Kris Versteeg

Kris Versteeg
230 px Versteeg with the Chicago Blackhawks in December 2014
Born	(1986-05-13) May 13, 1986 Lethbridge, AB, CAN
Height	5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
Weight	176 lb (80 kg; 12 st 8 lb)
Position	Right Wing
Shoots	Right
NHL team Former teams	Los Angeles Kings Chicago Blackhawks Toronto Maple Leafs Philadelphia Flyers Florida Panthers Carolina Hurricanes
NHL Draft	134th overall, 2004 Boston Bruins
Playing career	2006–present

Kristopher Royce Versteeg (born May 13, 1986) is a Canadian professional ice hockey winger currently playing for the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League (NHL). He is a two time Stanley Cup champion with the Blackhawks in 2010 and 2015.

Originally selected 134th overall in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft by the Boston Bruins, he played with the club's minor league affiliate, the Providence Bruins of the American Hockey League (AHL), for parts of two seasons before being traded to the Blackhawks. Versteeg continued playing in the AHL with the Blackhawks' affiliates until making his NHL debut during the 2007–08 season. The following campaign, he received a nomination for the Calder Memorial Trophy as the NHL's best rookie. In his second full season with the Blackhawks, he helped the club win the Stanley Cup in 2010. Following Chicago's Cup win, Versteeg played for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Philadelphia Flyers and Florida Panthers before being traded back to Chicago during the 2013–14 season, winning the Stanley Cup again in 2015.

Playing career

Versteeg was drafted 134th overall in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft by the Boston Bruins, after a four-year Western Hockey League (WHL) career spanning from 2002–03 to 2005–06 and spent with the Lethbridge Hurricanes, Kamloops Blazers and Red Deer Rebels. During his time with Lethbridge, he played with future Blackhawks teammate Brent Seabrook for three seasons. Versteeg made his professional debut, playing in the final 13 games of the 2005–06 season with Boston's American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Providence Bruins.

Versteeg remained with Providence for the beginning of 2006–07 before being traded by Boston on February 3, 2007, along with a conditional draft pick, to the Chicago Blackhawks for Brandon Bochenski. As a result, he moved within the AHL to Chicago's minor league affiliate, the Norfolk Admirals. Versteeg then played for the Rockford IceHogs in 2007–08, as Chicago switched its AHL affiliation. He made his NHL debut that season as he was called up for a total of 13 games, recording two goals and two assists.

File:Kris Versteeg.jpg

Versteeg during the 2009-10 Season in his first tenure with the Chicago Blackhawks

Versteeg played his first full season with the Blackhawks in 2008–09. On January 1, 2009, he scored the opening goal of the 2009 Winter Classic held at Wrigley Field against the Detroit Red Wings. Finishing the season with 22 goals and 53 points, second in rookie scoring to Bobby Ryan of the Anaheim Ducks, he was nominated for the Calder Memorial Trophy as rookie of the year along with Ryan and goaltender Steve Mason of the Columbus Blue Jackets for his efforts. Mason ended up winning the Calder.

Versteeg's entry-level contract expired after the 2008–09 season, which would typically have made him a restricted free agent (RFA). However, a clerical error in which the Blackhawks failed to tender qualifying offers to their pending RFAs by the league deadline led to speculation Versteeg and several of his teammates would become unrestricted free agents. As a result, the NHL Players' Association (NHLPA) filed a grievance on the players' behalf. Shortly thereafter, on July 8, 2009, he re-signed with the Blackhawks to a three-year contract, worth nearly US$9 million.

Versteeg's offensive production dropped in his second full NHL season, recording 20 goals and 44 points over 79 games. In the 2010 playoffs, he added 14 points in 22 games, helping the Blackhawks to a Stanley Cup championship, defeating the Philadelphia Flyers in the Finals. His name was originally misspelled "Kris Vertseeg" when engraved on the Stanley Cup, but was quickly corrected.

Due to salary cap restraints, the Blackhawks were forced to trade away several players in the off-season, including Versteeg. On June 30, 2010, he was dealt to the Toronto Maple Leafs along with the rights to prospect Bill Sweatt in exchange for forwards Viktor Stålberg, Chris DiDomenico and Philippe Paradis. He recorded his first Gordie Howe hat trick (a goal, an assist and a fight) with the Maple Leafs in a game against the Ottawa Senators on October 9, 2010; he scored against Pascal Leclaire, assisted on a goal by Phil Kessel and fought Mike Fisher. After recording 35 points over 53 games with the Maple Leafs in 2010–11, he was traded for the second time in his career on February 14, 2011. Toronto sent him to the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for first-round and third-round draft picks. Versteeg joined the team that he helped defeat in the previous season's Stanley Cup Finals and scored seven goals to go with four assists during the remainder of the regular season. He scored one goal during the 2011 Stanley Cup Playoffs, which came in the final game of Philadelphia's fourth game 5–1 loss to the Boston Bruins in the second round.

On July 1, 2011, the Flyers traded Versteeg to the Florida Panthers for a second-round pick (2012 or 2013-Florida's choice) and a third-round pick in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft. The trade came just a few hours after the Flyers announced the signing of Jaromír Jágr.

On November 14, 2013, the Panthers traded Versteeg, along with Philippe Lefebvre, to the Chicago Blackhawks for Jimmy Hayes and Dylan Olsen. Since Versteeg's jersey #32, which he wore during his first stint with the club was being worn by Michal Rozsíval, Versteeg opted to wear #23 upon his return to the club. On June 15, 2015, Versteeg won his second Stanley Cup with the Chicago Blackhawks in a 2-0 Game 6 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Stanley Cup Final.

On Sept 11, 2015, Versteeg was again traded by the Blackhawks due to salary cap constraints, along with Joakim Nordstrom, to the Carolina Hurricanes along with a 3rd round pick in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft for a 5th round pick in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft and two prospects. The move was done to make more cap space available for Marcus Kruger, who was re-signed the next day. In the following 2015–16 season, Versteeg transitioned to the Hurricanes quickly and was used on the club's top scoring lines throughout the year. Versteeg produced 33 points in 63 games before on February 28, 2016, he was familiarly traded at the trade deadline to the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for Valentin Zykov and a conditional 5th round pick in 2016 (if Los Angeles advanced to the 2016 Western Conference Final, failed). Acquired by the Kings for depth in their playoff run, the team would fail to make it deep, losing in the first round to the San Jose Sharks. In his stint with the Kings, Versteeg scored 5 points in 14 games, while adding 2 more in the team's 5 playoff appearances.

Personal life

Versteeg's younger brother Mitch is currently a defenceman with the Nikkō Ice Bucks of the Asia League Ice Hockey (ALH) in Japan.

Versteeg has developed a reputation within the NHL for his habit of singing in public, as evidenced by his recitation of a portion of Fergie's "Glamorous" on Mouthpiece Sports, as well as performing an altered version of LMFAO's "Yes" during the Chicago Blackhawks' Stanley Cup victory parade. Versteeg also sang Kanye West's verse of the Estelle song "American Boy" in a video clip on Blackhawks TV during his time with Chicago. He continued this tradition during the 2015 Championship Rally by singing Macklemore's "And We Danced" along with Joakim Nordstrom.

Versteeg has a tattoo on his upper right arm that reads "06 • 09 • 10" in commemoration of the date he won the Stanley Cup as a member of the Blackhawks.

On June 2, 2015, Versteeg and his wife, Brittany welcomed their first child, a son named Jaxson James.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2002–03	Lethbridge Hurricanes	WHL		57	8	10	18	32		—	—	—	—	—
2003–04	Lethbridge Hurricanes	WHL		68	16	33	49	85		—	—	—	—	—
2004–05	Lethbridge Hurricanes	WHL		68	22	30	52	68		5	0	1	1	4
2005–06	Kamloops Blazers	WHL		14	6	6	12	24		—	—	—	—	—
2005–06	Red Deer Rebels	WHL		57	10	26	36	103		—	—	—	—	—
2005–06	Providence Bruins	AHL		13	2	4	6	13		3	0	0	0	6
2006–07	Providence Bruins	AHL		43	22	27	49	19		—	—	—	—	—
2006–07	Norfolk Admirals	AHL		27	4	19	23	20		2	0	0	0	2
2007–08	Rockford IceHogs	AHL		56	18	31	49	174		12	6	5	11	6
2007–08	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL		13	2	2	4	6		—	—	—	—	—
2008–09	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL		78	22	31	53	55		17	4	8	12	22
2009–10	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL		79	20	24	44	35		22	6	8	14	14
2010–11	Toronto Maple Leafs	NHL		53	14	21	35	29		—	—	—	—	—
2010–11	Philadelphia Flyers	NHL		27	7	4	11	24		11	1	5	6	12
2011–12	Florida Panthers	NHL		71	23	31	54	49		7	3	2	5	8
2012–13	Florida Panthers	NHL		10	2	2	4	8		—	—	—	—	—
2013–14	Florida Panthers	NHL		18	2	5	7	9		—	—	—	—	—
2013–14	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL		63	10	19	29	27		15	1	2	3	4
2014–15	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL		61	14	20	34	35		12	1	1	2	6
2015–16	Carolina Hurricanes	NHL		63	11	22	33	36		—	—	—	—	—
2015–16	Los Angeles Kings	NHL		14	4	1	5	6		5	1	1	2	0
NHL totals				550	131	182	313	322		89	17	27	44	66

International

Year	Team	Event	Result		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2004	Canada	WJ18	4th		7	0	2	2	4
Junior totals					7	0	2	2	4

Awards and honours

Award or Honour	Year	Ref
NHL
NHL All-Rookie Team	2009
2x Stanley Cup Champion	2010, 2015

External links

• Career statistics and player information from NHL.com, or Hockey-Reference.com, or Legends of Hockey, or The Internet Hockey Database, or TSN.ca