Jay Bouwmeester

Jay Bouwmeester
Born (1983-09-27) September 27, 1983
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Height 6 ft 4 in (193 cm)
Weight 215 lb (98 kg; 15 st 5 lb)
Position Defence
Shoots Left
NHL team
Former teams		 St. Louis Blues
Florida Panthers
Calgary Flames
National team  Canada
NHL Draft 3rd overall, 2002
Florida Panthers
Playing career 2002–present

Jay Daniel Bouwmeester (born September 27, 1983) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman playing for the St. Louis Blues of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was a first round selection, third overall, of the Florida Panthers at the 2002 NHL Entry Draft. He was named to the NHL All-Rookie Team in 2003 and played seven seasons in the Panthers organization before being traded to the Calgary Flames in 2009, with whom he played four seasons. He held one of the longest iron man streaks in NHL history as he appeared in 737 consecutive regular season games between 2004 and 2014. Bouwmeester played in the 2007 and 2009 NHL All-Star Games.[1]

Internationally, Bouwmeester has represented Canada numerous times. He appeared in three consecutive World Junior Championships between 2000 and 2002, winning a silver and two bronze medals. He made his debut with the senior national team in 2003, winning the first of two consecutive World Championship titles. Bouwmeester was a member of the 2004 World Cup of Hockey championship team and won a gold medal with Team Canada at the 2014 Winter Olympics.

Early life

Bouwmeester was born September 27, 1983 in Edmonton, Alberta. He is the son of Dan and Gena Bouwmeester, and has an elder sister, Jill.[2] His father is a school teacher and coach in Edmonton, and played defence himself for the University of Alberta Golden Bears hockey team.[2] Bouwmeester was a naturally gifted player; his father said he could handle a hockey stick at an early age, and learned to skate shortly after he learned to walk.[3] An all-around athlete, Bouwmeester also played baseball and soccer competitively, and ran track, played volleyball and basketball at school. He had natural talent for hockey, however, and learned to play both on a backyard rink his father maintained and in the basement of the family home.[2]

Playing career

Junior

Bouwmeester played bantam and midget hockey with the Edmonton South Side Athletic Club, winning the Alberta midget championship in 1997–98.[4] He was selected by the Medicine Hat Tigers first overall at the Western Hockey League's (WHL) 1998 Bantam Draft,[5] and appeared in eight games with the Tigers in the 1998–99 WHL season.[6]

He joined the Tigers full-time in 1999–2000, scoring 34 points in 64 games as a 16-year-old. His offensive totals improved in his two following WHL seasons: 53 in 2000–01 and 61 in 2001–02.[7] He was named to the WHL's East All-Star team,[8] and was considered a candidate to be selected first overall at the 2002 NHL Entry Draft.[9] Instead, he was taken third overall by the Florida Panthers, behind Rick Nash and Kari Lehtonen.[10]

Florida Panthers

Bouwmeester made his NHL debut with the Panthers at the start of the 2002–03 Season, and appeared in all 82 games for Florida, a franchise rookie record.[6] He scored his first NHL goal on November 11, 2002, against the Chicago Blackhawks,[11] and finished the season with four goals and sixteen points.[7] He was named to the 2003 NHL All-Rookie Team on defence.[6]

Bouwmeester with the Florida Panthers

He improved to 20 points in 61 games in 2003–04 though he missed 18 games with a foot injury.[12] The 2004–05 NHL lockout forced him to play in the American Hockey League (AHL) that season. He joined the Panthers' AHL affiliate, the San Antonio Rampage, but experienced difficulties adapting to playing in the minor leagues.[13] Despite struggling to generate offence, Bouwmeester participated in the AHL All-Star game, and was loaned to the Chicago Wolves when it became evident the Rampage would not qualify for the playoffs.[14] Bouwmeester and the Wolves reached the Calder Cup Finals,[15] though they lost to the Philadelphia Phantoms.

Bouwmeester experienced a breakout season after the NHL resumed play in 2005–06, scoring 5 goals, 41 assists and 46 points in 82 games, all career highs,[6] and was invited to join Team Canada at the 2006 Winter Olympics in the place of injured defenceman Scott Niedermayer.[16] He made news that off-season in his hometown of Edmonton when he was arrested for driving under the influence, a charge he pleaded guilty to the following summer.[17]

He again appeared in all 82 games for the Panthers in 2006–07 and set a new career high with 12 goals.[6] Bouwmeester appeared in his first NHL All-Star Game, representing the Panthers in the game held at Dallas.[18]

He improved again to 15 goals in 2007–08 while again playing in every game for the Panthers and led the NHL in average ice time at 27 minutes, 28 seconds per game.[6] He signed a new one-year, $4.875 million contract as a restricted free agent following the season, turning down the Panthers' long-term offers in the hopes of becoming an unrestricted free agent at the expiry of his new contract.[19]

Another 15-goal season followed in 2008–09. He played in all 82 games and succeeded Andrew Brunette as the league's ironman when the latter player was forced out of the Colorado Avalanche lineup with injury.[20] He appeared in his second All-Star Game and scored a goal.[21] As the season approached its end, the Panthers were fighting for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, but were unable to convince Bouwmeester to sign a contract extension. Despite numerous offers from other teams for his services, Florida general manager Jacques Martin chose not to trade Bouwmeester.[22] He and the Panthers struggled to end the season, and failed to qualify for the post-season.[23]

Calgary Flames

Bouwmeester represented Flames for three and a half seasons

Unable to come to terms with Bouwmeester, the Panthers traded his negotiating rights to the Calgary Flames in exchange for the negotiating rights to defenceman Jordan Leopold and a third round draft pick (Josh Birkholz) in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft.[24] The deal gave the Flames four days with which they had exclusive rights to negotiate with Bouwmeester before he became an unrestricted free agent and gained the ability to negotiate with any team. Hours before that deadline expired, Bouwmeester and the Flames agreed to a five-year, $33 million contract.[25]

The Flames struggled to score for much of the 2009–10 NHL season, and Bouwmeester was no exception. He finished the year with just three goals and rarely served as an offensive catalyst for Calgary.[26] He did not miss a game for the Flames, and while his consecutive games played streak sat at 424 following the season,[27] Bouwmeester also held the active record for most games played without reaching the Stanley Cup Playoffs at 553.[28] Bouwmeester continued to score at a rate below his time in Florida, recording 24 points in 2010–11 and 29 in 2011–12. He led the team in ice time both years, averaging nearly 26 minutes per game.[29] Bouwmeester broke the NHL record for consecutive games played by a defenceman on March 15, 2011 when he appeared in his 486th consecutive game, surpassing Kārlis Skrastiņš.[30]

St. Louis Blues

Calgary failed to reach the playoffs in both seasons, and while Bouwmeester's offensive production increased in the lockout-shortened 2012–13 season – he had 6 goals and 15 points in 33 games for Calgary and again led the team in ice time – he also reached 750 career games without appearing in the playoffs.[31] With the Flames entering a rebuilding phase, Bouwmeester agreed to waive his no-trade clause and accepted a trade on April 1, 2013. He was dealt to the St. Louis Blues in exchange for prospects Mark Cundari, Reto Berra, and a first round draft pick in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft.[32] Bouwmeester described leaving Calgary as "bittersweet", calling the city a great place to play, but expressed hope that he would finally reach the post-season with the Blues.[31] He achieved this goal after the Blues clinched a playoff spot in their third-to-last game of the season, and the 762nd of Bouwmeester's career. In doing so, he avoided breaking Olli Jokinen's NHL record of 799 career games before making his playoff debut.[33]

The Blues and Bouwmeester agreed to a five-year, $27 million contract extension prior to the 2013–14 season.[34] He recorded 37 points for the Blues during the season, his highest total since 2008–09 with the Panthers.[35] Bouwmeester's iron man streak ended early in the 2014–15 season as he missed the Blues' November 23, 2014, contest against the Winnipeg Jets. He suffered a "lower body injury" after skating into a rut in the ice in the previous game against the Ottawa Senators. The streak ended at 737 consecutive games, the fifth longest in NHL history.[36]

International play
Medal record
Representing  Canada
Men's ice hockey
Winter Olympics
2014 Sochi
World Championships
2003 Finland
2004 Czech Republic
2008 Canada
Canada Cup / World Cup
2004 Toronto (final)
2016 Toronto
World Junior Championships
2002 Czech Republic
2000 Sweden
2001 Russia

Bouwmeester played in three World Junior Championships with the Canadian junior team. He became the youngest player to ever represent Canada at the tournament when he won a bronze medal at the 2000 tournament at the age of 16 years, 3 months.[3] He recorded two assists in 2001 as Canada won another bronze medal. In 2002, Bouwmeester and the Canadian team won the silver medal, losing the championship game to Russia, 5-4.[6]

His first appearance with the senior team came at the 2003 World Championships. Bouwmeester finished second in scoring amongst defencemen with seven points,[37] and was named the tournament's best defenceman, and an all-star as he helped Canada win the gold medal.[38]

Bouwmeester won a second gold medal at the 2004 World Championship, contributing three points in nine games.[39] He scored the championship winning goal in a 5–3 victory over Sweden.[40] He was a late addition to Canada's entry at the 2004 World Cup of Hockey, invited to replace the injured Chris Pronger.[41] He appeared in four games as Canada won the tournament.[7][42]

He again joined the team as an injury replacement at the 2006 Winter Olympics after Scott Niedermayer was forced out of the tournament.[43] He appeared in six games, scoring no points, as Canada lost in the quarter-finals.[44] Bouwmeester's appeared again with the national team at the 2008 World Championship. He played in all nine games,[45] settling for the silver medal after Russia defeated Team Canada in the final.[46] Bouwmeester participated in Canada's summer camp in advance of the 2010 Winter Olympics,[47] but his struggles in the weeks leading up the team being announced resulted in his being left off the final roster.[48] However, he was selected as a reserve by Team Canada for the 2010 Winter Olympics should an injury occur during the tournament.[49]

Bouwmeester played in all six of Canada's games at the 2014 Winter Olympics, contributing one assist and winning the gold medal.

Playing style

Bouwmeester is best known for his skating ability. His coach in Medicine Hat, Rick Carriere, said his ability to move the puck up the ice and score meant Bouwmeester could have played in the NHL at the age of 15.[3] He is a capable offensive player from his defensive position and frequently joined offensive rushes while with Florida, but failed to do so as often in his first season in Calgary, resulting in much lower offensive output.[50] The primary criticism of his game is that he lacks a physical presence on the ice. The Hockey News commentator Ken Campbell argued that it has prevented him from becoming one of the game's elite defencemen.[3] He is frequently among the league leaders in ice time per game and one of the most durable.[51]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

    Regular season   Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1998–99 Medicine Hat Tigers WHL 82132 —————
1999–00 Medicine Hat Tigers WHL 6413213426 —————
2000–01 Medicine Hat Tigers WHL 6114395344 —————
2001–02 Medicine Hat Tigers WHL 6111506142 —————
2002–03 Florida Panthers NHL 824121614 —————
2003–04 San Antonio Rampage AHL 20112 —————
2003–04 Florida Panthers NHL 612182030 —————
2004–05 San Antonio Rampage AHL 644131750 —————
2004–05 Chicago Wolves AHL 1863912 1800014
2005–06 Florida Panthers NHL 825414679 —————
2006–07 Florida Panthers NHL 8212304266 —————
2007–08 Florida Panthers NHL 8215223772 —————
2008–09 Florida Panthers NHL 8215274268 —————
2009–10 Calgary Flames NHL 823262948 —————
2010–11 Calgary Flames NHL 824202444 —————
2011–12 Calgary Flames NHL 825242926 —————
2012–13 Calgary Flames NHL 33691516 —————
2012–13 St. Louis Blues NHL 141676 60110
2013–14 St. Louis Blues NHL 824333720 60112
2014–15 St. Louis Blues NHL 722111324 60002
2015–16 St. Louis Blues NHL 723161918 2004424
NHL totals 99081295376531 3806628

International

Year Team Event Result   GP G A Pts PIM
2000 Canada WJC 3rd, bronze medalist(s) 7 0 0 0 2
2001 Canada WJC 3rd, bronze medalist(s) 7 0 2 2 6
2002 Canada WJC 2nd, silver medalist(s) 7 0 2 2 10
2003 Canada WC 1st, gold medalist(s) 9 3 4 7 4
2004 Canada WC 1st, gold medalist(s) 9 2 1 3 0
2004 Canada WCH 1st, gold medalist(s) 4 0 0 0 0
2006 Canada Oly 7th 6 0 0 0 0
2008 Canada WC 2nd, silver medalist(s) 9 0 0 0 4
2012 Canada WC 5th 8 0 2 2 0
2014 Canada Oly 1st, gold medalist(s) 6 0 1 1 0
2016 Canada WCH 1st, gold medalist(s) 6 0 1 1 4
Junior totals 21 0 4 4 18
Senior totals 57 5 9 14 12

All-Star Games

Year Location   G A P PIM
2007 Dallas 0 1 1 0
2009 Montreal 1 2 3 0
All-Star totals 1 3 4 0

Awards and honours

Award Year
Junior
WHL Eastern Conference All-Star Team 2001–02 [8]
National Hockey League
All-Rookie Team 2002–03
NHL All-Star 2007, 2009 [6]
International
World Championship best defenceman 2003 [38]
World Championship All-Star Team 2003 [38]

References

  1. ↑ "Jay Bouwmeester #19, Notes". Nhl.com. Retrieved April 28, 2013.
  2. 1 2 3 Cruickshank, Scott (2009-09-29). "Jay Bouwmeester, smooth operator". Calgary Herald. Retrieved 2010-09-09.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Francis, Thomas (2008-11-13). "Florida Panthers and Prodigy Jay Bouwmeester Toil in Obscurity". Miami New Times. Retrieved 2010-09-08.
  4. ↑ "Jay Bouwmeester biography". Hockey Canada. Retrieved 2010-09-08.
  5. ↑ Flett, Cory; Watts, Jessie (2009). 2009–10 WHL Guide. Western Hockey League. p. 81.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Hanlon, Peter; Kelso, Sean (2009). 2009–10 Calgary Flames Media Guide (PDF). Calgary Flames Hockey Club. p. 37. Retrieved 2010-09-08.
  7. 1 2 3 "Jay Bouwmeester profile". Hockey Hall of Fame. Retrieved 2010-09-08.
  8. 1 2 Flett, Cory; Watts, Jessie (2009). 2009–10 WHL Guide. Western Hockey League. p. 202.
  9. ↑ Pollard, Dave (2001-01-24). "OHL vs. WHL in inter-league junior hockey tilt ; All about bragging rights tonight". Toronto Star. p. A1. Retrieved 2010-09-08.
  10. ↑ "2002 NHL Entry Draft selections". National Hockey League. Retrieved 2010-09-08.
  11. ↑ "Chicago vs. Florida". USA Today. 2002-11-11. Retrieved 2010-09-08.
  12. ↑ "Panthers recall Bouwmeester". WCVB TV Boston. 2004-03-03. Retrieved 2010-09-08.
  13. ↑ Brownlee, Robin (2005-01-17). "Slow go for Jay B". Edmonton Sun. Retrieved 2010-09-08.
  14. ↑ "Bouwmeester and Weiss loaned to Chicago Wolves". San Antonio Rampage Hockey Club. 2005-03-08. Retrieved 2010-09-08.
  15. ↑ Wiebe, Ken (2005-05-26). "Wolves butcher Moose". Winnipeg Sun. Retrieved 2010-09-08.
  16. ↑ "Panther D Jay Bouwmeester joins Canadian roster". USA Today. 2006-02-08. Retrieved 2010-09-08.
  17. ↑ "Panthers' Jay Bouwmeester pleads guilty to DUI". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. 2007-09-04. Retrieved 2010-09-08.
  18. ↑ "Bouwmeester is an All-Star". Miami Herald. 2007-01-14. p. 5D.
  19. ↑ "Panthers sign RFA Bouwmeester to a one-year deal". The Sports Network. 2008-07-28. Retrieved 2010-09-08.
  20. ↑ "Bouwmeester succeeds Brunette as NHL ironman". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. 2009-02-21. Retrieved 2010-09-08.
  21. ↑ "East edge West in high-scoring All-Star clash". Reuters. 2009-01-25. Retrieved 2010-09-08.
  22. ↑ Matheson, Jim (2009-03-04). "On deadline day, no news on Bouwmeester is big news". Canwest News Service. Retrieved 2010-09-08.
  23. ↑ Garrioch, Bruce (2009-04-01). "Jay's talking, but not saying much about Panthers". Ottawa Sun. Retrieved 2010-09-08.
  24. ↑ MacFarlane, Steve (2009-06-27). "Flames get Bouwmeester's rights". Calgary Sun. Retrieved 2010-09-08.
  25. ↑ "Bouwmeester, Flames agree on 5-year deal". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. 2009-06-30. Retrieved 2010-09-08.
  26. ↑ Brophy, Mike (2010-03-26). "Down in Flames". Rogers Sportsnet. Retrieved 2010-09-08.
  27. ↑ "Durable Bouwmeester". ESPN. Retrieved 2010-09-08.
  28. ↑ Gilbertson, Wes (2010-04-06). "Bouw dreams of playoffs". Edmonton Sun. Retrieved 2010-09-08.
  29. ↑ Hanlon, Peter; Kelso, Sean; Ahrens, Janette; Buer, Greg, eds. (2012). 2012–13 Calgary Flames Media Guide. Calgary Flames Hockey Club. p. 47.
  30. ↑ "Bouwmeester sets ironman record for defensemen". NHL. 2011-03-15. Retrieved 2012-02-17.
  31. 1 2 Gilbertson, Wes (2013-04-03). "Bo's bittersweet bye-bye". Calgary Sun. p. S7.
  32. ↑ "Flames trade Jay Bouwmeester to Blues". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. 2013-04-01. Retrieved 2013-04-01.
  33. ↑ Cruickshank, Scott. "Former Flame's playoff wait ends". Calgary Herald. p. F1.
  34. ↑ "Blues agree to 5-year extension with Jay Bouwmeester". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. 2013-08-01. Retrieved 2014-11-24.
  35. ↑ "Jay Bouwmeester player card". National Hockey League. Retrieved 2014-11-24.
  36. ↑ "One lousy rut ends Bouwmeester's streak". Winnipeg Free Press. 2014-11-24. p. C3.
  37. ↑ "2003 IIHF World Championship – defenceman scoring leaders". International Ice Hockey Federation. 2003-05-11. Retrieved 2010-09-09.
  38. 1 2 3 Müller, Stephan (2005). International Ice Hockey Encyclopaedia: 1904–2005. Germany: Books on Demand. p. 155. ISBN 9783833441899.
  39. ↑ "2004 IIHF World Championship". International Ice Hockey Federation. Retrieved 2010-09-09.
  40. ↑ "Canada on top of world again". Boston Globe. 2004-05-10. Retrieved 2010-09-09.
  41. ↑ Annicchiarico, Mario (2004-08-16). "Bouwmeester gets call". Edmonton Sun. Retrieved 2010-09-09.
  42. ↑ "Brodeur's 27 saves secure 3-2 win over Finland". ESPN. 2004-09-17. Retrieved 2010-09-09.
  43. ↑ "Panther D Jay Bouwmeester joins Canadian roster". USA Today. 2006-02-08. Retrieved 2010-09-09.
  44. ↑ Podnieks, Andrew. Canada's Olympic Hockey History 1920–2010. Toronto: Fenn Publishing. p. 236. ISBN 1-55168-323-7.
  45. ↑ "Statistics by team: Canada" (PDF). International Ice Hockey Federation. 2008-05-18. Retrieved 2010-09-09.
  46. ↑ Podnieks, Andrew (2008-05-18). "Gold No. 24 for Big Red Machine". International Ice Hockey Federation. Retrieved 2010-09-09.
  47. ↑ Cox, Damien (2009-08-26). "Team Canada yet to take shape". Toronto Star.
  48. ↑ "Poor December sunk Olympic chances for Flames defencemen". Calgary Herald. 2009-12-30. Retrieved 2010-09-09.
  49. ↑ http://www.tsn.ca/story/?id=310072
  50. ↑ Sportak, Randy (2010-09-09). "Redemption quest for Bouwmeester". Calgary Sun. Retrieved 2010-09-09.
  51. ↑ Gilbertson, Wes. "Allen's save the highlight of Blues win". calgarysun.com. Retrieved April 28, 2013.
Awards and achievements
Preceded by
Lukas Krajicek		 Florida Panthers first round draft pick
2002 		Succeeded by
Petr Taticek

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