Steve Staios (born July 28, 1973) is a

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 ...

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 ...

executive and former professional player. He currently serves as president of hockey operations and general manager for the

Ottawa Senators The Ottawa Senators (), officially the Ottawa Senators Hockey Club and colloquially known as the Sens, are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa. The Senators compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Di ...

. Staios played right defence 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) with 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 ...

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 ...

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 NHL sea ...

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 ...

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 ...

, and

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 ...

during his career.

Playing career

As a youth, Staios played in the 1987

Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament The Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament () is an annual minor ice hockey event in Quebec City. The tournament was founded in 1960 to coincide with the Quebec Winter Carnival, and give an opportunity for international competition to p ...

with a

minor ice hockey Minor ice hockey or minor hockey is an umbrella term for amateur ice hockey which is played below the junior age level. Players are classified by age, with each age group playing in its own league. The rules, especially as it relates to body c ...

team from

Hamilton Hamilton may refer to: * Alexander Hamilton (1755/1757–1804), first U.S. Secretary of the Treasury and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States * ''Hamilton'' (musical), a 2015 Broadway musical by Lin-Manuel Miranda ** ''Hamilton'' (al ...

West. Staios was selected in the second round of the 1991 NHL Entry Draft, 27th overall, by the

St. Louis Blues The St. Louis Blues are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Louis. The Blues compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. Th ...

. After a three-year career in the

Ontario Hockey League The Ontario Hockey League (OHL; ) is one of the three major junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League, alongside the Western Hockey League and the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League. The league is for players ag ...

(OHL) with the

Niagara Falls Thunder The Niagara Falls Thunder were a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League from 1988 to 1996. The team was based in Niagara Falls, Ontario. History Niagara Falls became home to its third OHL franchise in 1988 upon the relocation of the H ...

and

Sudbury Wolves The Sudbury Wolves are an Ontario Hockey League (OHL) ice hockey team based in Greater Sudbury, Sudbury, Ontario, Canada. Sudbury has had various hockey teams competing at the Junior ice hockey, junior and senior ice hockey levels of the game k ...

, Staios spent several years in the International Hockey League (IHL) and the

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) with the Blues' minor league affiliates. He was traded to the

on March 8, 1996, along with

Kevin Sawyer Kevin John Sawyer (born February 18, 1974) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey right winger who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the St. Louis Blues, Boston Bruins, Phoenix Coyotes, and Mighty Ducks of Anaheim between 199 ...

for

Stephen Leach Stephen Morgan Leach (born January 16, 1966) is an American ice hockey coach and former professional ice hockey player. He is currently the head coach of the Valley Jr. Warriors '99 Elite squad. He is the uncle of Jay Leach. Playing care ...

. Staios made his NHL debut with the Bruins, appearing in 12 games to finish the 1995–96 season. The following season, in 1996–97, he was acquired on waivers by the

on March 18, 1997. He finished what qualified as his NHL rookie season with a combined 17 points in 63 games between the two teams. After two more seasons with the Canucks thereafter, Staios was left unprotected for the

1999 NHL Expansion Draft The 1999 NHL expansion draft was an expansion draft held by the National Hockey League (NHL) to fill the roster of the league's expansion team for the 1999–2000 season, the Atlanta Thrashers. The draft took place on June 25, 1999, in Boston, M ...

and was selected by the

. He changed his position to right wing, but was often sidelined in his first season with Atlanta, appearing in just 27 games due to a knee injury suffered in a game against the

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 ...

on October 23, 1999. The following season, Staios was named

team captain In team sport, captain is a title given to a member of the team. The title is frequently honorary, but in some cases the captain may have significant responsibility for strategy and teamwork while the game is in progress on the field. In eithe ...

, succeeding

Kelly Buchberger Kelly Michael Buchberger (born December 2, 1966) is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach and former player. He played for several National Hockey League teams from 1986 to 2004. As a coach, he has been an assistant for the New York Islanders ...

for the 2000–01. He recorded 22 points in 70 games in his final year as a Thrasher. Steve Staios Flames

In the 2001 off-season, Staios signed as an unrestricted free agent with the

on July 12, 2001. In 2002–03, he led all defenceman in shorthanded goals (3). After the

2004–05 NHL lockout The 2004–05 NHL lockout was a labor lockout that resulted in the cancellation of the National Hockey League (NHL) season, which would have been its 88th season of play. The main dispute was the league's desire to implement a salary cap to ...

, during which time Staios played briefly with

Luleå HF Luleå Hockeyförening, also known as Luleå Hockey, is a professional ice hockey club from Luleå, Sweden. The club has been playing in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL), the top tier of ice hockey in Sweden, since the 1984–85 season. They are ...

of the

Swedish Swedish or ' may refer to: Anything from or related to Sweden, a country in Northern Europe. Or, specifically: * Swedish language, a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Sweden and Finland ** Swedish alphabet, the official alphabet used by ...

Elitserien Elitserien (literally, "the Elite League") is the name of several Swedish nationwide sport leagues. In many sports, Elitserien is the highest league, with the second highest named Allsvenskan. Elitserien leagues at present: * Elitserien (badmint ...

, Staios was part of the Oilers team that made a run to the

2006 Stanley Cup Finals The 2006 Stanley Cup Finals was the championship series of the National Hockey League's (NHL) 2005–06 season, and the culmination of the 2006 Stanley Cup playoffs. The first Stanley Cup Finals since 2004 after a lockout canceled the entirety ...

. He scored one goal and five assists in a career-high 24 playoff games; however, the Oilers lost in game seven of the finals to 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 ...

. He had notably taken a penalty in overtime during game five of the finals, an elimination game for the Oilers. However,

Fernando Pisani Fernando Antonio Pisani (born December 27, 1976) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey right winger. He played professionally in the National Hockey League for his hometown Edmonton Oilers for seven NHL seasons, and one for the Chicago Bla ...

scored shorthanded to force a game six. An injury shortened 2006-07 season saw Staios play in only 58 games, scoring two goals. He managed to stay healthy the next two seasons, playing in all 82 games during the 2007-08 campaign and in 80 games during the 2008-09 campaign, recording a combined 30 points. Staios was sidelined for a month, early in the 2009–10, suffering a

concussion A concussion, also known as a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), is a head injury that temporarily affects brain functioning. Symptoms may include headache, dizziness, difficulty with thinking and concentration, sleep disturbances, a brief ...

on October 6, 2009. On March 3, 2010, Staios was traded to the Calgary Flames from the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for Aaron Johnson and a third round draft pick in 2011. It was the first trade between the franchises in their histories. He ultimately missed the majority of 2010-11 due to a recurring upper body injury. On September 30, 2011, Staios signed as an unrestricted free agent with the

On April 5, 2012 Staios played in his 1000th NHL game. Staios announced his retirement as a player following his 1001st NHL game during the 2011-12 season.

Post-playing career

On July 25, 2012, Staios was named Player Development Adviser for the NHL's

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 ...

. On December 4, 2014, he was named the Maple Leafs Manager of Player Development. After the firing of head coach

Randy Carlyle Randolph Robert Carlyle (born April 19, 1956) is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach and former player. He is the former head coach of the National Hockey League (NHL)'s Toronto Maple Leafs and the Anaheim Ducks. He won the Stanley Cup in 2 ...

on January 6, 2015, Staios moved behind the bench to support the Leafs' interim coaching staff. On June 5, 2015, Staios was named president of the

Hamilton Bulldogs The Hamilton Bulldogs were a Canadian major junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) that began to play in the 2015–16 season. Based in Hamilton, Ontario, the Bulldogs played home games at FirstOntario Centre. They were purc ...

of the

. In 2016, he assumed the role of President and General Manager. The Hamilton Bulldogs won the OHL’s Championship in

2018 Events January * January 1 – Bulgaria takes over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, after the Estonian presidency. * January 4 – SPLM-IO rebels loyal to Chan Garang Lual start a raid against Juba, capital of ...

and

2022 The year began with another wave in the COVID-19 pandemic, with SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant, Omicron spreading rapidly and becoming the dominant variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus worldwide. Tracking a decrease in cases and deaths, 2022 saw ...

. Staios won the Jim Gregory Award, awarded annually to the

General Manager of the Year, for the 2021-2022 Season. Staios joined the

on October 6, 2022, as a special advisor to the club's hockey operations staff. On September 29, 2023, Staios was announced as the President of Hockey Operations of the

. On November 1, 2023, Staios was named interim General Manager of the

following the firing of

Pierre Dorion Pierre Dorion Jr. (born July 6, 1972) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey executive. He served as a scout for the Montreal Canadiens and New York Rangers before serving as the general manager of the Ottawa Senators (NHL) from 2016 to 2023 ...

. He was subsequently named permanent General Manager of the Senators on December 31, while still maintaining his title as President of Hockey Operations.

Personal

Staios was born to

Macedonian Macedonian most often refers to someone or something from or related to Macedonia. Macedonian(s) may refer to: People Modern * Macedonians (ethnic group), a nation and a South Slavic ethnic group primarily associated with North Macedonia * Mac ...

parents. He has two children, Nathan and Ella, with his wife, Susannah. His son,

Nathan Staios Nathan Staios (born May 16, 2001) is an American professional ice hockey defenseman currently playing for the Savannah Ghost Pirates in the ECHL while under contract to the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League (NHL). Playing career St ...

, was selected 17th overall in the first round of the 2017 OHL Entry Draft by the

Windsor Spitfires The Windsor Spitfires are a Canadian junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). The team is based in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. Founded in 1971, the franchise was promoted to the Ontario Major Junior Hockey League for the 1975� ...

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

International

Transactions

*Traded to

with

for

Steve Leach Stephen Morgan Leach (born January 16, 1966) is an American ice hockey coach and former professional ice hockey player. He is currently the head coach of the Valley Jr. Warriors '99 Elite squad. He is the uncle of Jay Leach. Playing care ...

, March 8, 1996. *Claimed on waivers by

from Boston Bruins, March 18, 1997. *Claimed by

from Vancouver Canucks in

Expansion Draft An expansion draft, in professional sports, occurs when a sports league decides to create one or more new expansion teams or sports franchising, franchises. This occurs mainly in Sports in North America, North American sports and closed leagues. O ...

, June 25, 1999. *Traded to

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 ...

by Atlanta Thrashers for New Jersey's 9th round choice (

Simon Gamache Simon Gamache (born January 3, 1981) is a Canadians, Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League (NHL). Playing career As a youth, Gamache played in the 1995 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournam ...

) in 2000 Entry Draft, June 12, 2000. *Traded to Atlanta Thrashers by New Jersey for future considerations, July 10, 2000. *Signed as a free agent by

, July 12, 2001. *Signed as a free agent by Lulea (Sweden), January 28, 2005. *Traded to

by Edmonton Oilers for Aaron Johnson and Calgary's 3rd round choice ( Travis Ewanyk) in 2011 Entry Draft, March 3, 2010.

References

External links

Staios' Website
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Staios, Steve 1973 births Living people Atlanta Thrashers captains Atlanta Thrashers players Boston Bruins players Canadian expatriate ice hockey players in the United States Calgary Flames players Canadian ice hockey defencemen Canadian people of Macedonian descent Edmonton Oilers personnel Edmonton Oilers players Ice hockey people from Hamilton, Ontario Luleå HF players New York Islanders players Niagara Falls Thunder players Ottawa Senators executives Ottawa Senators general managers Peoria Rivermen (IHL) players Providence Bruins players St. Louis Blues draft picks Sudbury Wolves players Toronto Maple Leafs personnel Vancouver Canucks players Worcester IceCats players