differs from the regular season. In the playoffs there are no shootouts. If
10350-412: The first of Wally and Donna Fleury's three sons. Wally was a hockey player whose dreams of a professional career ended when he broke his leg playing baseball in the summer of 1963; the injury helped fuel a drinking problem. Donna was a quiet, religious woman who battled drug addiction for many years. Fleury is of Métis heritage and his grandmother Mary was Cree . Fleury was subject to racism for being of
10488-464: The first time at the Olympics during the 1920 Summer Games —today it is a mainstay at the Winter Olympics . In 1994, ice hockey was officially recognized as Canada's national winter sport. While women also played during the game's early formative years, it was not until organizers began to officially remove body checking from female ice hockey beginning in the mid-1980s that it began to gain greater popularity, which by then had spread to Europe and
10626-511: The front of the foot or ankle, is a common ice hockey injury. Compared to athletes who play other sports, ice hockey players are at higher risk of overuse injuries and injuries caused by early sports specialization by teenagers. According to the Hughston Health Alert, prior to the widespread use of helmets and face cages, "Lacerations to the head, scalp, and face are the most frequent types of injury [in hockey]." One of
10764-427: The game , too many players on the ice , boarding , illegal equipment, charging (leaping into an opponent or body-checking him after taking more than two strides), holding, holding the stick (grabbing an opponent's stick), interference, hooking , slashing , kneeing, unsportsmanlike conduct (arguing a penalty call with referee, extremely vulgar or inappropriate verbal comments), "butt-ending" (striking an opponent with
10902-411: The game when the puck or players either bounce into or collide with them. Play can be stopped if the goal is knocked out of position. Play often proceeds for minutes without interruption. After a stoppage, play is restarted with a faceoff . Two players face each other and an official drops the puck to the ice, where the two players attempt to gain control of the puck. Markings (circles) on the ice indicate
11040-406: The game. There are typically two linesmen who are mainly responsible for calling "offside" and " icing " violations, breaking up fights, and conducting faceoffs, and one or two referees , who call goals and all other penalties. Linesmen can report to the referee(s) that a penalty should be assessed against an offending player in some situations. The restrictions on this practice vary depending on
11178-401: The goalie). In the event of a tie, each team would still receive one point in the standings but in the event of a victory the winning team would be awarded two points in the standings and the losing team one point. The idea was to discourage teams from playing for a tie, since previously some teams might have preferred a tie and 1 point to risking a loss and zero points. The exception to this rule
11316-402: The goaltender carries a stick consisting of a long, relatively wide, and slightly curved flat blade, attached to a shaft. The curve itself has a big impact on its performance. A deep curve allows for lifting the puck easier while a shallow curve allows for easier backhand shots. The flex of the stick also impacts the performance. Typically, a less flexible stick is meant for a stronger player since
11454-404: The governing rules. On-ice officials are assisted by off-ice officials who act as goal judges, time keepers, and official scorers. The most widespread system is the "three-man system", which uses one referee and two linesmen. A less commonly used system is the two referee and one linesman system. This system is close to the regular three-man system except for a few procedure changes. Beginning with
11592-465: The head and most types of forceful stick-on-body contact are illegal. A delayed penalty call occurs when an offence is committed by the team that does not have possession of the puck. In this circumstance the team with possession of the puck is allowed to complete the play; that is, play continues until a goal is scored, a player on the opposing team gains control of the puck, or the team in possession commits an infraction or penalty of their own. Because
11730-568: The heads, as well as checks to unsuspecting players. Studies show that ice hockey causes 44.3% of all sports-related traumatic brain injuries among Canadian children. Some teams in the Swiss National League are testing out systems that combine helmet-integrated sensors and analysis software to reveal a player's ongoing brain injury risk during a game. These sensors provide players and coaches with real-time data on head impact strength, frequency, and severity. Furthermore, if
11868-474: The ice, after which the Soviet players left their bench, followed closely by the Canadians. Both teams were disqualified from the tournament, costing Fleury and the Canadians a medal – potentially the gold. The International Ice Hockey Federation suspended all players involved in the brawl from participating in international tournaments for 18 months, though the bans were later reduced to 6 months on appeal. This reduction allowed Fleury to participate in
12006-417: The illegal actions of another player stop a clear scoring opportunity, most commonly when the player is on a breakaway . A penalty shot allows the obstructed player to pick up the puck on the centre red-line and attempt to score on the goalie with no other players on the ice, to compensate for the earlier missed scoring opportunity. A penalty shot is also awarded for a defender other than the goaltender covering
12144-502: The incident, saying that he "nudged" Sharkie. Upon taking a penalty in a January 2002 game against the Pittsburgh Penguins , Fleury left the arena rather than skate to the penalty box. He later apologized to his teammates, claiming he was deeply stressed by family problems. Two weeks later, he was fined $ 1,000 for making an obscene gesture to fans of the New York Islanders who had been taunting him over his drug use. Towards
12282-422: The knob of the stick), "spearing" (jabbing an opponent with the blade of the stick), or cross-checking . As of the 2005–2006 season, a minor penalty is also assessed for diving , where a player embellishes or simulates an offence. More egregious fouls may be penalized by a four-minute double-minor penalty, particularly those that injure the victimized player. These penalties end either when the time runs out or when
12420-482: The leading causes of head injury is body checking from behind. Due to the danger of delivering a check from behind, many leagues – including the NHL – have made this a major and game misconduct penalty. Another type of check that accounts for many of the player-to-player contact concussions is a check to the head resulting in a misconduct penalty (called "head contact"). In recent years, the NHL has implemented new rules which penalize and suspend players for illegal checks to
12558-492: The league they work for. Amateur hockey leagues use guidelines established by national organizing bodies as a basis for choosing their officiating staffs. In North America, the national organizing bodies Hockey Canada and USA Hockey approve officials according to their experience level as well as their ability to pass rules knowledge and skating ability tests. Hockey Canada has officiating levels I through VI. USA Hockey has officiating levels 1 through 4. Since men's ice hockey
12696-562: The locations for the faceoff and guide the positioning of players. Three major rules of play in ice hockey limit the movement of the puck: offside , icing , and the puck going out of play. Under IIHF rules, each team may carry a maximum of 20 players and two goaltenders on their roster. NHL rules restrict the total number of players per game to 18, plus two goaltenders. In the NHL, the players are usually divided into four lines of three forwards, and into three pairs of defencemen. On occasion, teams may elect to substitute an extra defenceman for
12834-435: The misconduct (a two-and-ten or five-and-ten ). In this case, the team designates another player to serve the minor or major; both players go to the penalty box, but only the designee may not be replaced, and he is released upon the expiration of the two or five minutes, at which point the ten-minute misconduct begins. In addition, game misconducts are assessed for deliberate intent to inflict severe injury on an opponent (at
12972-417: The number of stick-on-body occurrences, as well as other detrimental and illegal facets of the game ("zero tolerance"). In men's hockey, but not in women's, a player may use his hip or shoulder to hit another player if the player has the puck or is the last to have touched it. This use of the hip and shoulder is called body checking . Not all physical contact is legal—in particular, hits from behind, hits to
13110-442: The officials' discretion), or for a major penalty for a stick infraction or repeated major penalties. The offending player is ejected from the game and must immediately leave the playing surface (he does not sit in the penalty box); meanwhile, if an additional minor or major penalty is assessed, a designated player must serve out of that segment of the penalty in the box (similar to the above-mentioned "two-and-ten"). In some rare cases,
13248-442: The opposite end of the rink. The players use their sticks to pass or shoot the puck. With certain restrictions, players may redirect the puck with any part of their body. Players may not hold the puck in their hand and are prohibited from using their hands to pass the puck to their teammates unless they are in the defensive zone. Players can knock a puck out of the air with their hands to themselves. Players are prohibited from kicking
13386-540: The other team scores during the power play. In the case of a goal scored during the first two minutes of a double-minor, the penalty clock is set down to two minutes upon a score, effectively expiring the first minor penalty. Five-minute major penalties are called for especially violent instances of most minor infractions that result in intentional injury to an opponent, or when a minor penalty results in visible injury (such as bleeding), as well as for fighting. Major penalties are always served in full; they do not terminate on
13524-421: The other team's net. Each goal is worth one point. The team with the highest score after an hour of playing time is declared the winner; ties are broken in overtime or a shootout . In a formal game, each team has six skaters on the ice at a time, barring any penalties, including a goaltender . It is a full contact game and one of the more physically demanding team sports. The modern sport of ice hockey
13662-465: The other top 10 WHL scorers. Fleury retained this style of play throughout his hockey career, routinely surprising opponents who felt their size was an advantage. "The boys are up for the gold medal. Everybody is so tense. Tempers are flying. It's really tough out there... I can't believe it. It's so tense. It's so tense." —Fleury describes atmosphere of Canada's game vs. the Soviet Union to
13800-413: The other, the opposing team gets a power play for the remainder of the time); this applies regardless of current pending penalties. In the NHL, a team always has at least three skaters on the ice. Thus, ten-minute misconduct penalties are served in full by the penalized player, but his team may immediately substitute another player on the ice unless a minor or major penalty is assessed in conjunction with
13938-468: The penalty is still assessed to the offending player, but not served. In 2012, this rule was changed by the United States' National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) for college level hockey . In college games, the penalty is still enforced even if the team in possession scores. A typical game of hockey is governed by two to four officials on the ice, charged with enforcing the rules of
14076-499: The play is restarted at a faceoff. Some infractions result in a penalty on a player or team. In the simplest case, the offending player is sent to the penalty box and their team must play with one less player on the ice for a designated time. Minor penalties last for two minutes, major penalties last for five minutes, and a double minor penalty is two consecutive penalties of two minutes duration. A single minor penalty may be extended by two minutes for causing visible injury to
14214-411: The player is looking for the right balanced flex that allows the stick to flex easily while still having a strong "whip-back" which sends the puck flying at high speeds. It is quite distinct from sticks in other sports games and most suited to hitting and controlling the flat puck. Its unique shape contributed to the early development of the game. The goaltender carries a stick of a different design, with
14352-461: The players serve five minutes without their team incurring a loss of player (both teams still have a full complement of players on the ice). This differs with two players from opposing sides getting minor penalties, at the same time or at any intersecting moment, resulting from more common infractions. In this case, both teams will have only four skating players (not counting the goaltender) until one or both penalties expire (if one penalty expires before
14490-542: The playoffs, helping the Flames to the first Stanley Cup championship in franchise history. After improving to 33 goals in his first full season, Fleury broke out in 1990–91 , scoring 51 goals and 104 points to lead the Flames offensively. He played in the 1991 All-Star Game , scoring a goal in an 11–5 victory by the Campbell Conference over the Wales Conference . Towards the end of
14628-439: The puck carrier and the other two forwards cover the oppositions' wingers, with the two defencemen staying at the blueline. The 1–4 is the most defensive forecheck system, referred to as the neutral zone trap, where one forward applies pressure to the puck carrier around the oppositions' blueline and the other four players stand basically in a line by their blueline in hopes the opposition will skate into one of them. Another strategy
14766-406: The puck carrier in the neutral zone preventing him from entering the offensive zone. Body checking is using one's shoulder or hip to strike an opponent who has the puck or who is the last to have touched it (the last person to have touched the puck is still legally "in possession" of it, although a penalty is generally called if he is checked more than two seconds after his last touch). Body checking
14904-514: The puck forward. With the arrival of offside rules, the forward pass transformed hockey into a true team sport, where individual performance diminished in importance relative to team play, which could now be coordinated over the entire surface of the ice as opposed to merely rearward players. The six players on each team are typically divided into three forwards, two defencemen, and one goaltender. The term skaters typically applies to all players except goaltenders. The forward positions consist of
15042-405: The puck in the goal crease, a goaltender intentionally displacing his own goal posts during a breakaway to avoid a goal, a defender intentionally displacing his own goal posts when there is less than two minutes to play in regulation time or at any point during overtime, or a player or coach intentionally throwing a stick or other object at the puck or the puck carrier and the throwing action disrupts
15180-413: The puck into the opponent's goal, though unintentional redirections off the skate are permitted. Players may not intentionally bat the puck into the net with their hands. Hockey is an off-side game, meaning that forward passes are allowed, unlike in rugby. Before the 1930s, hockey was an on-side game, meaning that only backward passes were allowed. Those rules emphasized individual stick-handling to drive
15318-409: The puck. A deflection is a shot that redirects a shot or a pass towards the goal from another player, by allowing the puck to strike the stick and carom towards the goal. A one-timer is a shot struck directly off a pass, without receiving the pass and shooting in two separate actions. Headmanning the puck , also known as breaking out , is the tactic of rapidly passing to the player farthest down
15456-661: The regular season league title. Described as the "most talented" player ever to play in the United Kingdom, Fleury was named the EIHL's Player of the Year and voted a first team All-Star by the British Ice Hockey Writers Association . Fleury argued with visiting fans, as well as officials, which led him not to return to Belfast in 2006–07. In late 2008, Fleury joined his brother Ted with
15594-418: The right side" (of the puck). Another popular concept in ice hockey defensive tactics is that of playing a 200-foot game . An important defensive tactic is checking—attempting to take the puck from an opponent or to remove the opponent from play. Stick checking , sweep checking , and poke checking are legal uses of the stick to obtain possession of the puck. The neutral zone trap is designed to isolate
15732-594: The season to 48 games from 84. During the lockout, Fleury played for Tappara in Finland 's top league, the SM-liiga . He recorded 17 points in ten games before the NHL's labour dispute was resolved, bringing him back to Calgary. Late in the season, Fleury recorded two goals and an assist against the Oilers on March 31, 1995, to surpass 500 career points. Lacking a contract prior to the 1995–96 season , Fleury staged
15870-502: The season, Fleury set a league record by scoring three shorthanded goals in one game against the St. Louis Blues . He shared the NHL Plus-Minus Award with Marty McSorley , whom he tied for the league lead with +48 . Fleury scored only two goals in the 1991 Stanley Cup Playoffs , but after his overtime winner in game six against the Oilers he famously slid the entire length of the ice in jubilation before crashing into
16008-662: The season, in April 2003, he was suspended again by the league for violations of its substance abuse program. The suspension ended his NHL career. In January 2005, Fleury announced that he had joined his cousin Todd Holt and former NHL players Gino Odjick , Sasha Lakovic and Dody Wood in playing for the Horse Lake Thunder of the North Peace Hockey League for the Allan Cup , Canada's national senior amateur championship. He also hoped to serve as
16146-500: The silver medal at the 1991 tournament . His 51-goal NHL season in 1990–91 also earned Fleury a spot at the 1991 Canada Cup , where he scored a goal and four assists in seven games for the tournament champion Canadians. Five years later, he played in the 1996 World Cup of Hockey , the successor to the Canada Cup . He finished fourth in the tournament with four goals, but Canada finished in second place after giving up four goals in
16284-544: The skater's feet from contact with other skaters, sticks, pucks, the boards, and the ice itself. Rigidity also improves the overall manoeuvrability of the skate. Blade length, thickness (width), and curvature (rocker/radius) (front to back) and radius of hollow (across the blade width) are quite different from speed or figure skates. Hockey players usually adjust these parameters based on their skill level, position, and body type. The blade width of most skates are about 1 ⁄ 8 inch (3.2 mm) thick. Each player other than
16422-485: The subject of a 2012 documentary by HBO Canada . Ice hockey Ice hockey (or simply hockey in North America) is a team sport played on ice skates , usually on an ice skating rink with lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey . Two opposing teams use ice hockey sticks to control, advance, and shoot a vulcanized rubber hockey puck into
16560-407: The team on which the penalty was called cannot control the puck without stopping play, it is impossible for them to score a goal. In these cases, the team in possession of the puck can pull the goalie for an extra attacker without fear of being scored on. It is possible for the controlling team to mishandle the puck into their own net. If a delayed penalty is signalled and the team in possession scores,
16698-456: The team with 197 penalties in minutes . On November 29, 1997, Fleury scored his 315th career goal, breaking Nieuwendyk's franchise record. The same day, he was named to Team Canada for the 1998 Winter Olympics . Fleury participated in his fifth All-Star Game that season, but the Flames again missed the playoffs. "A piece of my heart left today, but the biggest part is here in Calgary and always will be." —An emotional Fleury discusses
16836-465: The terms of the league's substance abuse program. The Blackhawks hired one of Fleury's friends, also a recovering alcoholic, to ensure that he attended Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and abided by the terms of the NHL's aftercare program. Fleury missed the first two months of the season before being reinstated. While out with teammates in January 2003, he was involved in a drunken brawl with bouncers at
16974-456: The trade that ended his 11-year career with the Flames. On February 19, 1999, he surpassed Al MacInnis as the franchise scoring leader with his 823rd career point. He held the record for 10 years until surpassed by Jarome Iginla in 2009. The Flames, who had been struggling financially and were unable to sign Fleury to a new contract, chose to trade him less than two weeks after he broke the record rather than risk losing him to free agency . He
17112-456: The trade, Fleury said that any team looking to sign him to a new contract would have to pay him $ 7 million per year. In his autobiography, Playing with Fire , Fleury claims that he was offered $ 16 million over four years by the Flames before the trade, and countered with an offer of $ 25 million over five years. Fleury made his debut for the Avalanche the day after the trade and
17250-399: The two. Defensive skills involve pass interception , shot blocking , and stick checking (in which an attempt to take away the puck or cut off the puck lane is initiated by the stick of the defensive player). Tactical points of emphasis in ice hockey defensive play are concepts like "managing gaps" (gap control), "boxing out"' (not letting the offensive team go on the inside), and "staying on
17388-498: The victimized player. This is usually when blood is drawn during high sticking. Players may be also assessed personal extended penalties or game expulsions for misconduct in addition to the penalty or penalties their team must serve. The team that has been given a penalty is said to be playing short-handed while the opposing team is on a power play . A two-minute minor penalty is often charged for lesser infractions such as tripping , elbowing , roughing , high-sticking , delay of
17526-558: Was a Jehovah's Witness , Fleury was raised as a Catholic . He attended Mass from age 6 to 12, serving as an altar boy until the church's priest died of a heart attack, depriving Fleury of one of his early positive influences. Always lacking money and stable home life, Fleury received support from the hockey community, in particular the Peltz family in Russell, who ensured that he and his brothers were fed and bought them new clothes when required. In January 1982, Fleury's dreams of playing in
17664-454: Was a child was listening to his grandfather play the fiddle. Fleury's father was a talented man who could play a variety of instruments, such as the piano and guitar. This passion for music brought happiness and joy to Theoren and his family as it was a part of their Metis heritage growing up. Always one of the smallest children in his class and without stable supervision at home, Fleury adopted an aggressive posture and later described himself as
17802-434: Was also influential. The former games were brought to North America and several similar winter games using informal rules developed, such as shinny and ice polo, but later were absorbed into a new organized game with codified rules which today is ice hockey. While the general characteristics of the game remain constant, the exact rules depend on the particular code of play being used. The two most important codes are those of
17940-476: Was autographed and handed it back. The trade was viewed as another sign that small-market Canadian teams could no longer compete in the NHL. The economics of hockey had changed such that the Flames felt that they had to deal their top player despite being just two points out of a playoff spot. However, with Fleury due to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, the Flames did not want to chance losing him without getting anything in return. Following
18078-492: Was dealt to the Colorado Avalanche on February 28 for René Corbet , Wade Belak , and Robyn Regehr . Although it was expected, the trade nonetheless stunned fans in Calgary. His popularity was such that during a game in 1999, after Fleury was sent off the ice to change a bloody jersey, a fan threw his own souvenir jersey over the boards so that Fleury would not miss a shift. He put the jersey on before realizing it
18216-490: Was developed in Canada, most notably in Montreal , where the first indoor game was played on March 3, 1875. Some characteristics of that game, such as the length of the ice rink and the use of a puck, have been retained to this day. Amateur ice hockey leagues began in the 1880s, and professional ice hockey originated around 1900. The Stanley Cup , emblematic of ice hockey club supremacy, was initially commissioned in 1892 as
18354-418: Was made permanent when Nieuwendyk was traded in December. Fleury was reluctant to assume the captaincy, but did so out of loyalty to the team and because there was nobody else capable of taking on the role. He relinquished it two seasons later after deciding that it was harming his play and affecting his relationship with his teammates and coach Pierre Pagé . The Flames struggled in 1996–97 , finishing last in
18492-477: Was met with loud cheers from the Denver crowd. He scored a goal in a 4–3 loss to Edmonton, but also sprained his knee and missed the next two weeks. He had missed only seven games during his 11-year career in Calgary. He played in 15 regular-season games for the Avalanche, scoring 10 goals and 14 assists, and another 5 goals and 12 assists in 18 playoff games before the Avalanche were eliminated by
18630-468: Was not one of the top six wingers in camp, which Sutter and Fleury had agreed was a condition of the tryout continuing. On September 28, 2009, Fleury announced his retirement at a news conference at the Saddledome . He thanked the Flames for allowing him to attempt the comeback, and expressed satisfaction at how his career ended. "I get to retire a Calgary Flame. I HAD to retire a Calgary Flame. It's been
18768-486: Was secretly being paid $ 100,000. Tournament fans were extremely hostile towards the Thunder, and after it was eliminated in the semi-finals Fleury accused them of racism and threatened to return his 2002 Olympic gold medal: "The one thing that's really bothered me through this whole thing is the prejudice, still, in this country when it comes to native people. I've seen it first-hand in every building we go into, how these people are treated, and it's absolutely embarrassing to be
18906-489: Was sentenced to two years in prison, a decision which sparked outrage across Canada for its perceived leniency. Fleury praised the response by Canadians and called for harsher punishments for sexual predators. Fleury has shared his story as a motivational speaker. McLellan Day adapted the autobiography into a one-man play, entitled Playing with Fire: The Theo Fleury Story , which was produced by Alberta Theatre Projects in Calgary in 2012. Fleury and his autobiography were also
19044-427: Was sexually abused by hockey coach Graham James during a two-year period. While he stated he "doesn't want to become the poster boy for abuse by James", Fleury hoped speaking out might make it easier for other childhood sexual abuse victims to come forward, and get help. The book became the top-selling non-fiction book in Canada; without help, he and his wife were unable to keep up with the mail they were receiving. It
#917082