Raffi Torres

Infobox Ice Hockey Player


image_size = 200px
team=Columbus Blue Jackets
league = NHL
position = Left Wing
shoots = Left
height_ft = 6
height_in = 0
weight_lb = 216
nickname = Tico
nationality = CAN
former_teams = Edmonton Oilers
New York Islanders
birth_date = Birth date and age|1981|10|8|mf=y
birth_place = Toronto, ON, CAN
draft = 5th overall
draft_year = 2000
draft_team = New York Islanders
career_start = 2003
website = [http://www.raffitorres.com/ raffitorres.com]

Raphael "Raffi" Torres (b. 8 October, 1981 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada) is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward of Mexican and Peruvian descent currently playing for the Columbus Blue Jackets of the National Hockey League. He has previously played for the Edmonton Oilers and New York Islanders.

Playing career

Torres played major junior with the Brampton Battalion of the OHL, beginning in 1998–99. After putting up 91 points in his second season with the Batallion (seventh in league scoring), [citeweb|title=1999–00 OHL League Leaders|url=http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/top_league.php?lid=ohl1989&sid=2000&leaguenm=OHL|accessdate=2008-10-01] Torres was drafted in the 1st round, 5th overall, by the New York Islanders in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft.

In 2001–02, Torres made the jump to the American Hockey League playing for the Islanders' minor league affiliate, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers and appeared in the 2002 Calder Cup finals; Bridgeport lost to the Chicago Wolves. As the New York Islanders lost players to injury that season, Torres also made his NHL debut, playing in 14 games. At the NHL trade deadline of his second season with Bridgeport, he was traded by the Islanders to the Edmonton Oilers along with Brad Isbister in exchange for Janne Niinimaa, a second round and a fourth round draft pick in 2003. [Citeweb|title=Trade deadline roundup|url=http://www.usatoday.com/sports/hockey/nhl/2003-03-11-trade-roundup_x.htm|accessdate=2008-10-01|publisher=USA Today] Joining the Oilers' AHL affiliate, the Hamilton Bulldogs, for the remainder of the 2002–03 season, Torres appeared in his second consecutive Calder Cup finals, but lost to the Houston Aeros in seven games.

Torres earned a roster spot with the Oilers in 2003–04, tallying 34 points in his first full NHL season. In lieu of the 2004–05 NHL lockout, he played with the Edmonton Road Runners of the AHL and tied for the team scoring lead with Tony Salmelainen, recording 46 points in 67 games. [Citeweb|title=2004–05 Edmonton Road Runners (AHL)|url=http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/leagues/seasons/teams/0035912005.html|accessdate=2008-10-01]

Returning to the Oilers as NHL resumed play in 2005–06, Torres scored a career-high 27 goals and 41 points. Entering the playoffs as the eight and final seed in the Western Conference, the Oilers embarked on a cinderella run to the 2006 Stanley Cup Finals against the Carolina Hurricanes. In the semi-finals against the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, Torres scored the series-clinching goal in game five, putting the Oilers ahead 2-1 in the second period. [Citeweb|title=Unheralded Oilers Reach Cup Finals|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/28/sports/hockey/28ducks.html?ex=1148961600&en=f84d5bd1e53e54fe&ei=5087%0A|accessdate=2008-10-01|date=2006-05-28|publisher=New York Times] Although the Oilers staved off elimination in games five and six of the finals against Carolina, they were defeated in game seven 3-1.

After missing the majority of 2007–08 to an anterior cruciate ligament injury, Torres was traded in the off-season to the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for Gilbert Brule. [citeweb|title=Oilers trade Torres to Blue Jackets|url=http://mobileapp.espn.go.com/nhl/mp/redesign/clubhouse?markupType=xhtml&action=news&teamId=6&story=3469127&series=nhl|accessate=2008-10-01|date=2008-07-01|publisher=ESPN]

Personal life

Raffi married his girlfriend, Gianna, on July 5, 2008, shortly after being traded from the Edmonton Oilers to the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Career statistics

References

External links

* [http://www.raffitorres.com/ The Official Web Site of Raffi Torres]
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Persondata
NAME = Torres, Raphael
ALTERNATIVE NAMES = Raffi
SHORT DESCRIPTION = ice hockey player
DATE OF BIRTH = 8 October, 1981
PLACE OF BIRTH = Toronto, Ontario, Canada
DATE OF DEATH =
PLACE OF DEATH =