Mike O'Neill (ice hockey)
Encyclopedia
Michael Anthony O'Neill (born 3 November 1967) is a retired professional ice hockey
goaltender
.
before spending the 1989–90 season with Tappara Tampere
of the SM-liiga
. He was drafted
15th overall by the Winnipeg Jets in the 1988 NHL Supplemental Draft
while he was at Yale University. He joined the Jets' farm system
when he returned to North America in 1990–91.
O'Neill mainly played for the Moncton Hawks
of the AHL
and the Fort Wayne Komets
of the IHL, only playing a few times for the Jets in the 1991–92 and 1992–93 seasons. In the 1993–94 season, he made 17 appearances for the Jets posting a 0–9–1 record. O'Neill returned to the minors and, in 1995–96, made 74 appearances with the Baltimore Bandits
, an AHL record.
O'Neill was signed as a free agent
by Anaheim, and played mainly for the Long Beach Ice Dogs in the IHL. He then signed with the Washington Capitals
as a free agent in August 1997 and played 47 games for the Portland Pirates
of the AHL in 1997–98.
O'Neill played for EC VSV in Austria
in the 1998–99 season before returning to North America to play for the Long Beach Ice Dogs and the Michigan K-Wings during 1999–00 season.
In 2000–01, he played for the Sheffield Steelers
of the British
Ice Hockey Superleague
, and won the B&H Cup, the Challenge Cup
, the League Championship
and the Playoff Championship
.
O'Neill retired from professional hockey following the 2000–01 season. He never won a game in the NHL.
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...
.
Playing career
O'Neill played four years at Yale UniversityYale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
before spending the 1989–90 season with Tappara Tampere
Tappara
Tappara is an ice hockey team in the SM-liiga. They play in Tampere, Finland at Tampereen jäähalli. The team have won 15 league championships ....
of the SM-liiga
SM-liiga
The SM-liiga is the top professional ice hockey league in Finland. As of March 2008, it is ranked by the IIHF as the second strongest league in Europe. It was created in 1975 to replace the SM-sarja, which was fundamentally an amateur league. The SM-liiga is not directly overseen by the Finnish Ice...
. He was drafted
Draft (sports)
A draft is a process used in the United States, Canada, Japan, Australia, Russia and the Philippines to allocate certain players to sports teams. In a draft, teams take turns selecting from a pool of eligible players...
15th overall by the Winnipeg Jets in the 1988 NHL Supplemental Draft
1988 NHL Supplemental Draft
-Round 1:-See also:*1988 NHL Entry Draft*1988–89 NHL season*List of NHL players-References:*...
while he was at Yale University. He joined the Jets' farm system
Farm team
In sports, a farm team, farm system, feeder team or nursery club, is generally a team or club whose role is to provide experience and training for young players, with an agreement that any successful players can move on to a higher level at a given point...
when he returned to North America in 1990–91.
O'Neill mainly played for the Moncton Hawks
Moncton Hawks
The Moncton Hawks were a professional ice hockey team based in Moncton, New Brunswick. They played in the American Hockey League between 1987 and 1994 operated as a minor league affiliate of the Winnipeg Jets. Home games were played at the Moncton Coliseum...
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...
and the Fort Wayne Komets
Fort Wayne Komets
The Fort Wayne Komets are a minor league ice hockey franchise currently a member of the Central Hockey League in the Northern Conference. The team was previously a member of the International Hockey League before it merged into the CHL in 2010...
of the IHL, only playing a few times for the Jets in the 1991–92 and 1992–93 seasons. In the 1993–94 season, he made 17 appearances for the Jets posting a 0–9–1 record. O'Neill returned to the minors and, in 1995–96, made 74 appearances with the Baltimore Bandits
Baltimore Bandits
The Baltimore Bandits were an ice hockey team in the American Hockey League in the 1995–96 and 1996–97 seasons. They played in Baltimore, Maryland, at the Baltimore Arena...
, an AHL record.
O'Neill was signed as a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
by Anaheim, and played mainly for the Long Beach Ice Dogs in the IHL. He then signed with the Washington Capitals
Washington Capitals
The Washington Capitals are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Since their founding in 1974, "The Caps" have won one conference championship to reach the 1998 Stanley Cup...
as a free agent in August 1997 and played 47 games for the Portland Pirates
Portland Pirates
The Portland Pirates is a minor professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They are the top affiliate of the Phoenix Coyotes of the National Hockey League. They play in the Cumberland County Civic Center in downtown Portland, Maine. The franchise was previously known as the...
of the AHL in 1997–98.
O'Neill played for EC VSV in Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
in the 1998–99 season before returning to North America to play for the Long Beach Ice Dogs and the Michigan K-Wings during 1999–00 season.
In 2000–01, he played for the Sheffield Steelers
Sheffield Steelers
The Sheffield Steelers are a British ice hockey club, from Sheffield, England. They were formed in 1991 and play their home games at the Sheffield Arena. They are currently members of the Elite Ice Hockey League...
of the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Ice Hockey Superleague
Ice Hockey Superleague
The Ice Hockey Superleague was a professional ice hockey league in the United Kingdom between 1996 and 2003. Formed in 1995, it replaced the Premier Division of the British Hockey League, it was the highest level of ice hockey competition in the United Kingdom...
, and won the B&H Cup, the Challenge Cup
Challenge Cup (UK Ice Hockey)
The Challenge Cup, hosted annually by the Elite Ice Hockey League, is a cup competition for ice hockey clubs in the United Kingdom. It is one of three competitions ran each season by the Elite League, the others being the league championship and the playoff championship...
, the League Championship
British ice hockey league champions
The British ice hockey league champions are the winners of the highest ice hockey league in the United Kingdom, currently the Elite Ice Hockey League...
and the Playoff Championship
British Championship
The British Championship is the most prestigious ice hockey cup competition in the United Kingdom, and also the longest established ice hockey competition. It has been run under various formats and titles since 1930 and contested annually since 1966...
.
O'Neill retired from professional hockey following the 2000–01 season. He never won a game in the NHL.
Awards
- Named to the ECACEastern College Athletic ConferenceThe Eastern College Athletic Conference is a college athletic conference comprising schools that compete in 21 sports . It has 317 member institutions in NCAA Divisions I, II, and III, ranging in location from Maine to North Carolina and west to Illinois...
First All-StarAll-starAll-star is a term designating an individual as having a high level of performance in their field. Originating in sports, it has since drifted into vernacular and been borrowed heavily by the entertainment industry...
Team in 1987 and 1989. - Named to the NCAANational Collegiate Athletic AssociationThe National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
First All-Star Team in 1989.
Regular season
| Season | Team | League | GP | W | L | T | MIN | GA | SO | GAA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989–90 | Tappara Tampere Tappara Tappara is an ice hockey team in the SM-liiga. They play in Tampere, Finland at Tampereen jäähalli. The team have won 15 league championships .... |
SM-liiga SM-liiga The SM-liiga is the top professional ice hockey league in Finland. As of March 2008, it is ranked by the IIHF as the second strongest league in Europe. It was created in 1975 to replace the SM-sarja, which was fundamentally an amateur league. The SM-liiga is not directly overseen by the Finnish Ice... |
44 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 3.10 |
| 1990–91 | Moncton Hawks Moncton Hawks The Moncton Hawks were a professional ice hockey team based in Moncton, New Brunswick. They played in the American Hockey League between 1987 and 1994 operated as a minor league affiliate of the Winnipeg Jets. Home games were played at the Moncton Coliseum... |
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... |
30 | 13 | 7 | 6 | 1613 | 84 | 0 | 3.12 |
| 1990–91 | Fort Wayne Komets Fort Wayne Komets The Fort Wayne Komets are a minor league ice hockey franchise currently a member of the Central Hockey League in the Northern Conference. The team was previously a member of the International Hockey League before it merged into the CHL in 2010... |
IHL | 8 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 490 | 31 | 0 | 3.80 |
| 1991–92 | Winnipeg Jets | 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... |
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 4.62 |
| 1991–92 | Moncton Hawks | AHL | 32 | 14 | 16 | 2 | 1902 | 108 | 1 | 3.41 |
| 1992–93 | Winnipeg Jets | NHL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 73 | 6 | 0 | 4.93 |
| 1992–93 | Moncton Hawks | AHL | 30 | 13 | 10 | 4 | 1649 | 88 | 1 | 3.20 |
| 1993–94 | Winnipeg Jets | NHL | 17 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 738 | 51 | 0 | 4.15 |
| 1993–94 | Moncton Hawks | AHL | 12 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 716 | 33 | 1 | 2.76 |
| 1993–94 | Fort Wayne Komets | IHL | 11 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 642 | 38 | 0 | 3.55 |
| 1994–95 | Fort Wayne Komets | IHL | 28 | 11 | 12 | 4 | 1603 | 109 | 0 | 4.08 |
| 1994–95 | Phoenix Roadrunners Phoenix Roadrunners (IHL) The Phoenix Roadrunners were a minor league professional ice hockey team in the International Hockey League. The team was housed at Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum. The team played in the IHL from 1989 to 1997. The IHL Roadrunners were named for a World Hockey Association team of the same name... |
IHL | 21 | 13 | 4 | 4 | 1256 | 64 | 1 | 3.06 |
| 1995–96 | Baltimore Bandits Baltimore Bandits The Baltimore Bandits were an ice hockey team in the American Hockey League in the 1995–96 and 1996–97 seasons. They played in Baltimore, Maryland, at the Baltimore Arena... |
AHL | 74 | 31 | 31 | 7 | 4250 | 250 | 2 | 3.53 |
| 1996–97 | Anaheim Mighty Ducks Anaheim Ducks The Anaheim Ducks are a professional ice hockey team based in Anaheim, California, USA. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League... |
NHL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 3 | 0 | 5.81 |
| 1997–98 | Long Beach Ice Dogs | IHL | 45 | 26 | 12 | 6 | 2644 | 145 | 1 | 3.29 |
| 1997–98 | Portland Pirates Portland Pirates The Portland Pirates is a minor professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They are the top affiliate of the Phoenix Coyotes of the National Hockey League. They play in the Cumberland County Civic Center in downtown Portland, Maine. The franchise was previously known as the... |
AHL | 47 | 16 | 18 | 10 | 2640 | 135 | 1 | 3.07 |
| 1998–99 | EC Villacher SV | Alpenliga Alpenliga The Alpenliga was an international professional ice hockey league which existed between 1991 and 1999. It was contested by club teams from Austria, Italy and Slovenia.... |
22 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 2.39 |
| 1998–99 | EC Villacher SV | Swiss | 20 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 2.53 |
| 1999–00 | Long Beach Ice Dogs | IHL | 25 | 7 | 12 | 5 | 1423 | 71 | 0 | 2.99 |
| 1999–00 | Michigan K-Wings | IHL | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 155 | 6 | 1 | 2.33 |
| 2000–01 | Sheffield Steelers Sheffield Steelers The Sheffield Steelers are a British ice hockey club, from Sheffield, England. They were formed in 1991 and play their home games at the Sheffield Arena. They are currently members of the Elite Ice Hockey League... |
BISL Ice Hockey Superleague The Ice Hockey Superleague was a professional ice hockey league in the United Kingdom between 1996 and 2003. Formed in 1995, it replaced the Premier Division of the British Hockey League, it was the highest level of ice hockey competition in the United Kingdom... |
30 | – | – | – | 1603 | 64 | 0 | 2.40 |
| NHL CAREER TOTALS | 21 | 0 | 9 | 2 | 855 | 61 | 0 | 4.28 | ||
Post season
| Season | Team | League | GP | W | L | T | SO | GAA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989–90 | Tappara Tampere | SM-liiga | 7 | 3 | 4 | – | 0 | 4.44 |
| 1990–91 | Moncton Hawks | AHL | 8 | 3 | 4 | – | 0 | 4.00 |
| 1991–92 | Moncton Hawks | AHL | 11 | 4 | 7 | – | 1 | 3.85 |
| 1994–95 | Phoenix Roadrunners | IHL | 9 | 4 | 5 | – | 0 | 3.70 |
| 1995–96 | Baltimore Bandits | AHL | 12 | 6 | 6 | – | 0 | 3.75 |
| 1996–97 | Long Beach Ice Dogs | IHL | 1 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 | 0.00 |
| 1997–98 | Portland Pirates | AHL | 6 | 2 | 3 | – | 0 | 3.15 |
| 1999–00 | Long Beach Ice Dogs | IHL | 1 | 0 | 1 | – | 0 | 3.01 |
| 2000–01 | Sheffield Steelers | BISL | 7 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 | 2.28 |