Chuck Kobasew

Nicholas James Kobasew[1] (born April 17, 1982) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey right winger who played eleven seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL).

Chuck Kobasew
Kobasew with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in 2014
Born (1982-04-17) April 17, 1982 (age 42)
Osoyoos, British Columbia, Canada
Height6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight195 lb (88 kg; 13 st 13 lb)
PositionRight wing
ShotRight
Played forCalgary Flames
Boston Bruins
Minnesota Wild
Colorado Avalanche
Pittsburgh Penguins
SC Bern
NHL draft14th overall, 2001
Calgary Flames
Playing career2002–2016

Playing career

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Amateur

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Kobasew is from the town of Osoyoos, British Columbia, 398 kilometres east of Vancouver. He spent one season playing at Boston College, starring on a team which won the National Championship and was loaded with players headed to the NHL. At the 2001 NCAA Frozen Four, the Eagles defeated the North Dakota Fighting Sioux 3-2 in overtime.[2] Kobasew was named MVP for the tournament.[3]

Professional

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Kobasew was drafted by the Calgary Flames in the first round (14th overall) in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft. During the 2004–05 NHL lockout, Kobasew played with the American Hockey League (AHL)'s Lowell Lock Monsters, and helped the team reach a number of franchise records. He was named as team captain, and scored 75 points in 79 games. He was also selected to play for the Canadian contingent at that year's All-Star game.

While playing for the Flames, Kobasew scored his first career hat trick against the Colorado Avalanche on January 24, 2006.

Kobasew with the Bruins in 2008.

On February 10, 2007, Kobasew and Andrew Ference were traded by the Flames to the Boston Bruins in exchange for Brad Stuart and Wayne Primeau. On May 13, 2008, Kobasew signed a 3-year contract extension with the Bruins worth $7 million. Kobasew scored 21 goals along with 21 assists during the 2008-09 NHL Season as the Bruins reached the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals.

Kobasew was traded by the Bruins to the Minnesota Wild in exchange for Craig Weller, a second round pick in 2011, and the rights to prospect Alexander Fallstrom on October 18, 2009.[4] On November 27, 2009, Kobasew scored his second career hat trick similarly against the Colorado Avalanche.

On July 1, 2011, Kobasew agreed to a two-year deal worth $1.25 million per year with the Colorado Avalanche.[5] Kobasew made his Avalanche debut on opening night of the 2011–12 season in a 3-0 defeat to the Detroit Red Wings on October 8, 2011.[6] Whilst entrenched on the Avalanche in a checking line role, Kobasew appeared in his 500th game, along with linemate Jay McClement, on December 8, 2011, against his original club, the Calgary Flames.[7] He reached another milestone on December 31, when he scored his 100th career NHL goal, a game-winner, in a 4-2 victory over the Anaheim Ducks.[8] Whilst impeded with various injuries throughout the season, Kobasew finished his first year with the Avalanche with 7 goals and 14 points in 58 games.

In the final year of his contract in the lockout shortened 2012–13 season, Kobasew was primarily limited to a fourth line role with the Avalanche.[9] On March 20, 2013, Kobasew recorded his 100th career assist, added a late game-winning goal and recorded a career high Plus–minus 4 in a 4-3 victory over the Dallas Stars.[10] He compiled 5 goals and 9 points in 37 games as Colorado failed to reach the playoffs for a third consecutive season.

After the expiration of his contract with the Avalanche, Kobasew spent the off-season unsigned before accepting an invitation on September 11, 2013, to attend the Pittsburgh Penguins 2013 training camp on a professional try-out contract.[11] On October 2, he signed a one-year, $550,000 contract with the team. In the 2013–14 season with the Penguins, Kobasew was used primarily in a checking depth role. After scoring only 2 goals in 33 games, Kobasew was placed on waivers and assigned to AHL affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. In playing at the AHL level for the first time in 9 years, Kobasew regained his scoring prowess with 11 goals in 12 games.

Kobasew signalled the end of his NHL career, in signing his first European contract on a two-year deal with Swiss club, SC Bern of the National League A (NLA) on July 1, 2014.[12] During the 2015–16 season, in which Bern won the Swiss championship, Kobasew saw action in only ten games due to a concussion, suffered in October 2015.[13] He would not return to play professionally due to his injury.[14]

Career statistics

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Regular season and playoffs

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Regular seasonPlayoffs
SeasonTeamLeagueGPGAPtsPIMGPGAPtsPIM
1997–98Osoyoos HeatKIJHL62242
1998–99Osoyoos HeatKIJHL232524498
1998–99Penticton PanthersBCHL301117281871566
1999–2000Penticton PanthersBCHL58545210683603330
2000–01Boston CollegeHE4327224938
2001–02Kelowna RocketsWHL55412162114151051522
2002–03Saint John FlamesAHL4821123361
2002–03Calgary FlamesNHL234268
2003–04Calgary FlamesNHL7061117512601124
2004–05Lowell Lock MonstersAHL793837751101163927
2005–06Calgary FlamesNHL772011316471010
2006–07Calgary FlamesNHL404131737
2006–07Boston BruinsNHL1011225
2007–08Boston BruinsNHL7322173929
2008–09Boston BruinsNHL68212142561133614
2009–10Boston BruinsNHL70112
2009–10Minnesota WildNHL42951416
2010–11Minnesota WildNHL63971619
2011–12Colorado AvalancheNHL58771451
2012–13Colorado AvalancheNHL3754921
2013–14Pittsburgh PenguinsNHL3320215
2013–14Wilkes–Barre/Scranton PenguinsAHL12112132014861440
2014–15SC BernNLA2999182430114
2015–16SC BernNLA1044825
NHL totals6011101002103944444838

International

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Medal record
Representing  Canada
World Junior Championships
2002 Czech Republic
YearTeamEventResultGPGAPtsPIM
2002CanadaWJC 75162
Junior totals75162

Awards and honours

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AwardYear
BCHL
First All-Star Team2000
Interior Division MVP2000
College
All-Hockey East Second team2000–01
HE All-Academic Team2001
All-Hockey East Rookie Team2000–01
Hockey East All-Tournament Team2001[15]
All-NCAA All-Tournament Team2001[16]
NCAA Tournament MVP2001
NCAA Champion2001
AHL
First All-Star Team2005[17]

References

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  1. ^ "Kobasew adds vet presence". 11 September 2011.
  2. ^ "Championship History". NCAA. 2014-05-01. Retrieved 2014-05-01.
  3. ^ "Chuck Kobasew biography". LowellDevilsHockey.com. 2014-05-02. Retrieved 2014-05-02.
  4. ^ "Wild acquires Kobasew from Bruins". Minnesota Wild. 2009-10-18. Retrieved 2011-05-31.
  5. ^ "NHL Free Agent Tracker". The Sports Network. Retrieved 1 July 2011.
  6. ^ "Conklin's play in net leads to 3-0 win". Yahoo! Sports. 2011-10-08. Retrieved 2011-10-08.
  7. ^ "Jokinen late goal give Flames 3-2 win over Avs". Yahoo! Sports. 2011-12-08. Retrieved 2011-12-08.
  8. ^ "Kobasew's milestone goal lifts Avs over Ducks". Yahoo! Sports. 2011-12-31. Archived from the original on 2016-03-05. Retrieved 2011-12-31.
  9. ^ "Chuck Kobasew playing well for Colorado Avalanche". Denver Post. 2013-03-22. Retrieved 2013-03-22.
  10. ^ "Kobasew's late goal lifts Avalanche over Stars". Yahoo! Sports. 2013-03-20. Archived from the original on 2016-03-05. Retrieved 2013-03-20.
  11. ^ "Penguins sign forward Chuck Kobasew to a professional tryout contract". Pittsburgh Penguins. 2013-09-11. Retrieved 2013-09-13.
  12. ^ "Chuck Kobasew to SCB" (in German). SC Bern. 2014-07-01. Archived from the original on 2014-07-13. Retrieved 2014-07-01.
  13. ^ "Die dunklen Tage des Chuck Kobasew". bernerzeitung.ch. 2016-04-15. Retrieved 2016-05-29.
  14. ^ "Kobasew considering retirement". reganbartel.com. 2016-06-09. Retrieved 2016-06-09.
  15. ^ "2013-14 Hockey East Media Guide". Hockey East. Retrieved 2014-05-19.
  16. ^ "NCAA Frozen Four Records" (PDF). NCAA.org. Retrieved 2013-06-19.
  17. ^ "Lowell's Kobasew named to AHL First Team All-Star". oursportscentral.com. 2005-04-05. Retrieved 2005-04-05.
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Awards and achievements
Preceded by Hockey East Rookie of the Year
2000–01
Succeeded by
Preceded by William Flynn Tournament Most Valuable Player
2001
Succeeded by
Preceded by NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player
2001
Succeeded by
Sporting positions
Preceded by Calgary Flames' first round draft pick
2001
Succeeded by