Ken Daneyko

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Ken Daneyko (born April 17, 1964 in Windsor, Ontario) is a retired ice hockey defenseman who played his entire career (1983 - 2003) with the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League.

Daneyko was drafted in the 1st round (18th overall) in the 1982 NHL Entry Draft, the first pick of the New Jersey Devils after the franchise relocated from Colorado. He spent several seasons in the minors before getting drafted, and played for the Yorkton Terriers of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League, as well as the Great Falls Americans, Spokane Flyers and Seattle Breakers of the Western Hockey League. He then split time between the Devils and the Maine Mariners of the American Hockey League before being called up full-time for the 1985-86 NHL season.

Upon his arrival in the NHL, #3 established himself as a stay-at-home defenseman, and soon won fans over with his gritty and self-sacrificing play. Daneyko was also known for his missing front teeth, lost after he was hit in the mouth by a puck. His gap-toothed smile was well known not only by Devils supporters, but by hockey fans around the world. As a player who had spent all of his NHL career with New Jersey, Daneyko was nicknamed "Mr. Devil".

Daneyko racked up over 2,200 penalty minutes in his career, finishing a season with over 200 PIM five times. Daneyko was never known as a high-scoring defensman, and set a record by playing in 255 consecutive regular-season games without scoring a goal. In fact, in his highest-scoring season, 1989-90, he scored only six goals and 15 assists en route to a 21-point season. Five seasons he scored no goals at all. However, Daneyko's effectiveness was not measured by how many pucks he put in the net, but by how many pucks he kept out. Daneyko was used primarily as a shadow defenseman, and often got physical in front of the net if a forward parked himself in the crease looking for a rebound.

In the late 1990s, Daneyko struggled with alcoholism but General Manager Lou Lamoriello stood by him and checked him into rehab[1]. Daneyko recovered and played every shift of New Jersey's successful 2000 playoffs, personally winning the Bill Masterton Trophy in 2000 for his perseverance.

Along with Scott Stevens, he was part of a tough Devils defensive corps that won three Stanley Cups in 1994-95, 1999-2000, and 2002-03. Also of note is that Daneyko (up until his retirement) had played in all but one of the Devils' playoff games since the franchise moved to New Jersey in 1982. He was a healthy scratch for one game during the Devils' 2002-03 playoff run, and the team lost without him, prompting coach Pat Burns to place him back in the lineup the following night. As a reward to his devotion of the team, and a hint of his impending retirement, Daneyko took the ice for the final shift of the Devils' Game 7 victory over the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, which clinched their third Stanley Cup victory in 2003.

Currently, Daneyko provides commentary and analysis alongsisde Matt Loughlin between periods of Devils' broadcasts on FSN-New York.

The Devils retired his uniform number (#3) on March 24, 2006.[2]

Daneyko spoke at D.A.R.E. day in Sparta, NJ on May 20, 2005 to discourage alcohol and drug abuse. [3]

Daneyko was arrested in Sparta, NJ on May 20, 2006 for driving while intoxicated. He described the incident as a rare relapse. He was in rehibilitation for alcohol abuse in 1997. [4]