John Jeffrey Odgers (born May 31, 1969) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played over 800 games in the

National Hockey League The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey sports league, league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranke ...

for the

San Jose Sharks The San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference, and are owned by San Jose Sports & Entertain ...

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 ...

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

and the

Atlanta Thrashers The Atlanta Thrashers were a professional ice hockey team based in Atlanta. Atlanta was granted a franchise in the National Hockey League (NHL) on June 25, 1997, and became the League's 28th franchise when it began play in the 1999–2000 seaso ...

. Mainly an enforcer, Odgers compiled a total of 2,364 penalty minutes in 821 regular season games. He also scored 75 goals and 70 assists for 145 points. Odgers served as captain of the San Jose Sharks for the latter half of the 1994–95 season and the entire 1995–96 season. He was also known for his mustache while with the Colorado Avalanche and the Atlanta Thrashers.

Playing career

Odgers was undrafted by any NHL team. He attended a developmental tryout camp on the invitation of

Chuck Grillo Chuck Grillo (born July 24, 1939) is an American former professional ice hockey executive with the San Jose Sharks of the National Hockey League and owner of Minnesota Hockey Camps through 2016. From 1992 until 1996, Grillo served as the Sharks' Di ...

and was then invited to pre-season camp with the

Minnesota North Stars The Minnesota North Stars were a professional ice hockey team in the National Hockey League (NHL) for 26 seasons, from 1967 to 1993. The North Stars played their home games at the Met Center in Bloomington, Minnesota, and the team's colors fo ...

. Though unsigned by the North Stars, Odgers received a personal services contract with the San Jose Sharks and was assigned to the

Kansas City Blades The Kansas City Blades were a professional ice hockey team in the International Hockey League (1945–2001), International Hockey League (IHL) from 1990 until 2001, when the league folded. The Blades were based in Kansas City, Missouri, at Kempe ...

of the IHL. Odgers played 61 games in the San Jose Sharks' inaugural season. Odgers led the Sharks with most penalty minutes (since broken). He would later be the captain of the Sharks in 1994-95 until 1996, when he joined the Boston Bruins in a trade that sent him and 1996 5th round pick to Boston in exchange for Al Iafrate. After one season with Boston, Odgers would sign as a free agent with the Colorado Avalanche, Where he would remain until he was selected from the team by the

Minnesota Wild The Minnesota Wild are a professional ice hockey team based in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The Wild competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Confe ...

in the 2000 Expansion Draft. Odgers wouldn't end up playing a game with Minnesota before the season began as he was then placed on waivers and then claimed by the Atlanta Thrashers on September 29th 2000. Odgers is the Sharks’ all-time leader in penalty minutes with 1,001, The Avalanches’ all time leader in fighting majors at 73, and remains the Thrashers/ Jets' single season leader in penalty minutes, which he set in the 2000-01 season. In September 2006, Odgers served as color commentator for an

pre-season game. It was believed to be an on-air tryout alongside longtime Thrashers announcer

Dan Kamal Dan Kamal (born 1951) is the former play-by-play announcer for the Atlanta Thrashers. He served as the team's voice prior to their move to Winnipeg for the 2011-12 NHL season. Broadcasting career Dan Kamal was the play-by-play voice for all Thrash ...

to replace Billy Jaffe, who had joined 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 ( ...

. Odgers got the job, and served as the color commentator with Kamal on

Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,71 ...

AM radio station 680 The Fan for two seasons. At the beginning of the 2008-09 season it was announced that he would not return because he wanted to spend more time with his family. Odgers spent the 2008-09 season as a trainer for his son John's team, the

Yorkton Yorkton is a city located in south-eastern Saskatchewan, Canada. It is about 450 kilometres north-west of Winnipeg and 300 kilometres south-east of Saskatoon and is the sixth largest city in the province. As of 2017 the census population of the ...

Midget Kinsmen Terriers of the South Saskatchewan Minor Hockey League (SSMHL). For the 2009-10 season Odgers coached the Bantam AA Yorkton Terriers of the SSMHL. Another son, Dakota, was a member of that squad. Odgers currently plays senior hockey for the Rocanville Tigers of the Triangle Hockey League. Outside hockey, Odgers manages his family farm as well as conducts safety training at the Mosaic K3 Mine Site in Esterhazy, Saskatchewan.

Career statistics

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Odgers, Jeff 1969 births Living people Atlanta Thrashers players Boston Bruins players Brandon Wheat Kings players Canadian ice hockey right wingers Colorado Avalanche players Ice hockey people from Saskatchewan Kansas City Blades players National Hockey League broadcasters Providence Bruins players San Jose Sharks players Undrafted National Hockey League players Atlanta Thrashers announcers

Playing career

Career statistics

See also

References

External links