Pierre Turgeon

Infobox Ice Hockey Player
played_for =Buffalo Sabres
New York Islanders
Montreal Canadiens
St. Louis Blues
Dallas Stars
Colorado Avalanche
position = Centre
shoots = Left
height_ft = 6
height_in = 1
weight_lb = 199
nationality = CAN
birth_date = birth date and age|1969|08|28
birth_place = Rouyn, Quebec
draft = 1st overall
draft_year = 1987
draft_team = Buffalo Sabres
career_start = 1988
career_end = 2007

Pierre Turgeon (born August 28, 1969 in Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec, Canada) is a retired French Canadian professional hockey player who played for the NHL's Buffalo Sabres, New York Islanders, Montreal Canadiens, St. Louis Blues, Dallas Stars, and the Colorado Avalanche. Pierre is the younger brother of former NHL player Sylvain Turgeon.

Playing career

Turgeon was drafted by the Buffalo Sabres as the 1st overall pick in the 1987 NHL Entry Draft. Rick Jeanneret, play-by-play announcer for the National Hockey League's Buffalo Sabres, coined the phrase "Ooh-la-la Pierre" for Pierre Turgeon.

In 1991, Turgeon, along with Benoit Hogue, Uwe Krupp, and Dave McLlwain, was traded to the New York Islanders for Pat LaFontaine, Randy Wood, Randy Hillier and future considerations. Turgeon's best season as an Islander was the 1992–93 season, where he scored 58 goals and 132 points and helped lead the Islanders to the Wales Conference Finals where they would lose to eventual Stanley Cup Champion Montreal Canadiens in five games. Along the way the Islanders defeated the Washington Capitals and upset the two time defending Stanley Cup Champion Pittsburgh Penguins.

The first round series, which the Islanders won in 6 games, is infamous for an on-ice incident. After scoring a series-clinching goal during game six at Nassau Coliseum, Dale Hunter of the Capitals checked Turgeon from behind as he celebrated his goal. Turgeon suffered a separated shoulder and missed the ensuing series against the Penguins. Hunter received a then-record 21 game suspension for the hit. Turgeon returned for the semifinals against the Montreal Canadiens, though he was not in peak form as he had not fully recovered. The Islanders bowed out of the playoffs after a hard-fought five game series, two of which went to overtime. After beating the Isles, the Canadiens went on to win the Stanley Cup.

During the failed 1994–95 season, General Manager Don Maloney decided to rebuild the team, which included trading Turgeon and Vladimir Malakhov to the Montreal Canadiens for Kirk Muller, Matthieu Schneider and Craig Darby. He was traded by Montreal to the St. Louis Blues with Rory Fitzpatrick and Craig Conroy for Murray Baron, Shayne Corson, and a fifth round selection in the 1997 Entry Draft on October 29, 1996. He joined the Dallas Stars as a free agent on July 1, 2001, and the Colorado Avalanche as a free agent on August 3, 2005. Turgeon took a year off during the 2004–05 lockout.

As an Islander, Turgeon was awarded the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy in the 1992–93 NHL season. He participated in the NHL All-Star Game in 1990, 1993, 1994, and 1996.

On 8 November 2005, Turgeon became the 34th player in NHL history to score 500 goals.

On September 5, 2007 announced his retirement from the NHL. [ [http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/story/2007/09/05/pierre-turgeon-retires.html "Pierre Turgeon retires after 19-year NHL career"] , CBC, September 5, 2007]

Turgeon, the racehorse

George W. Strawbridge, Jr., an active shareholder of the Buffalo Sabres and director and member of the team's executive committee for more than thirty years, named one of his Thoroughbred racehorses in Pierre Turgeon's honor. Turgeon raced for Strawbridge's racing stable in France where he won several Conditions races and after retiring is developing into a successful sire. [http://www.ntra.com/stats_bios.aspx?id=1924] [http://www.pedigreequery.com/turgeon]

Personal

* He and his wife, Elisabeth have four children.
* His first job was helping out at a hockey school.
* Turgeon represented Canada in the Little League World Series in 1982.

Career statistics

ee also

* List of NHL players
* List of NHL statistical leaders
* List of NHL seasons
* Notable families in the NHL
* List of NHL players with 1000 points
* List of NHL players with 500 goals
* List of NHL players with 1000 games played

References

External links

*hockeydb|5495
* [http://habslegends.blogspot.com/2007/09/pierre-turgeon.html Profile at Greatest Hockey Legends]