Sean O'Donnell (born October 13, 1971) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman. Drafted 123rd overall by the Buffalo Sabres in the 1991 NHL Entry Draft,[1] O'Donnell has played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Los Angeles Kings, Minnesota Wild, New Jersey Devils, Boston Bruins, Phoenix Coyotes, Anaheim Ducks, Philadelphia Flyers and Chicago Blackhawks. He won the Stanley Cup as a member of the Ducks in 2007.

Sean O'Donnell
O'Donnell with the Los Angeles Kings in 2009
Born (1971-10-13) October 13, 1971 (age 53)
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Height 6 ft 3 in (191 cm)
Weight 237 lb (108 kg; 16 st 13 lb)
Position Defence
Shot Left
Played for Los Angeles Kings
Minnesota Wild
New Jersey Devils
Boston Bruins
Phoenix Coyotes
Anaheim Ducks
Philadelphia Flyers
Chicago Blackhawks
National team  Canada
NHL draft 123rd overall, 1991
Buffalo Sabres
Playing career 1991–2012

Playing career

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Minor/Junior

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O'Donnell grew up in the Ottawa area playing minor hockey with several teams before playing his Midget season with the CJHL's Kanata Valley Lasers in 1987–88. He was a fourth-round choice, 59th overall, of the Sudbury Wolves in the 1988 Ontario Hockey League (OHL) Priority Selection.

O'Donnell played major junior in the OHL with Sudbury for three seasons. Following his third and final OHL season, he was drafted by the Buffalo Sabres in the sixth round of the 1991 NHL Entry Draft.[1]

Professional

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O'Donnell immediately turned professional the following season with the Sabres' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Rochester Americans.[2] At one point during the Sabres' 1992–93 season, O'Donnell was set to make his NHL debut with the team due to the single-game suspension of Gord Donnelly. However, his flight from Rochester, New York, to Hartford, Connecticut, was cancelled, and he was unable to make it to the city in time for the game against the Whalers.[3]

After three seasons in the Sabres organization, he was traded to the Los Angeles Kings in the 1994 off-season in exchange in exchange for Doug Houda.[4] As a result, O'Donnell began playing in the International Hockey League (IHL) with the Kings' minor league affiliate, the Phoenix Roadrunners. During his first season in the Kings organization, he made his NHL debut in 1994–95, appearing in 15 games and recording two assists. From then on, O'Donnell established himself as a full-time NHLer, playing the following five seasons with the Kings.

 
O'Donnell being chased by Brendan Morrison

On June 23, 2000, O'Donnell was released by the Kings into the 2000 NHL Expansion Draft, where he was claimed by the Minnesota Wild. Joining the expansion Wild, O'Donnell was named the franchise's first captain for the month of October as part of a rotating monthly captaincy. Late in the season, however, he was dealt at the 2001 NHL trade deadline to the New Jersey Devils in exchange for defenceman Willie Mitchell.[5] O'Donnell went on to appear in the 2001 Stanley Cup Finals with the Devils, but lost the championship to the Colorado Avalanche in seven games.

In the off-season, O'Donnell became a free agent and signed with the Boston Bruins. In his first season as a Bruin, O'Donnell recorded NHL career-highs with 22 assists and 25 points in 80 games. After three seasons in Boston, he became a free agent once more and signed with the Phoenix Coyotes. For the second time in his career, he was dealt at the trade deadline in his first season with a new club, as the Coyotes traded him to the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim in exchange for Joël Perrault. The following season, in 2006–07, O'Donnell won a Stanley Cup with the Ducks.

After another season with the Ducks, in which O'Donnell played in his 900th NHL game on January 18, 2008, against his former team, the Minnesota Wild, he was traded in the 2008 off-season to the Los Angeles Kings for a draft pick in 2009. Playing in his first season back with the Kings, O'Donnell then reached the 1,000-game mark on March 14, 2009, against the San Jose Sharks at the HP Pavilion in San Jose.

On July 1, 2010, O'Donnell signed a one-year contract with the Philadelphia Flyers.[6]

O'Donnell signed a one-year contract worth $850,000 with the Chicago Blackhawks on July 1, 2011.

After 17 seasons in the NHL, O'Donnell announced his retirement on January 16, 2013.

Personal life

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O'Donnell grew up in Ottawa, Ontario, and has a younger brother, Mark, who also played professional hockey. Mark grew up to marry Amanda Carkner and have three kids, Nolan, Emmerson and the amazing Kane. As well as a younger sister, Tracey. On July 11, 2009, Sean married wife Laura Marie Buka in Detroit, Michigan.

While injured with Boston, O'Donnell did some pre- and post-game TV host work on NESN. In 2013, after his retirement from professional hockey, he returned to the Los Angeles Kings organization to work both in the team's hockey development department and as an analyst on the team's television broadcasts. He has also been involved in numerous charities throughout his career and enjoys working with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America.

Career statistics

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Regular season and playoffs

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Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1987–88 Kanata Valley Lasers CJHL 44 4 19 23 107
1988–89 Sudbury Wolves OHL 56 1 9 10 49
1989–90 Sudbury Wolves OHL 64 7 19 26 84 7 1 2 3 8
1990–91 Sudbury Wolves OHL 66 8 23 31 114 5 1 4 5 10
1991–92 Rochester Americans AHL 73 4 9 13 193 16 1 2 3 21
1992–93 Rochester Americans AHL 74 3 18 21 203 17 1 6 7 38
1993–94 Rochester Americans AHL 64 2 10 12 242 4 0 1 1 21
1994–95 Phoenix Roadrunners IHL 61 2 18 20 132 9 0 1 1 21
1994–95 Los Angeles Kings NHL 15 0 2 2 49
1995–96 Los Angeles Kings NHL 71 2 5 7 127
1996–97 Los Angeles Kings NHL 55 5 12 17 144
1997–98 Los Angeles Kings NHL 80 2 15 17 179 4 1 0 1 36
1998–99 Los Angeles Kings NHL 80 1 13 14 186
1999–00 Los Angeles Kings NHL 80 2 12 14 114 4 1 0 1 4
2000–01 Minnesota Wild NHL 63 4 12 16 128
2000–01 New Jersey Devils NHL 17 0 1 1 33 23 1 2 3 41
2001–02 Boston Bruins NHL 80 3 22 25 89 6 0 2 2 4
2002–03 Boston Bruins NHL 70 1 15 16 76
2003–04 Boston Bruins NHL 82 1 10 11 110 7 0 0 0 0
2005–06 Phoenix Coyotes NHL 57 1 7 8 121
2005–06 Mighty Ducks of Anaheim NHL 21 1 2 3 26 16 2 3 5 23
2006–07 Anaheim Ducks NHL 79 2 15 17 92 21 0 2 2 10
2007–08 Anaheim Ducks NHL 82 2 7 9 84 6 1 1 2 2
2008–09 Los Angeles Kings NHL 82 0 12 12 71
2009–10 Los Angeles Kings NHL 78 3 12 15 70 6 0 1 1 4
2010–11 Philadelphia Flyers NHL 81 1 17 18 87 11 0 2 2 5
2011–12 Chicago Blackhawks NHL 51 0 7 7 23 2 0 0 0 0
NHL totals 1,224 31 198 229 1,809 106 6 13 19 129

International

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Year Team Event   GP G A Pts PIM
1999 Canada WC 9 1 2 3 6
Senior totals 9 1 2 3 6

Awards and honours

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Award Year
NHL
Stanley Cup (Anaheim Ducks) 2007

Transactions

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c Kelley, Jim (June 23, 1991). "Sabres Get Top Prospect In Boucher Scouting Services Rated – Defenseman Sixth Best In Draft". The Buffalo News. Sports, C1.
  2. ^ Gaughan, Mark (September 22, 1991). "Ruff, Fleming Among 22 Sent Down To Rochester". The Buffalo News. Sports, B1.
  3. ^ Dicesare, Bob (December 14, 1992). "Transportation Woes Stall O'donnell Debut". The Buffalo News. Sports, D5.
  4. ^ a b "Briefly – Kings Trade Houda To Sabres". Daily News of Los Angeles. July 27, 1994. Sports, S2.
  5. ^ a b Chere, Rich (March 6, 2001). "O'Donnell happy as the Devil – Pickup feels he fits in with coach, system". The Star Ledger. Newark, New Jersey. Sports, p. 49.
  6. ^ "Flyers sign defenseman O'Donnell". Philadelphia Flyers. July 1, 2010. Retrieved July 1, 2010.
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Preceded by
Position created
Minnesota Wild captain
October 2000
Succeeded by