James W. Huscroft (born January 9, 1967) 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 ...

defenceman Defence or defense (in American English) in ice hockey is a player position that is primarily responsible for preventing the opposing team from Goal (ice hockey), scoring. They are often referred to as defencemen, D, D-men or blueliners (the l ...

who spent parts of ten seasons 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 ...

Playing career

Huscroft was born in

Creston, British Columbia Creston is a town in the Kootenays, Kootenay region of southeastern British Columbia, Canada. Time zones Settlements on the east shore of Kootenay Lake and along British Columbia Highway 3, BC Highway 3 from Creston to Yahk are among the few area ...

. A tough defensive defenceman, Huscroft accumulated almost 3,000 penalty minutes in his professional hockey career, including over 1,000 in the

(NHL). While a slow skater and not possessing tremendous natural abilities, Huscroft succeeded in pro hockey due to his tremendous grit, work ethic, and perseverance. Though he was never more than a sixth or seventh defender on any team in the NHL, he was a consummate warrior and leader, and well respected by teammates and rivals alike. Huscroft was originally drafted by 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 ...

in the 1985 NHL Draft, and turned professional in 1987. He spent five years with New Jersey's top AHL affiliate in Utica, and also managed to appear in 65 NHL games for the Devils before moving to 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 ...

organization in 1992. He managed to crack Boston's NHL roster for good midway through the 1993–94 season, and stuck in the NHL for the next six seasons, also suiting up for the

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

Phoenix Coyotes The Arizona Coyotes are an inactive professional ice hockey team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. They competed in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division (1996–1998, 2021–2024) and ...

, and

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 ...

. He finished his career in 2001 with 5 goals and 37 points in 352 career NHL games, along with 1,065 penalty minutes. Huscroft was an assistant coach with the

Spokane Chiefs The Spokane Chiefs are an American major junior ice hockey team based in Spokane, Washington. The Chiefs play in the U.S. Division of the Western Hockey League's Western Conference, playing home games at Spokane Arena. The Chiefs are two-time M ...

in the

Western Hockey League The Western Hockey League (WHL) is a junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitutes the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) as the highest level of junior hocke ...

, and currently works with HES, Hockey Educational Systems in

Renton, Washington Renton is a city in King County, Washington, United States, and an inner-ring suburb of Seattle. Situated southeast of downtown Seattle, Renton straddles the southeast shore of Lake Washington, at the mouth of the Cedar River. As of the 202 ...

, instructing amateur ice hockey players of all levels and is the director of facilities for Sno-King Ice Arenas (Renton and Kirkland, Washington).

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Huscroft, Jamie 1967 births Living people Boston Bruins players Canadian expatriate ice hockey players in the United States Calgary Flames players Canadian ice hockey defencemen Fresno Falcons players Ice hockey people from British Columbia Medicine Hat Tigers players New Jersey Devils draft picks New Jersey Devils players People from the Regional District of Central Kootenay Phoenix Coyotes players Portland Pirates players Portland Winterhawks players Providence Bruins players Seattle Breakers players Seattle Thunderbirds players Tampa Bay Lightning players Utica Devils players Vancouver Canucks players Washington Capitals players 20th-century Canadian sportsmen