Al Iafrate was a professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for over a decade. He was known for his powerful slapshot, which was one of the hardest in the league. Iafrate was born in Dearborn, Michigan, and grew up playing hockey in the Detroit area. He was drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1984 and made his NHL debut the following year.
Iafrate played for several teams during his career, including the Maple Leafs, Washington Capitals, Boston Bruins, and San Jose Sharks. He was a three-time NHL All-Star and was named to the NHL First All-Star Team in 1993. Iafrate was also a member of the United States national team and represented his country in several international tournaments.
One of the highlights of Iafrate's career was his performance in the 1993 NHL All-Star Game. He won the hardest shot competition with a record-breaking shot of 105.2 miles per hour. This record stood for several years and was only broken by a few players in the following decades.
Iafrate's career was also marked by several injuries, including a serious knee injury that forced him to miss most of the 1994-95 season. He retired from the NHL in 1998 at the age of 32 due to ongoing injury issues.
Despite his relatively short career, Iafrate left a lasting impact on the NHL. His powerful slapshot and physical style of play made him a fan favorite, and he was widely regarded as one of the best defensemen of his era. He was inducted into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame in 2014 in recognition of his contributions to the sport.
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