Claude Lapointe (born October 11, 1968) is a Canadian former ice hockey player. He played in the

National Hockey League The National Hockey League (NHL; , ''LNH'') is a professional ice hockey league in North America composed of 32 teams25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Cana ...

for the

Quebec Nordiques The Quebec Nordiques (, pronounced in Quebec French, in Canadian English; translated "Northmen" or "Northerners") were a professional ice hockey team based in Quebec City. The Nordiques played in the World Hockey Association (1972–1979) an ...

Colorado Avalanche The Colorado Avalanche (colloquially known as the Avs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver. The Avalanche compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division in the Western Con ...

Calgary Flames The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary. The Flames compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. The ...

New York Islanders The New York Islanders (colloquially known as the Isles) are a professional ice hockey team based in Elmont, New York. The Islanders compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (N ...

, and

Philadelphia Flyers The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia. The Flyers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conference. The team play ...

between 1991 and 2004.

Early life

Lapointe grew up in the city of

Lachine, Quebec Lachine () is a borough (''arrondissement'') within the city of Montreal on the Island of Montreal in southwestern Quebec, Canada. It was founded as a trading post in 1669. Developing into a parish and then an autonomous city, it was Montreal m ...

. He played in the

Quebec Major Junior Hockey League The Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL; , LHJMQ), formerly the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League is one of the three major junior ice hockey leagues that constitute the Canadian Hockey League (CHL). The league includes teams in Quebec ...

. He was offered a scholarship by the University of Michigan, but he refused it.

Playing career

He was drafted by the Nordiques in the 12th round of the 1988 NHL Draft, with the 234th overall pick. Lapointe spent most of his NHL career with the

. He was there from the 1996–97 season to the 2002–03 season. While with the New York Islanders, he received many honors such as many NYI Fan club MVP awards and three

Bob Nystrom Robert Thore Nystrom (born October 10, 1952) is a Swedish–Canadian former professional ice hockey right winger. He played for the New York Islanders of the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1972 to 1986. He is best remembered as having scored t ...

awards, which is awarded to the player who most exemplifies leadership, hustle, and dedication. He also received awards for reaching the 800 game mark, and for scoring over 100 goals. Other achievements include being named assistant captain with the Islanders, ranking among the top 3 in the NHL for face-off win percentage for 15 years consecutively, spanning his entire career. Similarly, Lapointe was among the league's elite in terms of physical conditioning. In 1999, he represented Canada at the 1999 World Championships. He retired in 2004.

Personal life

Lapointe has two sons: Kirk and Kody. He coaches and trains hockey players both on ice and off ice.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

International

References

External links

* 1968 births Living people Calgary Flames players Canadian ice hockey centres Colorado Avalanche players Canadian expatriate ice hockey players in the United States Halifax Citadels players Ice hockey people from Montreal Laval Titan players New York Islanders players People from Lachine, Quebec Philadelphia Flyers players Philadelphia Phantoms players Quebec Nordiques draft picks Quebec Nordiques players 20th-century Canadian sportsmen Saint John Flames players SC Bern players Trois-Rivières Draveurs players Utah Grizzlies (IHL) players {{Canada-icehockey-centre-1960s-stub