Wikipedia

Brent Sopel

Brent Bernard Sopel(born January 7, 1977) is aCanadianformer professionalice hockeydefencemanwho played the majority of his career in theNational Hockey League(NHL). Sopel was originally selected 144th overall at the1995 NHL Entry Draftby theVancouver Canucks.He has also played for theNew York Islanders,Los Angeles Kings,Chicago Blackhawks,Atlanta ThrashersandMontreal Canadiens,winning theStanley Cupin2010with Chicago.

Brent Sopel
Sopel with theChicago Wolvesin January 2015
Born (1977-01-07)January 7, 1977(age 48)
Calgary,Alberta,Canada
Height 6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Weight 220 lb (100 kg; 15 st 10 lb)
Position Defence
Shot Right
Played for Vancouver Canucks
New York Islanders
Los Angeles Kings
Chicago Blackhawks
Atlanta Thrashers
Montreal Canadiens
Metallurg Novokuznetsk
Salavat Yulaev Ufa
NHL draft 144th overall,1995
Vancouver Canucks
Playing career 1997–2015

In addition to his NHL career, Sopel has also played in theKontinental Hockey League(KHL) withMetallurg NovokuznetskandSalavat Yulaev Ufa,also briefly playing for theAmerican Hockey League(AHL)'sChicago Wolvesbefore retiring from professional hockey in 2015.

Playing career

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Sopel (right) andMatt Cookeduring warm-ups with theVancouver CanucksinApril 2007.

Vancouver Canucks

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On April 3, 1996, just under a year after being drafted, Sopel signed his first professional contract with his draft team, theVancouver Canucks.[1]He was told by CoachMarc Crawfordthat he would never play in the NHL, but Sopel scored his first NHL goal on April 10, 1999, against theEdmonton Oilers'Tommy Salo.[2]In 2002, Sopel won the Fred J. Hume Award for Unsung Hero voted by the Vancouver Canucks Booster Club. On December 31, 2001, and January 21, 2002, Sopel won USA Today's NHL Player of the Week award.[citation needed]

Sopel was traded back to the Canucks during their2006–07 seasonon February 1, 2007, theNHL trade deadlineday. He missed the first game of the2007 Stanley Cup playoffsagainst theDallas Starsafter he injured his back while picking up a cracker that was dropped by his daughter.[3]The Canucks beat the Stars in quadruple overtime, in the sixth longest game in NHL history.[4]

New York Islanders

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On August 3, 2005, the Canucks traded Sopel to theNew York Islandersin exchange for a conditional draft pick in the2006 NHL Entry Draft.[5]On August 16, just under a week after being traded, Sopel signed a two-year, $4.8 million contract with the Islanders.[6]

Chicago Blackhawks

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Heading into the2007–08 seasonwith no contract, Sopel was invited to theDetroit Red Wings' training camp.[7]However, on September 28, 2007, Sopel left Detroit's camp, instead signing a one-year, $1.5 million contract with theChicago Blackhawksafter the Red Wings had only offered a one-year, $500,000 contract.[8][9]On January 10, 2008, Sopel signed a three-year, $7 million contract extension with the Blackhawks, keeping him in Chicago through to the 2010–11 season.[10]

On June 9, 2010, Brent Sopel won the Stanley Cup with the Chicago Blackhawks. On June 22, Sopel brought the team'srecently-wonStanley Cupto the 2010Chicago Gay Pride Parade.Sopel brought the Cup to the parade in honour of the lateBrendan Burke,son of his former general manager while playing for Vancouver,Brian Burke,to display it in the Chicago Gay Pride Parade,[11]stating to the press that honouring Burke's legacy and his father's example of familial support and tolerance was one of his reasons for marching in the parade.[12]

Atlanta Thrashers

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On June 23, 2010, Sopel was traded to theAtlanta Thrashers,along withDustin Byfuglien,Ben EagerandAkim Aliu,in exchange for the 24th (Kevin Hayes) and 54th overall picks (Justin Holl) in the2010 NHL Entry Draft,Marty Reasoner,Joey CrabbandJeremy Morin.[13]

Montreal Canadiens

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After playing 59 games for Atlanta, registering two goals and seven points, Sopel was then traded to theMontreal Canadiens,along withNigel Dawes,in exchange forBen Maxwelland a fourth-round draft pick in2011on February 24, 2011.[14]

Sopel withMetallurg Novokuznetskin November 2012

Kontinental Hockey League

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On July 29, 2011, Sopel announced that he had signed a two-year contract withMetallurg Novokuznetskof theKontinental Hockey League(KHL).[15]During the2012–13 season,his second with Novokuznetsk, Sopel was traded toSalavat Yulaev Ufafor their playoff campaign on January 31, 2013. During the subsequent summer, he signed a two-year contract extension with Salavat Yulaev.[16]

Chicago Wolves

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On October 10, 2014, theChicago Wolvesof theAmerican Hockey League(AHL) announced that they had signed Sopel to astandard player contractfor the2014–15 season.[17]On February 27, 2015, however, after 29 games played, Sopel announced his retirement from professional hockey.[18]

Personal life

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After his daughter was diagnosed withdyslexia,Sopel was also diagnosed with the learning disability after the symptoms sounded similar to his struggles.[19]This inspired him to create the Brent Sopel Foundation to help promote and raise funds for youth with dyslexia.[20]

Career statistics

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Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1993–94 Saskatoon Blades WHL 11 2 2 4 2 — — — — —
1994–95 Saskatoon Blades WHL 22 1 10 11 31 — — — — —
1994–95 Swift Current Broncos WHL 41 4 19 23 50 3 0 3 3 0
1995–96 Swift Current Broncos WHL 71 13 48 61 87 6 1 2 3 4
1995–96 Syracuse Crunch AHL 1 0 0 0 0 — — — — —
1996–97 Swift Current Broncos WHL 62 15 41 56 109 10 5 11 16 32
1996–97 Syracuse Crunch AHL 2 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0
1997–98 Syracuse Crunch AHL 76 10 33 43 70 5 0 7 7 12
1998–99 Syracuse Crunch AHL 53 10 21 31 59 — — — — —
1998–99 Vancouver Canucks NHL 5 1 0 1 4 — — — — —
1999–2000 Syracuse Crunch AHL 50 6 25 31 67 4 0 2 2 8
1999–2000 Vancouver Canucks NHL 18 2 4 6 12 — — — — —
2000–01 Kansas City Blades IHL 4 0 1 1 0 — — — — —
2000–01 Vancouver Canucks NHL 52 4 10 14 10 4 0 0 0 2
2001–02 Vancouver Canucks NHL 66 8 17 25 44 6 0 2 2 2
2002–03 Vancouver Canucks NHL 81 7 30 37 23 14 2 6 8 4
2003–04 Vancouver Canucks NHL 80 10 32 42 36 7 0 1 1 0
2005–06 New York Islanders NHL 57 2 25 27 64 — — — — —
2005–06 Los Angeles Kings NHL 11 0 1 1 6 — — — — —
2006–07 Los Angeles Kings NHL 44 4 19 23 14 — — — — —
2006–07 Vancouver Canucks NHL 20 1 4 5 10 11 0 0 0 2
2007–08 Chicago Blackhawks NHL 58 1 19 20 28 — — — — —
2008–09 Chicago Blackhawks NHL 23 1 1 2 8 — — — — —
2009–10 Chicago Blackhawks NHL 73 1 7 8 34 22 1 5 6 8
2010–11 Atlanta Thrashers NHL 59 2 5 7 16 — — — — —
2010–11 Montreal Canadiens NHL 12 0 0 0 0 7 1 0 1 2
2011–12 Metallurg Novokuznetsk KHL 47 2 6 8 33 — — — — —
2012–13 Metallurg Novokuznetsk KHL 47 4 6 10 12 — — — — —
2012–13 Salavat Yulaev Ufa KHL 4 0 2 2 0 14 4 1 5 6
2013–14 Salavat Yulaev Ufa KHL 38 1 9 10 14 18 0 1 1 19
2014–15 Chicago Wolves AHL 29 1 7 8 46 — — — — —
NHL totals 659 44 174 218 309 71 4 14 18 20
KHL totals 136 7 23 30 59 32 4 2 6 25

Awards

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  • 2001– Player of the Week (December 31, 2001 – January 6, 2002)[citation needed]
  • 2002–NHLPlayer of the Week (January 21–27)
  • 2010– Won Stanley Cup with the Chicago Blackhawks

References

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  1. ^Jamieson, Jim (1996-04-04). "Sports".The Province.
  2. ^Jamieson, Jim (1999-04-11). "Canucks wear ugly tie".The Province.
  3. ^Ziemer, Brad (2007-04-13)."Sopel's heard enough cracker jokes".The Vancouver Sun.Archived fromthe originalon 2007-08-24.Retrieved2007-09-29.
  4. ^Heika, Mike (2007-04-12)."Stars lose to Canucks in fourth OT".The Dallas Morning News.Archivedfrom the original on 2007-08-27.Retrieved2007-09-29.
  5. ^Pap, Elliott (2005-08-04). "Brent Sopel moves on to New York Islanders".The Vancouver Sun.
  6. ^"Sopel signs on".The Province.2005-08-17.
  7. ^Hunter, Paul (2007-09-16)."A Leaf training camp hopeful".Toronto Star.Archived fromthe originalon 2011-06-07.Retrieved2007-09-29.
  8. ^"Sopel leaves Wings, signs with Chicago".TSN. 2007-09-28. Archived fromthe originalon 2007-06-13.Retrieved2007-09-29.
  9. ^Sassone, Tim (2007-10-17)."Sopel's poise big part of Hawks' early success".Daily Herald.Archivedfrom the original on 2011-06-08.Retrieved2007-10-22.
  10. ^"Sopel inks three-year deal with Hawks".TSN. 2008-01-10.Retrieved2008-01-10.[dead link‍]
  11. ^Littke, Jim (June 25, 2010)."Sports' most macho trophy shows new kind of pride".NHL.com. The Associated Press.Archivedfrom the original on April 24, 2017.RetrievedApril 24,2017.
  12. ^"Hawks bringing Cup to Pride Parade".SunTimes.com. June 22, 2010. Archived fromthe originalon June 25, 2010.Retrieved22 June2010.
  13. ^"Blackhawks send Byfuglien to Thrashers".NHL.com. Archived fromthe originalon December 20, 2016.Retrieved2010-06-27.
  14. ^"Habs Acquire Sopel, Dawes from Thrashers for Maxwell, Pick".TSN. 2011-02-24.Archivedfrom the original on 2011-02-27.Retrieved2011-02-24.
  15. ^"Kovalev, Sopel to play in KHL: report".CBC Sports. 2011-07-29.Archivedfrom the original on 2012-11-10.Retrieved2011-07-29.
  16. ^"Brent Sopel: Novokuznetsk will always be in my heart".Metallurg Novokuznetsk.2013-01-31. Archived fromthe originalon 2013-06-26.Retrieved2013-01-31.
  17. ^"Wolves add Sopel and Longpre before Opening Night".Chicago Wolves. 2014-10-10. Archived fromthe originalon 2014-10-16.Retrieved2014-10-10.
  18. ^"Former Blackhawks Defenseman Brent Sopel Announces Retirement".NBC Chicago. 2015-02-27.Archivedfrom the original on 2016-03-04.Retrieved2012-02-27.
  19. ^Kaplan, Emily (December 4, 2017)."Letting his guard down about dyslexia struggles helped blueliner Brent Sopel find purpose".ESPN.com.Archivedfrom the original on June 12, 2018.RetrievedJune 8,2018.
  20. ^Kaminski, Kaitlyn (August 3, 2017)."Sopel conducting clinic to help kids with dyslexia".NHL.com.Archivedfrom the original on June 12, 2018.RetrievedJune 8,2018.
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