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|
| Mike
Ricci |
| |
|
 |
 |
Sweater #: |
18 |
| Position: |
Center |
| Height: |
6'0" |
| Weight: |
185 |
| Shoots: |
Left |
| Birthdate: |
October 27, 1971 |
| Birthplace: |
Scarsborough, Ontrio, Canada |
| Acquired: |
Via trade with Colorado, November
20, 1997
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| |
|
|
| HISTORY |
Mike played three
seasons for Peterborough of the OHL and captained Canada to a World Junior
Championship in 1990.
Mike was the highest ranked prospect by the
Central Scouting Bureau in 1990, but ended up being drafted fourth overall by
the Philadelphia Flyers in the NHL Entry Draft that year (teammate Owen Nolan
was drafted first overall by Quebec). He would have a great rookie year,
scoring 21 goals and 20 assists in 68 games. He would play one more year in
Philadelphia before the infamous Eric Lindros trade occurred in 1992.
Lindros refused to play for the Quebec Nordiques, so on June 30, 1992,
he was traded to the Flyers for Ricci, Steve Duchesne, Peter Forsberg, Ron
Hextall, Kerry Huffman, Chris Simon, a first round draft choice in 1993
(Jocelyn Thibault) and a first rounder in 1994 (Nolan Baumgartner), and cash.
His three seasons in Quebec were productive ones, scoring 72 goals and
93 assists in 208 regular season games. The Nordiques would relocate to Denver,
Colorado and rename themselves the Avalanche in 1995. During the teams first
season in Denver, the Avalanche would win the Stanley Cup, helped by Ricci's
six goals and 11 assists during the playoffs. He would play one more full
season in Colorado
In 1997, he underwent shoulder surgery and ended up
missing the first 16 games of the regular season. He returned for the next six
games before being traded to San Jose along with Colorado's 2nd round draft
pick in exchange for the Sharks first round draft pick and Shean Donovan.
Mike soon established himself as a fan favorite, more for his
consistent hustle than for his trademark toothless smile and flowing locks. He
has played in 245 out of his last 246 regular season games over the past three
seasons. In two and a half season, Ricci has scored 42 regular season goals and
64 assists. He scored five goals during the 1999-2000 playoffs, including a
clutch goal in the Sharks series clinching victory over St Louis in the first
round.
Mike played in his 700th game during the 1999-2000 season.
|
| SCOUTING
REPORT |
Mike is a grinding
centerman who is willing to pay the price to score goals. His work ethic and
skills have made him a mainstay in the NHL, although he's not an offensive
force. His core skills make him a valuable player to have on any bench. He
excels at penalty killing and faceoffs (led the Sharks in face-offs won in
1997-98).
His biggest drawback is a lack of speed, although he is smart
enough to play consistent positional hockey. This is a must for defensive first
systems, such as San Jose's. Ricci plays exceptional defensive hockey in his
own zone (nominated for the Selke Trophy in 1999-2000).
|
| AWARDS and
RECOGNITION |
Nominated for the
Selke Trophy (2000)
Sharks Iron Man Award (1999, 2000)
Stanley Cup Winner
(1996 - Colorado)
CHL Player of the Year (1990)
Red Tilson Trophy (OHL -
1990)
William Hanley Trophy (OHL - 1990)
OHL First Team All-Star
(1990)
OHL Second Team All-Star (1989)
|
| REGULAR SEASON
STATISTICS |
| Season |
Team |
League |
GP |
G |
A |
TP |
PIM |
| 1987-88 |
Peterborough |
OHL |
41 |
24 |
37 |
61 |
20 |
| 1988-89 |
Peterborough |
OHL |
60 |
54 |
52 |
106 |
43 |
| 1989-90 |
Peterborough |
OHL |
60 |
52 |
64 |
116 |
39 |
| 1990-91 |
Philadelphia |
NHL |
68 |
21 |
20 |
41 |
64 |
| 1991-92 |
Philadelphia |
NHL |
78 |
20 |
36 |
56 |
93 |
| 1992-93 |
Quebec |
NHL |
77 |
27 |
51 |
78 |
123 |
| 1993-94 |
Quebec |
NHL |
83 |
30 |
21 |
51 |
113 |
| 1994-95 |
Quebec |
NHL |
48 |
15 |
21 |
36 |
40 |
| 1995-96 |
Colorado |
NHL |
62 |
6 |
21 |
27 |
52 |
| 1996-97 |
Colorado |
NHL |
63 |
13 |
19 |
32 |
59 |
| 1997-98 |
Colorado |
NHL |
6 |
0 |
4 |
4 |
2 |
| 1997-98 |
San Jose |
NHL |
59 |
9 |
14 |
23 |
30 |
| 1998-99 |
San Jose |
NHL |
82 |
13 |
26 |
39 |
68 |
| 1999-00 |
San Jose |
NHL |
82 |
20 |
24 |
44 |
60 |
| 2000-01 |
San Jose |
NHL |
81 |
22 |
22 |
44 |
65 |
| 2001-02 |
San Jose |
NHL |
79 |
19 |
34 |
53 |
44 |
| NHL
Total |
|
868 |
215 |
313 |
528 |
813 |
|
| PLAYOFF
STATISTICS |
| Season |
Team |
League |
GP |
G |
A |
TP |
PIM |
| 1988-89 |
Peterborough |
OHL |
17 |
19 |
16 |
35 |
18 |
| 1989-90 |
Peterborough |
OHL |
12 |
5 |
7 |
12 |
26 |
| 1992-93 |
Quebec |
NHL |
6 |
0 |
6 |
6 |
8 |
| 1994-95 |
Quebec |
NHL |
6 |
1 |
3 |
4 |
8 |
| 1995-96 |
Colorado |
NHL |
22 |
6 |
11 |
17 |
18 |
| 1996-97 |
Colorado |
NHL |
17 |
2 |
4 |
6 |
17 |
| 1997-98 |
San Jose |
NHL |
6 |
1 |
3 |
4 |
6 |
| 1998-99 |
San Jose |
NHL |
6 |
2 |
3 |
5 |
10 |
| 1999-00 |
San Jose |
NHL |
12 |
1 |
5 |
6 |
2 |
| 2000-01 |
San Jose |
NHL |
6 |
0 |
3 |
3 |
0 |
| 2001-02 |
San Jose |
NHL |
12 |
4 |
6 |
10 |
4 |
| NHL
Total |
|
93 |
21 |
40 |
61 |
73 |
|
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