Jocelyn Thibault
Encyclopedia
Jocelyn Thibault is a retired Canadian
professional ice hockey
goaltender
who played 14 seasons in the National Hockey League
(NHL) for the Quebec Nordiques
, Colorado Avalanche
, Montreal Canadiens
, Chicago Blackhawks
, Pittsburgh Penguins
and Buffalo Sabres
. He is currently the Goaltender coach for the Colorado Avalanche.
He is currently leading a group out of Sherbrooke, Canada to create an expansion team in the QMJHL
10th overall in the 1993 NHL Entry Draft
. He went on to play for the Nordiques, continuing for a short time after they moved to Denver and became the Colorado Avalanche
. In 1995, midway through the Avalanche's first season in Denver, he was traded to the Montreal Canadiens
in the trade that moved Patrick Roy
to the Avalanche. Thibault played two seasons with the Canadiens before being traded to the Chicago Blackhawks
in November 1998.
Thibault played his longest stretch with any one team with the Blackhawks—five seasons. His best season was the 2002–03 season when he recorded eight shutouts and made an appearance in the 2003 NHL All-Star Game. He recorded his career best GAA of 2.37 and a save percentage of .915.
After the lockout, Thibault was acquired by the Pittsburgh Penguins
in August 2005, for a fourth round pick in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft
on a two-year contract worth $3m. However, a hip injury contributed to a bad beginning, with the veteran losing twelve of thirteen starts. He was replaced as the starter by Marc-André Fleury
in late November and put on waivers
. In January 2006, he underwent surgery to repair torn cartilage
in his left hip.
He was signed as an unrestricted free agent on July 5, 2007, by the Buffalo Sabres
. He played one season with Buffalo as the backup to Ryan Miller
and was not re-signed.
He has the distinction of being the winning goaltender of the last game at the Montreal Forum
, Maple Leaf Gardens
and the Capital Centre
.
.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
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...
goaltender
Goaltender
In ice hockey, the goaltender is the player who defends his team's goal net by stopping shots of the puck from entering his team's net, thus preventing the opposing team from scoring...
who played 14 seasons in 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) for the Quebec Nordiques
Quebec Nordiques
The Quebec Nordiques were a professional ice hockey team based in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. The Nordiques played in the World Hockey Association and the National Hockey League...
, 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...
, 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 ...
, 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...
, Pittsburgh Penguins
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the first expansion teams during the league's original...
and 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:...
. He is currently the Goaltender coach for the Colorado Avalanche.
He is currently leading a group out of Sherbrooke, Canada to create an expansion team in the QMJHL
Playing career
He was drafted by the Quebec NordiquesQuebec Nordiques
The Quebec Nordiques were a professional ice hockey team based in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. The Nordiques played in the World Hockey Association and the National Hockey League...
10th overall in the 1993 NHL Entry Draft
1993 NHL Entry Draft
The 1993 NHL Entry Draft took place on June 26, 1993, at the Colisee de Quebec in Quebec City, Quebec.-Selections by round:Club teams are located in North America unless otherwise specified.-Round one:-Round two:-Round three:-Round four:...
. He went on to play for the Nordiques, continuing for a short time after they moved to Denver and became 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 1995, midway through the Avalanche's first season in Denver, he was traded to the 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 ...
in the trade that moved Patrick Roy
Patrick Roy
Patrick Edward Armand Roy is a former Canadian ice hockey goaltender. Nicknamed "Saint Patrick," Roy split his professional career between the Montreal Canadiens, whom he played with for 10 years, and the Colorado Avalanche, whom he played with for 8 years, both of the National Hockey League...
to the Avalanche. Thibault played two seasons with the Canadiens before being traded to 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 November 1998.
Thibault played his longest stretch with any one team with the Blackhawks—five seasons. His best season was the 2002–03 season when he recorded eight shutouts and made an appearance in the 2003 NHL All-Star Game. He recorded his career best GAA of 2.37 and a save percentage of .915.
After the lockout, Thibault was acquired by the Pittsburgh Penguins
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the first expansion teams during the league's original...
in August 2005, for a fourth round pick in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft
2006 NHL Entry Draft
The 2006 NHL Entry Draft was the 44th NHL Entry Draft. It was held at General Motors Place in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, on June 24, 2006.The draft order for the first 14 picks was decided during a lottery held on April 20, 2006....
on a two-year contract worth $3m. However, a hip injury contributed to a bad beginning, with the veteran losing twelve of thirteen starts. He was replaced as the starter by Marc-André Fleury
Marc-Andre Fleury
Marc-André Fleury is a French Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender playing for the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League...
in late November and put on waivers
Waivers (NHL)
Waivers is a National Hockey League labor management procedure by which an NHL team makes a professional ice hockey player’s contract and rights available to all other NHL teams. The term refers to the term that other NHL teams 'waive' any claim to a player designated for assignment, re-entry from...
. In January 2006, he underwent surgery to repair torn cartilage
Cartilage
Cartilage is a flexible connective tissue found in many areas in the bodies of humans and other animals, including the joints between bones, the rib cage, the ear, the nose, the elbow, the knee, the ankle, the bronchial tubes and the intervertebral discs...
in his left hip.
He was signed as an unrestricted free agent on July 5, 2007, by 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:...
. He played one season with Buffalo as the backup to Ryan Miller
Ryan Miller
Ryan Miller is a professional ice hockey goaltender for the Buffalo Sabres.Other people named Ryan Miller:*Ryan Miller , video game designer and author*Ryan Miller , lead singer and guitar player for the band Guster...
and was not re-signed.
He has the distinction of being the winning goaltender of the last game at the Montreal Forum
Montreal Forum
The Montreal Forum was an indoor arena located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Called "the most storied building in hockey history" by Sporting News, it was home of the National Hockey League's Montreal Maroons from 1924 to 1938 and the Montreal Canadiens from 1926 to 1996...
, Maple Leaf Gardens
Maple Leaf Gardens
Maple Leaf Gardens is an indoor arena that was converted into a Loblawssupermarket and Ryerson University athletic centre in Toronto, on the northwest corner of Carlton Street and Church Street in Toronto's Garden District.One of the temples of hockey, it was home to the Toronto Maple Leafs of the...
and the Capital Centre
Capital Centre
The Capital Centre was an indoor arena located in Landover, Maryland, unincorporated Prince George's County, Maryland; a suburb of Washington, D.C. Completed in 1973, the arena sat 18,756 for basketball and 18,130 for hockey....
.
Personal
Thibault has three daughters, Noemie, Zoe and Annabel. They currently reside in Littleton, ColoradoLittleton, Colorado
Littleton is a Home Rule Municipality contained in Arapahoe, Douglas, and Jefferson counties in the U.S. state of Colorado. Littleton is a suburb of the Denver-Aurora Metropolitan Statistical Area. Littleton is the county seat of Arapahoe County and the 20th most populous city in the state of...
.
Regular season
| 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 | W | L | T/OTL | MIN | GA | SO | GAA Goals against average Goals Against Average is a statistic used in ice hockey, water polo, lacrosse, and soccer that is the mean of goals allowed per game by a goaltender.... |
SV% Save percentage Save percentage is an ice hockey and lacrosse statistic that represents the percentage of shots on goal a goaltender stops... |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990–91 | Laurentides | QAAA | 20 | 14 | 5 | 0 | 1178 | 78 | 1 | 3.94 | |
| 1991–92 1991–92 QMJHL season The 1991–92 QMJHL season was the 23rd season in the history of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. The league inaugurates the Molson Cup, awarded to the overall "Rookie of the Year," in addition to the existing Michel Bergeron Trophy and Raymond Lagacé Trophy.The top three scorers in the league,... |
Trois-Rivières Draveurs Trois-Rivières Draveurs The Trois-Rivières Draveurs were a junior ice hockey team playing in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. They played at the Colisée de Trois-Rivières, in Trois-Rivières, Quebec. The team was originally known as the Trois-Rivières Ducs and were a founding member of the QMJHL in 1969... |
QMJHL Quebec Major Junior Hockey League The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League is one of the three major junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League... |
30 | 14 | 7 | 1 | 1496 | 77 | 0 | 3.94 | |
| 1992–93 1992–93 QMJHL season The 1992–93 QMJHL season was the 24th season in the history of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. The league inaugurates the Ron Lapointe Trophy, for the "Coach of the Year," and the QMJHL Humanitarian of the Year award. Twelve teams played 70 games each in the schedule. The Sherbrooke Faucons... |
Sherbrooke Faucons | QMJHL | 56 | 34 | 14 | 5 | 1497 | 159 | 3 | 2.99 | 0.904 |
| 1993–94 1993–94 AHL season The 1993–94 AHL season was the 58th season of the American Hockey League. Sixteen teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The St. John's Maple Leafs finished first overall in the regular season... |
Cornwall Aces Cornwall Aces The Cornwall Aces were the AHL affiliate of the NHL's Quebec Nordiques from 1993 to 1995, and the relocated Colorado Avalanche in 1995–96. They were based in the eastern Ontario city of Cornwall, and played at the Ed Lumley Arena inside the Cornwall Civic Complex... |
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... |
4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 240 | 9 | 1 | 2.25 | 0.930 |
| 1993–94 | Quebec Nordiques Quebec Nordiques The Quebec Nordiques were a professional ice hockey team based in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. The Nordiques played in the World Hockey Association and 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... |
29 | 8 | 13 | 3 | 1504 | 83 | 0 | 3.31 | 0.892 |
| 1994–95 1994–95 QMJHL season The 1994–95 QMJHL season was the 26th season in the history of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. The QMJHL unveils an updated logo one season after its special 25th anniversary logo, using a stylized ice skate and the letters of the league's French acronym... |
Sherbrooke Faucons | QMJHL | 13 | 6 | 6 | 1 | 776 | 38 | 1 | 2.94 | 0.903 |
| 1994–95 | Quebec Nordiques | NHL | 18 | 12 | 2 | 2 | 898 | 35 | 1 | 2.34 | 0.917 |
| 1995–96 | 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... |
NHL | 10 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 558 | 28 | 0 | 3.01 | 0.874 |
| 1995–96 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 40 | 23 | 13 | 3 | 2334 | 110 | 3 | 2.83 | 0.913 |
| 1996–97 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 61 | 22 | 24 | 11 | 3397 | 164 | 1 | 2.90 | 0.910 |
| 1997–98 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 47 | 19 | 15 | 8 | 2652 | 109 | 2 | 2.47 | 0.902 |
| 1998–99 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 10 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 529 | 23 | 1 | 2.61 | 0.908 |
| 1998–99 | 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... |
NHL | 52 | 21 | 26 | 5 | 3015 | 136 | 4 | 2.69 | 0.905 |
| 1999–00 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 60 | 25 | 26 | 7 | 3438 | 158 | 3 | 2.76 | 0.906 |
| 2000–01 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 66 | 27 | 32 | 7 | 3844 | 180 | 6 | 2.81 | 0.895 |
| 2001–02 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 67 | 33 | 23 | 9 | 3838 | 159 | 6 | 2.49 | 0.902 |
| 2002–03 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 62 | 26 | 28 | 7 | 3650 | 144 | 8 | 2.37 | 0.915 |
| 2003–04 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 14 | 5 | 7 | 2 | 821 | 39 | 1 | 2.85 | 0.913 |
| 2005–06 | Pittsburgh Penguins Pittsburgh Penguins The Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the first expansion teams during the league's original... |
NHL | 16 | 1 | 9 | 3 | 807 | 60 | 0 | 4.46 | 0.876 |
| 2006–07 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 22 | 7 | 8 | 2 | 1101 | 52 | 1 | 2.83 | 0.909 |
| 2007–08 | 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:... |
NHL | 12 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 507 | 28 | 2 | 3.31 | 0.869 |
| NHL totals | 586 | 238 | 238 | 68 | 32,893 | 1,508 | 39 | 2.75 | 0.904 | ||
Playoffs
| Season | Team | League | GP | W | L | MIN | GA | SO | GAA | SV % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990–91 | Laurentides | QAAA | 5 | 2 | 3 | 300 | 20 | 0 | 4.00 | |
| 1991–92 | Trois-Rivières Draveurs | QMJHL | 3 | 1 | 1 | 110 | 4 | 0 | 2.19 | |
| 1992–93 | Sherbrooke Faucons | QMJHL | 15 | 9 | 6 | 882 | 57 | 0 | 3.87 | |
| 1994–95 | Quebec Nordiques | NHL | 3 | 1 | 2 | 148 | 8 | 0 | 3.24 | 0.895 |
| 1995–96 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 6 | 2 | 4 | 310 | 18 | 0 | 3.47 | 0.904 |
| 1996–97 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 3 | 0 | 3 | 179 | 13 | 0 | 4.36 | 0.871 |
| 1997–98 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 43 | 4 | 0 | 5.53 | 0.750 |
| 2001–02 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 3 | 1 | 2 | 158 | 7 | 0 | 2.65 | 0.909 |
| 2006–07 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 1.000 |
| NHL career totals | 18 | 4 | 11 | 847 | 50 | 0 | 3.54 | 0.891 | ||
Transactions
- June 26, 1993 – Drafted by the Quebec NordiquesQuebec NordiquesThe Quebec Nordiques were a professional ice hockey team based in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. The Nordiques played in the World Hockey Association and the National Hockey League...
in the first round (10th overall) in 1993 draft1993 NHL Entry DraftThe 1993 NHL Entry Draft took place on June 26, 1993, at the Colisee de Quebec in Quebec City, Quebec.-Selections by round:Club teams are located in North America unless otherwise specified.-Round one:-Round two:-Round three:-Round four:...
. - June 21, 1995 – Rights transferred to the Colorado AvalancheColorado AvalancheThe 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 the Nordiques franchise relocated. - December 6, 1995 – Montreal CanadiensMontreal CanadiensThe 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 ...
traded Patrick RoyPatrick RoyPatrick Edward Armand Roy is a former Canadian ice hockey goaltender. Nicknamed "Saint Patrick," Roy split his professional career between the Montreal Canadiens, whom he played with for 10 years, and the Colorado Avalanche, whom he played with for 8 years, both of the National Hockey League...
and Mike KeaneMike KeaneMichael John Keane is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey winger. Undrafted, Keane played over 1100 games in the National Hockey League from 1988 until 2004, and then played five seasons for his hometown Manitoba Moose of the American Hockey League until he retired in 2010...
to the Avalanche for Andrei KovalenkoAndrei KovalenkoAndrei Nikolaevich Kovalenko is a retired professional ice hockey forward. He played in the National Hockey League with the Quebec Nordiques, Colorado Avalanche, Montreal Canadiens, Edmonton Oilers, Philadelphia Flyers, Carolina Hurricanes and the Boston Bruins...
, Martin RučínskýMartin RucinskyMartin Ručinský is a Czech professional ice hockey player currently playing for HC Litvínov of the Czech Extraliga. Ručínský was drafted by the Edmonton Oilers in the first round as the 20th overall selection in the 1991 NHL Entry Draft on June 22, 1991. Ručinský led the Montreal Canadiens in...
and Thibault. - November 16, 1998 – Chicago BlackhawksChicago BlackhawksThe 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...
traded Jeff HackettJeff HackettJeff Hackett is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender who played 15 seasons in the National Hockey League with the New York Islanders, San Jose Sharks, Chicago Blackhawks, Montreal Canadiens, Boston Bruins and Philadelphia Flyers...
, Eric WeinrichEric WeinrichEric John Weinrich is an American former professional ice hockey defenseman who played 17 seasons in the National Hockey League with the New Jersey Devils, Hartford Whalers, Chicago Blackhawks, Montreal Canadiens, Boston Bruins, Philadelphia Flyers, St. Louis Blues and Vancouver Canucks...
, Alain NasreddineAlain NasreddineAlain Nasreddine is a Canadian former professional ice hockey Defenseman who played in the National Hockey League...
and fourth-round selection (previously acquired from the Tampa Bay LightningTampa Bay LightningThe Tampa Bay Lightning are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . They have one Stanley Cup championship in their history, in 2003–04. They are often referred to as the...
– Chris Dyment) in 1999 draft1999 NHL Entry DraftThe 1999 NHL Entry Draft was held on June 26 at the FleetCenter in Boston, Massachusetts. According to Sports Illustrated and other sports news agencies, at the time the 1999 draft was considered one of the deepest in talent in years, headed by Patrik Stefan and the Sedin twins. However, the...
to the Canadiens for Thibault, Dave MansonDave Manson-Playing career:Manson played junior hockey with his hometown Prince Albert Raiders in the Western Hockey League. Manson was drafted 11th overall by the Chicago Black Hawks in the 1985 NHL Entry Draft and joined the team a year later. He also played for the Edmonton Oilers, Winnipeg Jets/Phoenix...
and Brad BrownBrad BrownBrad Brown is a retired professional ice hockey defenceman.-Playing career:Brad Brown was drafted in the first round, 18th overall, by the Montreal Canadiens in the 1994 NHL Entry Draft. Brad was drafted from the North Bay Centennials of the Ontario Hockey League...
. - August 10, 2005 – Traded to the Pittsburgh PenguinsPittsburgh PenguinsThe Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the first expansion teams during the league's original...
for a fourth-round selection in 2006 draft2006 NHL Entry DraftThe 2006 NHL Entry Draft was the 44th NHL Entry Draft. It was held at General Motors Place in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, on June 24, 2006.The draft order for the first 14 picks was decided during a lottery held on April 20, 2006....
. - July 5, 2007- Signed as an unrestricted free agent by the Buffalo SabresBuffalo SabresThe 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:...
.