Rumun Ndur Explained

Played For:Buffalo Sabres
New York Rangers
Atlanta Thrashers
Coventry Blaze
Nottingham Panthers
Muskegon Lumberjacks
Position:Defence
Shoots:Left
Height Ft:6
Height In:2
Weight Lb:244
Birth Date:July 7, 1975
Birth Place:Zaria, Nigeria
Draft:69th overall
Draft Year:1994
Draft Team:Buffalo Sabres
Career Start:1995
Career End:2010

Rumun Ndur (born July 7, 1975) is a Nigerian-born Canadian[1] former professional ice hockey player. Ndur played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Buffalo Sabres, the New York Rangers, and the Atlanta Thrashers. Ndur was the first Nigerian-born player to play in the NHL. He was born in Nigeria but grew up in Hearst, Ontario.[2]

Playing career

Ndur moved to Union, Ontario (near London) and played minor hockey for the St. Thomas Travelers. Ndur played for the Belmont Pests Jr.D. (1990–91) and Clearwater Steeplejacks Jr.C. (1991–92) clubs of the Ontario Hockey Association. Ndur was drafted in the ninth round (129th overall) by the Guelph Storm in the 1992 Ontario Hockey League (OHL) Priority Selection.

He was drafted by the Sabres in the 1994 NHL Entry Draft in the third round, 69th overall. In 1996 he won the Calder Cup with the Rochester Americans. He made his NHL debut in 1996–97 with the Sabres. In 1998–99 he was traded to the New York Rangers and just a year later he was traded to Atlanta, and played 27 games with them during the 1999–2000 NHL season.Ndur played a total of 69 games in NHL, scoring 5 points (2 goals, 3 assists) with 137 penalty minutes.

At the end of the 2005-06 season Ndur signed with HK Jesenice of the Slovenian Ice Hockey League, thus becoming first African to play for a team in Slovenia. He played 14 games, scoring 2 goals and 3 assists and also amassing 79 penalty minutes. He had a memorable fight with Boštjan Groznik, a tough enforcer. That season Ndur won the Slovenian Championship.[3]

With the Coventry Blaze Ndur played just two games of the 2007–08 season before suffering from a neck injury, ruling him out for the season. In May 2008, Ndur was released by Coventry.[4] Ndur went on to sign with the Nottingham Panthers of the EIHL for the 2008-09 season before returning to North America to sign with the Muskegon Lumberjacks of the International Hockey League before retiring.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular seasonPlayoffs
SeasonTeamLeagueGP PIMGP G A Pts PIM
1990–91Belmont BombersSOJHL36 3 11 14 70
1991–92Sarnia BeesWOJHL30 2 5 7 46
1991–92Clearwater SteeplejacksGLJCHL4 0 4 4 4
1992–93Guelph StormOHL22 1 3 4 304 0 1 1 4
1992–93Guelph Holody PlatersMWJHL24 7 8 15 202
1993–94Guelph StormOHL61 6 33 39 1769 4 1 5 24
1994–95Guelph StormOHL63 10 21 31 18714 0 4 4 28
1995–96Rochester AmericansAHL73 2 12 14 30617 1 2 3 33
1996–97Rochester AmericansAHL68 5 11 16 28210 3 1 4 21
1996–97Buffalo SabresNHL2 0 0 0 2
1997–98Rochester AmericansAHL50 1 12 13 2074 0 2 2 16
1997–98Buffalo SabresNHL1 0 0 0 2
1998–99Hartford Wolf PackAHL6 0 1 1 4
1998–99Buffalo SabresNHL8 0 0 0 16
1998–99New York RangersNHL31 1 3 4 46
1999–00Hartford Wolf PackAHL3 0 0 0 0
1999–00Atlanta ThrashersNHL27 1 0 1 71
2000–01Orlando Solar BearsIHL16 0 0 0 50
2000–01Norfolk AdmiralsAHL21 1 2 3 939 1 0 1 26
2001–02Norfolk AdmiralsAHL52 4 9 13 1332 0 0 0 2
2002–03Graz 99ersEBEL31 3 11 14 128
2003–04Columbus CottonmouthsECHL70 8 9 17 241
2004–05Danbury TrashersUHL46 3 9 12 289
2005–06Kalamazoo WingsUHL17 0 1 1 57
2005–06HK JeseniceSLO14 2 3 5 79
2006–07Coventry BlazeEIHL64 12 12 24 221
2007–08Coventry BlazeEIHL2 0 1 1 63 1 0 1 6
2008–09Nottingham PanthersEIHL34 2 3 5 191
AHL totals272 13 47 60 102542 5 5 10 98
NHL totals69 2 3 5 137

Notes and References

  1. Web site: ON FIRE! Coventry Blaze ice hockey team - Ndur Gooner be Back for Another Year ! . September 30, 2007 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20071019010842/http://coventryblaze.co.uk/news/display.jsp?catId=43&newsId=2037 . October 19, 2007 .
  2. Web site: Legends of Hockey -- NHL Player Search -- Player -- Rumun Ndur . www.legendsofhockey.net . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20121013024650/http://www.legendsofhockey.net/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/SearchPlayer.jsp?player=15082 . 2012-10-13.
  3. Web site: Rumun Ndur . Elite Prospects.
  4. Web site: Bmibaby Elite Ice Hockey League | News - Rumun Ndur Released . www.eliteleague.co.uk . 3 February 2022 . https://archive.today/20080509184915/http://www.eliteleague.co.uk/news/detail.php?id=5923 . 9 May 2008 . dead.