Antoine Roussel Explained

Antoine Roussel
Birth Date:21 November 1989
Birth Place:Roubaix, France
Height Ft:6
Height In:0
Weight Lb:200
Position:Left wing
Shoots:Left
League:NHL
Played For:Dallas Stars
Vancouver Canucks
Arizona Coyotes
Ntl Team:France
Draft:Undrafted
Career End:2022
Career Start:2010

Antoine Roussel (born 21 November 1989) is a French former professional ice hockey left winger. He most recently played for the Arizona Coyotes of the National Hockey League (NHL).[1] Born in France, Roussel first played hockey there before moving to Quebec at the age of 16. After four years in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), he turned professional and played in the American Hockey League (AHL) and ECHL, minor leagues in North America. Signed by the Dallas Stars of the National Hockey League (NHL) in 2012, he made his NHL debut in 2013 for the club. Regarded as a physical player, Roussel has consistently been one of the NHL's leaders in penalty minutes since he entered the league. He has scored 10 or more goals and earned 100 PIM in the same season six times in his career. Internationally Roussel has represented the French national team both at the junior and senior level, including multiple World Championships.

Early life

Roussel was born in Roubaix, France. He first played rugby as a child, but was released from his team after repeatedly running off the field during the heated summer practices. As a result, his mother Sarah enrolled him in hockey, deciding the cooler rink would benefit Roussel.[2] As a youth, he played in the 2002 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with a team from Nantes.[3] At the age of 16, Roussel and his family moved to Canada, settling in Quebec. He also holds Canadian citizenship.[4]

Playing career

Junior

After arriving in Canada in 2006, Roussel played midget hockey for the Collège Charles-Lemoyne Riverains in Longueuil. Later that season, Roussel joined the Chicoutimi Saguenéens of the QMJHL, where he played for four years.[5]

Professional

Undrafted in the NHL Entry Draft, Roussel signed an AHL contract on 9 August 2010 with the Providence Bruins, where he played the 2010–11 season. After being a healthy scratch for several Providence games, he was temporarily reassigned to the Reading Royals of the ECHL, where he played in five games.[6]

Roussel was not offered another contract by the Bruins, but was later invited to attend the Vancouver Canucks' prospect camp.[7] His performance there led to him signing a contract with the Chicago Wolves, which at the time were the Canucks' minor league affiliate in the AHL.[8] He played for the Wolves for the 2011–12 season.

Dallas Stars

On 2 July 2012, Roussel signed a contract with the Dallas Stars.[9] During the 2012–13 season, Roussel split his time between Dallas and their AHL affiliate, the Texas Stars. For the 2013–14 season, Roussel played with the Dallas Stars for the entire season, playing 81 games. On 22 July 2014, the Stars announced that Roussel had signed a four-year, $8 million contract extension with the team.[10]

During the 2016–17 season on 18 February 2017, Roussel scored his first NHL hat trick against the Tampa Bay Lightning. He was the second ever French-born NHL player to do so, joining Paul MacLean. A hand injury would end his season in early March.[11]

Vancouver Canucks

After six seasons with the Stars, Roussel left as a free agent and on 1 July 2018, he signed a four-year, $12 million contract with the Vancouver Canucks.[12] Roussel set a career-high in points in 2018–19 with the Canucks, with 31, before suffering a season-ending knee injury on 13 March 2019, during a game against the New York Rangers.[13] Roussel's injury was later revealed to be a torn anterior cruciate ligament or ACL. After undergoing surgery in late-March, Roussel's recovery carried over into the 2019–20 NHL season. Expected to miss the first two months of the season,[14] Roussel made his return to the lineup on 3 December in a 5–2 win over the Ottawa Senators, scoring two goals, including one on his first shift since the injury.[15]

Arizona Coyotes

On 23 July 2021, Roussel was traded, along with Jay Beagle, Loui Eriksson, a 2021 first-round pick, a 2022 second-round pick and a 2023 seventh-round pick, to the Arizona Coyotes in exchange for Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Conor Garland.[16] [17] [18]

International play

Roussel was a member of the French national team at the 2012,[19] 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2017 IIHF World Championships. At the end of the 2014 tournament, he was selected as a Media All-Star after a very successful tournament, scoring 11 points in eight games.[20]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular seasonPlayoffs
SeasonTeamLeagueGP GAPtsPIMGPGAPtsPIM
2004–05RouenFRA U188459422240
2006–07Collège Charles-Lemoy RiverainsQMAAA124101418
2006–07Chicoutimi SaguenéensQMJHL567132055400014
2007–08Chicoutimi SaguenéensQMJHL70132437121504429
2008–09Chicoutimi SaguenéensQMJHL58152035110402215
2009–10Chicoutimi SaguenéensQMJHL68242347131745910
2010–11Providence BruinsAHL4217888
2010–11Reading RoyalsECHL50117803314
2011–12Chicago WolvesAHL6145917720006
2012–13Texas StarsAHL4381119107
2012–13Dallas StarsNHL39771485
2013–14Dallas StarsNHL81141529209603327
2014–15Dallas StarsNHL80131225148
2015–16Dallas StarsNHL801316291231320216
2016–17Dallas StarsNHL60121527115
2017–18Dallas StarsNHL7351217126
2018–19Vancouver CanucksNHL6592231118
2019–20Vancouver CanucksNHL417613431722446
2019–20Utica CometsAHL20114
2020–21Vancouver CanucksNHL3513437
2021–22Arizona CoyotesNHL5344859
NHL totals607851121971,0633645989

International

YearTeamEventResultGPGAPtsPIM
2006FranceU18 D118th50118
France15th56282
2012FranceWC9th72136
2013FranceWC13th721310
2014FranceWC8th8651116
2015FranceWC12th702234
2017FranceWC9th762818
Junior totals1063910
Senior totals3616112784

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Stars sign Petersen, Roussel. theahl.com. 2 July 2012. 4 July 2012.
  2. Web site: Roussel eyes international stage. Brown. Erin. 5 November 2015. IIHF. 6 November 2015.
  3. Web site: Pee-Wee players who have reached NHL or WHA. 2018. Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament. 15 February 2019. 6 March 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190306085544/https://www.publicationsports.com/ressources/files/439/Joueurs_Pro.pdf. dead.
  4. News: MacIntyre . Iain . Why Antoine Roussel might be Canucks’ most ‘Canadian’ player . 23 March 2023 . . . June 20, 2020 . en.
  5. Web site: Antoine Roussel. Elite Prospects. 22 July 2014.
  6. Web site: Roussel Assigned to Reading . ProvidenceBruins.com . 22 July 2014 . dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20140728044700/http://www.providencebruins.com/View/PressReleases/672 . 28 July 2014.
  7. News: Mooney . Harrison . Antoine Roussel gets his contract . 21 July 2014 . Vancouver Sun . 3 October 2011 . dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20140727235315/http://vansunsportsblogs.com/2011/10/03/antoine-roussel-gets-his-contract/ . 27 July 2014.
  8. Web site: Climie and Roussel Sent to Wolves . ChicagoWolves.com . 22 July 2014 . dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20140728010439/http://www.chicagowolves.com/news/releases/item/2682-climie-and-roussel-sent-to-wolves . 28 July 2014.
  9. News: Antoine Roussel agrees to four-year deal with Dallas Stars. 22 July 2014. Associated Press. 22 July 2014. 2014 Contract. 22 July 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140722213125/http://o.canada.com/sports/nhl/antoine-roussel-agrees-to-four-year-deal-with-dallas-stars. dead.
  10. Web site: Roussel, Stars agree to four-year contract. NHL.com. 22 July 2014.
  11. Web site: Antoine Roussel of Stars to miss rest of season. NHL.com. en-US. 18 May 2017.
  12. Web site: Canucks sign Antoine Roussel . Vancouver Canucks. 1 July 2018 . 1 July 2018.
  13. Web site: Canucks' Roussel (knee) out for season. TSN. 13 March 2019. 14 March 2019.
  14. Web site: Patrick Johnston: Ever-upbeat Roussel faces long summer of recovery, with numbers on his mind. Johnston. Patrick. The Province. 17 April 2019. 1 October 2019.
  15. Web site: Roussel scores in season debut for Canucks in win against Senators . NHL.com . 5 December 2019 . 3 December 2019.
  16. Web site: Report: Ekman-Larsson, No. 9 Pick Involved in Blockbuster Canucks, Coyotes Trade. TSN.ca. 23 July 2021. 23 July 2021.
  17. Web site: Canucks acquire Ekman-Larsson, Garland from Coyotes in blockbuster deal. Sportsnet. 2021-07-23. 2021-07-23.
  18. Web site: Arizona Coyotes trade Oliver Ekman-Larsson to Vancouver Canucks as part of multiplayer, multipick swap. EPSN. 2021-07-23. 2021-07-23.
  19. Web site: 2012 IIHF World Championships France Roster. IIHF. 4 July 2012.
  20. Web site: 2014 IIHF World Championships Media All-Stars. 26 May 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20161231165256/http://reports.iihf.hockey/Hydra/387/IHM387000_98_1_0.pdf. 31 December 2016. IIHF. live.