Jamie McLennan

Jamie McLennan
Born (1971-06-30) June 30, 1971
Edmonton, AB, CAN
Height 6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight 205 lb (93 kg; 14 st 9 lb)
Position Goaltender
Caught Left
Played for New York Islanders
St. Louis Blues
Minnesota Wild
Calgary Flames
New York Rangers
Florida Panthers
NHL Draft 48th overall, 1991
New York Islanders
Playing career 19912008

James Todd McLennan (born June 30, 1971) is a Canadian retired professional ice hockey goaltender who is now an analyst for The Sports Network (TSN), TSN Radio 1050, NBC Sports and NHL Network. He spent eleven seasons in the National Hockey League with the New York Islanders (1993–96), St. Louis Blues (1997–2000), Minnesota Wild (2000–01), Calgary Flames (2002–04, 2006–07), New York Rangers (2004) and Florida Panthers (2005–06). His active playing career ended in 2008 after a year with the Nippon Paper Cranes of Asia League Ice Hockey. He is popularly known by his nickname Noodles because of his preference for eating homemade pasta instead of diner food on minor-league bus rides before away games.[1]

Playing career

Following a productive season with the Western Hockey League's Lethbridge Hurricanes in which McLennan backstopped the Hurricanes to the WHL Finals, he was drafted in the third round, 48th overall by the New York Islanders in the 1991 NHL Entry Draft. After a two and a half-year stint playing for the Islanders' minor league affiliates in the American, International and East Coast Hockey Leagues, McLennan backed-up veteran Ron Hextall in the 1993–94 season, posting a winning record. He spent the following two seasons with the Islanders organization, alternating between the NHL club and the Islanders' IHL affiliate.

A few weeks after the 1995–96 NHL season had been completed, McLennan drove from Salt Lake City, Utah to Lethbridge, Alberta, on his way home to Edmonton. While visiting family in Lethbridge he fell ill. He went to a hospital on May 6, 1996, after feeling sick all evening, with immobility setting in. What was thought to be the flu turned out to be bacterial meningitis. After nearly dying that day, he spent the following week in intensive care. The Islanders declined to renew his contract on July 1.

The St. Louis Blues signed him to a contract on July 15. After a relatively quick recovery he spent the following season in the AHL. He returned to the NHL as the Blues' back-up goaltender for the 1997–98 NHL season. That year he played 30 games, posting 16 wins, two shutouts and a 2.17 goals against average. He was awarded the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, awarded to the NHL player who best displays perseverance and dedication to hockey. He was picked off the Blues' roster by the Minnesota Wild in the 2000 NHL Expansion Draft. After a season playing for the expansion Wild, he played the following season in the AHL.

The Calgary Flames acquired him in a trade at the 2002 NHL Entry Draft, where he again played the role of NHL backup, achieving two wins in 17 decisions. Despite his 2–11–4 record, he remained with the team as Roman Turek's backup. When Turek became injured in the 2003–04 season, McLennan was thrust into the starting role. He played well, but as the season wore, Miikka Kiprusoff, who had been acquired earlier in the season by the Flames, had taken over the starting job. Turek returned, and McLennan was traded to the New York Rangers in March 2004.

Following the season he was signed to a contract by the Florida Panthers. During the cancelled 2004–05 NHL season he played for the British National League's Guildford Flames. He was brought back to Calgary in 2006, once again as backup to Miikka Kiprusoff. The following season, McLennan had a five week stint in Russia with Metallurg Magnitogorsk before returning to Canada.

On April 21, 2007, during a playoff game versus the Detroit Red Wings (which turned out to be his last NHL game of his career), McLennan slashed Johan Franzén twice in the leg. McLennan was due to be assessed a minor penalty. However, after play was stopped, McLennan violently slashed Franzén in the stomach, resulting in a game misconduct for McLennan. The NHL suspended McLennan for five games and fined coach Jim Playfair $25,000 and the team $100,000 for actions late in Game 5 of the Flames' first-round series against the Detroit Red Wings.[2]

On November 21, 2007, McLennan signed with the Nippon Paper Cranes of Asia League Ice Hockey.[3] McLennan announced his retirement at the end of the 2007–08 season.

Post-retirement

On July 10, 2008, he was named as the director of goaltender development and as a professional scout for the Calgary Flames.[4] On June 23, 2009, McLennan moved into the coaching staff of the Flames after he was named as an assistant coach to Brent Sutter.[5]

McLennan now writes a column for The Hockey News[6] and is a studio analyst for the NHL Network and is a full time Analyst on TSN as well as a co-host on "Overdrive" on TSN Radio 1050, Toronto. In addition to his roles, McLennan is a colour commentator for the Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators.

Career statistics

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP W L T/OT MIN GA SO GAA SV% GP W L MIN GA SO GAA SV%
1987–88 St. Albert Raiders Alberta Midget AAA 1224 80 0 3.92
1988–89 Spokane Chiefs WHL 11 578 63 0 6.54
1988–89 Lethbridge Hurricanes WHL 7 368 22 0 3.59
1989–90 Lethbridge Hurricanes WHL 34 20 4 2 1690 110 1 3.91 13 6 5 677 44 0 3.90
1990–91 Lethbridge Hurricanes WHL 56 32 18 4 3230 205 0 3.81 16 8 8 970 56 0 3.46
1991–92 Richmond Renegades ECHL 32 16 12 2 1837 114 0 3.72 .891
1991–92 Capital District Islanders AHL 18 4 10 2 952 60 1 3.78 .885
1992–93 Capital District Islanders AHL 38 17 14 6 2171 117 1 3.23 .893 1 0 1 20 5 0 15.00
1993–94 New York Islanders NHL 22 8 7 6 1237 61 0 2.84 .905 2 0 1 82 6 53 4.39 .887
1993–94 Salt Lake Golden Eagles IHL 24 8 12 2 1320 80 0 3.64 .889
1994–95 New York Islanders NHL 21 6 11 2 1185 67 0 3.39 .876
1994–95 Denver Grizzlies IHL 4 3 0 1 239 12 0 3.00 .906 11 8 2 640 23 1 2.15 .929
1995–96 New York Islanders NHL 13 3 9 1 636 39 0 3.68 .886
1995–96 Utah Grizzlies IHL 14 9 2 2 728 29 0 2.39 .911
1995–96 Worcester IceCats AHL 22 14 7 1 1216 57 0 2.81 .905 2 0 2 119 8 0 4.03
1996–97 Worcester IceCats AHL 39 18 13 4 2152 100 2 2.79 .903 4 2 2 262 16 0 3.66 .894
1997–98 St. Louis Blues NHL 30 16 8 2 1658 60 2 2.17 .903 1 0 0 14 1 0 4.29 .800
1998–99 St. Louis Blues NHL 33 13 14 4 1763 70 3 2.38 .891 1 0 1 37 0 0 0.00 1.000
1999–2000 St. Louis Blues NHL 19 9 5 2 1009 33 2 1.95 .903
2000–01 Minnesota Wild NHL 38 5 23 9 2230 98 2 2.64 .905
2001–02 Houston Aeros AHL 51 25 18 4 2852 130 3 2.74 .905 14 8 6 880 31 2 2.11 .929
2002–03 Calgary Flames NHL 22 2 11 4 1165 58 0 2.99 .892
2003–04 Calgary Flames NHL 26 12 9 3 1446 53 4 2.20 .910
2003–04 New York Rangers NHL 4 1 3 0 244 12 0 2.95 .876
2004–05 Guildford Flames BNL 3 2 1 0 185 8 0 2.59 .941 7 4 3 385 13 0 2.02 .925
2005–06 Florida Panthers NHL 17 2 4 2 678 34 0 3.01 .906
2006–07 Calgary Flames NHL 9 3 5 1 533 32 0 3.60 .895 1 0 0 0 0 0 0.00
2007–08 Nippon Paper Cranes ALH 14 8 4 0 791 33 0 2.50 .921 10 6 4 599 23 0 2.30 .924
NHL totals 254 80 109 36 13834 617 13 2.68 .898 5 0 2 133 7 0 3.16 .892

Awards and honours

Award Year Notes
Western Hockey League
East First All-Star Team 1990–91
Del Wilson Trophy 1990–91
National Hockey League
Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy 1997–98 [7]

References

  1. Pinkert, Chris."McLennan: From goalie to TV analyst," NHL.com; accessed November 29, 2014.
  2. McLennan slashes Franzen and aftermath, ndgoon.blogspot.com; accessed November 30, 2014.
  3. "Former NHL'ers find hockey adventure in Japan". National Hockey League. 2008-03-26. Retrieved 2008-03-26.
  4. "McLennan, Duane Sutter join Flames staff". Calgary Flames. 2008-07-10. Retrieved 2010-10-19.
  5. "Brent Sutter named head coach". Calgary Flames. 2009-06-23. Retrieved 2010-10-19.
  6. "Jamie McLennan's Column". TheHockeyNews.com; accessed November 29, 2014.
  7. "Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy". National Hockey League. 2010-10-19. Retrieved 2010-10-19.
Preceded by
Tony Granato
Bill Masterton Trophy
1998
Succeeded by
John Cullen
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