| Brian Rolston | |
|---|---|
| Born | February 21, 1973 Flint, MI, USA |
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) |
| Weight | 214 lb (97 kg; 15 st 4 lb) |
| Position | Forward |
| Shoots | Left |
| NHL team Former teams |
New York Islanders Colorado Avalanche Boston Bruins Minnesota Wild New Jersey Devils |
| National team | United States |
| NHL Draft | 11th overall, 1991 New Jersey Devils |
| Playing career | 1993–present |
Brian Lee Rolston (born February 21, 1973) is a professional ice hockey player and an alternate captain for the New York Islanders of the National Hockey League. He has won a Stanley Cup Championship with the New Jersey Devils in 1995, and the World Cup of Hockey in 1996 playing for Team USA. Rolston has represented the United States of America three times in Olympic competition for ice hockey. In the Salt Lake City Olympics of 2002, he won the Silver Medal.
Brian has three sons, Ryder Scott, Brody and Stone. His older brother is Ron Rolston, who is currently coaching the Rochester Americans. Rolston has been a resident of Short Hills, New Jersey.[1]
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Rolston is considered a utility forward, as he can play as a centre, left wing and right wing competently. The 6'2', 214 pound forward is best known for his highly regarded two-way ability.
Rolston was drafted in the 1991 NHL Entry Draft by the New Jersey Devils as their second pick in the first round. Prior to his NHL career, Rolston played for Lake Superior State University (where as a freshman he scored the game winning goal and earned Most Outstanding Player honors in the National Championship game, which his team won), then the Albany River Rats of the AHL. He has played for the New Jersey Devils, the Minnesota Wild, the Colorado Avalanche and the Boston Bruins. He scored a then career high 62 points, including nine shorthanded goals in 2001–02 with the Bruins. During his career, he has scored a total of 33 shorthanded goals.
Rolston signed with the Minnesota Wild as an unrestricted free agent on July 8, 2004, though his debut with the Wild didn't take place until the 2005–06 season due to the 2004–05 NHL lockout. Rolston often quarterbacked the Minnesota Wild's powerplay (a task normally given to a defenseman) due to his booming shot from the point and strong two-way ability. During the season, he was an on-ice leader and was one of the Wild's top scorers, scoring a new career high of 79 points. He was named as team captain for the Minnesota Wild for February, October, November 2006 and January 2007. During 2006–07, Rolston scored three goals (one on a penalty shot and two in overtime shootouts), using a slapshot from the slot. He was selected for the 2006–07 NHL Western Conference All-Star Team. During the game, Rolston scored two goals and added two assists. Rolston's shot is also known for making Anaheim Ducks goaltender Jean-Sébastien Giguère duck for cover[2] during a game in the 2007-2008 NHL season when Rolston fired a slapshot from the right wing aiming for the top left corner of the net. Giguere visibly ducked to avoid being hit in the mask, resulting in a goal for Rolston. In a similar event during the 2006-2007 NHL season, Rolston fired a slapshot on Vancouver Canucks goaltender Roberto Luongo. The shot hit Luongo in the mask, and though unhurt, Luongo was visiby dazed for minutes, lying on the ice until the team's trainer confirmed he was okay to continue the game. Rolston would later score on a penalty shot using his slapshot in the same game against Luongo.
On June 29, 2008, Rolston's negotiating rights were traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning in return for a conditional draft pick in 2009 or 2010.[3] After failing to agree to a contract with the Lightning, Rolston became a free agent the next day on July 1, 2008, and signed a four-year deal worth $20 million to return to the New Jersey Devils.[4]
Rolston was traded to the New York Islanders for Trent Hunter. In reaction to the trade, Rolston was quoted by The Star Ledger as saying "It's been a bit of a rough ride in Jersey, I'm actually happy to go to a place that wants me. I just want to start new. I'm actually really happy about the change. [...] I saw it coming. There was no blindside here. It was something we discussed from the end of the season and into the summer." Rolston had been waived by the Devils during the 2010-11 NHL season, and is entering the final year of the four year deal he signed in 2008.[5]
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1991–92 | Lake Superior State Lakers | CCHA | 41 | 18 | 28 | 46 | 16 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1992–93 | Lake Superior State Lakers | CCHA | 39 | 33 | 31 | 64 | 20 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1993–94 | Albany River Rats | AHL | 17 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | ||
| 1994–95 | Albany River Rats | AHL | 18 | 9 | 11 | 20 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1994–95 | New Jersey Devils | NHL | 40 | 7 | 11 | 18 | 17 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 4 | ||
| 1995–96 | New Jersey Devils | NHL | 58 | 13 | 11 | 24 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1996–97 | New Jersey Devils | NHL | 81 | 18 | 27 | 45 | 20 | 10 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 6 | ||
| 1997–98 | New Jersey Devils | NHL | 76 | 16 | 14 | 30 | 16 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | ||
| 1998–99 | New Jersey Devils | NHL | 82 | 24 | 33 | 57 | 14 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | ||
| 1999–00 | New Jersey Devils | NHL | 11 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1999–00 | Colorado Avalanche | NHL | 50 | 8 | 10 | 18 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1999–00 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 16 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2000–01 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 77 | 19 | 39 | 58 | 28 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2001–02 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 82 | 31 | 31 | 62 | 30 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 0 | ||
| 2002–03 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 81 | 27 | 32 | 59 | 32 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | ||
| 2003–04 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 82 | 19 | 29 | 48 | 40 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 8 | ||
| 2005–06 | Minnesota Wild | NHL | 81 | 34 | 45 | 79 | 48 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2006–07 | Minnesota Wild | NHL | 78 | 31 | 33 | 64 | 46 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | ||
| 2007–08 | Minnesota Wild | NHL | 81 | 31 | 28 | 59 | 53 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | ||
| 2008–09 | New Jersey Devils | NHL | 64 | 15 | 17 | 32 | 30 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | ||
| 2009–10 | New Jersey Devils | NHL | 80 | 20 | 17 | 37 | 22 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | ||
| 2010–11 | New Jersey Devils | NHL | 65 | 14 | 20 | 34 | 34 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| NHL totals | 1186 | 335 | 402 | 737 | 458 | 70 | 19 | 12 | 31 | 38 | ||||
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Competitor for United States | ||
| Ice hockey | ||
| Winter Olympics | ||
| Silver | 2002 Salt Lake City | |
| World Championships | ||
| Bronze | 1996 Vienna | |
| World Junior Championships | ||
| Bronze | 1992 Kaufbeuren | |
| Year | Team | Comp | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | United States | WJC | 8 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 0 |
| 1992 | United States | WJC | 7 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 2 |
| 1993 | United States | WJC | 7 | 6 | 2 | 8 | 2 |
| 1994 | United States | OG | 8 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 8 |
| 1996 | United States | WC | 8 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 4 |
| 1996 | United States | WCH | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2002 | United States | OG | 6 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| 2004 | United States | WCH | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2006 | United States | OG | 6 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 4 |
| Junior int'l totals | 22 | 10 | 10 | 20 | 4 | ||
| Senior int'l totals | 31 | 13 | 8 | 21 | 16 | ||
| Preceded by Scott Niedermayer |
New Jersey Devils first round draft pick 1991 |
Succeeded by Jason Smith |
| Preceded by Willie Mitchell |
Minnesota Wild captain February 2006 |
Succeeded by Wes Walz |
| Preceded by Wes Walz |
Minnesota Wild captain Oct/Nov 2006 |
Succeeded by Keith Carney |
| Preceded by Keith Carney |
Minnesota Wild captain January 2007 |
Succeeded by Mark Parrish |
| Preceded by Pavol Demitra |
Minnesota Wild captain November 2007 |
Succeeded by Mark Parrish |