Kyle McLaren
Encyclopedia
Kyle Edgar McLaren is a retired Canadian
professional ice hockey
defenceman
.
in the first round, ninth-overall, during the 1995 NHL Entry Draft
. He played his first NHL season when he was just eighteen in the 1995–96 season, and was the youngest player on an NHL roster that year.
After a few years in Boston, McLaren got into a dispute with the Bruins' management. Reportedly, they offered McLaren a two-way contract
, meaning that McLaren could be made to report to the minor league affiliate of the Bruins, the Providence Bruins
of the AHL
, where he would earn but a small fraction of his NHL salary. An established NHL player at that point, McLaren was insulted and demanded a trade.
In a three way deal, San Jose traded their 1999 first-round pick
Jeff Jillson
and goaltender Jeff Hackett
, previously acquired from Montreal
for Niklas Sundstrom
and a third-round pick, to Boston for McLaren and a fourth-round selection in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft
.
In recent years, McLaren has developed a reputation for having one of the best hip checks in the league. His most notable hip check was in the first round of the 2004 Stanley Cup Playoffs
when he pinned St. Louis Blues winger Petr Cajanek
into the boards near the Sharks' blue line. Cajanek would not play for the remainder of the series. Other memorable hip check recipients include Petr Prucha
and Trevor Letowski
.
During the 2003 season he was struck in the face by a slapshot
from Vancouver’s Sami Salo
and missed 6 games due to his injury. For the remainder of the season he played with a clear visor. He stopped wearing a visor until partway through his 2005 season, when he returned with a yellow tinted visor because its color helped prevent glare of the ice from affecting him. McLaren switched back to a clear one during the 2007–08 season, reportedly because his lucky visor was not helping change his ineffectiveness during San Jose playoff runs.
In 2006, McLaren signed a three-year contract worth US $7.5 million; the deal expired in June 2009. McLaren signed that deal citing how happy he was in San Jose and how much his family loved it there.
On October 7, 2008, McLaren was placed on waivers by San Jose Sharks' general manager Doug Wilson so that the team could accommodate the salaries of newly-acquired defencemen Brad Lukowich
, Dan Boyle, and Rob Blake
within the constraints of the NHL salary cap. He played the season for the Sharks' AHL
affiliate Worcester Sharks
; his salary did not affect the San Jose Sharks' salary cap as he remained in Worcester.
On March 4, 2009, he was traded to the Philadelphia Flyers
for a 2009 sixth-round draft pick, but that deal was later nixed as the Flyers reported that McLaren failed his physical.
McLaren received an invitation to attend training camp with the New York Rangers for the 2009-10 season, but did not make the team after failing a physical.
McLaren received another training camp invite by the Atlanta Thrashers for the 2010-11 NHL season on August 24, 2010 but was released on September 22, 2010.
, McLaren injured Richard Zednik
of the Montreal Canadiens
with an elbow to the face. McLaren received a three-game suspension
from the league.
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...
defenceman
Defenceman (ice hockey)
Defence in ice hockey is a player position whose primary responsibility is to prevent the opposing team from scoring...
.
Playing career
McLaren was drafted by the Boston BruinsBoston 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...
in the first round, ninth-overall, during the 1995 NHL Entry Draft
1995 NHL Entry Draft
The 1995 NHL Entry Draft was held at the Edmonton Coliseum in Edmonton, Alberta. The drafting order was now set partially by a lottery system whereby teams would not be guaranteed first pick if they finished last. Instead, a draft lottery was instituted in which the winner of the lottery could move...
. He played his first NHL season when he was just eighteen in the 1995–96 season, and was the youngest player on an NHL roster that year.
After a few years in Boston, McLaren got into a dispute with the Bruins' management. Reportedly, they offered McLaren a two-way contract
Two-way contract
A two-way contract is a professional sports contract which stipulates that an athlete’s salary is dependent upon the league in which the athlete is assigned to play in...
, meaning that McLaren could be made to report to the minor league affiliate of the Bruins, the Providence Bruins
Providence Bruins
The Providence Bruins are an ice hockey team in the American Hockey League, and are the primary development team for the NHL's Boston Bruins. They play in Providence, Rhode Island at the Dunkin' Donuts Center.-History:...
of the AHL
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
, where he would earn but a small fraction of his NHL salary. An established NHL player at that point, McLaren was insulted and demanded a trade.
In a three way deal, San Jose traded their 1999 first-round pick
1999 NHL Entry Draft
The 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...
Jeff Jillson
Jeff Jillson
Jeff Jillson is an American professional ice hockey player currently playing for KLH Chomutov of the Czech second tier, 1. národní hokejová liga.-Playing career:...
and goaltender Jeff Hackett
Jeff Hackett
Jeff 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...
, previously acquired from Montreal
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 ...
for Niklas Sundstrom
Niklas Sundström
Lars Niklas Sundström is a professional ice hockey player who started his professional career in Modo Hockey. He was drafted eighth overall in the 1993 NHL Entry Draft by the New York Rangers. He was also on Wayne Gretzky's line. He was not known for his goal scoring ability, but for his...
and a third-round pick, to Boston for McLaren and a fourth-round selection in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft
2004 NHL Entry Draft
The 2004 NHL Entry Draft was held on June 26 at the RBC Center in Raleigh, North Carolina. It is especially notable because it was the last NHL event to take place before the beginning of the lockout which canceled all the games scheduled for the 2004–05 NHL season.- Selections by round :Listed...
.
In recent years, McLaren has developed a reputation for having one of the best hip checks in the league. His most notable hip check was in the first round of the 2004 Stanley Cup Playoffs
2004 Stanley Cup Playoffs
The 2004 Stanley Cup playoffs for the National Hockey League began on April 7, 2004, following the 2003–04 regular season. The playoffs ended with the Tampa Bay Lightning securing the Stanley Cup with a seven-game series win over the Calgary Flames on June 7. It was Tampa Bay's first Stanley Cup...
when he pinned St. Louis Blues winger Petr Cajanek
Petr Cajanek
Petr Čajánek is a Czech centre currently playing for SKA Saint Petersburg of the Kontinental Hockey League .- Draft :...
into the boards near the Sharks' blue line. Cajanek would not play for the remainder of the series. Other memorable hip check recipients include Petr Prucha
Petr Prucha
Petr Průcha is a Czech professional ice hockey forward who is currently playing for SKA St. Petersburg of the Kontinental Hockey League.-Playing career:...
and Trevor Letowski
Trevor Letowski
Trevor Letowski is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey right winger who played in the NHL with the Phoenix Coyotes, Vancouver Canucks, Columbus Blue Jackets and the Carolina Hurricanes.-Playing career:...
.
During the 2003 season he was struck in the face by a slapshot
Slapshot
A slapshot in ice hockey is the hardest shot. It has four stages which are executed in one fluid motion:# The player winds up his hockey stick by raising it behind his body, sometimes raising the blade to shoulder height or higher.# Next the player violently "slaps" the ice slightly behind the...
from Vancouver’s Sami Salo
Sami Salo
Sami Salo is a Finnish professional ice hockey defenceman with the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League . He began his professional career with TPS of the SM-liiga before being selected by the Ottawa Senators with their last pick in the 1996 NHL Entry Draft. He joined the Senators in...
and missed 6 games due to his injury. For the remainder of the season he played with a clear visor. He stopped wearing a visor until partway through his 2005 season, when he returned with a yellow tinted visor because its color helped prevent glare of the ice from affecting him. McLaren switched back to a clear one during the 2007–08 season, reportedly because his lucky visor was not helping change his ineffectiveness during San Jose playoff runs.
In 2006, McLaren signed a three-year contract worth US $7.5 million; the deal expired in June 2009. McLaren signed that deal citing how happy he was in San Jose and how much his family loved it there.
On October 7, 2008, McLaren was placed on waivers by San Jose Sharks' general manager Doug Wilson so that the team could accommodate the salaries of newly-acquired defencemen Brad Lukowich
Brad 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...
, Dan Boyle, and Rob Blake
Rob Blake
Robert Bowlby Blake is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player. He was originally drafted by the Los Angeles Kings in 1988, appearing in the 1993 Stanley Cup Finals, winning the James Norris Memorial Trophy and serving as team captain for five seasons in his initial 11 season-stint with...
within the constraints of the NHL salary cap. He played the season for the Sharks' 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 Worcester Sharks
Worcester Sharks
The Worcester Sharks are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League . The franchise is located in Worcester, Massachusetts and play their home games at the DCU Center in Downtown Worcester. The Sharks and the city of Worcester hosted the 2009 AHL All-Star Classic.-History:On...
; his salary did not affect the San Jose Sharks' salary cap as he remained in Worcester.
On March 4, 2009, he was traded to the Philadelphia Flyers
Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
for a 2009 sixth-round draft pick, but that deal was later nixed as the Flyers reported that McLaren failed his physical.
McLaren received an invitation to attend training camp with the New York Rangers for the 2009-10 season, but did not make the team after failing a physical.
McLaren received another training camp invite by the Atlanta Thrashers for the 2010-11 NHL season on August 24, 2010 but was released on September 22, 2010.
2002 Playoffs suspension
In the 2002 playoffs2002 Stanley Cup Playoffs
The 2002 Stanley Cup playoffs, the championships of the National Hockey League, was played from April until June. The Detroit Red Wings defeated the Carolina Hurricanes four games to one to clinch the 10th championship in their history. It was the Hurricanes first ever appearance in the...
, McLaren injured Richard Zednik
Richard Zednik
Richard Zedník is a Slovak professional hockey winger, currently without a contract. He has played in the National Hockey League for the Washington Capitals, Montreal Canadiens, New York Islanders, and Florida Panthers....
of 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 ...
with an elbow to the face. McLaren received a three-game suspension
Suspension (punishment)
Suspension is a form of punishment that people receive for violating rules and regulations.- Workplace :Suspension is a common practice in the workplace for being in violation of an organization's policy...
from the league.
Awards
- 1992–93: Top Defenceman in the Western Canadian Bantam Tournament
- 1995–96: NHL - All-Rookie TeamNHL All-Rookie TeamThe 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...
Career statistics
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season Season (sports) In an organized sports league, a season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session. For example, in Major League Baseball, one season lasts approximately from April 1 through October 1; in Association football, it is generally from August until May In an... |
Team | League | GP | G Goal (ice hockey) In ice hockey, a goal is scored when the puck completely crosses the goal line between the two goal posts and below the goal crossbar. A goal awards one point to the team attacking the goal scored upon, regardless of which team the player who actually deflected the puck into the goal belongs to... |
A Assist (ice hockey) In ice hockey, an assist is attributed to up to two players of the scoring team who shot, passed or deflected the puck towards the scoring teammate, or touched it in any other way which enabled the goal, meaning that they were "assisting" in the goal. There can be a maximum of two assists per goal... |
Pts Point (ice hockey) Point in ice hockey has three official meanings:* A point is awarded to a player for each goal scored or assist earned. The total number of goals plus assists equals total points. In some European leagues, a goal counts as two points, and an assist counts as one... |
PIM Penalty (ice hockey) A penalty in ice hockey is a punishment for inappropriate behavior. Most penalties are enforced by detaining the offending player within a penalty box for a set number of minutes, during which, the player can not participate in play. The offending team usually may not replace the player on the ice,... |
GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1993–94 | Tacoma Rockets Tacoma Rockets The Tacoma Rockets were a junior ice hockey team in the Western Hockey League from 1991 to 1995. They played at the Tacoma Dome in Tacoma, Washington. The Rockets were granted as an expansion franchise, but low attendance forced the team to move to Kelowna, British Columbia after only four seasons,... |
WHL Western Hockey League The Western Hockey League is a major junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitute the Canadian Hockey League as the highest level of junior hockey in Canada... |
62 | 1 | 9 | 10 | 53 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 6 | ||
| 1994–95 | Tacoma Rockets | WHL | 47 | 13 | 19 | 32 | 68 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | ||
| 1995–96 | 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... |
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... |
74 | 5 | 12 | 17 | 73 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | ||
| 1996–97 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 58 | 5 | 9 | 14 | 54 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1997–98 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 66 | 5 | 20 | 25 | 56 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | ||
| 1998–99 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 52 | 6 | 18 | 24 | 48 | 12 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 10 | ||
| 1999–00 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 71 | 8 | 11 | 19 | 67 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2000–01 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 58 | 5 | 12 | 17 | 53 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2001–02 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 38 | 0 | 8 | 8 | 19 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | ||
| 2002–03 | 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 | 33 | 0 | 8 | 8 | 30 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2003–04 | San Jose Sharks | NHL | 64 | 2 | 22 | 24 | 60 | 16 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 10 | ||
| 2005–06 | San Jose Sharks | NHL | 77 | 2 | 21 | 23 | 66 | 11 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 4 | ||
| 2006–07 | San Jose Sharks | NHL | 67 | 5 | 12 | 17 | 61 | 11 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 10 | ||
| 2007–08 | San Jose Sharks | NHL | 61 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 84 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | ||
| 2008–09 2008–09 AHL season The 2008–09 AHL season is the 73rd season of the American Hockey League. 29 teams each played 80 games in the regular season, which ran from October 8 until April 12.-Team and NHL affiliation changes:... |
Worcester Sharks Worcester Sharks The Worcester Sharks are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League . The franchise is located in Worcester, Massachusetts and play their home games at the DCU Center in Downtown Worcester. The Sharks and the city of Worcester hosted the 2009 AHL All-Star Classic.-History:On... |
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... |
22 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 19 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||
| NHL totals | 719 | 46 | 161 | 207 | 671 | 70 | 1 | 13 | 14 | 78 | ||||