Sandis Ozoliņš

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Position	Defence
Shoots	Left
Height Weight	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 220 lb (100 kg/15 st 10 lb)
NHL Team F. teams	San Jose Sharks New York Rangers Anaheim Ducks Florida Panthers Carolina Hurricanes Colorado Avalanche San Jose Sharks
Nationality	Latvia
Born	August 3, 1972 (1972-08-03) (age 35), Riga, U.S.S.R.
NHL Draft	30th overall, 1991 San Jose Sharks
Pro career	1992 – present

Sandis Ozoliņš (pronounced /sɑn.dɪs oʊzoʊ.lɪntʃ/, born August 3, 1972 in Riga, U.S.S.R.), also known as Sandis Ozolinsh, is a Latvian ice hockey player, currently playing for the San Jose Sharks. He is a 7-time NHL All-Star, the highest paid sportsman in Latvian history,^{[citation needed]} and the all-time highest scoring Latvian in the NHL.

Ozolinsh was drafted in 1991 by the San Jose Sharks, as the 30th pick in the 2nd round. He has skated for the San Jose Sharks, Colorado Avalanche, Carolina Hurricanes, Florida Panthers, Anaheim Ducks and New York Rangers.

1 Playing career
2 Transactions
3 Career statistics
4 International play
5 Awards
6 References
7 External links

[edit] Playing career

Ozolinsh was one of 3 finalists for the Norris Trophy (the NHL award given to the best defencemen of NHL) in the 1996–97 season. He is also a 7-time NHL All-Star.

When on the Colorado Avalanche, he won his one and only Stanley Cup (1996). He was a part of Anaheim's Cinderella run to the Finals in 2003. In December 2005, Ozolinsh missed a practice skate and failed to go on a short road trip with the team. Shortly after, he voluntarily entered the NHL's substance abuse program, and was placed indefinitely on the disabled list.

He was traded from the Ducks to the New York Rangers for a third-round draft pick (which the Rangers had obtained earlier in a trade with the San Jose Sharks) at the March 9, 2006 trade deadline. On December 18, 2006, on the heels of a 6–1 loss to New Jersey, the Rangers placed Ozolinsh on waivers. After clearing waivers, Ozolinsh was assigned to the Hartford Wolf Pack of the AHL, but a short while later he was put on injured reserve instead.

Ozolinsh is also the owner of Vilki OP/LaRocca of the Riga Open Championship. Ozolinsh also owns other Latvian sports ventures, including Latvia's first 18-hole golf course, Ozo Golf Club.

He signed a one-year contract with the Sharks on November 2, 2007 and scored 2 goals and giving 4 assists in 16 games.^[1]

[edit] Transactions

October 26, 1995- Traded by the San Jose Sharks to the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for Owen Nolan.

June 24, 2000- Traded by the Colorado Avalanche, along with Columbus' 2000 2nd round draft choice, to the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for Nolan Pratt, Carolina's 2000 1st round draft choice, Carolina's 2nd round draft choice and Philadelphia's 2000 2nd round draft choice.

January 16, 2002- Traded by the Carolina Hurricanes, along with Byron Ritchie, to the Florida Panthers in exchange for Bret Hedican, Kevyn Adams and Tomas Malec.

January 30, 2003- Traded by the Florida Panthers, along with Lance Ward to the Anaheim Mighty Ducks in exchange for Pavel Trnka, Matt Cullen and Anaheim's 2003 4th round draft choice.

March 9, 2006- Traded by the Anaheim Mighty Ducks to the New York Rangers in exchange for San Jose's 2006 3rd round draft choice.

November 2, 2007- Signed with the San Jose Sharks.

[edit] Career statistics

			Regular Season					Playoffs
Season	Team	League	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1990–91	Dinamo Riga	RSL	44	0	3	3	51	—	—	—	—	—
1991–92	Stars Riga	RSL	30	6	0	6	42	—	—	—	—	—
1991–92	Kansas City Blades	IHL	34	6	9	15	20	15	2	5	7	22
1992–93	San Jose Sharks	NHL	37	7	16	23	40	—	—	—	—	—
1993–94	San Jose Sharks	NHL	81	26	38	64	24	14	0	10	10	8
1994–95	San Jose Sharks	NHL	48	9	16	25	30	11	3	2	5	6
1995–96	San Francisco Spiders	IHL	2	1	0	1	0	—	—	—	—	—
1995–96	San Jose Sharks	NHL	7	1	3	4	4	—	—	—	—	—
1995–96	Colorado Avalanche	NHL	66	13	37	50	50	22	5	14	19	16
1996–97	Colorado Avalanche	NHL	80	23	45	68	88	17	4	13	17	24
1997–98	Colorado Avalanche	NHL	66	13	38	51	65	7	0	7	7	14
1998–99	Colorado Avalanche	NHL	39	7	25	32	22	19	4	8	12	22
1999–00	Colorado Avalanche	NHL	82	16	36	52	46	17	5	5	10	20
2000–01	Carolina Hurricanes	NHL	72	12	32	44	71	6	0	2	2	5
2001–02	Carolina Hurricanes	NHL	46	4	19	23	34	—	—	—	—	—
2001–02	Florida Panthers	NHL	37	10	19	29	24	—	—	—	—	—
2002–03	Florida Panthers	NHL	51	7	19	26	40	—	—	—	—	—
2002–03	Anaheim Mighty Ducks	NHL	31	5	13	18	16	21	2	6	8	10
2003–04	Anaheim Mighty Ducks	NHL	36	5	11	16	24	—	—	—	—	—
2005–06	Anaheim Mighty Ducks	NHL	17	3	3	6	8	—	—	—	—	—
2005–06	New York Rangers	NHL	14	2	10	12	12	3	0	0	0	6
2006–07	New York Rangers	NHL	21	0	3	3	8	—	—	—	—	—
2007–08	San Jose Sharks	NHL	39	3	13	16	24	—	—	—	—	—
NHL Totals			875	167	397	564	638	137	23	67	90	131

[edit] International play


Year	Team	League	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1991	USSR	World Junior Championship Div. A	7	1	2	3	6
1992	USSR/CIS¹	World Junior Championship Div. A	7	1	5	6	4
2001	Latvia	World Championship Div. A	6	0	5	5	2
2002	Latvia	Olympic Games	1	0	4	4	0
2002	Latvia	World Championship Div. A	6	2	1	3	12
2005	Latvia	Olympic Qualification	3	0	1	1	4
2006	Latvia	Olympic Games	5	1	3	4	2

¹ - during the tournament USSR broke up and team was recalled as CIS national team, but Ozolinsh and Sergei Zholtok were from Latvia, which wasn't member of CIS so some other teams protested, but the protest was denied.