Theo Fleury
[edit] BiographyTheoren Wallace Fleury (born June 29, 1968 in Oxbow, Saskatchewan, Canada) is a former professional ice hockey player. He played right wing. Fleury is remembered for his successful career in the National Hockey League that was troubled with substance abuse. He played for the Calgary Flames, Colorado Avalanche, New York Rangers and Chicago Blackhawks. He holds the NHL individual record for most short-handed goals in one game (three). As of December 2006, he is the owner of Fleury's Concrete Coatings, a family business that he started with newlywed Jennifer and brother Travis.
[edit] Playing careerFleury was drafted by the Calgary Flames 166th overall in the 1987 NHL Entry Draft. Initially regarded as being too small to compete in the NHL, Fleury proved to play with the strength and physicality of a power forward, despite being 5’6” tall and 180lbs. In addition to having speed and play making ability, he also possessed strength and did not need the presence of an enforcer on his line. He was a member of the 1989 Stanley Cup Champion Calgary Flames. In his first full season with the Flames in 1989-90, Fleury tallied 31 goals and 35 assists. Fleury tallied two 100 point seasons, one 50+ goal season and three 40+ goal seasons in his time with the Flames. At the latter point in the 1998-99 NHL season, it was clear Calgary was not going to be able to keep Fleury, as he would be commanding a high price on the unrestricted free agency market and Calgary would not be able to afford his salary. Instead of losing Fleury through the free agency market, the Flames arranged a deal with the Colorado Avalanche before the trade deadline in exchange for Rene Corbet, Wade Belak and Robyn Regehr. By the time he left the Flames in 1999, he was the last remaining Flame on the roster of their 1989 Stanley Cup winning team and held numerous club and NHL records. In the end, the Flames’ future plans panned out. With the departure of Fleury, Jarome Iginla became the new star and Robyn Regehr developed into a successful defenseman. Upon arrival in Denver, Fleury played in 15 games before the end of the season, scoring 10 goals and 14 assists for 24 points and another 5 goals and 12 assists for 17 points in 18 playoff games. Despite his success with the Avalanche, Fleury was not re-signed and eventually landed a spot on the New York Rangers on July 5, 1999. After three seasons with the Rangers, Fleury signed with the Chicago Blackhawks for the 2002-03 NHL season. However, by this time, wrestling with off-ice worries, including his father's cancer operation, his substance abuse problems had began to surface, something which he battled since his playing career began in Calgary. In 1996, he was diagnosed with Crohn's Disease. Although seemingly under control for half a year by the time he won Olympic gold, Fleury's substance abuse issues resurfaced. In October 2002 he suffered a relapse and was suspended for six months, and placed in the NHL/NHLPA Substance Abuse and Behavioral Health Program for violating his aftercare program. His drug problems were a source of great taunting from opposing fans, primarily those of the New York Islanders. Fleury began the 2002-03 NHL season serving out the 25-game suspension. Soon after his return, however, he missed a practice, claiming he had overslept, and in January, he was involved in an incident at a strip club in Columbus, Ohio. He was suspended in 2003 for again violating the substance abuse program. In an attempt to restore his career, Fleury attempted to join the North Peace Hockey League's Horse Lake Thunder, which is based in the Horse Lake First Nations, Alberta. His first game was to be on January 6, 2005, but he was ruled ineligible because he was under an NHL contract during the previous season. After two appeals, Fleury and the Thunder were able to overturn the decision. In Fleury's first game with the Thunder, on January 22, 2005, he scored one goal and two assists. Fleury's cousin, Todd Holt, as well as former NHLer, Gino Odjick also play for the Thunder. The Thunder played in the 2005 Allan Cup in Lloydminster. After two convincing round robin wins, the Thunder were upset by the eventual champion Thunder Bay Bombers, 6-5, in the semi-final. Fleury signed for the 2005-06 season with the Belfast Giants of the British Elite Ice Hockey League, and made a stellar debut on October 15, 2005 against Edinburgh Capitals scoring a hat-trick, gaining 4 assists, and fighting (and beating) Fredrik Oduya which led to him being named man of the match. Although he helped the Giants to the league championship, he was involved in several incidents including one game in which he attempted to climb out of the penalty box in order to reach a Coventry Blaze fan who had taunted him, and threatened match officials as a result of frustrating officiating [1]. Following a particularly frustrating encounter with a British ice hockey official (in which the referee got disciplined as a result of his actions)Template:Fact, Fleury, clearly enraged, stated in a press conference after the game, that he would not return to the league for the next season, citing the poor standard of officiating in the EIHL. He was also voted the Elite League Player of the year by the British Ice Hockey Writers Association. [edit] CurrentlyAs of January, 2007, he resides in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, and has started a concrete sealing business. [edit] Awards
[edit] Records
[edit] Career statisticsAs of 29 March 2006
Played for Canada in:
[edit] See also[edit] External links[edit] Statistics[edit] References[edit] Related Articles[edit] Recent Theo Fleury ArmchairGM Stories
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