Gary Roberts (ice hockey)

For other people named Gary Roberts, see Gary Roberts (disambiguation).

Gary Roberts
Born	(1966-05-23) May 23, 1966 North York, ON
Height	6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Weight	212 lb (96 kg; 15 st 2 lb)
Position	Left Wing
Shoots	Left
NHL team Former teams	Tampa Bay Lightning Pittsburgh Penguins Florida Panthers Toronto Maple Leafs Carolina Hurricanes Calgary Flames
NHL draft	12th overall, 1984 Calgary Flames
Playing career	1986–present

Gary Roberts (born May 23, 1966) is a Canadian professional ice hockey left wing for the Tampa Bay Lightning in the National Hockey League (NHL).

Playing career

Roberts played junior hockey for the OHL's Ottawa 67's beginning in 1982. In his second year, the 67's won the Memorial Cup. After the season, Roberts was drafted by the Calgary Flames in the 1984 NHL Entry Draft. Roberts won the Memorial Cup a second time as a member of the Guelph Platers in 1986. Roberts split the next season between the Calgary Flames of the NHL and their AHL affiliate, the Moncton Golden Flames. Roberts made his NHL stay permanent beginning with the 1987-88 season. In Roberts's second full NHL season, he helped the Flames win the Stanley Cup.

Injuries and early retirement

At the conclusion of the 1995-96 season, Roberts won the NHL's Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy for his comeback. On June 17, 1996, at the age of 30, Roberts announced his retirement from hockey, before returning to hockey after the next season.

Return to hockey

In his first NHL season away from Calgary, Roberts scored 20 goals and added 29 assists for 49 points in 61 games. He played for Carolina for three seasons before signing with the Toronto Maple Leafs. In Toronto, Roberts was reunited with his childhood friend and old Calgary teammate, Joe Nieuwendyk. Roberts did not play his first game of the 2002-03 season until February 15, 2003, after missing most of the season following surgeries on both shoulders during the summer of 2002. Three days later, Roberts and the Maple Leafs agreed to a one-year contract extension through the 2003-04 season. On January 13, 2004, Roberts and teammate Tom Fitzgerald each played in the 1,000th games of their careers. Due to the 2004-05 NHL lockout, he did not play in the 2004-05 NHL season. On August 1, 2005, both Roberts and Nieuwendyk signed $4.5 million (USD) contracts with the Florida Panthers.

On February 27, 2007, Roberts was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins for defenseman Noah Welch. Roberts re-signed with the Pittsburgh Penguins for a one-year, $2.5 million (USD) deal.

During the second period of the Penguins game against the Buffalo Sabres on December 29, 2007, Roberts became tangled up with Tim Connolly and landed awkwardly, breaking his left fibula. In a showing of grit and character, Roberts refused to be carried off in a stretcher. He had been honored before the game for having scored his 900th career point. Roberts scored two goals against the Ottawa Senators on April 9 2008, becoming the oldest player in the NHL to register multiple goals in one playoff game.

On June 28, 2008, the Tampa Bay Lightning acquired exclusive negotiation rights to Roberts from the Penguins. Two days later, the Lightning signed Roberts to a one-year contract that pays him a minimum of $1.25 million, with $10,000 extra for every game played in the regular season, a possible bonus of $820,000.

Achievements

• 1985 – Minto Cup winner - Whitby Warriors (lacrosse)
• 1985 – OHL Second All-Star Team
• 1986 – OHL Second All-Star Team
• 1989 – Stanley Cup winner - Calgary Flames
• 1992 – Played in NHL All-Star Game
• 1993 – Played in NHL All-Star Game
• 1996 – Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy
• 2004 – Played in NHL All-Star Game

Career statistics

				Regular Season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1981–82	Whitby	OMHA		44	55	31	86	133		—	—	—	—	—
1982–83	Ottawa 67's	OHL		53	12	8	20	83		5	1	0	1	19
1983–84	Ottawa 67's	OHL		48	27	30	57	144		13	10	7	17	62
1984–85	Ottawa 67's	OHL		59	44	62	106	186		5	2	8	10	10
1984–85	Moncton Golden Flames	AHL		7	4	2	6	7		—	—	—	—	—
1985–86	Ottawa 67's	OHL		24	26	25	51	83		—	—	—	—	—
1985–86	Guelph Platers	OHL		23	18	15	33	65		20	18	13	31	43
1986–87	Moncton Golden Flames	AHL		38	20	18	38	72		—	—	—	—	—
1986–87	Calgary Flames	NHL		32	5	10	15	85		2	0	0	0	4
1987–88	Calgary Flames	NHL		74	13	15	28	282		9	2	3	5	29
1988–89	Calgary Flames	NHL		72	22	16	38	250		22	5	7	12	57
1989–90	Calgary Flames	NHL		78	39	33	72	222		6	2	5	7	41
1990–91	Calgary Flames	NHL		80	22	31	53	252		7	1	3	4	18
1991–92	Calgary Flames	NHL		76	53	37	90	207		—	—	—	—	—
1992–93	Calgary Flames	NHL		58	38	41	79	172		5	1	6	7	43
1993–94	Calgary Flames	NHL		73	41	43	84	145		7	2	6	8	24
1994–95	Calgary Flames	NHL		8	2	2	4	43		—	—	—	—	—
1995–96	Calgary Flames	NHL		35	22	20	42	78		—	—	—	—	—
1996–97	Did not play (Injury)	—		—	—	—	—	—		—	—	—	—	—
1997–98	Carolina Hurricanes	NHL		61	20	29	49	103		—	—	—	—	—
1998–99	Carolina Hurricanes	NHL		77	14	28	42	178		6	1	1	2	8
1999–2000	Carolina Hurricanes	NHL		69	23	30	53	62		—	—	—	—	—
2000–01	Toronto Maple Leafs	NHL		82	29	24	53	109		11	2	9	11	0
2001–02	Toronto Maple Leafs	NHL		69	21	27	48	63		19	7	12	19	56
2002–03	Toronto Maple Leafs	NHL		14	5	3	8	10		7	1	1	2	8
2003–04	Toronto Maple Leafs	NHL		72	28	20	48	84		13	4	4	8	10
2004–05	Did not play	—		See 2004–05 NHL lockout
2005–06	Florida Panthers	NHL		58	14	26	40	51	—	—	—	—	—
2006–07	Florida Panthers	NHL		50	13	16	29	71	—	—	—	—	—
2006–07	Pittsburgh Penguins	NHL		19	7	6	13	26	5	2	2	4	2
2007–08	Pittsburgh Penguins	NHL		38	3	12	15	40	11	2	2	4	32
NHL Totals				1194	434	469	903	2,533	130	32	61	93	332
AHL Totals				45	24	20	44	79	—	—	—	—	—
OHL Totals				207	127	140	267	561	43	31	28	59	134

See also

• Power forward (ice hockey)
• List of NHL players
• List of NHL seasons
• Stanley Cup

External links

• Gary Roberts career statistics at The Internet Hockey Database