Kyle Chipchura

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Position Centre
Shoots Left
Nickname(s) Chip, Chipy, Chipychurs, Freddy
Height
Weight
6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
205 lb (93 kg/14 st 9 lb)
NHL Team Montreal Canadiens
Nationality Flag of Canada Canada
Born February 19, 1986 (1986-02-19) (age 22),
Vimy, Alberta, CAN
NHL Draft 18th overall, 2004
Montreal Canadiens
Pro career 2004 – present

Kyle Chipchura (b. February 19, 1986) is a professional hockey player for the Montreal Canadiens. He was selected in the first round, 18th overall of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft by the Canadiens.

Kyle was born in Vimy, Alberta and played minor league hockey in nearby Legal, Alberta and Westlock, Alberta, and attended high school at R. F. Staples Secondary School. and Carlton Comprehensive High School during his stint with the Prince Albert Raiders. He currently plays with the Montreal Canadiens, in the National Hockey League.

Chipchura in Action
Chipchura in Action

Kyle attended Team Canada's selection camp prior to the 2005 World Junior Hockey Championship and was expected to make the team despite being only 18 (players up to 20 years old are eligible for the tournament). During practice with the Raiders, he suffered a severed Achilles tendon and was not able to participate as a member of the gold-medal winning Canadian team. Kyle was able to recover, however, and was invited to try out again for the 2006 tournament. After being selected for the Canadian team, Chipchura was named team captain by Head Coach Brent Sutter on December 16, 2005. Being named the captain of Team Canada at any level is a highly prestigious honour, and the World Juniors are closely watched in Canada.

When asked why he chose Chipchura, Sutter said: "He's a heart and soul guy and when you have a team that is perhaps lacking some experience at the national level, which obviously we are, you need a real strong character and real strong person mentally that's totally committed to the way we want to play. He's probably a huge reflection of myself."

The 2006 team went on to win the gold medal making Kyle a national figure in Canadian hockey.

On March 25, 2006, Chipchura was signed to a three-year contract by the Montreal Canadiens. He played his first NHL game on October 10, 2007. He netted his first goal on October 20, 2007 against the Buffalo Sabres.

[edit] Career statistics

    Regular Season   Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts +/- PIM GP G A Pts +/- PIM
2002–03 Prince Albert Raiders WHL 63 9 21 30 -- 89 -- -- -- -- -- --
2003–04 Prince Albert Raiders WHL 64 15 33 48 -- 118 6 2 4 6 -- 12
2004–05 Prince Albert Raiders WHL 28 14 18 32 -- 32 14 4 7 11 -- 25
2005–06 Prince Albert Raiders WHL 59 21 34 55 -- 81 -- -- -- -- -- --
2005–06 Hamilton Bulldogs AHL 8 1 2 3 -- 6 -- -- -- -- -- --
2006–07 Hamilton Bulldogs AHL 80 12 27 39 -- 56 22 6 7 13 -- 20

Stats as of November 17, 2006.

[edit] References

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