Ray Whitney (ice hockey)

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Position	Left wing
Shoots	Right
Nickname	The Wizard, Whits
Height Weight	5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) 180 lb (82 kg)
NHL Team F. Teams	Carolina Hurricanes San Jose Sharks Edmonton Oilers Florida Panthers Columbus Blue Jackets Detroit Red Wings
Nationality	Canada
Born	May 8, 1972, Fort Saskatchewan, AB, CAN
NHL Draft	23rd overall, 1991 San Jose Sharks
Pro Career	1991 – present

Ray Whitney (born May 8, 1972 in Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta) is an ice hockey player in the National Hockey League (NHL) currently playing for the Carolina Hurricanes.

Before Ray Whitney played his first game on the ice, he was one of the Oilers' stick boys during Wayne Gretzky's late career in Edmonton; the other was Ryan Smyth. Ray was drafted in the second round (32nd overall) in the 1991 NHL Entry Draft by the San Jose Sharks. He has played for several different NHL teams during his 14 year career, including the San Jose Sharks (1991-92 to 1996-97), Edmonton Oilers (1997-98), Florida Panthers (1997-98 to 2000-01), Columbus Blue Jackets (2000-01 to 2002-03), and Detroit Red Wings (2003-04). On August 6, 2005 Whitney signed a 2 year contract with the Carolina Hurricanes of the NHL's Eastern Conference paying him $1.5 million per year. Ray is one of only 29 players in NHL history to record an overtime game-winner in a seventh game in the playoffs. He did that in 1995 in a seventh game against the Calgary Flames while with San Jose.

As well as playing in the NHL, Ray has also played in the Western Hockey League (WHL), International Hockey League (IHL), and American Hockey League (AHL).

In 2006, Ray helped Carolina win their first Stanley Cup with fellow Fort Saskatchewan native Mike Commodore. Ray stated that if the Hurricanes were not in the playoffs, he would have been rooting for the Oilers, as they were his childhood team. The Finals were a real emotional time for Ray and his father Floyd. Floyd stated that the Stanley Cup Finals were one of the hardest two weeks of his life. Being a guard for the Oilers dressing room and their practice goalie, Floyd had to chose between the team he worked with and his son. In the end, Floyd felt sorry for the Oilers but not too sorry, he was happy for his son.

[edit] See also

• List of NHL players
• List of NHL seasons

Preceded by Lyle Odelein

Columbus Blue Jackets Captains 2002-03

Succeeded by Luke Richardson