Stats courtesy of hockeyreference.com and eliteprospects.com.
My next player profile is on forward Lee Stempniak! Stempniak played in just two games for the Bruins last season, in which he failed to produce a single point. He also played in 20 games for the Bruins AHL affiliate, the Providence Bruins, through which he tallied seven goals and 11 assists. He then appeared in all four of the P-Bruins’ playoff games, in which he put up zero goals and one assist. Drafted in the fifth round (148th overall) of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft by the St. Louis Blues, Stempniak has played in 911 career NHL games, over which he has recorded 203 goals and 266 assists. He has also played in 47 career AHL games, through which he has produced 15 goals and 18 assists. The 36-year-old right wing has played for ten different organizations over his 14 season NHL and professional career after turning pro following his graduation from Dartmouth College in 2005.
Stempniak had perhaps the most unusual season of anyone to pull on the Spoked-B sweater last season. He initially received a PTO (professional tryout) from the team prior to training camp, but he didn’t get a contract offer out of that. Instead, he continued to practice with the team without one until the trade deadline, at which time the Bruins signed him to a one-year, league minimum ($700,000) deal. He was then assigned to Providence, and only saw two games with the big club as an injury call-up, during which time he was essentially just there and plugging a hole. He didn’t really help the team, but at the same time he didn’t hurt it. However, he played very well down in the AHL, producing at nearly a point per game rate and providing leadership to a young and inexperienced P-Bruins team. He’s slowed down considerably with age, but in his prime he was a good all-around and speedy winger with a great shot and the ability to play in any situation. He was still that player or at least very similar while he was down in the AHL, but he was nearly invisible during his two games in the NHL last season. But, overall, after months of simply practicing with the team, he played well in his role and was really cheap insurance for the team in the case of injuries.
While nothing is official yet, I think it’s safe to assume that Stempniak is retiring given his age and the fact that he only got a contract at the trade deadline last season. Even then, he played in the AHL except for two games when he was called up to the NHL due to several injuries to the Bruins roster. So, nothing can really be expected of him next season because it’s unlikely he’ll even be playing. He may go over to Europe, but he didn’t do that last year when he could’ve, and he’s also American-born and now 36 years old, so I don’t think that’s likely. He also might join the front office of one of the many organizations that he played for over the course of his career or even a different one, or, he could just step away from the game entirely and do something else. There’s really no telling what he’ll do next, at least until he makes his retirement official. Regardless of what he does next, if the likely is true and this is the end of the road for him as a professional hockey player, all I can say is congrats on a great career, Lee, and best of luck to you as you embark on the next chapter of your life!
Hockey Addict 