Steve Poapst is a former professional ice hockey player who played as a defenseman. He was born on January 3, 1971, in Cornwall, Ontario, Canada. Poapst started his hockey career in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) with the Cornwall Royals in the 1988-89 season. He played for the Royals for three seasons before being drafted by the Winnipeg Jets in the 1990 NHL Entry Draft.
Poapst made his NHL debut with the Jets in the 1993-94 season. However, he only played in two games for the team before being sent back to the minors. He spent the next few years playing for various minor league teams, including the Springfield Falcons, the Fort Wayne Komets, and the Utah Grizzlies.
In the 1996-97 season, Poapst signed with the Chicago Blackhawks. He played in 11 games for the team that season, scoring one goal and one assist. He spent the next few seasons bouncing between the Blackhawks and their minor league affiliate, the Indianapolis Ice.
Poapst's best season in the NHL came in the 2001-02 season when he played in 77 games for the Blackhawks, scoring four goals and 16 assists. He also had a plus-minus rating of +9 that season. Poapst played for the Blackhawks for a total of six seasons before being traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2002-03 season.
Poapst played in 28 games for the Penguins that season, scoring one goal and four assists. He spent the next season playing for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, Pittsburgh's minor league affiliate.
In the 2004-05 season, Poapst played for the Mannheim Eagles in the German Elite League. He returned to North America the following season, signing with the Washington Capitals. He played in 20 games for the Capitals that season, scoring one goal and three assists.
Poapst's last season in professional hockey was the 2006-07 season, which he spent playing for the Hershey Bears, the Capitals' minor league affiliate. He retired from professional hockey at the end of that season.
In total, Poapst played in 307 NHL games, scoring 14 goals and 47 assists. He also played in 542 games in various minor leagues, scoring 52 goals and 174 assists. Poapst was known for his defensive play and his ability to move the puck up the ice. He was also a reliable penalty killer and was often used in that role by his coaches.
After retiring from professional hockey, Poapst became a coach. He spent several years coaching in the minor leagues before being hired as an assistant coach for the Rockford IceHogs, the Blackhawks' minor league affiliate, in 2018.
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