Brad Stuart Explained

Played For:San Jose Sharks
Boston Bruins
Calgary Flames
Los Angeles Kings
Detroit Red Wings
Colorado Avalanche
League:NHL
Position:Defence
Shoots:Left
Height Ft:6
Height In:2
Weight Lb:215
Ntl Team:CAN
Birth Date:November 6, 1979
Birth Place:Rocky Mountain House, Alberta, Canada
Draft:3rd overall
Draft Year:1998
Draft Team:San Jose Sharks
Career Start:1999
Career End:2016

Bradley Stuart (born November 6, 1979) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman who played in over 1,000 career games in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the San Jose Sharks, Boston Bruins, Calgary Flames, Los Angeles Kings, Detroit Red Wings, and Colorado Avalanche.

Stuart was a member of the Stanley Cup-winning 2007–08 Detroit Red Wings, his first and only Stanley Cup win.

Playing career

San Jose Sharks

Stuart was drafted in the first round, third overall, in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft by the San Jose Sharks. In a game against the Los Angeles Kings on April 4, 2004, Stuart scored twice in a 17-second span, forcing the game into overtime at a 3–3 tie; Stuart's feat is the fastest that a Sharks player has scored two goals. The Sharks went on to win 4–3.

In November 2005, after playing with the Sharks for more than five seasons, Stuart was traded (along with Marco Sturm and Wayne Primeau) to the Boston Bruins in exchange for Joe Thornton.[1]

Calgary Flames

On February 10, 2007, Stuart was traded to the Calgary Flames (again alongside Wayne Primeau) in exchange for Andrew Ference and Chuck Kobasew. Boston general manager Peter Chiarelli cited his inability to agree on a new contract with Stuart, who was scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the 2006–07 season, as a reason for the trade.[2]

Los Angeles Kings

After the end of the season, Stuart signed a one-year, $3.5 million contract with the Los Angeles Kings.[3]

Detroit Red Wings

On February 26, 2008, the Kings traded Stuart to the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for second- and fourth-round picks in the 2008 and 2009 NHL Entry Drafts, respectively. On June 4, 2008, Stuart won the Stanley Cup as a member of the Red Wings, where he saw time as a top-four defenceman paired with Niklas Kronwall. On July 1, 2008, as an unrestricted free agent, Stuart re-signed with the Red Wings on a four-year, $15 million contract.[4] Stuart returned to his hometown of Rocky Mountain House on August 17, 2008, with the Stanley Cup to share his celebration with those that supported him.

Stuart played in 67 games during the 2008–09 season, recording 2 goals and 13 assists as the Red Wings came within one game of repeating as Stanley Cup champions, losing in the 2009 Stanley Cup Finals to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

He would record 61 points in the next three seasons with the Red Wings.

Return to San Jose

On June 10, 2012, Stuart's negotiating rights were traded to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for the negotiating rights to forward Andrew Murray and a conditional seventh-round pick in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft.[5] Eight days later, it was reported Stuart signed a three-year, $10.8 million deal with the Sharks.[6] On October 8, 2013, in a game against the New York Rangers, Stuart landed a hit on Rick Nash which led to Stuart's being suspended for three games.[7] Stuart finished the season with 11 points in 61 games before surrendering a three-games-to-none series lead in the Conference Quarterfinals to the Los Angeles Kings.

Colorado Avalanche and retirement

On July 1, 2014, with the Sharks intent on getting younger, Stuart accepted a trade to provide a veteran presence to the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for second- and sixth-round picks in the 2016 and 2017 NHL Entry Drafts, respectively.[8] On September 29, 2014, before playing a game with the Avalanche, Stuart signed a two-year contract extension with the organization.[9] Stuart played in his 1,000th career game on December 18, 2014.[10] Stuart finished the regular season with 3 goals and 10 assists for 13 points in 65 games as the Avalanche failed to qualify for the 2015 playoffs.

In the 2015–16 season, his second season with the Avalanche, Stuart appeared in only six games before he was ruled out with a back injury on November 10, 2015.[11] With little sign of improvement, on February 1, 2016, it was announced Stuart's season was over after he underwent back surgery.[12] During the subsequent off-season on June 27, 2016, with the Avalanche aiming to go younger on defence, Stuart was bought out from the remaining year of his contract, ending his tenure with Colorado.[13]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Team League GP GP G A Pts PIM
1995–96Red Deer Chiefs AAAAMHL3512253783
1995–96Regina PatsWHL30000
1996–97Regina PatsWHL57736435850444
1997–98Regina PatsWHL7220456582934710
1998–99Regina PatsWHL2910192943
1998–99Calgary HitmenWHL3011223326218152359
1999–00San Jose SharksNHL8210263632121016
2000–01San Jose SharksNHL77518235651010
2001–02San Jose SharksNHL826232939120338
2002–03San Jose SharksNHL364101446
2003–04San Jose SharksNHL7793039341715613
2005–06San Jose SharksNHL232101214
2005–06Boston BruinsNHL5510213138
2006–07Boston BruinsNHL487101726
2006–07Calgary FlamesNHL270551860116
2007–08Los Angeles KingsNHL635162167
2007–08Detroit Red WingsNHL911222116714
2008–09Detroit Red WingsNHL6721315262336912
2009–10Detroit Red WingsNHL824162022122468
2010–11Detroit Red WingsNHL673172040110228
2011–12Detroit Red WingsNHL81615212950110
2012–13San Jose SharksNHL4806625111232
2013–14San Jose SharksNHL6138113570000
2014–15Colorado AvalancheNHL653101316
2015–16Colorado AvalancheNHL60000
NHL totals1,0568025533556514210304077

International

YearTeamEventResultGPGAPtsPIM
1999CanadaWJC70112
2001CanadaWC5th71126
2006CanadaWC7th903314
Junior totals70112
Senior totals1614520

Awards and honours

AwardYear
WHL
1998
East Second All-Star Team 1998
East First All-Star Team1999
Bill Hunter Memorial Trophy1999
Ed Chynoweth Cup1999
CHL First All-Star Team 1999
CHL Defenseman of the Year1999
NHL
2000[14]
Stanley Cup (Detroit Red Wings)2008

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Sharks Acquire Joe Thornton . 2007-02-11 . SanJoseSharks.com . 2005 . https://web.archive.org/web/20061101185933/http://www.sjsharks.com/news/news.asp?story_id=1927 . 2006-11-01 . dead .
  2. Web site: Bruins send Stuart and Primeau to Calgary for Ference and Kobasew. 2007-02-11. NHL.com. 2007. 2020-05-24. https://web.archive.org/web/20200524200706/http://www.nhl.com/nhl/app?articleid=288855&page=NewsPage&service=page%2F. dead.
  3. Web site: Stuart agrees to one-year deal with Kings . 2007-07-03 . TSN.ca . 2007 . https://web.archive.org/web/20070929155809/http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=212663 . 2007-09-29 . dead .
  4. Web site: Player Movement . 2008-07-01 . . 2008 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20080705092046/http://www.sportsline.com/nhl/transactions/playermove/WEST . 2008-07-05 .
  5. Web site: Sharks acquire Stuart from Red Wings for prospect, pick . . 2012-06-10 . 2012-06-10.
  6. Web site: Sharks ink D Stuart to three-year, 10.8M deal . . 2012-06-18 . 2012-06-18 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120620195223/http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=398651 . 2012-06-20 . dead .
  7. News: Leahy. Sean. NHL suspends Sharks' Brad Stuart three games for hit on Rick Nash. Yahoo! Sports. 2013-10-09. 2013-10-09.
  8. News: Sharks trade Brad Stuart to Colorado Avalanche . . 2014-07-01 . 2014-07-01.
  9. News: Cody McLeod, Brad Stuart signed by Avs to contract extension . . 2014-09-29 . 2014-09-29.
  10. Web site: Stuart's Decision Led To Lengthy Career . 2014-12-18 . 2014-12-18.
  11. News: Avs Johnson injury short term, Stuart Back and Berra ankle out longer than expected . Prohockeytalk | NBC Sports . . 2016-01-06 . 2016-01-06.
  12. Web site: Avs' D-man Stuat out long term after back surgery . . 2016-02-01 . 2016-02-01.
  13. News: Avalanche to buy out veteran Brad Stuart . . 2016-06-27 . 2016-06-27.
  14. Web site: NHL All-Rookie Teams . HockeyReference.com . 2014-07-03 . 2014-07-03.