Stephen Valiquette is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who played for various teams in the National Hockey League (NHL) and American Hockey League (AHL) during his career. He was born on August 20, 1977, in Etobicoke, Ontario, Canada.
Valiquette began his hockey career in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) with the Sudbury Wolves in 1994. He played for the team for three seasons before being drafted by the Los Angeles Kings in the 1996 NHL Entry Draft. However, Valiquette did not play for the Kings and instead signed with the New York Islanders in 1998.
Valiquette played for the Islanders' AHL affiliate, the Lowell Lock Monsters, for two seasons before making his NHL debut with the Islanders in 2000. He played in 20 games for the Islanders over two seasons before being traded to the Edmonton Oilers in 2002. Valiquette played in just one game for the Oilers before being sent back down to the AHL.
In 2003, Valiquette signed with the New York Rangers and played for their AHL affiliate, the Hartford Wolf Pack, for two seasons. He also played in 20 games for the Rangers over two seasons before becoming the team's backup goaltender in 2006. Valiquette played in 22 games for the Rangers during the 2008-09 season, posting a 2.01 goals against average and a .924 save percentage.
Valiquette retired from professional hockey in 2011 and has since worked as a goaltending consultant and analyst. He is also the founder of Clear Sight Analytics, a company that provides advanced analytics for hockey teams.
Throughout his career, Valiquette was known for his size and athleticism in the net. He was also known for his work ethic and dedication to improving his game. Despite never being a full-time NHL starter, Valiquette was a respected backup goaltender and a valuable member of the teams he played for.
In conclusion, Stephen Valiquette had a successful career as a professional ice hockey goaltender, playing for various teams in the NHL and AHL. He was known for his size, athleticism, and work ethic, and was a respected backup goaltender throughout his career. After retiring from hockey, Valiquette has continued to work in the sport as a consultant and analyst.
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