Erik Cole

Infobox Ice Hockey Player

---

image_size = 230px
position = Left Wing
shoots = Left
height_ft = 6
height_in = 2
weight_lb = 205
team = Edmonton Oilers
former_teams = Carolina Hurricanes
league = NHL
nationality = USA
birth_date = Birth date and age|1978|11|6|mf=y
birth_place = Oswego, NY, U.S.
career_start = 2000
draft = 71st overall
draft_year = 1998
draft_team = Carolina Hurricanes
nickname = Colesy, Cole Train

Erik Cole (born November 6, 1978 in Oswego, New York) is a professional ice hockey left winger currently playing for the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League. He has previously played for the Carolina Hurricanes.

Playing career

Cole was drafted by the Carolina Hurricanes in the 3rd round as the 71st overall selection in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft. In the 2001–2002 NHL season, his rookie year, Cole scored six goals during the Stanley Cup Playoffs. He is the first (and as of 2007, only) Oswegonian in the NHL. Cole played college hockey for the Clarkson University Golden Knights.

On December 19, 2005, Cole was chosen to represent the United States as a player on Team USA's ice hockey team which competed in the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy. He was named along with fellow Clarkson University alum Craig Conroy, from the Calgary Flames. He also represented Team USA at the 2007 World Championships in Moscow, Russia.

On March 4, 2006, Cole suffered a fractured vertebra in his neck after getting hit by Pittsburgh Penguins's defenceman Brooks Orpik.cite web|url=http://hurricanes.nhl.com/team/app?articleid=297947&page=NewsPage&service=page|title="Cole to Miss at Least 6-8 Weeks with Fractured Vertebra"|work=Carolina Hurricanes|date=2006-03-05] The injury kept him out of the lineup until Game 6 of the 2006 Stanley Cup Finals, where the Hurricanes won the 2006 Stanley Cup in Game 7. On 12 November 2007, Erik went head first into Florida Panthers goalie Tomas Vokoun, he was face down on the ice for over five minutes, and was escorted off the ice via strecher.cite web|url=http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=3107406|title="Canes' Cole leaves game on stretcher after collision with goalie Vokoun"|work=ESPN|date=2007-11-13] It was a neck injury but not serious, and he traveled with the team to Tampa Bay.

Erik is the only player in the NHL to ever be awarded two penalty shots in the same game. On July 1, 2008 Erik Cole was acquired by the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for Joni Pitkanen.cite web|url=http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=242167&lid=headline&lpos=topStory_main|title="Oilers bring in Cole, Brule with pair of trades"|work=TSN|date=2008-07-01]

Awards and achievements

*1998–99: First-Team All-Conference Team (ECAC)
*1998–99: East Second All-American Team (NCAA)
*1999–00: Second-Team All-Conference Team (ECAC)
*2004–05: DEL Champion
*2005–06: Stanley Cup Winner

Career statistics

International play

Played for the United States in:

*2006 - XX Olympic Winter Games
*2007 - 2007 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships

References

External links

*hockeydb|35409
* [http://www.usolympicteam.com/26_43473.htm Erik Cole's U.S. Olympic Team bio]
* [http://hurricanes.nhl.com/team/app?page=HistoricalPlayerDetail&pkey=8467396&service=page Erik Cole - Carolina Hurricanes Player Bio]