Steven Goertzen Explained

Played For:Columbus Blue Jackets
Phoenix Coyotes
Carolina Hurricanes
BK Mladá Boleslav
Sheffield Steelers
Coventry Blaze
Position:Right wing
Shoots:Right
Height Ft:6
Height In:2
Weight Lb:216
Birth Date:May 26, 1984
Birth Place:Stony Plain, Alberta, Canada
Draft:225th overall
Draft Year:2002
Draft Team:Columbus Blue Jackets
Career Start:2003
Career End:2015

Steven Goertzen (born May 26, 1984) is a Canadian-born former professional ice hockey winger who played in the National Hockey League for the Columbus Blue Jackets, Phoenix Coyotes and the Carolina Hurricanes.

Playing career

Born in Stony Plain, Alberta, Goertzen started his junior hockey career with the tier II St. Albert Saints of the Alberta Junior Hockey League, but soon caught on with the Western Hockey League's Seattle Thunderbirds. After his first season with Seattle, Goertzen was selected 225th overall in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft by the Columbus Blue Jackets, and after three seasons and 81 points with the Thunderbirds, Goertzen moved to the professional ranks.

So far, Goertzen's career has been marked by low point totals, with his best professional season being in 2004–05 when he spread twelve points out between the AHL and ECHL. However, in the 2005–06 NHL season, Goertzen made his NHL debut with Columbus, and in thirty-nine games failed to record a point before being returned to the American Hockey League.

He failed to score a point in his first 48 career games. In his 49th career game, as a member of the Phoenix Coyotes, he scored his first two career points, both assists, in a 6–3 loss to the Edmonton Oilers.

On July 8, 2009, he signed as an unrestricted free agent with the Carolina Hurricanes. On November 10, 2010, he signed a one-year contract with the Springfield Falcons, for whom he had been playing on a professional tryout (PTO) contract.[1]

On July 26, 2012, it was announced that Goertzen had signed for the Sheffield Steelers in the U.K. Elite Ice Hockey League. After two seasons, he switched to the Coventry Blaze. At the conclusion of the 2014–15 season with the Blaze on June 28, 2015, Goertzen announced his retirement from professional hockey.[2]

Career statistics

Team League GP GP G A Pts PIM
2000–01St. Albert Raiders AAAAMHL34 11 18 29 70
2000–01St. Albert SaintsAJHL1 0 0 0 0
2001–02Seattle ThunderbirdsWHL66 6 9 15 4511 2 0 2 4
2002–03Seattle ThunderbirdsWHL71 12 19 31 9514 4 3 7 9
2003–04Seattle ThunderbirdsWHL69 15 18 33 115
2003–04Syracuse CrunchAHL8 0 3 3 41 0 0 0 0
2004–05Syracuse CrunchAHL57 2 7 9 100
2004–05Dayton BombersECHL11 0 3 3 2
2005–06Columbus Blue JacketsNHL39 0 0 0 44
2005–06Syracuse CrunchAHL32 5 5 10 41
2006–07Syracuse CrunchAHL60 9 7 16 120
2006–07Columbus Blue JacketsNHL7 0 0 0 10
2007–08Syracuse CrunchAHL59 8 5 13 72
2007–08San Antonio RampageAHL22 1 3 4 347 1 0 1 5
2008–09San Antonio RampageAHL57 6 8 14 907 1 0 1 5
2008–09Phoenix CoyotesNHL16 2 2 4 24
2009–10Albany River RatsAHL71 8 15 23 858 0 1 1 7
2009–10Carolina HurricanesNHL6 0 0 0 5
2010–11Springfield FalconsAHL65 7 9 16 48
2011–12BK Mladá BoleslavELH43 2 1 3 75
2012–13Sheffield SteelersEIHL50 19 21 40 542 0 2 2 0
2013–14Sheffield SteelersEIHL36 10 23 33 164 1 2 3 0
2014–15Coventry BlazeEIHL44 13 26 39 274 1 2 3 2
AHL totals43948651136082212346
NHL totals6822483
EIHL totals130427011297102682

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Springfield Falcons' Ben Guite named team captain . masslive.com . 2010-11-10 . 2010-11-12.
  2. Web site: Goertzen retirement announcement . . 2015-06-28 . 2015-06-28.