Scott Mellanby is a former professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for 21 seasons. He was born on June 11, 1966, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Mellanby played for several teams during his career, including the Philadelphia Flyers, Edmonton Oilers, Florida Panthers, St. Louis Blues, and Atlanta Thrashers.
Mellanby began his hockey career playing for the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he played for two seasons before being drafted by the Philadelphia Flyers in the second round of the 1984 NHL Entry Draft. He made his NHL debut with the Flyers in the 1985-86 season and played with the team for four seasons.
In 1991, Mellanby was traded to the Edmonton Oilers, where he played for one season before being traded to the Florida Panthers, who were an expansion team at the time. Mellanby played with the Panthers for seven seasons and was a key player on the team that made it to the Stanley Cup Finals in 1996.
Mellanby is perhaps best known for his role in the "rat trick" incident during the 1995-96 season. During a game against the Calgary Flames, Mellanby killed a rat in the Panthers' locker room with his hockey stick before the game. Later in the game, Panthers forward John Vanbiesbrouck made a save and the rat was thrown onto the ice by a fan. Mellanby then scored two goals in the game, and his teammates began calling it a "rat trick." The incident became a rallying cry for the Panthers, who went on to make it to the Stanley Cup Finals that season.
After his time with the Panthers, Mellanby played for the St. Louis Blues for two seasons before being traded to the Atlanta Thrashers, where he played for three seasons before retiring in 2007. Mellanby was known for his physical play and his ability to score goals, and he finished his career with 364 goals and 476 assists in 1431 games.
After retiring from playing, Mellanby worked as a scout for the Vancouver Canucks and then as an assistant coach for the St. Louis Blues. In 2014, he was hired as the director of player personnel for the Montreal Canadiens, a position he still holds today.
Overall, Scott Mellanby had a successful career in the NHL, playing for several teams and making it to the Stanley Cup Finals with the Florida Panthers. He was known for his physical play and his ability to score goals, and he has continued to work in the hockey world after retiring from playing.
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