On May 2nd, we celebrate the birthdays of 18 NHL players past and present. Today's list includes a two-time Stanley Cup winner and several veterans who have worn a variety of sweaters throughout their careers. Let's take a look at some names that will blow out the candle today.
Brad Richards (1980)
Brad Richards turns 44 today, is a former NHL player, and there's been a lot of discussion about whether or not he should be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. During his 15-year career, the Murray Harbor, Prince Edward Island, Canada, native won the Stanley Cup in 2004 and earned Conn Smythe the playoff MVP award. He also won with Lady Byng that season, scoring 79 points in 82 games, including 12 penalty minutes.
During his rookie season in 2000-01, Richards scored 62 points in 82 games and was named to the All-Rookie team. He played seven seasons with the Tampa Bay Lightning, who drafted him in the third round (64th overall) in 1998. He appeared in 552 games, scoring 150 goals and 489 points before being traded to the Dallas Stars at the 2008 trade deadline.
During his time with Dallas, Richards appeared in his only All-Star Game (2011) and finished his 220-game tenure with 227 points. He then chose to sign as a free agent with the New York Rangers in 2012. After three seasons on Broadway, including an appearance in the 2014 Stanley Cup Final, Richards was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks, where he won his second championship in 2015 and then ended his career. He began his career with the Detroit Red Wings in 2015-16. He played in 1,126 games, scoring 298 goals, 634 assists, and 932 points. Richards is the only skater born on May 2 whose name is engraved on the Stanley Cup.
Jason Chimera (1979)
Jason Chimera is a native of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, and was selected by his hometown team in the 1997 draft. As a fifth-round pick (121st overall), he played 17 years in the NHL, including his first four games with the Oilers (2000-2004). After 130 games (36 points), Edmonton traded him to the Arizona Coyotes and then to the Columbus Blue Jackets, where he played five seasons from 2005 to 2009.
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Chimera received more playing time with the Blue Jackets, scoring 136 points in 331 games, but his tenure ended when Columbus traded him to the Washington Capitals in December 2009. Prior to his tenure with the Capitals, he had only played six games in the playoffs, but the remainder of his career, where he had his best years in Washington, saw him score 197 points in 490 games and score 26 points in 63 playoff games. Added points. He played his final two seasons with the New York Islanders and Anaheim Ducks, scoring 415 points in 1,107 games before retiring after the 2017-18 season.
Chris Russell (1987)
Kris Russell, another well-traveled NHLer from Alberta, is celebrating his birthday today. He began his career with the Blue Jackets, who drafted him in the third round (67th overall) of the 2005 draft. He spent five seasons with the St. Louis Blues, scoring 77 points in 339 games before being traded to the St. Louis Blues in November 2011, where he appeared in 76 games over two seasons.
RELATED: Today in Hockey History: May 2nd
During the 2013 offseason, the Blues sent him to the Calgary Flames, where he had his best season in 2014-15 with 34 points (30 assists). Eventually, his time in Southern Alberta ended when the Flames traded him to the Stars, where he only played 11 games before signing with the Oilers as a free agent. Russell only scored 77 points in Edmonton, but played in 339 games and was one of the league's top shot blockers. He retired in 2022 with 254 points in 912 games.
Inactive players celebrating birthday (age)
- Real Chevrefill (1932 – 1981)
- Jim Hargreaves (1950 – 2020)
- Greg Therion (1960 – 2018)
- Roman Lyashenko (1979 – 2003)
- Dave Hutchison (72)
- Paul Evans (70)
- Steve Stoyanovich (67)
- Frank Caprice (62)
- Kirk Tomlinson (56)
- Scott Bailey (52)
- Mike Weaver (46)
- Tomáš Možiš (42)
- Ryan Russell (37)
- Brett Connolly (32)
- Adam Werner (27)
