Craig Douglas Adams (born April 26, 1977) is a

Brunei Brunei, officially Brunei Darussalam, is a country in Southeast Asia, situated on the northern coast of the island of Borneo. Apart from its coastline on the South China Sea, it is completely surrounded by the Malaysian state of Sarawak, with ...

an-born

Canadian Canadians () are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of their being ''C ...

former professional

ice hockey Ice hockey (or simply hockey in North America) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an Ice rink, ice skating rink with Ice hockey rink, lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. Tw ...

player, who most recently played with the

Pittsburgh Penguins The Pittsburgh Penguins (colloquially known as the Pens) are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh. The Penguins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), E ...

of 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 ...

. Adams was born in Seria,

, but was raised in

Calgary, Alberta Calgary () is a major city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Alberta. As of 2021, the city proper had a population of 1,306,784 and a Metropolitan area, metropolitan population of 1,481,806 making it the List of ...

, residing and playing hockey in the community of Lake Bonavista. Adams is a two-time Stanley Cup winner, winning with the

Carolina Hurricanes The Carolina Hurricanes (colloquially known as the Canes) are a professional ice hockey team based in Raleigh, North Carolina. The Hurricanes compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Con ...

in 2006 and the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2009.

Playing career

Amateur

Adams was selected in the 9th round, 223rd overall, in the 1996 NHL Entry Draft by the

Hartford Whalers The Hartford Whalers were a professional ice hockey team based for most of its 25-year existence in Hartford, Connecticut. The club played in the World Hockey Association (WHA) from 1972 until 1979, and in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1 ...

where he gained the distinction of being their last draft pick. Adams was drafted after his freshman season at

Harvard University Harvard University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1636 and named for its first benefactor, the History of the Puritans in North America, Puritan clergyma ...

. He suffered a season-ending shoulder injury on December 27, 1997 in a game against the

University of Wisconsin–Madison The University of Wisconsin–Madison (University of Wisconsin, Wisconsin, UW, UW–Madison, or simply Madison) is a public land-grant research university in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. It was founded in 1848 when Wisconsin achieved st ...

Carolina Hurricanes

During the 2000–01 season, Adams would make his NHL debut on October 24, 2000 in a 3-2 loss against the

San Jose Sharks The San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California. The Sharks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Con ...

with the

, who had relocated from

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since drafting him. On November 10, 2000, Adams would score his first NHL goal and point against goaltender Glenn Healy in a 3-1 victory over the

Toronto Maple Leafs The Toronto Maple Leafs (officially the Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club and often referred to as the Leafs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto. The Maple Leafs compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the A ...

. This goal would be the only point he would get the entire season, playing in a total of 44 games. During the 2001-02 season, Adams would split time between the Carolina Hurricanes and their

American Hockey League The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league in North America that serves as the primary developmental league of the National Hockey League (NHL). The league comprises 32 teams, with 26 in the United States and 6 in Cana ...

(AHL) affiliate the Lowell Lock Monsters. In the NHL, Adams would, for the second season in a row, finish the season with a single point. In the following two seasons however, Adams would find his footing, finishing the seasons with 18 and 17 points respectively. During the 2004-05 NHL lockout, Adams would sign with the Milano Vipers in Italy, where he would score 29 points in 30 games in the regular season before scoring 11 points in 15 games in the postseason, helping the Milano Vipers win the championship. On August 25, 2005 he signed a contract with the

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, but was traded back to the Hurricanes on October 3, a few days before the

2005–06 NHL season The 2005–06 NHL season was the 89th season of operation (88th season of play) of the National Hockey League (NHL). This season succeeded the 2004–05 season which had all of its scheduled games canceled due to a labor dispute with the Na ...

began. Adams would once again split time between the Hurricanes and the Lowell Lock Monsters. The Carolina Hurricanes would make the playoffs, defeating the Montreal Canadiens, New Jersey Devils, and Buffalo Sabres to secure their spot in the Stanley Cup Finals. Carolina would face the Edmonton Oilers in a series that would go to a game 7, which the Hurricanes would win, giving Adams his first Stanley Cup victory. By winning the Stanley Cup, Adams became the first Bruneian-born player to have his name engraved on the trophy. During the 2007-08 season, Adams would continue to struggle, only scoring 5 points in 40 games. On December 19, 2007, Adams was suspended for 2 games for high-sticking Toronto Maples Leafs player Alex Steen. Adams would play 40 games that season before being traded to the

Chicago Blackhawks The Chicago Blackhawks (spelled Black Hawks until 1986, and known colloquially as the Hawks) are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago. The Blackhawks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (N ...

Chicago Blackhawks

On January 17, 2008 Adams was traded to the

for a conditional pick in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. On March 4, 2008, Adams would score his first goal on the Chicago Blackhawks in a 4-2 victory over the Minnesota Wild. On March 4, 2009, the Pittsburgh Penguins claimed Adams off of waivers when the Blackhawks attempted to send him to the AHL.

Pittsburgh Penguins

After only playing 9 games in the regular season for the Penguins, Adams would play in 24 games in the playoffs, where he would help Pittsburgh win the Stanley Cup against the Detroit Red Wings, giving Adams his second Stanley Cup win. On June 29, 2009, Adams was re-signed by the Penguins to a two-year contract. On June 9, 2011, Adams was re-signed by the Penguins to another two-year contract. On July 5, 2013, Adams was re-signed again to a two-year contract. At the beginning of the 2013–14 season, on October 3, 2013, Adams scored the 50th goal of his career against Cory Schneider of the

New Jersey Devils The New Jersey Devils are a professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey. The Devils compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conference. The club w ...

. On April 29, 2015, after seven seasons within the organization, Adams was informed by the Pittsburgh Penguins that he would not be re-signed to another contract. On January 26, 2016, after a 14-year career, Adams announced his retirement.

Personal

Adams was the first NHL player to be born in

. He was born in the country, as his father was an employee of

Shell Oil Shell plc is a British multinational oil and gas company, headquartered in London, England. Shell is a public limited company with a primary listing on the London Stock Exchange (LSE) and secondary listings on Euronext Amsterdam and the New Y ...

at the time of his birth. The family settled in

shortly afterwards. He attended Strathcona Tweedsmuir School for high school. Adams is married since 2003 to his wife Anne Cellucci, a daughter of the late

Paul Cellucci Argeo Paul Cellucci (; April 24, 1948 – June 8, 2013) was an American politician, lawyer, and diplomat. A member of the Republican Party, he served as the 69th governor of Massachusetts from 1997 to 2001 and as the United States Ambassador to ...

, former

Governor of Massachusetts The governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is the head of government of the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The governor is the chief executive, head of the state cabinet and the commander-in-chief of the commonw ...

and US Ambassador to Canada. They have three children. Adams now works as a financial advisor for hockey players at Merrill Lynch in Boston. He has pledged his brain to research on the effects of CTE.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Awards and honours

Transactions

*On June 22, 1996 the

drafted Craig Adams in the ninth-round (#223 overall) of the 1996 NHL draft. *On July 31, 2001 the

re-signed restricted free agent Craig Adams to a 2-year contract. *On May 1, 2003 the

re-signed restricted free agent Craig Adams to a 1-year contract. *On July 28, 2004 the Milano Vipers (Italy) signed Craig Adams. *On August 25, 2005 the

signed free agent Craig Adams to a 1-year contract. *On October 3, 2005 the

traded Craig Adams to the

in exchange for Bruno St. Jacques. *On June 30, 2006 the

re-signed Craig Adams to a 3-year contract. *On January 17, 2008 the

traded Craig Adams to the

in exchange for a conditional 2009 ninth-round pick (Not exercised). *On March 4, 2009 the

claimed Craig Adams off of waivers from the

. *On June 29, 2009 the

re-signed Craig Adams to a 2-year contract. *On June 9, 2011 the

re-signed Craig Adams to a 2-year/$1.35 million contract. *On July 5, 2013 Adams was re-signed by the

to a 2-year, $1.5 million contract. *On January 26, 2016, Adams announced his retirement from professional hockey at the age of 38, and after 14 seasons in the NHL.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Adams, Craig 1977 births Calgary Canucks players Canadian ice hockey right wingers Carolina Hurricanes players Chicago Blackhawks players Cincinnati Cyclones (IHL) players Hartford Whalers draft picks Harvard Crimson men's ice hockey players Living people Lowell Lock Monsters players Pittsburgh Penguins players Ice hockey people from Calgary Stanley Cup champions Canadian expatriate ice hockey players in the United States