Nathan Dempsey is a former professional ice hockey player who played as a defenseman. He was born on July 14, 1974, in Spruce Grove, Alberta, Canada. Dempsey started his hockey career in the Western Hockey League (WHL) with the Seattle Thunderbirds in 1991. He played for the Thunderbirds for three seasons before being drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 1992 NHL Entry Draft.
Dempsey made his NHL debut with the Maple Leafs in the 1996-97 season. He played in 11 games that season and recorded one assist. He spent the majority of the season playing for the St. John's Maple Leafs, Toronto's American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate. Dempsey played for the Maple Leafs for four seasons, from 1996 to 2000. During his time with the Maple Leafs, he played in 174 games and recorded 12 goals and 31 assists.
In the 2000-01 season, Dempsey was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks. He played for the Blackhawks for two seasons, from 2000 to 2002. During his time with the Blackhawks, he played in 129 games and recorded 10 goals and 27 assists. In the 2002-03 season, Dempsey was traded to the Los Angeles Kings. He played for the Kings for two seasons, from 2002 to 2004. During his time with the Kings, he played in 123 games and recorded 10 goals and 27 assists.
After his time with the Kings, Dempsey played for several teams in the AHL and in Europe. He played for the Manchester Monarchs, the AHL affiliate of the Kings, in the 2004-05 season. He then played for the Hamburg Freezers in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL) in Germany for the 2005-06 season. In the 2006-07 season, Dempsey played for the Syracuse Crunch, the AHL affiliate of the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Dempsey retired from professional hockey in 2007. In his NHL career, he played in 436 games and recorded 32 goals and 85 assists. He also played in 47 playoff games and recorded two goals and six assists. Dempsey was known for his offensive skills and his ability to move the puck up the ice. He was also a solid defenseman who could play in all situations.
After retiring from hockey, Dempsey became a coach. He has coached at various levels, including youth hockey and junior hockey. He currently works as a skills coach and runs his own hockey school in Alberta, Canada. Dempsey's hockey career was successful, and he is remembered as a skilled defenseman who contributed to his teams both offensively and defensively.
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