Christian Ehrhoff
Encyclopedia
Christian Ehrhoff is a German professional ice hockey
defenceman
who plays for the Buffalo Sabres
of the National Hockey League
(NHL). He is known primarily as an offensive defenceman with strong skating and shooting abilities.
Before playing in the NHL, Ehrhoff spent several years playing professionally in Germany, starting with EV Duisburg of the third-tier Oberliga
and the Krefeld Penguins
of the premiere Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL). He spent three years with Krefeld, winning the German championship
in 2003. Selected 106th overall by the San Jose Sharks
in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft
, Ehrhoff moved to North America for the 2003–04 season. He spent one-and-a-half seasons with the Cleveland Barons, the Sharks' American Hockey League
(AHL) affiliate, before joining San Jose on a full-time basis, beginning in 2005–06. After playing six seasons within the Sharks' organization, he was traded to the Vancouver Canucks
in August 2009. During his two seasons with the club, he won back-to-back Babe Pratt Trophies
as the team's top defenceman and helped them to the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals
, where they lost to the Boston Bruins
. Internationally, Ehrhoff has played for the German national team
in numerous tournaments, including three Winter Olympics, four World Championships
and a World Cup
.
, a city on the left bank of the Rhine. His father, Achim, is a drummer
in a band, and he has a sister named Katrin. Ehrhoff first played hockey at the age of six, deciding to play the sport after watching an NHL game on television. As his hometown did not have a hockey program, he played minor hockey 20 kilometres away in the Krefeld Penguins
' system. He won a national championship with the club around the age of 12; Ehrhoff has recalled scoring in the final on a penalty shot
. Following the NHL growing up, Ehrhoff has singled out Wayne Gretzky
, Pavel Bure
and Uwe Krupp
as his childhood heroes. He was inspired to play in the style of an offensive defenceman after watching a video of Bobby Orr
as a 10-year-old.
At the age of 16, he considered moving to North America to further his hockey career in the major junior
Canadian Hockey League
, but his father had developed Hodgkin's lymphoma
at the time. Ehrhoff consequently decided to stay in Germany and continued in Krefeld's system at the junior level; his father eventually overcame the cancer.
, Ehrhoff signed a professional contract with the team in 1999, at the age of 17. He debuted in nine games with Krefeld in Germany's premiere Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL), while primarily playing with EV Duisburg of the third-tier Oberliga
on loan. Over the course of the season, he practiced mornings with Krefeld and evenings with Duisburg. He finished his first professional season with 15 points in 41 games with Duisburg and a goal in nine games for Krefeld. The following season, he joined Krefeld full-time and had 14 points in 58 games for the team in addition to three points in six games with Duisburg. After the conclusion of the season, Ehrhoff was selected 106th overall in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft
by the San Jose Sharks
. One of three Germans selected by the Sharks in the draft, Ehrhoff was happy to be taken by the team, as they also had another German, Marco Sturm
, on their roster at the time.
Ehrhoff attended the Sharks' subsequent training camp following the draft, but was returned to Germany as an early cut on September 11, 2001. Continuing to play for Krefeld, he notched 24 points in 46 games. Despite impressing with his skating and offensive skills at the Sharks' 2002 training camp, he was returned to Krefeld for the second straight year. After notching a German career-high 27 points in 48 games in 2002–03, Ehrhoff helped Krefeld win a German championship
in his final season with the club. He recorded nine points in the post-season.
. He recorded his first point, an assist, on November 15 against the Toronto Maple Leafs
. Later that month, he scored his first NHL goal, a game winner against Michael Leighton
in a 3–2 win against the Chicago Blackhawks
on November 26. Ehrhoff was selected to play in the 2004 NHL YoungStars Game
, along with teammate Jonathan Cheechoo
. Aftering helping the Western Conference
YoungStars to a 7–3 win over the East
, Ehrhoff also did colour commentary during the All-Star Game for a German telecast
.
Ehrhoff was often a healthy scratch with the Sharks during his rookie season and spent time with their AHL
affiliate, the Cleveland Barons
. In 41 games with the Sharks during the 2003–04 season, Ehrhoff recorded 12 points in 41 games. In the 27 games he played for the Barons, he notched 14 points. He began asserting himself early in his NHL career as an excellent skater with offensive capabilities. Ehrhoff then played a full season with the Barons in 2004–05
due to the NHL lockout, tallying 35 points in 79 games. He was chosen to represent PlanetUSA in the 2005 AHL All-Star Game in Manchester, New Hampshire
.
Returning to the Sharks in 2005–06, Ehrhoff recorded a 23-point campaign. He began earning more ice time near the end of the season as he improved his defensive play. On April 13, 2006, he scored the game-winning overtime
goal against the Vancouver Canucks
for the Sharks to clinch a playoff
berth. San Jose had been eight points out of a playoff spot with a month and a half remaining in the season. Ehrhoff added eight points over 11 post-season games – first among team defencemen – in his first Stanley Cup playoffs as the Sharks were eliminated in the second round by the Edmonton Oilers. He then signed a two-year contract worth US$1.7 million in the off-season.
Ehrhoff responded with a career-high 33 points in 2006–07. He notched a personal best three assists in one game late in the season in a 3–2 win against the Los Angeles Kings
on March 27, 2007. San Jose were once again losers in the second round of the playoffs, being eliminated by the Detroit Red Wings
in six games. Ehrhoff had two assists in 11 post-season games. His regular season production decreased to 22 points in the 2007–08 season. On December 28, 2007, Ehrhoff was awarded a penalty shot during a game against the St. Louis Blues; he missed against Manny Legace
, as the Sharks won 1–0. Later in the season, he missed four games due to a lower body injury, suffered on April 6, 2008. After finishing as the second seed in the West, San Jose were defeated in the second round against the Dallas Stars
. Ehrhoff notched five assists in 10 playoff games.
Ehrhoff became a restricted free agent
once more in July 2008 and re-signed with the Sharks to a three-year contract worth $9.3 million. The following season in 2008–09
, he reached the 40-point mark for the first time in his career with 42 points in 77 games. He had missed three games in March 2009 due to a lower body injury. Ehrhoff's personal success coincided with a franchise year for the Sharks, who earned their first Presidents' Trophy
as regular season champions in team history with 117 points. In the ensuing playoffs, however, they suffered a first-round defeat to the eight-seeded Anaheim Ducks
. Ehrhoff was pointless in six games.
in exchange for prospects Patrick White
and Daniel Rahimi
. The deal was done primarily to clear salary cap
space in anticipation of the Sharks' acquisition of star forward Dany Heatley
from the Ottawa Senators
. For the Canucks, Ehrhoff's acquisition addressed the need for a puck-moving defenceman to rush the puck up the ice.
Ehrhoff scored his first goal in a Canucks uniform on October 5, 2009, in a 5–3 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets
. The following month, he notched his first two-goal game in the NHL, adding an assist, in a 5–2 win over the Colorado Avalanche
on November 20. Late in the season, he missed two games in April 2010 due to a sprained left knee. Prior to the last game of the regular season against the Calgary Flames
, Ehrhoff was awarded the Babe Pratt Trophy
as the Canucks' fan-voted best defenceman. He finished his first season in Vancouver leading all team defencemen with career-highs of 14 goals, 44 points, a +36 rating and an average ice time of 22:47 minutes per game. His 44 points tied Uwe Krupp
for the most points by a German-born defenceman in an NHL season, while his +36 rating broke the single-season team record shared by Pavel Bure
and Marek Malik
by one point (Daniel Sedin
tied with Ehrhoff for the record in 2009–10, as well). In the subsequent 2010 playoffs
, he added seven points in 12 games. Vancouver was eliminated by the Chicago Blackhawks
in the second round.
In December 2010, Ehrhoff was struck in the ear by a puck during a game against the Anaheim Ducks. He left the contest with what was initially considered a concussion; however, he was later diagnosed with vertigo
instead and missed three games. Recording new career-highs in assists (36) and points (50), he led all Canucks defencemen in scoring, while ranking seventh among league defencemen. Ehrhoff was awarded his second consecutive Babe Pratt Trophy for his regular season efforts. Having won the Presidents' Trophy
for the first time in team history, the Canucks entered the 2011 playoffs
with the first seed in the West. They eliminated the Chicago Blackhawks, Nashville Predators
and San Jose Sharks in the first three rounds to advance to the Stanley Cup Finals
for the first time in 17 years. Facing the Boston Bruins
, the Canucks lost the series in seven games. While Ehrhoff led Canucks defencemen and ranked second in the league overall with 12 points (2 goals and 10 assists) over 23 games, he had a team-worst -13 rating. It was revealed following the Canucks' Game 7 defeat to Boston that he had been playing with an injured shoulder.
in exchange for a fourth-round pick in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft
. It was reported that Ehrhoff had turned down the same deal that former defensive teammate Kevin Bieksa
had signed the previous day – a five-year, $23 million contract – to remain with the Canucks. Although the Islanders had three days of exclusive negotiating rights with Ehrhoff, general manager Garth Snow
self-imposed a one-day deadline to sign him. Unable to agree on a contract (Snow commented that the proposed deal was "well north" of the Canucks' offer), Ehrhoff was traded to the Buffalo Sabres
on June 29 in exchange for a fourth-round pick in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft
. Two days later, Ehrhoff signed a 10-year, $40 million deal with the Sabres.
, Ehrhoff competed for Germany's under-18 team at the inaugural 1999 IIHF World U18 Championships
, hosted in Füssen
and Kaufbeuren
, Germany. He returned the following year for the 2000 IIHF World U18 Championships
in Switzerland, where Germany finished in seventh place. Ehrhoff then debuted at the under-20 level in Division IDivision I is the highest competitive level for countries that do not qualify for the main tournament. of the 2001 World Junior Championships
. Hosting the tournament in the cities of Füssen and Landsberg, Germany missed a promotion to the main tournament the following year by finishing in second place behind France. Ehrhoff made his second appearance at the Division I level for the 2002 World Junior Championships
in Austria, leading all tournament defencemen with three goals and 10 points in five games. He helped Germany earn a promotion to the main tournament for the following year
, defeating Austria 7–1 in the gold medal game. In both years competing in the tournament, Ehrhoff earned Top Defenceman honours.
Two months after his final international junior appearance, Ehrhoff debuted with Germany's senior team for the 2002 Winter Olympics
in Salt Lake City. He played in seven games as the second youngest player in the tournament. Germany was eliminated by the United States in the quarterfinal with a 5–0 shutout loss. Later that year, he competed in the 2002 World Championships
, scoring five points in seven games. Germany was defeated in the quarterfinal by Sweden 6–2. Ehrhoff made his second World Championships appearance in 2003
, but failed to register a point as Germany were once again losers in the quarterfinal round. After his rookie season in the NHL, Ehrhoff competed for Germany in the 2004 World Cup
. They lost 2–1 to Finland in the quarterfinal. The following year, he registered an assist in six games at the 2005 World Championships
. Germany finished second-to-last in the tournament. After failing to qualify for the quarterfinal, they won one of three games in the relegation round.
On December 21, 2005, Ehrhoff was named to the German Olympic team, along with Sharks teammate Marcel Goc
, for the 2006 Winter Games
in Turin
. His lone goal of the tournament came against Canada, a 5–1 loss. He added an assist in the tournament for two points in five games as Germany failed to win a preliminary game, missing out on the playoff rounds. Four years later, he was named to Germany's Olympic team for the 2010 Winter Games
in his NHL hometown of Vancouver
. He went pointless in four games, while leading his team in ice time. Germany was eliminated by Canada in an 8–2 qualifier for the quarterfinal.
Shortly after the Vancouver Canucks were eliminated from the 2010 Stanley Cup playoffs
several months later, Ehrhoff joined Germany for the 2010 World Championships
. Germany played as tournament host in the cities of Cologne
and Mannheim
. Joining his team midway through the tournament, he missed the first three games before scoring a goal and an assist in six contests. Germany made it to the semifinal, where they were defeated by Russia 2–1. Ehrhoff assisted on Germany's lone goal and was named his team's player of the game. They went on to lose the bronze medal game 3–1 to Sweden. Their fourth place finish marked their best placing at the World Championships since 1953
when they won silver. Leading Germany in average ice time with 23:34 minutes per game, Ehrhoff was named to the Tournament All-Star Team, along with German goaltender Dennis Endras
.
. Upon joining the NHL with San Jose, he had to adjust his game to be more defensive. He gradually became counted upon more in defensive situations and has been used on the penalty kill, as well.
neighbourhood of Yaletown
. During the off-seasons, they return to Germany, where they have a condo in Krefeld
.
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
Defenceman (ice hockey)
Defence in ice hockey is a player position whose primary responsibility is to prevent the opposing team from scoring...
who plays for the Buffalo Sabres
Buffalo Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League .-Founding and early success: 1970-71—1980-81:...
of the National Hockey League
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...
(NHL). He is known primarily as an offensive defenceman with strong skating and shooting abilities.
Before playing in the NHL, Ehrhoff spent several years playing professionally in Germany, starting with EV Duisburg of the third-tier Oberliga
Oberliga (Ice Hockey)
The Oberliga is currently the third tier of ice hockey in Germany. In the 2007-08 season, the Oberliga is split in a northern and a southern group.-1948-58:...
and the Krefeld Penguins
Krefeld Pinguine
The Krefeld Pinguine are an ice hockey team in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga. They play in Krefeld, North-Rhine-Westphalia, Germany at the KönigPALAST. Founded first in 1936, the pro team became a limited liability company in 1994 and joined the top tier Deutsche Eishockey Liga...
of the premiere Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL). He spent three years with Krefeld, winning the German championship
German champions (ice hockey)
- 1912-1948 :- 1949-58: Oberliga in West Germany :- 1958-94: Bundesliga:* Until 1990, the Bundesliga covered only West Germany. After the reunification of the country, East German clubs took part in the competition to.- 1995 - current: DEL :...
in 2003. Selected 106th overall by the San Jose Sharks
San Jose Sharks
The San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California, United States. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft
2001 NHL Entry Draft
The 2001 NHL Entry Draft was held on June 23–24, 2001 at the National Car Rental Center in Sunrise, Florida.-Round one:-Round two:-Round three:-Round four:-Round five:-Round six:-Round seven:-Round eight:-Round nine:...
, Ehrhoff moved to North America for the 2003–04 season. He spent one-and-a-half seasons with the Cleveland Barons, the Sharks' American Hockey League
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...
(AHL) affiliate, before joining San Jose on a full-time basis, beginning in 2005–06. After playing six seasons within the Sharks' organization, he was traded to the Vancouver Canucks
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,...
in August 2009. During his two seasons with the club, he won back-to-back Babe Pratt Trophies
Babe Pratt Trophy
thumb|200px|[[Christian Ehrhoff]] is the most recent recipientThe Babe Pratt Trophy is one of six annual team awards presented to players of the National Hockey League 's Vancouver Canucks...
as the team's top defenceman and helped them to the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals
2011 Stanley Cup Finals
The 2011 Stanley Cup Finals was the championship series of the National Hockey League , and the culmination of the 2011 Stanley Cup playoffs. It was the 118th year of the Stanley Cup's presentation. The Eastern Conference Champion Boston Bruins defeated the Western Conference Champion Vancouver...
, where they lost to the Boston Bruins
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the...
. Internationally, Ehrhoff has played for the German national team
Germany men's national ice hockey team
The German men's national ice hockey team first participated in serious international competition at the 1911 European Hockey Championship. When Germany was split after World War II, a separate East German national ice hockey team existed until 1990...
in numerous tournaments, including three Winter Olympics, four World Championships
Ice Hockey World Championships
The Ice Hockey World Championships are an annual ice hockey tournament organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation . First officially held at the 1920 Summer Olympics, it is the sport's highest profile annual international tournament. The IIHF was created in 1908 while the European...
and a World Cup
World Cup of Hockey
The World Cup of Hockey is an international ice hockey tournament. Inaugurated in 1996, it is the successor to the previous Canada Cup, which ran from 1976 to 1991...
.
Early life
Ehrhoff was born and raised in MoersMoers
Moers is a German city on the left bank of the Rhine. Moers belongs to the district of Wesel...
, a city on the left bank of the Rhine. His father, Achim, is a drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
in a band, and he has a sister named Katrin. Ehrhoff first played hockey at the age of six, deciding to play the sport after watching an NHL game on television. As his hometown did not have a hockey program, he played minor hockey 20 kilometres away in the Krefeld Penguins
Krefeld Pinguine
The Krefeld Pinguine are an ice hockey team in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga. They play in Krefeld, North-Rhine-Westphalia, Germany at the KönigPALAST. Founded first in 1936, the pro team became a limited liability company in 1994 and joined the top tier Deutsche Eishockey Liga...
' system. He won a national championship with the club around the age of 12; Ehrhoff has recalled scoring in the final on a penalty shot
Penalty shot (ice hockey)
In ice hockey, a penalty shot is a type of penalty awarded when a team loses a clear scoring opportunity on a breakaway because of a foul committed by an opposing player. A player from the non-offending team is given an attempt to score a goal without opposition from any defending players except...
. Following the NHL growing up, Ehrhoff has singled out Wayne Gretzky
Wayne Gretzky
Wayne Douglas Gretzky, CC is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and former head coach. Nicknamed "The Great One", he is generally regarded as the best player in the history of the National Hockey League , and has been called "the greatest hockey player ever" by many sportswriters,...
, Pavel Bure
Pavel Bure
Pavel Vladimirovich Bure is a retired Russian professional ice hockey right winger. Nicknamed "The Russian Rocket" for his speed, Bure played for 12 seasons in the National Hockey League with the Vancouver Canucks, Florida Panthers and New York Rangers...
and Uwe Krupp
Uwe Krupp
Uwe G. Krupp is a retired German professional hockey defenceman and current coach of the German national ice hockey team. Following Walt Tkaczuk, Krupp was only the second German-born player to have a lasting career in the National Hockey League...
as his childhood heroes. He was inspired to play in the style of an offensive defenceman after watching a video of Bobby Orr
Bobby Orr
Robert Gordon "Bobby" Orr, OC is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. Orr played in the National Hockey League for his entire career, the first ten seasons with the Boston Bruins, joining the Chicago Black Hawks for two more. Orr is widely acknowledged to be one of the greatest...
as a 10-year-old.
At the age of 16, he considered moving to North America to further his hockey career in the major junior
Junior ice hockey
Junior hockey is a catch-all term used to describe various levels of ice hockey competition for players generally between 16 and 20 years of age...
Canadian Hockey League
Canadian Hockey League
The Canadian Hockey League is an umbrella organization that represents the three Canadian-based major junior ice hockey leagues for players 16 to 20 years of age. The CHL was founded in 1975 as the Canadian Major Junior Hockey League, and is composed of its three member leagues, the Western Hockey...
, but his father had developed Hodgkin's lymphoma
Hodgkin's lymphoma
Hodgkin's lymphoma, previously known as Hodgkin's disease, is a type of lymphoma, which is a cancer originating from white blood cells called lymphocytes...
at the time. Ehrhoff consequently decided to stay in Germany and continued in Krefeld's system at the junior level; his father eventually overcame the cancer.
Germany (1999–2003)
After playing in the junior system of the Krefeld PenguinsKrefeld Pinguine
The Krefeld Pinguine are an ice hockey team in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga. They play in Krefeld, North-Rhine-Westphalia, Germany at the KönigPALAST. Founded first in 1936, the pro team became a limited liability company in 1994 and joined the top tier Deutsche Eishockey Liga...
, Ehrhoff signed a professional contract with the team in 1999, at the age of 17. He debuted in nine games with Krefeld in Germany's premiere Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL), while primarily playing with EV Duisburg of the third-tier Oberliga
Oberliga (Ice Hockey)
The Oberliga is currently the third tier of ice hockey in Germany. In the 2007-08 season, the Oberliga is split in a northern and a southern group.-1948-58:...
on loan. Over the course of the season, he practiced mornings with Krefeld and evenings with Duisburg. He finished his first professional season with 15 points in 41 games with Duisburg and a goal in nine games for Krefeld. The following season, he joined Krefeld full-time and had 14 points in 58 games for the team in addition to three points in six games with Duisburg. After the conclusion of the season, Ehrhoff was selected 106th overall in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft
2001 NHL Entry Draft
The 2001 NHL Entry Draft was held on June 23–24, 2001 at the National Car Rental Center in Sunrise, Florida.-Round one:-Round two:-Round three:-Round four:-Round five:-Round six:-Round seven:-Round eight:-Round nine:...
by the San Jose Sharks
San Jose Sharks
The San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California, United States. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
. One of three Germans selected by the Sharks in the draft, Ehrhoff was happy to be taken by the team, as they also had another German, Marco Sturm
Marco Sturm
Marco Johann Sturm is a German professional ice hockey winger with the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League . Sturm began his career with EV Landshut of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga, playing with the team from 1995 to 1997. Selected 21st overall in the 1996 NHL Entry Draft by the San Jose...
, on their roster at the time.
Ehrhoff attended the Sharks' subsequent training camp following the draft, but was returned to Germany as an early cut on September 11, 2001. Continuing to play for Krefeld, he notched 24 points in 46 games. Despite impressing with his skating and offensive skills at the Sharks' 2002 training camp, he was returned to Krefeld for the second straight year. After notching a German career-high 27 points in 48 games in 2002–03, Ehrhoff helped Krefeld win a German championship
German champions (ice hockey)
- 1912-1948 :- 1949-58: Oberliga in West Germany :- 1958-94: Bundesliga:* Until 1990, the Bundesliga covered only West Germany. After the reunification of the country, East German clubs took part in the competition to.- 1995 - current: DEL :...
in his final season with the club. He recorded nine points in the post-season.
San Jose Sharks (2003–09)
With the expectation from Sharks management that Ehrhoff would join their organization either with the NHL club or in the AHL, he was signed to a contract on June 22, 2003. Ehrhoff made his NHL debut on October 9, 2003, against the Edmonton OilersEdmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division in the Western Conference of the National Hockey League ....
. He recorded his first point, an assist, on November 15 against the Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
. Later that month, he scored his first NHL goal, a game winner against Michael Leighton
Michael Leighton
Michael "Mike" Leighton is a professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the Adirondack Phantoms of the American Hockey League.-Playing career:...
in a 3–2 win against the Chicago Blackhawks
Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They have won four Stanley Cup championships since their founding in 1926, most recently coming in 2009-10...
on November 26. Ehrhoff was selected to play in the 2004 NHL YoungStars Game
NHL YoungStars Game
The NHL YoungStars Game started in 2002, to replace the Heroes of Hockey Old-Timers game during the All-Star Weekend activities. The first four games were played as separate games to the actual All-Star Game, but starting in 2008, it was changed to become part of the NHL Super Skills Competition,...
, along with teammate Jonathan Cheechoo
Jonathan Cheechoo
Jonathan Earl Cheechoo is a Canadian professional ice hockey right winger currently playing for the Peoria Rivermen of the American Hockey League. During the 2005–06 National Hockey League season, he led the NHL with 56 goals and won the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy...
. Aftering helping the Western Conference
Western Conference (NHL)
The Western Conference is one of two conferences in the National Hockey League used to divide teams. Its counterpart is the Eastern Conference....
YoungStars to a 7–3 win over the East
Eastern Conference (NHL)
The Eastern Conference is one of two conferences in the National Hockey League used to divide teams. Its counterpart is the Western Conference....
, Ehrhoff also did colour commentary during the All-Star Game for a German telecast
Broadcasting
Broadcasting is the distribution of audio and video content to a dispersed audience via any audio visual medium. Receiving parties may include the general public or a relatively large subset of thereof...
.
Ehrhoff was often a healthy scratch with the Sharks during his rookie season and spent time with their 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, the Cleveland Barons
Cleveland Barons (2001-2006)
The Cleveland Barons was a professional hockey team in the American Hockey League. They played in Cleveland, Ohio, USA at the Gund Arena between 2001 and 2006....
. In 41 games with the Sharks during the 2003–04 season, Ehrhoff recorded 12 points in 41 games. In the 27 games he played for the Barons, he notched 14 points. He began asserting himself early in his NHL career as an excellent skater with offensive capabilities. Ehrhoff then played a full season with the Barons in 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...
due to the NHL lockout, tallying 35 points in 79 games. He was chosen to represent PlanetUSA in the 2005 AHL All-Star Game in Manchester, New Hampshire
Manchester, New Hampshire
Manchester is the largest city in the U.S. state of New Hampshire, the tenth largest city in New England, and the largest city in northern New England, an area comprising the states of Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. It is in Hillsborough County along the banks of the Merrimack River, which...
.
Returning to the Sharks in 2005–06, Ehrhoff recorded a 23-point campaign. He began earning more ice time near the end of the season as he improved his defensive play. On April 13, 2006, he scored the game-winning overtime
Overtime (ice hockey)
Overtime is a method of determining the winner and loser of an ice hockey match when the scores are tied after regulation. The two main methods are the overtime period and the shootout.-Overtime periods:...
goal against the Vancouver Canucks
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,...
for the Sharks to clinch a playoff
Stanley Cup playoffs
The Stanley Cup playoffs is an elimination tournament in the National Hockey League consisting of four rounds of best-of-seven series. Eight teams from each of the league's two conferences qualify for the playoffs based on regular season records...
berth. San Jose had been eight points out of a playoff spot with a month and a half remaining in the season. Ehrhoff added eight points over 11 post-season games – first among team defencemen – in his first Stanley Cup playoffs as the Sharks were eliminated in the second round by the Edmonton Oilers. He then signed a two-year contract worth US$1.7 million in the off-season.
Ehrhoff responded with a career-high 33 points in 2006–07. He notched a personal best three assists in one game late in the season in a 3–2 win against the Los Angeles Kings
Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles, California. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
on March 27, 2007. San Jose were once again losers in the second round of the playoffs, being eliminated by the Detroit Red Wings
Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...
in six games. Ehrhoff had two assists in 11 post-season games. His regular season production decreased to 22 points in the 2007–08 season. On December 28, 2007, Ehrhoff was awarded a penalty shot during a game against the St. Louis Blues; he missed against Manny Legace
Manny Legacé
Emmanuel Legace, is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who is currently playing for the Springfield Falcons of the American Hockey League. He most recently played in the National Hockey League for the Carolina Hurricanes. He has also played in the National Hockey League for the Los...
, as the Sharks won 1–0. Later in the season, he missed four games due to a lower body injury, suffered on April 6, 2008. After finishing as the second seed in the West, San Jose were defeated in the second round against the Dallas Stars
Dallas Stars
The Dallas Stars are a professional ice hockey team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The team was founded during the 1967 NHL expansion as the Minnesota North Stars, based in Bloomington, Minnesota. The...
. Ehrhoff notched five assists in 10 playoff games.
Ehrhoff became a restricted free agent
Restricted free agent
A restricted free agent is a professional athlete who plays in the KHL, NFL, NHL, or NBA. Such players have special restrictions on the terms under which they can retain or change employment status with their athletic club teams.- NFL :...
once more in July 2008 and re-signed with the Sharks to a three-year contract worth $9.3 million. The following season in 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...
, he reached the 40-point mark for the first time in his career with 42 points in 77 games. He had missed three games in March 2009 due to a lower body injury. Ehrhoff's personal success coincided with a franchise year for the Sharks, who earned their first Presidents' Trophy
Presidents' Trophy
The Presidents' Trophy is an award presented by the National Hockey League to the team that finishes with the most points in the league during the regular season. If two teams tie for the most points, then the trophy goes to the team with the most wins. The winning team is also awarded C$350,000...
as regular season champions in team history with 117 points. In the ensuing playoffs, however, they suffered a first-round defeat to the eight-seeded Anaheim Ducks
Anaheim Ducks
The Anaheim Ducks are a professional ice hockey team based in Anaheim, California, USA. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
. Ehrhoff was pointless in six games.
Vancouver Canucks (2009–11)
In the summer of 2009, Ehrhoff was traded to the Vancouver Canucks on August 28, 2009, along with defenceman Brad LukowichBrad Lukowich
Brad Lukowich is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who plays for the Texas Stars of the American Hockey League. He has won the Stanley Cup once in his career, with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2004. He was on the roster of the Dallas Stars when they won the cup in 1998–99 but did not...
in exchange for prospects Patrick White
Patrick White (ice hockey)
Patrick White is an American ice hockey center who currently plays for EHC Klostersee in the Oberliga. White previously played for the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association...
and Daniel Rahimi
Daniel Rahimi
Daniel Rahimi is a Swedish-Iranian professional ice hockey defenceman, currently playing for HV71 of the Swedish Elitserien. He has previously been a prospect for the San Jose Sharks of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:...
. The deal was done primarily to clear salary cap
Salary cap
In professional sports, a salary cap is a cartel agreement between teams that places a limit on the amount of money that can be spent on player salaries. The limit exists as a per-player limit or a total limit for the team's roster, or both...
space in anticipation of the Sharks' acquisition of star forward Dany Heatley
Dany Heatley
Daniel James Heatley is a Canadian professional ice hockey winger, and alternate captain for the Minnesota Wild of the National Hockey League . Originally drafted by the Atlanta Thrashers second overall in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft, he won the Calder Memorial Trophy as the top NHL rookie in 2002...
from 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...
. For the Canucks, Ehrhoff's acquisition addressed the need for a puck-moving defenceman to rush the puck up the ice.
Ehrhoff scored his first goal in a Canucks uniform on October 5, 2009, in a 5–3 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets
Columbus Blue Jackets
The Columbus Blue Jackets are a professional ice hockey team based in Columbus, Ohio, United States. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
. The following month, he notched his first two-goal game in the NHL, adding an assist, in a 5–2 win over the Colorado Avalanche
Colorado Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver, Colorado, United States. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Avalanche have won the Stanley Cup twice, in 1995–96 and 2000–01. The franchise...
on November 20. Late in the season, he missed two games in April 2010 due to a sprained left knee. Prior to the last game of the regular season against the Calgary Flames
Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is the third major-professional ice hockey team to represent the city of Calgary, following the...
, Ehrhoff was awarded the Babe Pratt Trophy
Babe Pratt Trophy
thumb|200px|[[Christian Ehrhoff]] is the most recent recipientThe Babe Pratt Trophy is one of six annual team awards presented to players of the National Hockey League 's Vancouver Canucks...
as the Canucks' fan-voted best defenceman. He finished his first season in Vancouver leading all team defencemen with career-highs of 14 goals, 44 points, a +36 rating and an average ice time of 22:47 minutes per game. His 44 points tied Uwe Krupp
Uwe Krupp
Uwe G. Krupp is a retired German professional hockey defenceman and current coach of the German national ice hockey team. Following Walt Tkaczuk, Krupp was only the second German-born player to have a lasting career in the National Hockey League...
for the most points by a German-born defenceman in an NHL season, while his +36 rating broke the single-season team record shared by Pavel Bure
Pavel Bure
Pavel Vladimirovich Bure is a retired Russian professional ice hockey right winger. Nicknamed "The Russian Rocket" for his speed, Bure played for 12 seasons in the National Hockey League with the Vancouver Canucks, Florida Panthers and New York Rangers...
and Marek Malik
Marek Malik
Marek Malík is a Czech professional ice hockey defenceman who is currently playing for HC Vítkovice Steel of the Czech Extraliga. Malík played in the National Hockey League from 1998 to 2009. He is best known for a highlight reel shootout goal while with the New York Rangers.-Playing career:After...
by one point (Daniel Sedin
Daniel Sedin
Daniel Sedin is a Swedish professional ice hockey winger with the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League , and serves as an alternate captain for the Canucks during home games. His identical twin brother Henrik also plays for the Canucks, and is the team captain...
tied with Ehrhoff for the record in 2009–10, as well). In the subsequent 2010 playoffs
2010 Stanley Cup playoffs
The 2010 Stanley Cup playoffs of the National Hockey League began on April 14, 2010, after the 2009–10 NHL regular season. The Finals ended on June 9, 2010, with the Chicago Blackhawks defeating the Philadelphia Flyers four games to two to win their fourth championship and their first since 1961...
, he added seven points in 12 games. Vancouver was eliminated by the Chicago Blackhawks
Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They have won four Stanley Cup championships since their founding in 1926, most recently coming in 2009-10...
in the second round.
In December 2010, Ehrhoff was struck in the ear by a puck during a game against the Anaheim Ducks. He left the contest with what was initially considered a concussion; however, he was later diagnosed with vertigo
Vertigo
Vertigo is a form of dizziness.Vertigo may also refer to:* Vertigo , a 1958 film by Alfred Hitchcock**Vertigo , its soundtrack** Vertigo effect, or Dolly zoom, a special effect in film, named after the movie...
instead and missed three games. Recording new career-highs in assists (36) and points (50), he led all Canucks defencemen in scoring, while ranking seventh among league defencemen. Ehrhoff was awarded his second consecutive Babe Pratt Trophy for his regular season efforts. Having won the Presidents' Trophy
Presidents' Trophy
The Presidents' Trophy is an award presented by the National Hockey League to the team that finishes with the most points in the league during the regular season. If two teams tie for the most points, then the trophy goes to the team with the most wins. The winning team is also awarded C$350,000...
for the first time in team history, the Canucks entered the 2011 playoffs
2011 Stanley Cup playoffs
The 2011 Stanley Cup playoffs of the National Hockey League began on April 13, 2011, after the conclusion of the 2010–11 NHL regular season. Game 1 of the Finals was held on June 1, while Game 7 was held on June 15...
with the first seed in the West. They eliminated the Chicago Blackhawks, Nashville Predators
Nashville Predators
The Nashville Predators are a professional ice hockey team based in Nashville, Tennessee. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
and San Jose Sharks in the first three rounds to advance to the Stanley Cup Finals
2011 Stanley Cup Finals
The 2011 Stanley Cup Finals was the championship series of the National Hockey League , and the culmination of the 2011 Stanley Cup playoffs. It was the 118th year of the Stanley Cup's presentation. The Eastern Conference Champion Boston Bruins defeated the Western Conference Champion Vancouver...
for the first time in 17 years. Facing the Boston Bruins
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the...
, the Canucks lost the series in seven games. While Ehrhoff led Canucks defencemen and ranked second in the league overall with 12 points (2 goals and 10 assists) over 23 games, he had a team-worst -13 rating. It was revealed following the Canucks' Game 7 defeat to Boston that he had been playing with an injured shoulder.
Buffalo Sabres (2011-present)
Set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, 2011, Ehrhoff and the Canucks failed to come to terms on a new contract. Three days ahead of his free agency, June 28, 2011, his negotiating rights were traded to the New York IslandersNew York Islanders
The New York Islanders are a professional ice hockey team based in Uniondale, New York. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
in exchange for a fourth-round pick in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft
2012 NHL Entry Draft
The 2012 NHL Entry Draft will be the 50th NHL Entry Draft. The draft will be held on June 22–23, 2012 at the Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It is the first time Pittsburgh will host the draft since the 1997 NHL Entry Draft....
. It was reported that Ehrhoff had turned down the same deal that former defensive teammate Kevin Bieksa
Kevin Bieksa
Kevin Christopher Bieksa is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who currently plays for the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League , serving as an alternate captain for the Canucks during away games...
had signed the previous day – a five-year, $23 million contract – to remain with the Canucks. Although the Islanders had three days of exclusive negotiating rights with Ehrhoff, general manager Garth Snow
Garth Snow
Garth E. Snow is an American retired professional ice hockey goaltender and is currently the general manager for the New York Islanders of the National Hockey League.-Playing career:...
self-imposed a one-day deadline to sign him. Unable to agree on a contract (Snow commented that the proposed deal was "well north" of the Canucks' offer), Ehrhoff was traded to the Buffalo Sabres
Buffalo Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League .-Founding and early success: 1970-71—1980-81:...
on June 29 in exchange for a fourth-round pick in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft
2012 NHL Entry Draft
The 2012 NHL Entry Draft will be the 50th NHL Entry Draft. The draft will be held on June 22–23, 2012 at the Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It is the first time Pittsburgh will host the draft since the 1997 NHL Entry Draft....
. Two days later, Ehrhoff signed a 10-year, $40 million deal with the Sabres.
International career
As a juniorJunior ice hockey
Junior hockey is a catch-all term used to describe various levels of ice hockey competition for players generally between 16 and 20 years of age...
, Ehrhoff competed for Germany's under-18 team at the inaugural 1999 IIHF World U18 Championships
1999 IIHF World U18 Championships
The 1999 International Ice Hockey Federation World Under 18 years old Championship was the first of its kind, It was held between April 8 and 18, 1999 in Fussen and Kaufbeuren, Germany. It replaced the European Under 18 Championship at the top two levels , by including one nation: The USA...
, hosted in Füssen
Füssen
Füssen is a town in Bavaria, Germany, in the district of Ostallgäu situated from the Austrian border. It is located on the banks of the Lech river. The River Lech flows into the Forggensee...
and Kaufbeuren
Kaufbeuren
Kaufbeuren is an independent city in the Regierungsbezirk of Schwaben, southern Bavaria. The city is completely enclaved within the district of Ostallgäu.- Culture and Objects of Interest :* Townhall * Crescentiakloster...
, Germany. He returned the following year for the 2000 IIHF World U18 Championships
2000 IIHF World U18 Championships
-Quarterfinals:-Semifinals:-Fifth place game:-Bronze medal game:-Gold medal game:-Final standings: is relegated to Division I for the 2001 IIHF World U18 Championships.-Scoring leaders:-Goaltending leaders:...
in Switzerland, where Germany finished in seventh place. Ehrhoff then debuted at the under-20 level in Division IDivision I is the highest competitive level for countries that do not qualify for the main tournament. of the 2001 World Junior Championships
2001 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships
-Group B:All times local .-Relegation round: was relegated to Division I for the 2002 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships.-Final round:† Overtime victory.-Quarterfinals:January 2-Consolation round:...
. Hosting the tournament in the cities of Füssen and Landsberg, Germany missed a promotion to the main tournament the following year by finishing in second place behind France. Ehrhoff made his second appearance at the Division I level for the 2002 World Junior Championships
2002 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships
The 2002 IIHF World U20 Championship, commonly referred as the 2002 World Junior Hockey Championships , was the 26th edition of the World Junior Ice Hockey Championships...
in Austria, leading all tournament defencemen with three goals and 10 points in five games. He helped Germany earn a promotion to the main tournament for the following year
2003 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships
-Group B:All times local .-Relegation round:Results from any games played during the preliminary round were carried forward to the relegation round.All times local ....
, defeating Austria 7–1 in the gold medal game. In both years competing in the tournament, Ehrhoff earned Top Defenceman honours.
Two months after his final international junior appearance, Ehrhoff debuted with Germany's senior team for the 2002 Winter Olympics
Ice hockey at the 2002 Winter Olympics
Ice hockey at the 2002 Winter Olympics were held at the E Center in West Valley City and Peaks Ice Arena in Provo, Utah. Both the men's and women's tournaments were won by Canada, defeating the host USA in both games.-Men:...
in Salt Lake City. He played in seven games as the second youngest player in the tournament. Germany was eliminated by the United States in the quarterfinal with a 5–0 shutout loss. Later that year, he competed in the 2002 World Championships
2002 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships
The 2002 Men's Ice Hockey Championships were held between April 26 and May 11, 2002 in Gothenburg, Karlstad and Jönköping, Sweden.It was the 66th annual event, and was run by the International Ice Hockey Federation .- Championship :...
, scoring five points in seven games. Germany was defeated in the quarterfinal by Sweden 6–2. Ehrhoff made his second World Championships appearance in 2003
2003 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships
-Relegation round: avoids relegation by defeating 4-1 in the 2004 IIHF World Championship Far East Qualification game. and are demoted to Division I at the 2004 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships.-Scoring leaders:-Goaltending leaders:-Group A:...
, but failed to register a point as Germany were once again losers in the quarterfinal round. After his rookie season in the NHL, Ehrhoff competed for Germany in the 2004 World Cup
2004 World Cup of Hockey
The 2004 World Cup of Hockey was an international ice hockey tournament. It was the second installment of the National Hockey League -sanctioned competition eight years after the inaugural 1996 World Cup of Hockey. It was held from August 30 to September 14, 2004, and took place in various venues...
. They lost 2–1 to Finland in the quarterfinal. The following year, he registered an assist in six games at the 2005 World Championships
2005 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships
The 2005 Men's Ice Hockey Championships were held March 7 - May 15, 2005, in 7 cities in 6 countries: Vienna and Innsbruck, Austria ; Debrecen, Hungary ; Eindhoven, the Netherlands ; Zagreb, Croatia ; Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro ; Mexico City, Mexico...
. Germany finished second-to-last in the tournament. After failing to qualify for the quarterfinal, they won one of three games in the relegation round.
On December 21, 2005, Ehrhoff was named to the German Olympic team, along with Sharks teammate Marcel Goc
Marcel Goc
Marcel Goc is a German professional ice hockey player currently playing for the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:...
, for the 2006 Winter Games
Ice hockey at the 2006 Winter Olympics
-Leading scorers:-Leading goaltenders:Goalkeepers with 40% or more of their team's total minutes.-Awards:Antero Niittymäki was named the most valuable player and received the Directorate Award for best goaltender of the tournament. Directorate Awards also went to Teemu Selänne for best forward, and...
in Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
. His lone goal of the tournament came against Canada, a 5–1 loss. He added an assist in the tournament for two points in five games as Germany failed to win a preliminary game, missing out on the playoff rounds. Four years later, he was named to Germany's Olympic team for the 2010 Winter Games
Ice hockey at the 2010 Winter Olympics - Men's tournament
The men's tournament in ice hockey at the 2010 Winter Olympics was held in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, from 16 to 28 February 2010. Games were hosted at two venues – Canada Hockey Place and UBC Thunderbird Arena...
in his NHL hometown of Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
. He went pointless in four games, while leading his team in ice time. Germany was eliminated by Canada in an 8–2 qualifier for the quarterfinal.
Shortly after the Vancouver Canucks were eliminated from the 2010 Stanley Cup playoffs
2010 Stanley Cup playoffs
The 2010 Stanley Cup playoffs of the National Hockey League began on April 14, 2010, after the 2009–10 NHL regular season. The Finals ended on June 9, 2010, with the Chicago Blackhawks defeating the Philadelphia Flyers four games to two to win their fourth championship and their first since 1961...
several months later, Ehrhoff joined Germany for the 2010 World Championships
2010 IIHF World Championship
The 2010 IIHF World Championship was the 74th IIHF World Championship, an annual international ice hockey tournament. It took place between 7 and 23 May 2010 in Germany. The games were played in the Lanxess Arena in Cologne, SAP Arena in Mannheim, and one game at Veltins-Arena in Gelsenkirchen...
. Germany played as tournament host in the cities of Cologne
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
and Mannheim
Mannheim
Mannheim is a city in southwestern Germany. With about 315,000 inhabitants, Mannheim is the second-largest city in the Bundesland of Baden-Württemberg, following the capital city of Stuttgart....
. Joining his team midway through the tournament, he missed the first three games before scoring a goal and an assist in six contests. Germany made it to the semifinal, where they were defeated by Russia 2–1. Ehrhoff assisted on Germany's lone goal and was named his team's player of the game. They went on to lose the bronze medal game 3–1 to Sweden. Their fourth place finish marked their best placing at the World Championships since 1953
1953 World Ice Hockey Championships
The 1953 Men's Ice Hockey World Championships were held between March 7 and March 15, 1953 in Basel and Zurich, Switzerland.This was the first world championship tournament with only European teams....
when they won silver. Leading Germany in average ice time with 23:34 minutes per game, Ehrhoff was named to the Tournament All-Star Team, along with German goaltender Dennis Endras
Dennis Endras
Dennis Endras is a German professional ice hockey goaltender. He is currently playing with HIFK of the SM-Liiga.-Playing career:...
.
Playing style
Ehrhoff is known as an offensive defenceman. He has strong skating ability, which allows him to quickly carry the puck up the ice, starting plays from his team's defensive zone, as well as join offensive plays deep in the opposing team's zone. He also possesses a hard shot, which earns him significant time on the power playPower play (sport)
"Power play" is a sporting term used in various games.*In ice hockey, a team is said to be on a power play when at least one opposing player is serving a penalty, and the team has a numerical advantage on the ice...
. Upon joining the NHL with San Jose, he had to adjust his game to be more defensive. He gradually became counted upon more in defensive situations and has been used on the penalty kill, as well.
Personal life
Ehrhoff and his wife, Farina, have a daughter named Leni, who was born in mid-2009. During his time with the Canucks, they lived in the VancouverVancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
neighbourhood of Yaletown
Yaletown
Yaletown is an area of Downtown Vancouver approximately bordered by False Creek, Robson, and Homer Streets. Formerly a heavy industrial area dominated by warehouses and rail yards, since the Expo 86, it has been transformed into one of the most densely populated neighbourhoods in the city...
. During the off-seasons, they return to Germany, where they have a condo in Krefeld
Krefeld
Krefeld , also known as Crefeld until 1929, is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located northwest of Düsseldorf, its centre lying just a few kilometres to the west of the River Rhine; the borough of Uerdingen is situated directly on the Rhine...
.
Regular season and playoffs
| 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 | ||
| 1998–99 | Krefeld Penguins Krefeld Pinguine The Krefeld Pinguine are an ice hockey team in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga. They play in Krefeld, North-Rhine-Westphalia, Germany at the KönigPALAST. Founded first in 1936, the pro team became a limited liability company in 1994 and joined the top tier Deutsche Eishockey Liga... Jr. |
GER Jr. | 22 | 10 | 14 | 24 | 46 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1999–00 | EV Duisburg | Oberliga Oberliga (Ice Hockey) The Oberliga is currently the third tier of ice hockey in Germany. In the 2007-08 season, the Oberliga is split in a northern and a southern group.-1948-58:... |
41 | 3 | 12 | 15 | 50 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1999–00 | Krefeld Penguins | DEL | 9 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2000–01 | EV Duisburg | Oberliga | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2000–01 | Krefeld Penguins | DEL | 58 | 3 | 11 | 14 | 73 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2001–02 | Krefeld Penguins | DEL | 46 | 7 | 17 | 24 | 81 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||
| 2002–03 | Krefeld Penguins | DEL | 48 | 10 | 17 | 27 | 54 | 14 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 24 | ||
| 2003–04 | San Jose Sharks San Jose Sharks The San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California, United States. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western 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... |
41 | 1 | 11 | 12 | 14 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2003–04 2003–04 AHL season The 2003–04 AHL season was the 68th season of the American Hockey League. The league introduces the Willie Marshall Award in honour the career points leader in the AHL, and awards it to the annual top goal scorer.... |
Cleveland Barons | 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... |
27 | 4 | 10 | 14 | 43 | 9 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 11 | ||
| 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... |
Cleveland Barons | AHL | 79 | 12 | 23 | 35 | 103 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2005–06 | San Jose Sharks | NHL | 64 | 5 | 18 | 23 | 32 | 11 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 18 | ||
| 2006–07 | San Jose Sharks | NHL | 82 | 10 | 23 | 33 | 63 | 11 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 6 | ||
| 2007–08 | San Jose Sharks | NHL | 77 | 1 | 21 | 22 | 72 | 10 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 14 | ||
| 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... |
San Jose Sharks | NHL | 77 | 8 | 34 | 42 | 63 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||
| 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... |
Vancouver Canucks Vancouver Canucks The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,... |
NHL | 80 | 14 | 30 | 44 | 42 | 12 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 8 | ||
| 2010–11 2010–11 NHL season The 2010–11 NHL season was the 94th season of operation of the National Hockey League . It was the fourth consecutive season that opened in Europe with NHL Premiere . A record three events were scheduled, all in previous NHL Premiere cities: Helsinki, Finland; Stockholm, Sweden; and Prague, Czech... |
Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 79 | 14 | 36 | 50 | 52 | 23 | 2 | 10 | 12 | 16 | ||
| DEL totals | 161 | 21 | 45 | 66 | 208 | 20 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 26 | ||||
| AHL totals | 106 | 16 | 33 | 49 | 146 | 9 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 11 | ||||
| NHL totals | 500 | 53 | 173 | 226 | 338 | 73 | 7 | 27 | 34 | 64 | ||||
International statistics
| Year | Team | Event | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 1999 IIHF World U18 Championships The 1999 International Ice Hockey Federation World Under 18 years old Championship was the first of its kind, It was held between April 8 and 18, 1999 in Fussen and Kaufbeuren, Germany. It replaced the European Under 18 Championship at the top two levels , by including one nation: The USA... |
Germany Germany men's national ice hockey team The German men's national ice hockey team first participated in serious international competition at the 1911 European Hockey Championship. When Germany was split after World War II, a separate East German national ice hockey team existed until 1990... |
U18 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 | |
| 2000 2000 IIHF World U18 Championships -Quarterfinals:-Semifinals:-Fifth place game:-Bronze medal game:-Gold medal game:-Final standings: is relegated to Division I for the 2001 IIHF World U18 Championships.-Scoring leaders:-Goaltending leaders:... |
Germany | U18 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 20 | |
| 2001 2001 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships -Group B:All times local .-Relegation round: was relegated to Division I for the 2002 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships.-Final round:† Overtime victory.-Quarterfinals:January 2-Consolation round:... |
Germany | WJC World Junior Ice Hockey Championships The International Ice Hockey Federation World Under 20 Championship is an annual event organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation for national under-20 ice hockey teams from around the world... (Div I) |
5 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 6 | |
| 2002 2002 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships The 2002 IIHF World U20 Championship, commonly referred as the 2002 World Junior Hockey Championships , was the 26th edition of the World Junior Ice Hockey Championships... |
Germany | WJC (Div I) | 5 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 10 | |
| 2002 Ice hockey at the 2002 Winter Olympics Ice hockey at the 2002 Winter Olympics were held at the E Center in West Valley City and Peaks Ice Arena in Provo, Utah. Both the men's and women's tournaments were won by Canada, defeating the host USA in both games.-Men:... |
Germany | Oly 2002 Winter Olympics The 2002 Winter Olympics, officially the XIX Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event that was celebrated in February 2002 in and around Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. Approximately 2,400 athletes from 77 nations participated in 78 events in fifteen disciplines, held throughout... |
7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | |
| 2002 2002 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships The 2002 Men's Ice Hockey Championships were held between April 26 and May 11, 2002 in Gothenburg, Karlstad and Jönköping, Sweden.It was the 66th annual event, and was run by the International Ice Hockey Federation .- Championship :... |
Germany | WC | 7 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 4 | |
| 2003 2003 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships -Relegation round: avoids relegation by defeating 4-1 in the 2004 IIHF World Championship Far East Qualification game. and are demoted to Division I at the 2004 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships.-Scoring leaders:-Goaltending leaders:-Group A:... |
Germany | WC | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | |
| 2004 2004 World Cup of Hockey The 2004 World Cup of Hockey was an international ice hockey tournament. It was the second installment of the National Hockey League -sanctioned competition eight years after the inaugural 1996 World Cup of Hockey. It was held from August 30 to September 14, 2004, and took place in various venues... |
Germany | W-Cup World Cup of Hockey The World Cup of Hockey is an international ice hockey tournament. Inaugurated in 1996, it is the successor to the previous Canada Cup, which ran from 1976 to 1991... |
4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | |
| 2005 2005 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships The 2005 Men's Ice Hockey Championships were held March 7 - May 15, 2005, in 7 cities in 6 countries: Vienna and Innsbruck, Austria ; Debrecen, Hungary ; Eindhoven, the Netherlands ; Zagreb, Croatia ; Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro ; Mexico City, Mexico... |
Germany | WC | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | |
| 2006 Ice hockey at the 2006 Winter Olympics -Leading scorers:-Leading goaltenders:Goalkeepers with 40% or more of their team's total minutes.-Awards:Antero Niittymäki was named the most valuable player and received the Directorate Award for best goaltender of the tournament. Directorate Awards also went to Teemu Selänne for best forward, and... |
Germany | Oly 2006 Winter Olympics The 2006 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XX Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in Turin, Italy from February 10, 2006, through February 26, 2006. This marked the second time Italy hosted the Olympic Winter Games, the first being the VII Olympic Winter... |
5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | |
| 2010 Ice hockey at the 2010 Winter Olympics Ice hockey at the 2010 Winter Olympics was held at Canada Hockey Place, home of the National Hockey League's Vancouver Canucks, and at UBC Winter Sports Centre, home of the Canadian Interuniversity Sport's UBC Thunderbirds. Twelve teams competed in the men's event and eight teams competed in the... |
Germany | Oly | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | |
| 2010 2010 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships The 2010 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships was the 74th such event hosted by the International Ice Hockey Federation. Teams representing 48 countries participated in four levels of competition... |
Germany | WC | 6 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | |
| Junior int'l totals | 22 | 5 | 13 | 18 | 42 | |||
| Senior int'l totals | 46 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 34 | |||
Awards
| Award | Year |
|---|---|
| World Junior World Junior Ice Hockey Championships The International Ice Hockey Federation World Under 20 Championship is an annual event organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation for national under-20 ice hockey teams from around the world... Division I - Top Defenceman |
2001 2001 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships -Group B:All times local .-Relegation round: was relegated to Division I for the 2002 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships.-Final round:† Overtime victory.-Quarterfinals:January 2-Consolation round:... and 2002 2002 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships The 2002 IIHF World U20 Championship, commonly referred as the 2002 World Junior Hockey Championships , was the 26th edition of the World Junior Ice Hockey Championships... |
| German championship German champions (ice hockey) - 1912-1948 :- 1949-58: Oberliga in West Germany :- 1958-94: Bundesliga:* Until 1990, the Bundesliga covered only West Germany. After the reunification of the country, East German clubs took part in the competition to.- 1995 - current: DEL :... (with Krefeld Penguins) |
2003 |
| Babe Pratt Trophy Babe Pratt Trophy thumb|200px|[[Christian Ehrhoff]] is the most recent recipientThe Babe Pratt Trophy is one of six annual team awards presented to players of the National Hockey League 's Vancouver Canucks... (Vancouver Canucks Vancouver Canucks The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,... ' best defenceman) |
2010 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... and 2011 2010–11 NHL season The 2010–11 NHL season was the 94th season of operation of the National Hockey League . It was the fourth consecutive season that opened in Europe with NHL Premiere . A record three events were scheduled, all in previous NHL Premiere cities: Helsinki, Finland; Stockholm, Sweden; and Prague, Czech... |
| World Championship All-Star Team | 2010 2010 IIHF World Championship The 2010 IIHF World Championship was the 74th IIHF World Championship, an annual international ice hockey tournament. It took place between 7 and 23 May 2010 in Germany. The games were played in the Lanxess Arena in Cologne, SAP Arena in Mannheim, and one game at Veltins-Arena in Gelsenkirchen... |
Records
- Vancouver CanucksVancouver CanucksThe Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,...
record; highest plus-minus rating, single-season: +36 in 2009–102009–10 NHL seasonThe 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...
(surpassed Pavel BurePavel BurePavel Vladimirovich Bure is a retired Russian professional ice hockey right winger. Nicknamed "The Russian Rocket" for his speed, Bure played for 12 seasons in the National Hockey League with the Vancouver Canucks, Florida Panthers and New York Rangers...
and Marek MalikMarek MalikMarek Malík is a Czech professional ice hockey defenceman who is currently playing for HC Vítkovice Steel of the Czech Extraliga. Malík played in the National Hockey League from 1998 to 2009. He is best known for a highlight reel shootout goal while with the New York Rangers.-Playing career:After...
; tied with Daniel SedinDaniel SedinDaniel Sedin is a Swedish professional ice hockey winger with the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League , and serves as an alternate captain for the Canucks during home games. His identical twin brother Henrik also plays for the Canucks, and is the team captain...
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