Ed Jovanovski
Encyclopedia
Edward Jovanovski is a Canadian professional ice hockey
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...

 of Macedonian descent, an alternate captain for the Florida Panthers
Florida Panthers
The Florida Panthers are a professional ice hockey team based in Sunrise, Florida, in the Miami metropolitan area. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . They play their games at the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise and are the...

 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 played major junior for two seasons with the Windsor Spitfires
Windsor Spitfires
The Windsor Spitfires are a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League. The team is based in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. The franchise was granted for the 1975–76 season and revived a previous OHA Jr. A Spitfires team which moved to become the Hamilton Tiger Cubs in 1953.-History:The...

 of the Ontario Hockey League
Ontario Hockey League
The Ontario Hockey League is one of the three Major Junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League. The league is for players aged 15-20.The OHL also operates under the Ontario Hockey Federation of Hockey Canada....

 (OHL), earning First All-Star, Second All-Star and All-Rookie Team honours. He was selected first overall in the 1994 NHL Entry Draft
1994 NHL Entry Draft
The 1994 NHL Entry Draft was held at the Hartford Civic Center on June 28–29, 1994.-Selections by round:Club teams are located in North America unless otherwise noted.-Round one:-Round two:-Round three:-Round four:...

 by the Florida Panthers
Florida Panthers
The Florida Panthers are a professional ice hockey team based in Sunrise, Florida, in the Miami metropolitan area. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . They play their games at the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise and are the...

. During his rookie season, he earned All-Rookie Team
NHL All-Rookie Team
The NHL All-Rookie Team is chosen by the Professional Hockey Writers' Association from the best rookies in the National Hockey League at each position for the season just concluded based on their performance in that year...

 honours and helped the Panthers advance to the Stanley Cup Finals
Stanley Cup Finals
The Stanley Cup Finals is the championship series to determine the winner of the Stanley Cup, emblematic of the professional club championship of ice hockey. Although the Cup itself has existed since 1893, an annual championship series between professional teams was not established until 1913...

, where they lost to 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...

. After three-and-a-half seasons in Florida, Jovanovski 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 a seven-player deal for 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...

. During his tenure with Vancouver, he 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 team's best defenceman three consecutive years. He also led the club's defencemen in scoring four consecutive years. In July 2006, Jovanovski became an unrestricted free agent and signed with the Coyotes. He led the team's defencemen in scoring during his first three years with the club. Known as a two-way defenceman, he has recorded three 40-point and one 50-point campaign in the NHL.

Internationally, Jovanovski plays for the Canadian national team. A one-time Winter Olympian, he won a gold medal at the 2002 Games
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. At the under-20 level, he won gold at the 1995 World Junior Championship
1995 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships
The 1995 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships was the 18th edition of the World Junior Ice Hockey Championships and was hosted in Red Deer, Alberta, Canada with games held throughout central Alberta...

. He went on to play in four Men's World Championships, winning silver in 2005 and 2008. He also represented Canada at 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...

, playing in one game due to injury in the championship-winning tournament.

Major junior (1993–95)

After playing bantam and Junior B in his hometown Windsor, Ontario
Windsor, Ontario
Windsor is the southernmost city in Canada and is located in Southwestern Ontario at the western end of the heavily populated Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. It is within Essex County, Ontario, although administratively separated from the county government. Separated by the Detroit River, Windsor...

, Jovanovski joined the Ontario Hockey League
Ontario Hockey League
The Ontario Hockey League is one of the three Major Junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League. The league is for players aged 15-20.The OHL also operates under the Ontario Hockey Federation of Hockey Canada....

 (OHL) with the Windsor Spitfires
Windsor Spitfires
The Windsor Spitfires are a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League. The team is based in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. The franchise was granted for the 1975–76 season and revived a previous OHA Jr. A Spitfires team which moved to become the Hamilton Tiger Cubs in 1953.-History:The...

. In his rookie season with the Spitfires, Jovanovski led all team defencemen in scoring, with 50 points in 62 games. In addition to being voted as the Emms Division's top bodychecker by league coaches, he was named to the OHL's All-Rookie and Second All-Star Teams. That off-season, Jovanovski was selected first overall by the Florida Panthers
Florida Panthers
The Florida Panthers are a professional ice hockey team based in Sunrise, Florida, in the Miami metropolitan area. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . They play their games at the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise and are the...

 in the 1994 NHL Entry Draft
1994 NHL Entry Draft
The 1994 NHL Entry Draft was held at the Hartford Civic Center on June 28–29, 1994.-Selections by round:Club teams are located in North America unless otherwise noted.-Round one:-Round two:-Round three:-Round four:...

. He admitted to being surprised at the top selection, as he had not been ranked first at any point in his draft-eligible season. Czech prospect Radek Bonk
Radek Bonk
Radek Bonk is a Czech professional ice hockey player currently playing for Oceláři Třinec of the Czech Extraliga.-Playing career:...

 was ranked first overall by the NHL Central Scouting Bureau
NHL Central Scouting Bureau
The NHL Central Scouting Bureau or NHL Central Scouting Services is a department within the National Hockey League that ranks prospects for the NHL Entry Draft at specific times during the hockey season. Players are ranked based on how well they will translate to the professional game in the...

, but Panthers president Bill Torrey
Bill Torrey
William A. Torrey was a General Manager and executive in the National Hockey League, most famous for building up the expansion New York Islanders into a dynasty that won four consecutive Stanley Cups...

 preferred a defenceman over a forward.

Following the draft, the 1994–95 NHL season was suspended for three-and-a-half months due to a dispute between NHL players and owners. Consequently, Jovanovski automatically remained in junior for the beginning of the 1994–95 OHL season
1994–95 OHL season
The 1994–95 OHL season was the 15th season of the Ontario Hockey League. Sixteen teams each played 66 games. The Detroit Junior Red Wings won the J. Ross Robertson Cup, defeating the Guelph Storm...

. When NHL was set to resume play in January 1995, it was speculated that the Panthers might sign Jovanovski and call him up to the NHL. However, Panthers general manager Bryan Murray announced he would remain with Windsor, citing that he would likely not receive much playing time with the club. He averaged approximately 40 minutes per game with Windsor that season, scoring 23 goals and 65 points over 50 contests. He added nine points in nine playoff games before Windsor was eliminated. Jovanovski was named to the OHL First All-Star Team.

Florida Panthers (1995–99)

Following his second major junior season, Jovanovski signed a four-year, $5.7 million contract with the Panthers in June 1995. Playing with the club during the subsequent pre-season, he broke his right hand during a fight with Hartford Whalers
Hartford Whalers
The Hartford Whalers were a professional ice hockey team based for most of its existence in Hartford, Connecticut, U.S.A.. The club played in the World Hockey Association from 1972–79 and in the National Hockey League from 1979–97...

 forward Brendan Shanahan
Brendan Shanahan
Brendan Frederick "Shanny" Shanahan is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey winger who currently serves as the National Hockey League's Vice President of Hockey and Business Development and head disciplinarian. Originally drafted by the New Jersey Devils second overall in the 1987 NHL Entry...

. The injury caused him to miss the first 11 games of the season. After recovering, he scored his first career NHL goal against the Whalers on December 2, 1995, a game-winner in a 5–3 victory. He finished his rookie campaign with 10 goals and 21 points over 70 games. During the regular season, he was encouraged by Panthers management to play more conservatively than he was used to in the OHL, focusing on defensive positioning.

Ranking fourth in the Eastern Conference
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....

 going into the 1996 playoffs
1996 Stanley Cup Playoffs
The 1996 Stanley Cup playoffs, the championship of the National Hockey League , began in April, 1996. The sixteen teams that qualified, eight from each conference, played best-of-7 series for conference quarterfinals, semifinals and championships, and then the conference champions played a...

, Jovanovski helped the Panthers advance to the Stanley Cup Finals
1996 Stanley Cup Finals
The 1996 Stanley Cup Final NHL championship series was contested by two teams that had not existed three seasons before, the Colorado Avalanche and the Florida Panthers. The Avalanche won the Cup in a four game sweep to win the franchise's first Stanley Cup, in their first season in Denver since...

. He scored his first career NHL playoff goal in Game 2 of the first round against 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...

 goaltender Craig Billington
Craig Billington
-International:-External links:*...

. Facing 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...

 in the Finals, the Panthers were defeated in four straight games. Jovanovski contributed a goal and nine points in 22 post-season games. In the off-season, he was named to the NHL All-Rookie Team
NHL All-Rookie Team
The NHL All-Rookie Team is chosen by the Professional Hockey Writers' Association from the best rookies in the National Hockey League at each position for the season just concluded based on their performance in that year...

. He was also nominated for the Calder Memorial Trophy
Calder Memorial Trophy
The Calder Memorial Trophy is an annual award given "to the player selected as the most proficient in his first year of competition in the National Hockey League." The Rookie of the Year trophy has been awarded 79 times since its creation for the 1936–37 NHL season...

 as the league's best rookie, alongside 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...

 forward Eric Daze
Eric Daze
Éric Dazé is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey winger for the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League for eleven seasons.- Playing career :...

 and 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...

 forward Daniel Alfredsson
Daniel Alfredsson
Daniel Alfredsson is a Swedish professional ice hockey player. He is the captain of the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League . He is considered a leader by example and has been compared to former Detroit Red Wings captain Steve Yzerman in his value to the Senators...

, who won the award.

On November 23, 1996, Jovanovski received a three-game suspension from the league without pay. In a game 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...

 the previous night, he illegally left the penalty box ready to fight any opposing players during a break in play. Later in the season, he suffered a knee injury during a game against the Edmonton Oilers
Edmonton 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 ....

 in January 1997, sidelining him for several weeks. The following month, he was involved in an on-ice altercation with 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...

 forward Bernie Nicholls
Bernie Nicholls
Bernard Irvine Nicholls is a former professional ice hockey centre. His junior career was spent with the Kingston Canadians, where he established himself as a dynamic scorer and a multi-faceted talent. He was selected by the Los Angeles Kings in the fourth round of the 1980 NHL Entry Draft, 73rd...

, resulting in a two-game suspension and the maximum $1,000 fine for Nicholls for intent to injure. The accumulated injuries and suspensions caused Jovanovski to miss 21 games in his second NHL season. He scored seven goals and 23 points over 61 contests.

In 1997–98, Jovanovski appeared in 81 games, recording nine goals and 23 points. With his contract set to expire following the 1998–99 season, Jovanovski was beginning to be seen as a disappointment in Florida, failing to improve on his successful rookie year.

Vancouver Canucks (1999–2006)

On January 17, 1999, after three-and-a-half seasons with the Panthers, Jovanovski was traded in a seven-player deal 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,...

. He was sent with Dave Gagner
Dave Gagner
David R. Gagner is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player and current Director of Player Development for the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League.-Playing career:...

, Mike Brown, Kevin Weekes
Kevin Weekes
Kevin Weekes is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who most recently played for the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League . He is now a color commentator on Hockey Night in Canada, and a studio analyst for NHL on the Fly.- Player :Weekes' career began with the Owen...

 and a first-round selection in the 2000 draft
2000 NHL Entry Draft
The 2000 NHL Entry Draft was held from June 24 to 25 at the Pengrowth Saddledome in Calgary, Alberta, following the 2000 NHL Expansion Draft on June 23 for the Columbus Blue Jackets and Minnesota Wild...

 (Nathan Smith) in exchange for 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...

, Bret Hedican
Bret Hedican
Bret Michael Hedican is a retired American professional ice hockey player and a two-time US Olympian.-Playing career:Hedican was drafted 198th overall by the St. Louis Blues in the 1988 NHL Entry Draft. A product of St. Cloud State University, Hedican made his NHL debut in the 1991–92 season with...

, Brad Ference
Brad Ference
Brad Ference is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player.-Playing career:Ference was drafted in the first round, 10th overall, of the 1997 NHL Entry Draft by the Vancouver Canucks...

 and a third-round selection in the 2000 draft (Robert Fried). Joining the Canucks in the midst of a rebuilding period for the franchise, Jovanovski quickly established himself as a top defencemen in Vancouver's lineup. His ability to join the rush as a defencemen complemented the Canucks' up-tempo style of play.

A month following his trade, Jovanovski suffered a broken foot while blocking a shot 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...

 on February 9, 1999. Later in the campaign, he was involved in an altercation with 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 ...

 forward Shayne Corson
Shayne Corson
Shayne Corson is a retired Canadian professional hockey player. He played in the National Hockey League for the Montreal Canadiens, Edmonton Oilers, St. Louis Blues, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Dallas Stars...

. After being high-sticked in the face by Corson, the two players were sent off the ice, at which point Corson entered the Canucks' dressing room to verbally confront Jovanovski. According to Corson, the feud stemmed from comments Jovanovski had said about his family. As a result of entering the Canucks' dressing room, the Canadiens forward was later suspended five games by the NHL, in addition to one game for the high stick. In 31 games with the Canucks that season, Jovanovski recorded two goals and 11 points. Combined with his games played with the Panthers, he totalled 27 points in 72 games.

In his first full season with Vancouver, Jovanovski tallied five goals and 26 points (first among team defencemen) over 75 games. He ranked second among team defencemen in average ice time per game behind Mattias Ohlund
Mattias Öhlund
Mattias Öhlund is a Swedish professional ice hockey defenceman and an alternate captain of the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League . Prior to joining the Lightning, he played eleven seasons with the Vancouver Canucks...

. The following campaign in 2000–01, he led all team defencemen with 12 goals and 47 points over 79 games. He was named to his first of three consecutive NHL All-Star Games in 2001. At the end of the season, he also earned his first of three consecutive 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...

, awarded to the Canucks' fan-voted best defenceman. Jovanovski's offensive emergence helped the Canucks return to the playoffs after a six-year absence. It also marked Jovanovski's first playoff season since 1997.

In 2001–02, Jovanovski scored a career-high 17 goals, ranking second among NHL defencemen. His 48 points ranked sixth among NHL defencemen and was his highest total as a Canuck. The Canucks finished as the eighth seed in the West for the second consecutive season and were 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 the opening round. Jovanovski contributed a goal and five points in six post-season games.

Midway through the following season, he was re-signed by the Canucks to a three-year contract extension on January 27, 2003. The day after signing, he injured his foot, sidelining him for 14 games. With his season shortened by injury, he recorded a career-high 40 assists to go with six goals in 2002–03. His 46 points ranked 10th overall in the league and marked the fourth conescutive year he led Canucks defencemen in scoring. Jovanovski added eight points in 14 post-season games before the Canucks were eliminated in the second round by the Minnesota Wild
Minnesota Wild
The Minnesota Wild are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League ....

. His seven goals led all league defencemen in playoff scoring.

Midway through the 2003–04 season, he suffered a third-degree shoulder separation during a game against the 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...

 on January 25, 2004. Colliding with opposing forward Martin Erat
Martin Erat
Martin Erat is a Czech professional ice hockey player currently playing for the Nashville Predators of the National Hockey League .-Career:Erat was selected 191st overall, in the 7th round of the 1999 NHL Entry Draft...

, he fell to ice and slide into the rink boards. He returned late in the season to help the Canucks secure the Northwest Division
Northwest Division (NHL)
The NHL's Northwest Division was formed in 1998 as part of the Western Conference due to expansion. Like the Pacific Division, the Northwest Division is also a descendant of the former Smythe Division, as three of its Canadian teams played in that division from 1981–1993...

 title. In 56 games, he scored seven goals and 23 points. Adding four assists in seven playoff games, the Canucks were defeated in the first round by 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...

.

Due to the NHL lockout, as well as rib and knee injuries sustained during 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...

, Jovanovski was inactive during the 2004–05 season. When the NHL resumed play in 2005–06, Jovanovski was on pace for a career year, but his season was interrupted by groin, foot and abdominal injuries. He finished with 33 points in 44 games for a career-high 0.75 points-per-game average. The Canucks suffered from Jovanovski missing the final 27 games of the season and did not qualify for the playoffs. Following the 2005–06 season, Jovanovski did not receive a contract offer from the Canucks and became an unrestricted free agent. The decision to let him go was influenced by the re-signings of Daniel
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...

 and Henrik Sedin
Henrik Sedin
Henrik Sedin is a Swedish professional ice hockey centre and captain of the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League . His identical twin brother Daniel also plays for the Canucks. Having played together throughout their careers, the pair are known for their effectiveness playing off one...

, as well as the acquisition of Roberto Luongo
Roberto Luongo
Roberto Luongo is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender for the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League . Born in Montreal, Quebec, he is of Italian and Irish ancestry. He employs the butterfly style of goaltending...

, leaving no room on the team's 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...

 to retain Jovanovski.

Phoenix Coyotes (2006-2011)

On July 1, 2006, Jovanovski joined the Phoenix Coyotes
Phoenix Coyotes
The Phoenix Coyotes are a professional ice hockey team based in Glendale, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They play their home games at Jobing.com Arena....

, signing a five-year, $32.5 million contract. Having received a contract offer from the Panthers, he was speculated to return to Florida, where he spent his summers. He cited being coached by 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,...

 as a strong factor for choosing Phoenix. He was named to his fourth NHL All-Star Game in the subsequent season, but continued to be plagued with injuries. He missed the last 22 games of the regular season with an abdominal injury, limiting him to 29 points (first among Coyotes defencemen) in 54 games.

In 2007–08, Jovanovski set a career-high in points with 51. He was suspended for one game during the season on December 1, 2007, for a hit to the head of Minnesota Wild forward Marian Gaborik
Marian Gaborik
Marián Gáborík is a Slovak professional ice hockey right winger currently playing for the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League . He began his career in the Slovak Extraliga with HC Dukla Trenčín for two seasons before being drafted third overall in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft by the...

. He appeared in his second consecutive All-Star Game in 2008. The following season, Jovanovski's offensive production dipped to 36 points in 82 games, his lowest total since his third season with the Panthers in 1997–98 (not including seasons with major injuries).

Jovanovski began the 2009–10 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...

 missing 10 games with a lower-body injury in November and early-December. Shortly after returning to the Coyotes lineup, he was suspended for two games by the NHL for a hit to the head of Minnesota Wild forward Andrew Ebbett
Andrew Ebbett
Andrew Ebbett is a ice hockey centre for the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League.-Playing career:Undrafted, Ebbett played collegiate hockey with the University of Michigan of the CCHA. After captaining the Wolverines in his senior year, Ebbett was signed as a free agent by the Ottawa...

 with his forearm on December 7, 2009. The following month, he received another two-game suspension for elbowing New York Islanders
New 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...

 rookie forward John Tavares in the head. Over 66 games during the season, he notched 10 goals and 34 points.

Early in the 2010–11 season
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...

, Jovanovski was chosen to serve in place of the suspended Shane Doan
Shane Doan
Shane Albert Doan is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward and captain of the Phoenix Coyotes of the National Hockey League . Doan is the longest tenured player on the club, having played all fourteen of his NHL seasons with the original Winnipeg Jets/Phoenix Coyotes franchise...

 as team captain from October 21–25, 2010. Over a week later, he recorded his first career NHL hat trick in a 4–3 win against the Nashville Predators on November 3. He scored all three goals against goaltender Pekka Rinne
Pekka Rinne
Pekka Rinne is a Finnish professional hockey goaltender currently playing for the Nashville Predators of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:...

, becoming the first Coyotes defenceman to score a hat trick in team history. On December 26, he became the 256th player in NHL history to play 1,000 career games, reaching the feat 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...

.

Return to Florida (2011-present)

Jovanovski signed a four-year contract worth $16.5 million with the Florida Panthers
Florida Panthers
The Florida Panthers are a professional ice hockey team based in Sunrise, Florida, in the Miami metropolitan area. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . They play their games at the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise and are the...

 on July 1, 2011.

International play

Jovanovski competed for Canada's under-20 team
Canada national junior hockey team
The Canadian men's national under 20 ice hockey team is the national under-20 ice hockey team in Canada. The team represents Canada at the International Ice Hockey Federation's World Junior Hockey Championship, held annually every December and January...

 at the 1995 World Junior Championships
1995 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships
The 1995 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships was the 18th edition of the World Junior Ice Hockey Championships and was hosted in Red Deer, Alberta, Canada with games held throughout central Alberta...

, held in Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...

. Scoring two goals in seven games, he helped Canada go undefeated to win gold. Following his NHL rookie season, he was named as a reserve to the Canadian men's team for the 1996 World Cup
1996 World Cup of Hockey
The first World Cup of Hockey , or 1996 World Cup of Hockey, replaced the Canada Cup as one of the premier championships for professional ice hockey ....

. The youngest player on the roster, he did not appear in any games as Canada lost in the final to the United States.

Two years later, Jovanovski competed at the 1998 World Championships
1998 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships
-World Championship Group C :Played March 22-28 in Budapest, Székesfehérvár and Dunaújváros.- Group 1 :- Group 2 :- Final Round 25-28 Place :Hungary was promoted to Group B.- Consolation Round 29-32 Place :...

 in Switzerland. He was the second youngest player on the Canadian squad. He scored two goals and an assist over six games as Canada failed to qualify past the crossover round. He made his second World Championships appearance at the 2000 tournament
2000 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships
-World Championship Group A :Final standings# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # — relegated to Division I for 2001# -World Championship Group B :...

 in Russia. He scored a goal and an assist over nine games. Canada lost the semifinal 2–1 to the Czech Republic
Czech national ice hockey team
The Czech men's national ice hockey team is the national ice hockey team of the Czech Republic. It is one of the most successful national ice hockey teams in the world, currently ranked fifth by the IIHF, behind Finland. It is controlled by the Czech Ice Hockey Association...

, before losing the bronze medal game 2–1 to Finland.

In December 2001, he was chosen to Canada's Olympic team for the 2002 Games
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. Playing the United States in the gold medal game, Jovanovski earned an assist on the game-winning goal, backhanding a saucer pass from the point to Joe Sakic
Joe Sakic
Joseph Steven "Joe" Sakic is a former Canadian professional ice hockey player and current hockey executive. He played his entire National Hockey League career with the Quebec Nordiques/Colorado Avalanche franchise. In his 20-year tenure, Sakic won the Stanley Cup twice, captured numerous NHL...

 on a two-man advantage. Canada went on to win the gold medal by a 5–2 score. Jovanovski had three points, all assists, in total.

Prior to the 2004–05 NHL lockout, Jovanovski played for Team Canada 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...

. He suffered a cracked rib and a second degree sprain on his medial collateral ligament
Medial collateral ligament
The medial collateral ligament of the knee is one of the four major ligaments of the knee. It is on the medial side of the knee joint in humans and other primates. It is also known as the tibial collateral ligament, or abbreviated as the MCL.- Structure :It is a broad, flat, membranous band,...

 during the first game against the United States, sidelining him for the rest of the tournament. He was replaced by San Jose Sharks defenceman Scott Hannan
Scott Hannan
-External links:...

 in the lineup. Canada went on to win the championship over Finland in the final.

The following year, he competed 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...

 in Austria. In the semifinal, Jovanovski scored the game-winning goal against Russia in a 4–3 win. Advancing to the gold medal game, Canada lost 3–0 to the Czech Republic, earning silver. He finished the tournament with a goal and two assists over nine games. Later that year, he was named to his second Canadian Olympic team for the 2006 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...

, but was not able to play due to a lower abdominal injury.

Making his fourth World Championships appearance in 2008
2008 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships
The 2008 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships was the 72nd such event hosted by the International Ice Hockey Federation. Teams representing 48 countries will participate in four levels of competition. The competition will also serve as qualifications for the 2009 competition...

, Jovanovski earned a second straight silver medal. He recorded one assist over nine games as Canada lost in the gold medal game by a 5–4 score in overtime to Russia.

Playing style

Jovanovski is known as a two-way defenceman. Able to contribute offensively, he is an adept puck-carrier and joins plays deep in the opposing team's zone. He plays defence physically, bodychecking opponents primarily with his shoulder. In both aspects of his game, he is considered to play with a high level of risk, taking the chance of being out of position in favour of a good scoring chance or a hit.

Personal life

Jovanovski was born in Windsor, Ontario
Windsor, Ontario
Windsor is the southernmost city in Canada and is located in Southwestern Ontario at the western end of the heavily populated Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. It is within Essex County, Ontario, although administratively separated from the county government. Separated by the Detroit River, Windsor...

, to Kostadin and Lilja Jovanovski. His parents immigrated to Canada in 1973 from Macedonia. Coming from an athletic family, Kostadin was a semi-professional soccer player in Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....

. Jovanovski followed after his father and played organized soccer growing up. He did not start playing hockey until age 11, when his older brother, Denny, joined a team.

During his junior career, Jovanovski and two other Windsor Spitfire teammates were charged with sexually assaulting a 24-year-old woman in February 1995. After a pre-trial hearing in June, the Crown attorney dropped the charges in August due to a lack of convincing evidence.

Beginning his NHL career with the Florida Panthers, he owned a condominium in Boca Raton, Florida
Boca Raton, Florida
Boca Raton is a city in Palm Beach County, Florida, USA, incorporated in May 1925. In the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 74,764; the 2006 population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau was 86,396. However, the majority of the people under the postal address of Boca Raton, about...

. He met his wife, Kristin, in Florida and retained a residence in Boca Raton, where he spent his summers. Jovanovski and Kristin had their first child, daughter Kylie Everett on August 22, 1998. Three years later, Kyra was born, while her twin sister died in utero. Kristin was later pregnant with twins a second time and gave birth to son Cole and daughter Coco on May 25, 2006, in Florida.

In 2005, Jovanovski was featured in a documentary aired on multicultural network Omni Television
OMNI Television
Omni Television, corporately styled as OMNI Television, is a Canadian television system owned and operated by Rogers Communications. It consists of the company's conventional television stations in Ontario, British Columbia and Alberta which are licensed as multicultural stations...

. Entitled The Late Bloomer: Ed Jovanovski, it explored his career, family tragedy and attachments to his Macedonian heritage.

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
1993–94
1993–94 OHL season
The 1993–94 OHL season was the 14th season of the Ontario Hockey League. Sixteen teams each played 66 games. The North Bay Centennials won the J...

Windsor Spitfires
Windsor Spitfires
The Windsor Spitfires are a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League. The team is based in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. The franchise was granted for the 1975–76 season and revived a previous OHA Jr. A Spitfires team which moved to become the Hamilton Tiger Cubs in 1953.-History:The...

OHL
Ontario Hockey League
The Ontario Hockey League is one of the three Major Junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League. The league is for players aged 15-20.The OHL also operates under the Ontario Hockey Federation of Hockey Canada....

62 15 35 50 221 4 0 0 0 15
1994–95
1994–95 OHL season
The 1994–95 OHL season was the 15th season of the Ontario Hockey League. Sixteen teams each played 66 games. The Detroit Junior Red Wings won the J. Ross Robertson Cup, defeating the Guelph Storm...

Windsor Spitfires OHL 50 23 42 65 198 9 2 7 9 39
1995–96 Florida Panthers
Florida Panthers
The Florida Panthers are a professional ice hockey team based in Sunrise, Florida, in the Miami metropolitan area. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . They play their games at the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise and are the...

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...

70 10 11 21 137 22 1 8 9 52
1996–97 Florida Panthers NHL 61 7 16 23 172 5 0 0 0 4
1997–98 Florida Panthers NHL 81 9 14 23 158
1998–99 Florida Panthers NHL 41 3 13 16 82
1998–99 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 31 2 9 11 44
1999–00 Vancouver Canucks NHL 75 5 21 26 54
2000–01 Vancouver Canucks NHL 79 12 35 47 102 4 1 1 2 0
2001–02 Vancouver Canucks NHL 82 17 31 48 101 6 1 4 5 8
2002–03 Vancouver Canucks NHL 67 6 40 46 13 14 7 1 8 22
2003–04 Vancouver Canucks NHL 56 7 16 23 64 7 0 4 4 6
2005–06 Vancouver Canucks NHL 44 8 25 33 58
2006–07 Phoenix Coyotes
Phoenix Coyotes
The Phoenix Coyotes are a professional ice hockey team based in Glendale, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They play their home games at Jobing.com Arena....

NHL 54 11 18 29 63
2007–08 Phoenix Coyotes NHL 80 12 39 51 73
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...

Phoenix Coyotes NHL 82 9 27 36 106
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...

Phoenix Coyotes NHL 66 10 24 34 55 7 1 0 1 4
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...

Phoenix Coyotes NHL 50 5 9 14 39 4 0 1 1 2
NHL totals 1019 133 348 481 1421 69 11 19 30 98

International

Year Team Event GP G A Pts PIM
1995
1995 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships
The 1995 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships was the 18th edition of the World Junior Ice Hockey Championships and was hosted in Red Deer, Alberta, Canada with games held throughout central Alberta...

Canada 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...

7 2 0 2 4
1998
1998 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships
-World Championship Group C :Played March 22-28 in Budapest, Székesfehérvár and Dunaújváros.- Group 1 :- Group 2 :- Final Round 25-28 Place :Hungary was promoted to Group B.- Consolation Round 29-32 Place :...

Canada WC
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...

6 2 1 3 6
2000
2000 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships
-World Championship Group A :Final standings# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # — relegated to Division I for 2001# -World Championship Group B :...

Canada WC 9 1 1 2 8
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:...

Canada Oly.
Ice hockey at the Olympic Games
Ice hockey tournaments have been staged at the Olympic Games since 1920. The men's tournament was introduced at the 1920 Summer Olympics and was transferred permanently to the Winter Olympic Games programme in 1924. The women's tournament was first held at the 1998 Winter Olympics...

6 0 3 3 4
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...

Canada WCH
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...

1 0 0 0 0
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...

Canada WC 9 1 2 3 8
2008
2008 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships
The 2008 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships was the 72nd such event hosted by the International Ice Hockey Federation. Teams representing 48 countries will participate in four levels of competition. The competition will also serve as qualifications for the 2009 competition...

Canada WC 9 0 1 1 4
Junior int'l totals 7 2 0 2 4
Senior int'l totals 40 4 7 11 30

OHL

Award Year
All-Rookie Team 1994
1993–94 OHL season
The 1993–94 OHL season was the 14th season of the Ontario Hockey League. Sixteen teams each played 66 games. The North Bay Centennials won the J...

Second All-Star Team 1994
1993–94 OHL season
The 1993–94 OHL season was the 14th season of the Ontario Hockey League. Sixteen teams each played 66 games. The North Bay Centennials won the J...

First All-Star Team 1995
1994–95 OHL season
The 1994–95 OHL season was the 15th season of the Ontario Hockey League. Sixteen teams each played 66 games. The Detroit Junior Red Wings won the J. Ross Robertson Cup, defeating the Guelph Storm...


NHL

Award Year
All-Rookie Team
NHL All-Rookie Team
The NHL All-Rookie Team is chosen by the Professional Hockey Writers' Association from the best rookies in the National Hockey League at each position for the season just concluded based on their performance in that year...

 
1996
Calder Memorial Trophy
Calder Memorial Trophy
The Calder Memorial Trophy is an annual award given "to the player selected as the most proficient in his first year of competition in the National Hockey League." The Rookie of the Year trophy has been awarded 79 times since its creation for the 1936–37 NHL season...

 Runner-up
1996
All-Star Game  2001, 2002, 2003, 2007, 2008

Vancouver Canucks

Award Year
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...

 (Canucks' best defenceman)
2001, 2002, 2003

External links

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