Stéphane Da Costa
Encyclopedia
Stéphane Da Costa is a French
ice hockey
player currently playing for the Ottawa Senators
of the National Hockey League
(NHL). A forward, Da Costa was the 2010 winner of the Hockey Commissioners’ Association and the Hockey East
Rookie of the Year awards. He played college hockey at Merrimack College
. A native of Paris
, Da Costa is the son of a French father and Polish mother. His two brothers, Teddy
and Gabriel, also play hockey in the Polish
and French
leagues, respectively.
Da Costa moved from his native country of France
to the United States
to play junior hockey for the Texas Tornado
of the NAHL
at the age of 17, and not being able to speak English
. With the Tornado in 2006-07, Da Costa had 23 goals and 40 points in 50 games to finish tied for third in team scoring.
Sioux City Musketeers
Da Costa moved to the USHL
in 2007-08, as he joined the Sioux City Musketeers
. In his first season with the team, Da Costa had 12 goals and 37 points in 51 games, helping the team qualify for the playoffs. In four playoff games, Da Costa had a goal and three points.
He returned to the Musketeers for a second season in 2008-09, as he led the team in scoring with 31 goals and 67 points in 48 games, however, Sioux City failed to qualify for the post-season.
of Hockey East
in North Andover, Massachusetts
for the 2009-10 season. In his second game of his freshman season, Da Costa scored five goals against the Army Black Knights
. He finished the season with 16 goals and 45 points in 34 games. After the season, Da Costa won the National Rookie of the Year, USCHO Rookie of the Year, Inside College Hockey Rookie of the Year, College Hockey News Rookie of the Year, and Hockey East
Rookie of the Year.
After receiving numerous offers from NHL
teams to sign as a free agent, Da Costa decided on returning to Merrimack for a second season in 2010-11. He once again led the team in scoring with 14 goals and 45 points in 33 games. He missed some games in February due to a knee injury he suffered.
of the NHL
. He made his NHL debut in the 2010-11 season, appearing in four games with the Senators and registering no points. His first NHL game was on April 2, 2011 against the Toronto Maple Leafs
. Da Costa became the sixth player born in France
to play in the NHL, joining Cristobal Huet
, Philippe Bozon
, Pat Daley
, Paul MacLean and Andre Peloffy
, and the third French-born and trained NHL player (along with Bozon and Huet).
After an impressive training camp to start the 2011-12 season, Da Costa joined the Senators for their first game. He got his first NHL point on October 8 in his second game of the season; a goal in a 6-5 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs
against James Reimer.
held in Bad Tolz, Germany. In five games with France, Da Costa had five goals and 10 points, however, France finished with a 1-4-0 record. Da Costa returned for the 2009 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships - Division I
held in Herisau, Switzerland, as he scored four goals and 13 points in five games, helping France to a 3-2-0 record.
Da Costa played for the French team at the 2009 IIHF World Championship
held in Bern and Kloten, Switzerland
where he had two assists in six games, as France finished in 12th place. Da Costa was once again named to France for the 2010 IIHF World Championship
held in Cologne, Mannheim and Gelsenkirchen, Germany
as he scored a goal and three points in five games, however, France fell to 14th place. In the 2011 IIHF World Championship held in Bratislava and Kosice, Slovakia
, Da Costa was held to an assist in five games as France finished in 12th place.
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
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...
player currently playing for the Ottawa Senators
Ottawa Senators
The Ottawa Senators are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
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). A forward, Da Costa was the 2010 winner of the Hockey Commissioners’ Association and the Hockey East
Hockey East
Hockey East Association is a NCAA Men's Division I Ice Hockey conference which operates in New England. It participates in the NCAA's Division I as a hockey-only conference....
Rookie of the Year awards. He played college hockey at Merrimack College
Merrimack College
Merrimack College is an independent college in the Roman Catholic, Augustinian tradition located in North Andover, Massachusetts, north of Boston, Massachusetts. It offers undergraduate degrees in business, education, science, engineering, and the liberal arts...
. A native of Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, Da Costa is the son of a French father and Polish mother. His two brothers, Teddy
Teddy Da Costa
Teddy Da Costa is a professional French ice hockey player who participated at the 2010 IIHF World Championship as a member of the France National men's ice hockey team. Da Costa's younger brother is Stéphane Da Costa of the Ottawa Senators.-References:...
and Gabriel, also play hockey in the Polish
Polska Liga Hokejowa
The Polish Hockey Superleague is the premier ice hockey league in Poland.-Teams 2010-11 season:*Aksam Unia Oswiecim*Akuna Naprzod Janow*Ciarko KH Sanok*Comarch Cracovia*GKS Tychy*JKH GKS Jastrzebie...
and French
Ligue Magnus
-Former Teams:*Bisons de Neuilly-sur-Marne*Orques d'Anglet*Sangliers Arvernes*Corsaires de Dunkerque*Albatros de Brest*Jets de Viry-Essonne-Defunct Teams:*Diables Noirs de Tours*Hockey Club de Mulhouse*Séquanes de Besançon*Flammes Bleues de Reims...
leagues, respectively.
Junior
Texas TornadoDa Costa moved from his native country of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
to play junior hockey for the Texas Tornado
Texas Tornado
The Texas Tornado are a Junior A hockey team located in Frisco, Texas, USA. The team joined the North American Hockey League's Central division in 1999 while located in North Richland Hills, Texas, and have enjoyed unprecedented success since their expansion year...
of the NAHL
North American Hockey League
The North American Hockey League is one of the top junior hockey leagues in the United States and is enterting its 36th season in 2011-12. It is currently the only Junior A Tier II league, sanctioned by USA Hockey. The NAHL currently acts as an alternative to the United States Hockey League...
at the age of 17, and not being able to speak English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
. With the Tornado in 2006-07, Da Costa had 23 goals and 40 points in 50 games to finish tied for third in team scoring.
Sioux City Musketeers
Da Costa moved to the USHL
United States Hockey League
The United States Hockey League is the top junior ice hockey league in the United States. The USHL has 16 member teams located in the Midwestern United States, consisting of players who are 20 years of age and younger...
in 2007-08, as he joined the Sioux City Musketeers
Sioux City Musketeers
The Sioux City Musketeers is a Tier 1 junior ice hockey team playing in the West Division of the United States Hockey League .The Musketeers' home ice is Tyson Events Center.The Musketeers have had 15 players reach the NHL...
. In his first season with the team, Da Costa had 12 goals and 37 points in 51 games, helping the team qualify for the playoffs. In four playoff games, Da Costa had a goal and three points.
He returned to the Musketeers for a second season in 2008-09, as he led the team in scoring with 31 goals and 67 points in 48 games, however, Sioux City failed to qualify for the post-season.
Merrimack Warriors
Da Costa joined Merrimack CollegeMerrimack College
Merrimack College is an independent college in the Roman Catholic, Augustinian tradition located in North Andover, Massachusetts, north of Boston, Massachusetts. It offers undergraduate degrees in business, education, science, engineering, and the liberal arts...
of Hockey East
Hockey East
Hockey East Association is a NCAA Men's Division I Ice Hockey conference which operates in New England. It participates in the NCAA's Division I as a hockey-only conference....
in North Andover, Massachusetts
North Andover, Massachusetts
North Andover is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. North Andover is the home of Merrimack College, a private, Catholic four-year institution ....
for the 2009-10 season. In his second game of his freshman season, Da Costa scored five goals against the Army Black Knights
Army Black Knights
Army Black Knights is the name of the athletics teams of the United States Military Academy. They participate in NCAA Division I-A as a non-football member of the Patriot League, a Division I Football Bowl Subdivision independent school, and a member of Atlantic Hockey, the Collegiate Sprint...
. He finished the season with 16 goals and 45 points in 34 games. After the season, Da Costa won the National Rookie of the Year, USCHO Rookie of the Year, Inside College Hockey Rookie of the Year, College Hockey News Rookie of the Year, and Hockey East
Hockey East
Hockey East Association is a NCAA Men's Division I Ice Hockey conference which operates in New England. It participates in the NCAA's Division I as a hockey-only conference....
Rookie of the Year.
After receiving numerous offers from 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...
teams to sign as a free agent, Da Costa decided on returning to Merrimack for a second season in 2010-11. He once again led the team in scoring with 14 goals and 45 points in 33 games. He missed some games in February due to a knee injury he suffered.
Ottawa Senators
On March 30, 2011, Da Costa signed as an undrafted free agent with the Ottawa SenatorsOttawa 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...
of 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...
. He made his NHL debut in the 2010-11 season, appearing in four games with the Senators and registering no points. His first NHL game was on April 2, 2011 against the Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
. Da Costa became the sixth player born in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
to play in the NHL, joining Cristobal Huet
Cristobal Huet
Cristobal Huet is a French professional ice hockey goaltender playing for Fribourg-Gottéron of the Swiss National League A, on loan from the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League. He developed his goaltending skills in Grenoble with Les Brûleurs de Loups. He has also played with the...
, Philippe Bozon
Philippe Bozon
Philippe Bozon is a former professional ice hockey player who played for the St. Louis Blues in the National Hockey League between 1992 and 1994. He is the first of only three French-trained players to appear in the NHL, the other two being Cristobal Huet and Stéphane Da Costa...
, Pat Daley
Pat Daley
Pat Daley is a retired professional ice hockey player who played 12 games in the National Hockey League. He played with the Winnipeg Jets.- References :...
, Paul MacLean and Andre Peloffy
Andre Peloffy
André Charles Peloffy is a retired Canadian ice hockey forward.Drafted by the New York Rangers in the 1971 NHL Entry Draft, Peloffy never played for the Rangers and was traded to the Washington Capitals prior to the 1974–75 NHL season and played nine games during the team's inaugural season...
, and the third French-born and trained NHL player (along with Bozon and Huet).
After an impressive training camp to start the 2011-12 season, Da Costa joined the Senators for their first game. He got his first NHL point on October 8 in his second game of the season; a goal in a 6-5 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
against James Reimer.
International career
Da Costa plays his international hockey with France, and played in his first international tournament at the 2008 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships - Division I2008 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships - Division I
The following teams took part in the Division I tournament, that was held from December 9, through December 18, 2007. Group A was played at Bad Tolz, Germany.- Group A :----All times local...
held in Bad Tolz, Germany. In five games with France, Da Costa had five goals and 10 points, however, France finished with a 1-4-0 record. Da Costa returned for the 2009 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships - Division I
2009 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships - Division I
The 2009 IIHF World U20 Championship Division I took place between December 14 and December 21, 2008 in Herisau, Switzerland and Aalborg, Denmark. Teams were divided into two groups, with Group A playing in Switzerland, and Group B playing in Denmark...
held in Herisau, Switzerland, as he scored four goals and 13 points in five games, helping France to a 3-2-0 record.
Da Costa played for the French team at the 2009 IIHF World Championship
2009 IIHF World Championship
The 2009 IIHF World Championship took place in Switzerland from 24 April to 10 May. The games were played in the PostFinance Arena in Bern and Schluefweg in Kloten....
held in Bern and Kloten, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
where he had two assists in six games, as France finished in 12th place. Da Costa was once again named to France for the 2010 IIHF World Championship
2010 IIHF World Championship
The 2010 IIHF World Championship was the 74th IIHF World Championship, an annual international ice hockey tournament. It took place between 7 and 23 May 2010 in Germany. The games were played in the Lanxess Arena in Cologne, SAP Arena in Mannheim, and one game at Veltins-Arena in Gelsenkirchen...
held in Cologne, Mannheim and Gelsenkirchen, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
as he scored a goal and three points in five games, however, France fell to 14th place. In the 2011 IIHF World Championship held in Bratislava and Kosice, Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
, Da Costa was held to an assist in five games as France finished in 12th place.
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 | ||
| 2006–07 | Texas Tornado Texas Tornado The Texas Tornado are a Junior A hockey team located in Frisco, Texas, USA. The team joined the North American Hockey League's Central division in 1999 while located in North Richland Hills, Texas, and have enjoyed unprecedented success since their expansion year... |
NAHL North American Hockey League The North American Hockey League is one of the top junior hockey leagues in the United States and is enterting its 36th season in 2011-12. It is currently the only Junior A Tier II league, sanctioned by USA Hockey. The NAHL currently acts as an alternative to the United States Hockey League... |
50 | 23 | 17 | 40 | 31 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2007–08 | Sioux City Musketeers Sioux City Musketeers The Sioux City Musketeers is a Tier 1 junior ice hockey team playing in the West Division of the United States Hockey League .The Musketeers' home ice is Tyson Events Center.The Musketeers have had 15 players reach the NHL... |
USHL United States Hockey League The United States Hockey League is the top junior ice hockey league in the United States. The USHL has 16 member teams located in the Midwestern United States, consisting of players who are 20 years of age and younger... |
51 | 12 | 25 | 37 | 22 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 8 | ||
| 2008–09 | Sioux City Musketeers | USHL | 48 | 31 | 36 | 67 | 23 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2009–10 | Merrimack College Warriors Merrimack Warriors men's ice hockey The Merrimack Warriors men's ice hockey team is a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I college ice hockey program that represents Merrimack College. Merrimack has the smallest enrollment of any Division I college hockey program. The Warriors are a member of Hockey East. They play at... |
HE Hockey East Hockey East Association is a NCAA Men's Division I Ice Hockey conference which operates in New England. It participates in the NCAA's Division I as a hockey-only conference.... |
34 | 16 | 29 | 46 | 41 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2010–11 | Merrimack College Warriors | HE | 33 | 14 | 31 | 45 | 42 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 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... |
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... |
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... |
4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2011–12 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... |
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... |
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... |
13 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| NHL totals | 17 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||