Donald Audette

Donald Audette

Born	(1969-09-23) September 23, 1969 Laval, QC, CAN
Height	5 ft 8 in (173 cm)
Weight	192 lb (87 kg; 13 st 10 lb)
Position	Right Wing
Shot	Right
Played for	Buffalo Sabres Los Angeles Kings Atlanta Thrashers Dallas Stars Montreal Canadiens Florida Panthers
NHL Draft	183rd overall, 1989 Buffalo Sabres
Playing career	1989–2004

Donald Daniel Audette (born September 23, 1969) is a Canadian retired professional ice hockey forward who played fourteen seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Buffalo Sabres, Los Angeles Kings, Atlanta Thrashers, Dallas Stars, Montreal Canadiens and Florida Panthers.

Playing career

He was drafted in the 9th round of the 1989 NHL Entry Draft, 183rd overall by the Buffalo Sabres. Despite his small stature, Audette became known for his gritty, feisty style of play and quickly endeared himself to Buffalo hockey fans with a 31 goal rookie season. However, his rough and tumble style of play led to lengthy trips to the injury reserve, including several knee injuries that ended his 1992–93 and 1995–96 seasons.

In 1998 Audette was traded to the Los Angeles Kings. Two years later, as a member of the Atlanta Thrashers, he reached his career high in goals (34) and assists (45) and made it to the NHL All-Star game.

Audette was traded back to the Buffalo Sabres in March 2001, and signed a multi-million dollar contract with the Dallas Stars later that summer. In the middle of the 2001–02 season, Audette was traded again, this time to the Montreal Canadiens. In a game against the New York Rangers on December 1, 2001, Audette had the tendons of his forearm severed by an opponent's skate and required life-saving surgery to repair the extensive damage, but still managed to recover in time for the playoffs.

After struggling to make a mark with the Florida Panthers for half of the 2003–04 season, Audette stopped playing professionally.

Prior to playing in the NHL, Audette won the Dudley "Red" Garrett Memorial Award as the top rookie in the American Hockey League (AHL), while playing for the Rochester Americans. Audette is now an amateur scout for the Canadiens.

Personal life

Donald Audette's son Daniel (born in 1996) was the first pick of the 2012 Quebec Major Junior Hockey League draft and was drafted by the Montreal Canadiens in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft.^[1]

Career statistics

			Regular season					Playoffs
Season	Team	League	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1986–87	Laval Titan	QMJHL	66	17	22	39	36	14	2	6	8	10
1987–88	Laval Titan	QMJHL	63	48	61	109	56	14	7	12	19	20
1988–89	Laval Titan	QMJHL	70	76	85	161	123	17	17	12	29	43
1989–90	Rochester Americans	AHL	70	42	46	88	78	15	9	8	17	29
1989–90	Buffalo Sabres	NHL	—	—	—	—	—	2	0	0	0	0
1990–91	Rochester Americans	AHL	5	4	0	4	2	—	—	—	—	—
1990–91	Buffalo Sabres	NHL	8	4	3	7	4	—	—	—	—	—
1991–92	Buffalo Sabres	NHL	63	31	17	48	75	—	—	—	—	—
1992–93	Rochester Americans	AHL	6	8	4	12	10	—	—	—	—	—
1992–93	Buffalo Sabres	NHL	44	12	7	19	51	8	2	2	4	6
1993–94	Buffalo Sabres	NHL	77	29	30	59	41	7	0	1	1	6
1994–95	Buffalo Sabres	NHL	46	24	13	37	27	5	1	1	2	4
1995–96	Buffalo Sabres	NHL	23	12	13	25	18	—	—	—	—	—
1996–97	Buffalo Sabres	NHL	73	28	22	50	48	11	4	5	9	6
1997–98	Buffalo Sabres	NHL	75	24	20	44	59	15	5	8	13	10
1998–99	Los Angeles Kings	NHL	49	18	18	36	51	—	—	—	—	—
1999–00	Los Angeles Kings	NHL	49	12	20	32	45	—	—	—	—	—
1999–00	Atlanta Thrashers	NHL	14	7	4	11	12	—	—	—	—	—
2000–01	Atlanta Thrashers	NHL	64	32	39	71	64	—	—	—	—	—
2000–01	Buffalo Sabres	NHL	12	2	6	8	12	13	3	6	9	4
2001–02	Dallas Stars	NHL	20	4	8	12	12	—	—	—	—	—
2001–02	Montreal Canadiens	NHL	13	1	5	6	8	12	6	4	10	10
2002–03	Montreal Canadiens	NHL	54	11	12	23	19	—	—	—	—	—
2002–03	Hamilton Bulldogs	AHL	11	5	5	10	8	—	—	—	—	—
2003–04	Montreal Canadiens	NHL	23	3	5	8	16	—	—	—	—	—
2003–04	Florida Panthers	NHL	28	6	7	13	22	—	—	—	—	—
NHL totals			735	260	249	509	584	73	21	27	48	46

Awards and honours

Award	Year
QMJHL
First All-Star Team	1989
Playoff MVP	1989
AHL
Dudley "Red" Garrett Memorial Award	1990	^[2]
First All-Star Team	1990
NHL
NHL All-Star Game	2001

References