Alexandre R. Picard
Encyclopedia
Alexandre R. Picard is a Canadian professional ice hockey
defenceman who currently plays for the Pittsburgh Penguins
organization.
of the QMJHL
. The team was highly successful while he was there, even helping them reach the President's Cup
finals in 2002–03. In fact, following that season, he was one of eight players on the team chosen in 2003 NHL Entry Draft
. However, he was among several players traded to the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles
, but returned to the Mooseheads for his final season in the QMJHL, but they had a short post-season berth.
Following the post-season, Picard went to Philadelphia, and began to work-out with the Philadelphia Phantoms
, the AHL
affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers
, who were in the Calder Cup
finals. When teammate Randy Jones
was injured in game two, he was signed to an amateur tryout contract to fill the roster spot. So, Picard played alongside veteran John Slaney
in about a dozen shifts in games three and four to help the Phantoms sweep the Chicago Wolves
.
A month later, the Flyers announced that they had signed Picard to a three year contract to fill the spot left on the Phantoms roster by Patrick Sharp
. So, Picard played his first full professional season for the Phantoms, and also played six games for the Flyers in four stints. He was also called up to be backup for the Flyers during the 2006 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Picard began the 2006–07 NHL season with the Phantoms, but after just six games, he was called up to replace the injured Mike Rathje
and began his rookie season in the NHL. Picard proved he could stay in the NHL when, on February 1, 2007, he recorded five assists in a game against the New Jersey Devils
, nearly tying the franchise record set by Eric Lindros
.
Picard was dealt to the Tampa Bay Lightning
on February 25, 2008 (along with a draft pick), for forward Vaclav Prospal
.
On August 29, 2008, Picard was traded to the Ottawa Senators
along with Filip Kuba
and a first round draft pick for Andrej Meszaros
.
On February 12, 2010, Picard, who had been a healthy scratch for much of the season
, along with Ottawa's second round pick in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft
, were traded to the Carolina Hurricanes
in exchange for Matt Cullen
.
On July 31, 2010, Picard signed a one year contract with the Montreal Canadiens
On July 5, 2011, Picard was signed to a one year, two-way contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins
worth $600,000
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
defenceman who currently plays for the Pittsburgh Penguins
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the first expansion teams during the league's original...
organization.
Playing career
Picard began his career by playing major junior hockey for the Halifax MooseheadsHalifax Mooseheads
The Halifax Mooseheads are a CHL ice hockey club in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League based out of Halifax, Nova Scotia. The team was founded in 1994 and began play in the Dilio division of the QMJHL for the 1994-1995 season. While the franchise has never won a league championship, they have...
of the QMJHL
Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League is one of the three major junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League...
. The team was highly successful while he was there, even helping them reach the President's Cup
President's Cup (QMJHL)
The President's Cup is awarded annually by the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League to the league's playoffs champion.--Winners—Teams that went on to win the Memorial Cup are listed in bold font.-External links:* List of trophy winners....
finals in 2002–03. In fact, following that season, he was one of eight players on the team chosen in 2003 NHL Entry Draft
2003 NHL Entry Draft
The 2003 NHL Entry Draft was held at the Gaylord Entertainment Center in Nashville, Tennessee on June 21, 2003.Marc-Andre Fleury was selected first overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins, only the third goalie in NHL history selected as the first overall draft choice...
. However, he was among several players traded to the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles
Cape Breton Screaming Eagles
The Cape Breton Screaming Eagles are a major junior ice hockey team in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. Their home rink is Centre 200 in Sydney, Nova Scotia.-Franchise history :...
, but returned to the Mooseheads for his final season in the QMJHL, but they had a short post-season berth.
Following the post-season, Picard went to Philadelphia, and began to work-out with the Philadelphia Phantoms
Philadelphia Phantoms
The Philadelphia Phantoms were a professional ice hockey team that played in the American Hockey League from 1996 to 2009. The club was based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and played most of its home games at the Spectrum. During schedule conflicts or some Calder Cup playoff games, games were...
, the AHL
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers
Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
, who were in the Calder Cup
Calder Cup
The Calder Cup is awarded annually to the playoff champion of the American Hockey League. The trophy is the world's second oldest continuous professional ice hockey championship, having first been awarded in 1937 following the 1936-37 AHL season, and continuously being awarded every year.The cup...
finals. When teammate Randy Jones
Randy Jones (hockey player)
Randy Jones is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who is currently playing for the Winnipeg Jets of the National Hockey League . He previously played for the Los Angeles Kings, Philadelphia Flyers and Tampa Bay Lightning....
was injured in game two, he was signed to an amateur tryout contract to fill the roster spot. So, Picard played alongside veteran John Slaney
John Slaney
John G. Slaney is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman and assistant coach currently playing for HC Plzeň 1929 in the Czech Extraliga...
in about a dozen shifts in games three and four to help the Phantoms sweep the Chicago Wolves
Chicago Wolves
The Chicago Wolves are a professional hockey team playing in the American Hockey League. They are the top affiliate of the Vancouver Canucks of the NHL. The Wolves play home games at the Allstate Arena in the Chicago suburb of Rosemont, Illinois...
.
A month later, the Flyers announced that they had signed Picard to a three year contract to fill the spot left on the Phantoms roster by Patrick Sharp
Patrick Sharp
Patrick Sharp is a Canadian professional ice hockey player and alternate captain currently playing for the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:Sharp was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba...
. So, Picard played his first full professional season for the Phantoms, and also played six games for the Flyers in four stints. He was also called up to be backup for the Flyers during the 2006 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Picard began the 2006–07 NHL season with the Phantoms, but after just six games, he was called up to replace the injured Mike Rathje
Mike Rathje
Michael Steven Rathje is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman who played 13 seasons in the National Hockey League for the San Jose Sharks and Philadelphia Flyers.-Playing career:...
and began his rookie season in the NHL. Picard proved he could stay in the NHL when, on February 1, 2007, he recorded five assists in a game against the New Jersey Devils
New Jersey Devils
The New Jersey Devils are a professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey, United States. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
, nearly tying the franchise record set by Eric Lindros
Eric Lindros
Eric Bryan Lindros is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player. Lindros played junior hockey in the OHL for the Oshawa Generals prior to being selected first overall in the 1991 NHL Entry Draft by the Quebec Nordiques...
.
Picard was dealt to the Tampa Bay Lightning
Tampa Bay Lightning
The Tampa Bay Lightning are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . They have one Stanley Cup championship in their history, in 2003–04. They are often referred to as the...
on February 25, 2008 (along with a draft pick), for forward Vaclav Prospal
Vaclav Prospal
Václav "Vinny" Prospal is a Czech professional ice hockey left winger who is currently a member of the Columbus Blue Jackets in the National Hockey League.-Playing career:...
.
On August 29, 2008, Picard was traded to the Ottawa Senators
Ottawa Senators
The Ottawa Senators are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
along with Filip Kuba
Filip Kuba
Filip Kuba is a Czech professional ice hockey defenceman currently playing for the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League...
and a first round draft pick for Andrej Meszaros
Andrej Meszároš
Andrej Meszároš is a Slovak professional ice hockey defenceman currently playing for the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:...
.
On February 12, 2010, Picard, who had been a healthy scratch for much of the season
2009–10 NHL season
The 2009–10 NHL season was the 93rd season of operation of the National Hockey League , and the 100th season since the founding of the predecessor National Hockey Association . It ran from October 1, 2009, including four games in Europe on October 2 and 3—until April 11, 2010, with the 2010...
, along with Ottawa's second round pick in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft
2010 NHL Entry Draft
The 2010 NHL Entry Draft was the 48th NHL Entry Draft, held on June 25–26, 2010 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California, home arena of the Los Angeles Kings. This was the first time Los Angeles hosted the NHL Entry Draft. An unofficial record of 11 American-trained players were selected in...
, were traded to the Carolina Hurricanes
Carolina Hurricanes
The Carolina Hurricanes are a professional ice hockey team based in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League , and play their home games at the 18,680-seat RBC Center...
in exchange for Matt Cullen
Matt Cullen
Matthew David Cullen is a professional ice hockey center, who currently is an alternate captain of the Minnesota Wild of the NHL.-Playing career:...
.
On July 31, 2010, Picard signed a one year contract with the Montreal Canadiens
On July 5, 2011, Picard was signed to a one year, two-way contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the first expansion teams during the league's original...
worth $600,000
Career statistics
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season Season (sports) In an organized sports league, a season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session. For example, in Major League Baseball, one season lasts approximately from April 1 through October 1; in Association football, it is generally from August until May In an... |
Team | League | GP | G Goal (ice hockey) In ice hockey, a goal is scored when the puck completely crosses the goal line between the two goal posts and below the goal crossbar. A goal awards one point to the team attacking the goal scored upon, regardless of which team the player who actually deflected the puck into the goal belongs to... |
A Assist (ice hockey) In ice hockey, an assist is attributed to up to two players of the scoring team who shot, passed or deflected the puck towards the scoring teammate, or touched it in any other way which enabled the goal, meaning that they were "assisting" in the goal. There can be a maximum of two assists per goal... |
Pts Point (ice hockey) Point in ice hockey has three official meanings:* A point is awarded to a player for each goal scored or assist earned. The total number of goals plus assists equals total points. In some European leagues, a goal counts as two points, and an assist counts as one... |
PIM Penalty (ice hockey) A penalty in ice hockey is a punishment for inappropriate behavior. Most penalties are enforced by detaining the offending player within a penalty box for a set number of minutes, during which, the player can not participate in play. The offending team usually may not replace the player on the ice,... |
GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 2001–02 2001–02 QMJHL season The 2001–02 QMJHL season was the 33rd season in the history of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. The league inaugurates the Luc Robitaille Trophy for the team that scored the most goals during the regular season. Sixteen teams played 72 games each in the schedule... |
Halifax Mooseheads Halifax Mooseheads The Halifax Mooseheads are a CHL ice hockey club in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League based out of Halifax, Nova Scotia. The team was founded in 1994 and began play in the Dilio division of the QMJHL for the 1994-1995 season. While the franchise has never won a league championship, they have... |
QMJHL Quebec Major Junior Hockey League The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League is one of the three major junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League... |
59 | 2 | 12 | 14 | 28 | 13 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 6 | ||
| 2002–03 | Halifax Mooseheads | QMJHL | 71 | 4 | 30 | 34 | 64 | 25 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 14 | ||
| 2003–04 | Cape Breton Screaming Eagles Cape Breton Screaming Eagles The Cape Breton Screaming Eagles are a major junior ice hockey team in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. Their home rink is Centre 200 in Sydney, Nova Scotia.-Franchise history :... |
QMJHL | 57 | 10 | 26 | 36 | 44 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2004–05 | Halifax Mooseheads | QMJHL | 68 | 15 | 23 | 38 | 46 | 13 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 14 | ||
| 2004–05 2004–05 AHL season The 2004–05 AHL season was the 69th season of the American Hockey League. Twenty-eight teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Rochester Americans finished first overall in the regular season... |
Philadelphia Phantoms Philadelphia Phantoms The Philadelphia Phantoms were a professional ice hockey team that played in the American Hockey League from 1996 to 2009. The club was based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and played most of its home games at the Spectrum. During schedule conflicts or some Calder Cup playoff games, games were... |
AHL American Hockey League The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League... |
— | — | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2005–06 2005–06 AHL season The 2005–06 AHL season was the 70th season of the American Hockey League. Twenty-seven teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Hershey Bears won the Calder Cup, defeating the Milwaukee Admirals in the finals.... |
Philadelphia Phantoms | AHL | 75 | 7 | 26 | 33 | 82 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2005–06 | Philadelphia Flyers Philadelphia Flyers The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League... |
NHL National Hockey League The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States... |
6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2006–07 2006–07 AHL season The 2006–07 AHL season was the 71st season of the American Hockey League. Twenty-seven teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Hamilton Bulldogs won their first Calder Cup, defeating the defending champions, the Hershey Bears in the finals.... |
Philadelphia Phantoms | AHL | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2006–07 | Philadelphia Flyers | NHL | 62 | 3 | 19 | 22 | 17 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2007–08 2007–08 AHL season The 2007–08 AHL season is the 72nd season of the American Hockey League. Twenty-nine teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Chicago Wolves won their second Calder Cup, defeating the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in the Calder Cup Final.-Team changes:... |
Philadelphia Phantoms | AHL | 53 | 8 | 30 | 38 | 31 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2007–08 | Philadelphia Flyers | NHL | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2007–08 | Norfolk Admirals Norfolk Admirals The Norfolk Admirals are a minor professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League, and are affiliated with the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Admirals play in Norfolk, Virginia, at the Norfolk Scope.-History:... |
AHL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2007–08 | Tampa Bay Lightning Tampa Bay Lightning The Tampa Bay Lightning are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . They have one Stanley Cup championship in their history, in 2003–04. They are often referred to as the... |
NHL | 20 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2008–09 2008–09 NHL season The 2008–09 NHL season was the 92nd season of operation of the National Hockey League . It was the first season since prior to the 2004–05 lockout in which every team played each other at least once during the season, following three seasons where teams only played against two divisions in the... |
Ottawa Senators Ottawa Senators The Ottawa Senators are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League... |
NHL | 47 | 6 | 8 | 14 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2009–10 2009–10 NHL season The 2009–10 NHL season was the 93rd season of operation of the National Hockey League , and the 100th season since the founding of the predecessor National Hockey Association . It ran from October 1, 2009, including four games in Europe on October 2 and 3—until April 11, 2010, with the 2010... |
Ottawa Senators | NHL | 45 | 4 | 11 | 15 | 20 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2009–10 | Carolina Hurricanes Carolina Hurricanes The Carolina Hurricanes are a professional ice hockey team based in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League , and play their home games at the 18,680-seat RBC Center... |
NHL | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2010−11 | Montreal Canadiens Montreal Canadiens The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ... |
NHL | 43 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 17 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| NHL totals | 236 | 19 | 46 | 65 | 82 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
Awards and honours
| Award | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| QMJHL Quebec Major Junior Hockey League The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League is one of the three major junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League... |
||
| Second All-Star Team | 2005 | |