Gary Roberts

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For the English footballer, see Gary Roberts (footballer).

Gary Roberts (born May 23, 1966, in North York, Ontario, Canada) is a professional Ice Hockey player in the National Hockey League (NHL) currently playing for the Florida Panthers.

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[edit] Playing career

Gary Roberts was drafted by the Calgary Flames in the 1984 NHL Entry Draft. He played for Calgary from 1986-87 to 1995-96 and won the Stanley Cup with them in 1989. Roberts is a power forward who plays a strong, physical game and is not afraid to use his body to the fullest. He is even known to drop his gloves from time to time. But his physical style of play caught up to him after several years as he started to experience severe neck pain and numbness in his arm. In hopes that rest would ease the pain, he took most of the 1994-95 NHL season off. He attempted to come back in 1995-96, but the problems worsened. A closer look by doctors revealed bone spurs and nerve damage in his neck. He underwent a delicate operation to have the problem rectified and there was no guarantee that he would be able to ever play hockey again. After the operation, Roberts started a very rigorous rehabilitation programme and sat-out the entire 1996-97 NHL season. For all of his efforts and struggles, he was awarded the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy in 1996.

After a successful operation and reconditioning programme, Roberts decided to try and return to the NHL. The Carolina Hurricanes took a chance with Roberts by signing him as a free agent to start the 1997-98 NHL season. It turned out to be a great move by Carolina. Roberts scored 20 goals and added 29 assists for 49 points in just 61 games in his first season back. He played for Carolina for three seasons before being lured to the Toronto Maple Leafs by a very lucrative contract. In Toronto, Roberts was reunited with his childhood friend and old Calgary teammate, Joe Nieuwendyk.

Roberts played four very successful seasons in Toronto from 2000-01 to 2003-04. Due to the 2004-05 NHL lockout, he did not play in the 2004-05 NHL season. On the 1st of August, 2005, Mike Keenan, the General manager of the Florida Panthers, offered both Roberts and Nieuwendyk lucrative $4.5 million contracts each to come to Miami, the home of the Panthers, to play. Toronto was unable to match that offer as they were only $9 million under the salary cap and still had to sign at least seven more players.

[edit] Lacrosse

Gary was also an accomplished lacrosse player. He won a Minto Cup with the Whitby Warriors. His partner Joe Nieuwendyk was also a member of the team.

[edit] NHL statistics

Note: These stats are current as of the end of the 2003-04 NHL season.

  • Most regular season goals: 53 in 1991-92
  • Most regular season assists: 43 in 1993-94
  • Most regular season points: 90 in 1991-92
  • Most regular season penalty minutes: 282 in 1987-88
  • Most playoff goals: 7 in 2001-02
  • Most playoff assists: 12 in 2001-02
  • Most playoff points: 19 in 2001-02
  • Most playoff penaltly minutes: 57 in 1988-89
  • Career regular season games played: 1,030
  • Career regular season goals: 397
  • Career regular season assists: 408
  • Career regular season points: 805
  • Career regular season penalty minutes: 2,345
  • Career playoff games played: 114
  • Career playoff goals: 28
  • Career playoff assists: 57
  • Career playoff points: 85
  • Career playoff penalty minutes: 298

[edit] Achievements


Preceded by
Pat LaFontaine		 Bill Masterton Trophy Winner
1996		 Succeeded by
Tony Granato

[edit] See also

[edit] References

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