John Slaney is a former professional ice hockey player from Canada who played as a defenseman. He was born on June 7, 1972, in St. John's, Newfoundland, and began his hockey career in the early 1990s. Slaney played for several teams in the National Hockey League (NHL), including the Washington Capitals, Colorado Avalanche, Los Angeles Kings, Phoenix Coyotes, and Pittsburgh Penguins.
Slaney was known for his offensive skills and his ability to score goals from the blue line. He was a strong skater and had a powerful shot, which made him a valuable asset on the power play. Slaney was also a solid defender and was able to shut down opposing forwards with his physical play and strong positioning.
Slaney began his professional career in 1991 when he was drafted by the Washington Capitals in the first round of the NHL Entry Draft. He spent several seasons with the Capitals, playing in a total of 268 games and scoring 27 goals and 72 assists. In 1995, Slaney was traded to the Colorado Avalanche, where he played for one season before being traded again to the Los Angeles Kings.
Slaney played for the Kings for two seasons before being traded to the Phoenix Coyotes in 1998. He played for the Coyotes for one season before being traded again, this time to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Slaney played for the Penguins for two seasons before being traded back to the Washington Capitals in 2002.
Slaney spent the majority of his career playing in the American Hockey League (AHL), where he was a dominant force on the ice. He played for several AHL teams, including the Portland Pirates, Philadelphia Phantoms, and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Slaney was a seven-time AHL All-Star and won the Eddie Shore Award as the league's top defenseman in 2001.
Slaney also represented Canada on the international stage, playing in several World Junior Championships and World Championships. He won a gold medal with Canada at the 1991 World Junior Championships and a silver medal at the 1994 World Championships.
Slaney retired from professional hockey in 2010 after playing for the Belfast Giants of the Elite Ice Hockey League in the United Kingdom. He finished his career with 268 NHL games played, scoring 22 goals and 65 assists, and 1,094 AHL games played, scoring 268 goals and 519 assists.
Overall, John Slaney was a talented and skilled defenseman who had a successful career in both the NHL and AHL. He was known for his offensive abilities and his physical play, and he was a valuable asset to any team he played for. Slaney's contributions to the sport of hockey have earned him a place in the history books as one of the best defensemen of his era.
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