Geoffrey Lawton Courtnall (born August 18, 1962) is a Canadian 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 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 ...
(NHL) from
1983
1983 saw both the official beginning of the Internet and the first mobile cellular telephone call.
Events January
* January 1 – The migration of the ARPANET to TCP/IP is officially completed (this is considered to be the beginning of the ...
to
2000
2000 was designated as the International Year for the Culture of Peace and the World Mathematics, Mathematical Year.
Popular culture holds the year 2000 as the first year of the 21st century and the 3rd millennium, because of a tende ...
. He was the head coach of the
Victoria Grizzlies of the
British Columbia Hockey League
The British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) is an independent Canadian Junior ice hockey league with 21 teams in British Columbia and Alberta. It was classified as a Junior "A" league within the Hockey Canada framework, until it became independe ...
(BCHL) and for the
Victoria Vikes
The Victoria Vikes are the athletic teams that represent the University of Victoria of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada in both men's and women's U Sports. ''Vikes'' was previously a longstanding nickname for both the men's teams (previously th ...
of the
British Columbia Intercollegiate Hockey League (BCIHL).
Playing career
Geoff Courtnall was signed by the
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston. The Bruins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conference. The t ...
of the NHL as an
undrafted
In professional sports, a free agent is a player or manager who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under a contract at present ...
free agent on July 6, 1983. He played for the Bruins from the
1983–84 season to March 8, 1988, when he was traded, along with
Bill Ranford, to the
Edmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton. The Oilers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. Th ...
for
Andy Moog. While in Edmonton, he helped the Oilers win the
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup () is the championship trophy awarded annually to the National Hockey League (NHL) playoff champion. It is the oldest existing trophy to be awarded to a professional sports franchise in North America, and the International Ic ...
in
1988, after facing his old team the Bruins in the finals. About four months later, the Oilers traded Courtnall to the
Washington Capitals
The Washington Capitals (colloquially known as the Caps) are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. The Capitals compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NH ...
for
Greg Adams. After two seasons in Washington, Courtnall requested a trade, which was granted in the 1990 off-season when he was sent to the
St. Louis Blues for
Mike Lalor and
Peter Zezel.
After less than a season in St. Louis and at the trade deadline, Courtnall, along with
Robert Dirk,
Sergio Momesso,
Cliff Ronning, and future considerations, was traded to the
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver. The Canucks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conferenc ...
in exchange for
Garth Butcher and
Dan Quinn. This trade marked a major turning point for the Canucks as these players were among the core that would lead the Canucks on their run to the
1994 Stanley Cup Finals. Courtnall then played one more season in Vancouver after the Cup run of 1994 and went back to the St. Louis for the start of the
1995–96 season. Courtnall, in his second tenure with the Blues, scored almost 80 goals over five seasons, but only played 30 games over his final two seasons as the result of several concussions, but reached the
1,000 game mark during the 1997–98 season, in which he scored 31 goals in his last full season. After sitting out the last half of the 1998–99 season with a concussion he returned to the lineup the next season. A few games into the
1999–2000 season, he suffered another concussion, which forced his retirement as a result of
post-concussion syndrome
Post-concussion syndrome (PCS), also known as persisting symptoms after concussion, is a set of symptoms that may continue for weeks, months, or years after a concussion. PCS is medically classified as a mild traumatic brain injury (TBI). About ...
.
Personal life
Courtnall was born in
Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of British Columbia, on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific Ocean, Pacific coast. The city has a population of 91,867, and the Gre ...
, Canada and raised in
Duncan, British Columbia
Duncan is a city on southern Vancouver Island in the Cowichan Valley Regional District, British Columbia, Canada. It is the smallest city in Canada by area. It was incorporated as a city in 1912.
Location
The city is about 45 kilometres from b ...
. His father, Archie, had played professional hockey, and worked in the forestry industry on Vancouver Island.
Archie had depression, and in 1978 killed himself.
He is the brother of another former NHL player,
Russ Courtnall. Geoff's son, Justin, was drafted 210th overall in the
2007 NHL Entry Draft by the
Tampa Bay Lightning
The Tampa Bay Lightning (colloquially known as the Bolts) are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. The Lightning compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the ...
.
After retiring Courtnall moved back to Victoria, though later moved to Vancouver. He estimated that during his playing career he had at least 20 concussions, and it had an effect on his post-playing career. He began to drink heavily, reaching a point where his former teammate
Cam Neely
Cameron Michael Neely (born June 6, 1965) is a Canadian professional ice hockey executive and former player. He played right wing for the Vancouver Canucks and Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1983 to 1996. Neely was inducte ...
discussed Courtnall's drinking while at the
2010 Winter Olympics
The 2010 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XXI Olympic Winter Games () and also known as Vancouver 2010 (), were an international winter multi-sport event held from February 12 to 28, 2010 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with ...
in Vancouver. This led Courtnall to quit drinking; to take his mind off that, Courtnall would run. He also invested in a gold mining venture in Peru, as well as commercial real estate and construction.
Along with his brother, Russ, Courtnall established the Archie Courtnall Centre for emergency psychiatric care at the
Royal Jubilee Hospital in Victoria.
Sexual assault allegation
In May 1990, while playing for the Capitals, Courtnall was accused of raping a 17-year-old girl outside a bar, alongside teammates
Dino Ciccarelli
Dino Ciccarelli ( , born February 8, 1960) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played 19 seasons in the National Hockey League from 1980 to 1999, primarily with the Minnesota North Stars, but also notably with the Detroit Red ...
,
Scott Stevens, and
Neil Sheehy. The court case fell apart, though a spokesperson for the Metropolitan police at the timewith no supporting evidence available for use at trialstated that the police "have sufficient grounds to believe that a criminal offense did occur."
Career statistics
Regular season and playoffs
International
Awards and achievements
*
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup () is the championship trophy awarded annually to the National Hockey League (NHL) playoff champion. It is the oldest existing trophy to be awarded to a professional sports franchise in North America, and the International Ic ...
champion –
1988
See also
*
List of family relations in the NHL
This is a list of family relations in the National Hockey League. Since the creation of the National Hockey League in 1917–18 NHL season, 1917, family members have been involved in all aspects of the league. Although most connections are among ...
*
List of NHL players with 1,000 games played
The National Hockey League (NHL) is the major professional ice hockey league which operates in Canada and the United States. Since its inception in , 408 players have played at least 1,000 regular season games, varying in amounts between Patri ...
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Courtnall, Geoff
1962 births
Living people
Boston Bruins players
Canadian expatriate ice hockey players in the United States
Canadian ice hockey left wingers
People
The term "the people" refers to the public or Common people, common mass of people of a polity. As such it is a concept of human rights law, international law as well as constitutional law, particularly used for claims of popular sovereignty. I ...
Cowichan Valley Capitals players
Edmonton Oilers players
Hershey Bears players
Moncton Golden Flames players
Sportspeople from Duncan, British Columbia
Ice hockey people from Victoria, British Columbia
St. Louis Blues players
Stanley Cup champions
Undrafted National Hockey League players
Vancouver Canucks players
Victoria Cougars (WHL) players
Washington Capitals players
20th-century Canadian sportsmen