| Sandis Ozoliņš | |
|---|---|
| Born | August 3, 1972 Sigulda, Latvian SSR, Soviet Union |
| Height | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) |
| Weight | 220 lb (100 kg; 15 st 10 lb) |
| Position | Defence |
| Shoots | Left |
| KHL team Former teams |
Dinamo Riga New York Rangers Mighty Ducks of Anaheim Florida Panthers Carolina Hurricanes Colorado Avalanche San Jose Sharks |
| National team | Soviet Union Unified Team & Latvia |
| NHL Draft | 30th overall, 1991 San Jose Sharks |
| Playing career | 1990–present |
Sandis Ozoliņš (born August 3, 1972), commonly known as Sandis Ozolinsh ( /ˈsɑːndɨs ˈoʊzoʊlɪntʃ/) in North America, is a Latvian ice hockey player and captain of Dinamo Riga in the Kontinental Hockey League. During his career in North America, Ozoliņš was a seven-time NHL All-Star, Stanley Cup champion, and Norris Trophy finalist. He is also the all-time leader for goals, assists, points and games played by a Latvian in the NHL and holds several Colorado Avalanche and San Jose Sharks franchise records. Ozoliņš also was the highest paid sportsman in Latvian history, before NBA basketball player Andris Biedriņš succeeded him in 2008.
Ozoliņš was drafted in the 1991 NHL Entry Draft by the San Jose Sharks as the 8th pick of the 2nd round, 30th overall. He played for the Sharks, Colorado Avalanche, Carolina Hurricanes, Florida Panthers, Mighty Ducks of Anaheim and New York Rangers. He is often considered a prototype "offensive defenseman," becoming heavily involved in his team's offense and scoring opportunities.
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Ozoliņš was drafted 30th overall by the San Jose Sharks in the 1991 NHL Entry Draft and had played for the Kansas City Blades, a minor league team in the International Hockey League. He and Latvian teammate Arturs Irbe won a Turner Cup with the Blades in 1992.
Ozoliņš joined the Sharks in 1992–93, scoring 23 points in 37 games. He missed the majority of his rookie season recovering from knee injury suffered in a game against Philadelphia on December 30, 1992. After recovering from his injury, Ozoliņš ended the 1993–94 season with an 81-game, 64-point sophomore effort, leading the league in goals by a defenceman. Ozolinsh helped the Sharks to move beyond the first round of the playoffs for the first time in franchise history, losing in the conference semifinals.
At the start of the 1995-96 season, San Jose traded Ozoliņš for Nordiques/Avalanche forward Owen Nolan. In 66 games during his first season, Ozoliņš scored 50 total points, with more than half on the power play. Ozoliņš won the Stanley Cup with the Avalanche in 1996. The following season Colorado won the Presidents' Trophy. After losing to the Detroit Red Wings in the 1997 conference finals, Ozolinsh finished third in votes for the Norris Trophy, awarded to the league's most outstanding defenceman. In the regular season he scored a career-high 68 points, second in the league for defencemen after Brian Leetch. Ozoliņš scored his first career hat trick on December 6, 1999 against the Vancouver Canucks.[1] 1999 was his final year in Denver, in which Ozolinsh made $4 million as Colorado's third-highest paid player.[2]
During the 2000 NHL Entry Draft, Ozoliņš was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes for Nolan Pratt and draft picks that became Vaclav Nedorost, Jared Aulin, and Agris Saviels. The agreement reunited Ozolinsh with fellow Latvian Arturs Irbe. They had played together in Latvia and San Jose, shared an agent and together fund a youth hockey organization that buys equipment for children in Latvia. After expiration of Ozoliņš' Avalanche deal, he signed a five-year contract with Carolina worth more than $25 million. "When you have a player like Sandis, you're willing to spend the money," general manager Jim Rutherford said.[2] Ozolinsh didn't help Hurricanes to advance in the playoffs, and played just one and a half seasons with Carolina before being traded to the Florida Panthers.
Ozolinsh became a Panther after being acquired in 2001–02 mid-season from Carolina along with Byron Ritchie in exchange for Bret Hedican, Kevyn Adams, Tomas Malec and a draft pick. Ozolinsh made his Panthers debut against Chicago on January 16, 2002. He wore #44 because #8 was already worn by Peter Worrell. Ozoliņš scored 10 goals and 19 assists in the remaining 37 games of the season. The Panthers did not make the playoffs during his time in Florida.
In midseason 2002–03, the Panthers sent Ozoliņš to the Anaheim Mighty Ducks for Matt Cullen, Pavel Trnka and a draft pick. During the 2003 NHL All-Star weekend (several days after he had been traded), Ozolinsh skipped the NHL All-Star skills competition where he would have had to wear a Panthers uniform. "Participating in the All-Star Game is one thing, but the skills competition is another," said Ozolinsh, who was voted as an Eastern Conference starter. "It would look really unusual for a player to be representing his old team, so I thought this was the right thing to do." He was fined an undisclosed amount by the league.[3] Upon his arrival with the Ducks, Ozolinsh helped the club reach their first first Stanley Cup Final, losing a seven-game series to the New Jersey Devils. In 2003–04, Ozolinsh battled injuries and was limited to 36 games.[4]
Following the lockout in 2004–05, Ozolinsh was dealt to the New York Rangers at the trading deadline for a third-round draft pick (which the Rangers had obtained earlier in a trade with the San Jose Sharks). With 14 points in 19 games in the 2005–06 season, Ozolinsh helped his team to advance to the playoffs, for which the Rangers had not qualified since 1997. In the next season 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 American Hockey League (AHL), but a short while later was put on the injured reserve list due to a knee injury.
Ozoliņš' later entered into the league's substance abuse program following a drunk driving arrest. After playing 2 games for the Worcester Sharks of the AHL and being cleared to play by doctors within the league's substance abuse program, he signed a one-year contract with San Jose on November 2, 2007. "That was a big turnaround this summer and I'm finally comfortable with what I am and what has happened, I actually feel pretty good and I do what I have to do and I do what I was advised to do. And I do it for myself and not for anybody else," said Ozolinsh.[5] In the 2007–08 NHL season he scored 3 goals and 13 assists in 39 games for the Sharks.
After season with Sharks Ozoliņš had a contract offer from Los Angeles Kings for a one-year deal worth $0.8 million, but he declined it[6] and went hiatus from hockey for a year.
On July 13, 2009, unexpectedly Ozoliņš signed a one-year deal with KHL home country team Dinamo Riga in which he started his senior career in 1990. Ozoliņš got back his #8 - the same number which he wore while playing for his first senior career team Dinamo Riga. By then Ozoliņš was attached as a captain for the first time in his career. In 2009–10 KHL season he was leading defender in team by points scoring 5 goals and 20 assists in 43 games. In January 2010, Ozolinsh was selected to play on the starting roster for the Jaromír Jágr team in the KHL All-Star game, he was also selected to play in KHL All-Star skills competition,[7] but, due to micro-injury, played only the first period and withdrew from skills competition. On May 18, 2010, Ozolinsh extended his contract with Dinamo for another year.
At the start of 2010–11 KHL season Ozolinsh was honoured as league's best defenseman of the starting month after he registered 1 goal and 11 assists in first 11 games at the time being league's leader in assists.[8] On November 28 he suffered injury in the game against HC Sibir and missed all of the December due to broken ribs.[9] In January 2011, Ozolinsh was again selected to play on the starting roster in the KHL All-Star game.[10] During 2011–12 KHL season league's officials confirmed, that All-Star Game 2012, which will take place on the 21st of January, 2012, in Riga, Latvia, Western Conference team will be captained by Sandis Ozolinsh, named as "Team Ozolins" and Eastern Conference team by Sergei Fedorov, named as "Team Fedorov".[11][12]
Ozoliņš was married to his secondary school schoolmate Sandra for more than 15 years, when in May, 2010 Ozolinsh submitted an application for divorce.[13] He has two sons - Roberts(born in 1994) and Christopher(born in 1996). Ozolinsh now is dating Latvian TV ex-diva Anna Lieckalnina.[14] During the off-season Ozoliņš resides in Denver, Colorado and most recently in Jūrmala, Latvia. Ozolinsh was the owner of Vilki OP/LaRocca of the Riga Open Championship until it's defunct in 2006. Ozolinsh also owns other Latvian sports ventures, including Latvia's first 18-hole golf course, Ozo Golf Club. In December, 2009, Ozolinsh was voted as 2009 most popular sportsman in Latvia by internet voters.[15]
team
individual
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1990–91 | Dynamo Riga | Soviet | 44 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 51 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1991–92 | Stars Riga | CIS | 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 | Mighty Ducks of Anaheim | NHL | 31 | 5 | 13 | 18 | 16 | 21 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 10 | ||
| 2003–04 | Mighty Ducks of Anaheim | NHL | 36 | 5 | 11 | 16 | 24 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2005–06 | Mighty Ducks of Anaheim | 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 | Worcester Sharks | AHL | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2007–08 | San Jose Sharks | NHL | 39 | 3 | 13 | 16 | 24 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2009–10 | Dinamo Riga | KHL | 43 | 5 | 20 | 25 | 109 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 24 | ||
| 2010–11 | Dinamo Riga | KHL | 41 | 6 | 26 | 32 | 62 | 11 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 12 | ||
| NHL totals | 875 | 167 | 397 | 564 | 638 | 137 | 23 | 67 | 90 | 131 | ||||
| KHL totals | 84 | 11 | 46 | 57 | 171 | 17 | 0 | 10 | 10 | 36 | ||||
Ozolinsh, who was born in Latvia, played hockey for the Soviet Union, while it still existence until 1990–91. His first major international tournament was 1991 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, where he won a silver medal, losing the in the gold medal game to Canada. Following the breakup of the Soviet Union he was playing under the new flag of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and won a gold medal at the 1992 World Junior Championships. Ozolinsh didn't play in internationally until 1998 due to injuries and the NHL playoffs schedule. In 1998, after losing with Avalanche to Oilers in playoffs 1st round 7-game, Ozolinsh was able to rush to Switzerland and made his debut for Latvia in elite division, where team Latvia qualified second time since it's independence in 1991. At the tournament he registered 1 goal and 2 assists. He again helped for his nation for Men's World Ice Hockey Championship, he was able participation because of the Hurricanes loss in Conference quarterfinals. Latvia finished the tournament in 13th place. He played in next year's championship as well and one game during the 2002 Winter Olympics Ice hockey tournament. In the game verus Slovakia, Ozolinsh registered 4 assists helping Latvia to a 6-6 tie. After a 3 year absence Ozolinsh helped Latvia qualify for the 2006 Winter Olympics Ice hockey tournament. It was his last international tournament, he announced his international retirement to the media following the conclusion of the Olympics.[16]
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Competitor for Commonwealth of Independent States | ||
| World Junior Championship | ||
| Gold | 1992 Germany | Ice hockey |
| Competitor for Soviet Union | ||
| World Junior Championship | ||
| Silver | 1991 Canada | Ice hockey |
| Year | Team | Tournament | 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 |
| 1998 | Latvia | World Championship Div. A | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | ? |
| 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 the team was recalled as CIS national team, but Ozoliņš and Sergei Zholtok were from Latvia, which wasn't member of CIS so other teams protested, but the protest was denied.
| Preceded by Rodrigo Lavins |
Dinamo Riga captain 2009–present |
Succeeded by Incumbent |
| Preceded by Maris Strombergs |
Most popular sportsman in Latvia 2009 |
Succeeded by Martins Dukurs |