Donald Audette is a former professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for over a decade. He was born on September 23, 1969, in Laval, Quebec, Canada. Audette began his hockey career in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) with the Laval Titan in 1986. He played for the Titan for three seasons before being drafted by the Buffalo Sabres in the ninth round of the 1989 NHL Entry Draft.
Audette made his NHL debut with the Sabres in the 1991-92 season and quickly established himself as a skilled forward. He played for the Sabres for six seasons, scoring 254 points in 317 games. In the 1993-94 season, Audette had his best statistical season, scoring 37 goals and 32 assists for 69 points in 82 games. He was named to the NHL All-Rookie Team in the 1991-92 season and represented the Sabres in the NHL All-Star Game in 1996.
After his time with the Sabres, Audette played for several other NHL teams, including the Los Angeles Kings, Atlanta Thrashers, Dallas Stars, Montreal Canadiens, and Florida Panthers. He continued to be a productive player, scoring at least 20 goals in a season six times during his career. In the 1998-99 season, Audette had a career-high 31 goals while playing for the Thrashers.
Audette also represented Canada internationally, playing for the national team in the 1996 World Cup of Hockey and the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan. He helped Canada win the gold medal at the 1997 IIHF World Championships.
Audette retired from professional hockey in 2004 after playing in 735 NHL games and scoring 260 goals and 249 assists for 509 points. He currently resides in the United States and is involved in youth hockey coaching.
Throughout his career, Audette was known for his speed, skill, and scoring ability. He was a fan favorite in Buffalo and was known for his signature goal celebration, which involved him jumping into the glass behind the net. Despite being undersized for an NHL player at 5'8" and 180 pounds, Audette was able to use his speed and agility to create scoring opportunities and make an impact on the ice.
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