DAN CLOUTIER

'Dan Cloutier' (born on April 22, 1976 in Mont-Laurier, PQ, CAN) is a professional ice hockey goaltender with the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League (NHL). In his 10 year NHL career, Cloutier has previously played with several teams, including the New York Rangers, the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Vancouver Canucks.

Contents

Playing career

Off the ice

See also

External links

Playing career

Cloutier was born in Mont-Laurier, Québec, and spent most of his childhood growing up in Sault Ste Marie, Ontario. He spent most of his minor hockey playing in the Sault Minor Hockey Association (NOHA) until 1990-91 with the Sault Carlucci Bantam AAA team.
As a 15-year old, Cloutier was signed by the St. Thomas Stars Jr.B (WOJHL) where he played the 1991-92 season. He was a first-round choice (16th overall) of his hometown Sault Ste Marie Greyhounds of the OHLin May of 1992. His older brother Sylvain Cloutier was captain of the Guelph Storm (OHL) and a subsequent third-round draft pick of the Detroit Red Wings one month later.
Cloutier began his professional career after being drafted by the New York Rangers, who made him their first selection (26th overall) in the 1994 NHL Entry Draft. He debuted with the club four years later, spending two seasons with them as the back-up to Mike Richter. Perhaps his most famous performance as a Ranger was a fight against New York Islanders goalie Tommy Salo in which Cloutier continuously pummeled Salo in the back of the head then proceeded to challenge the entire Islanders bench to a fight.
The New York Rangers traded him to the Tampa Bay Lightning in 1999, and he became the starting goaltender for the 1999-00 season. The next year with the Lightning, Cloutier was traded once again to Vancouver for Adrian Aucoin and a second-round draft pick. He was the starting goaltender for the Canucks starting in the 2001-02, winning over 30 games in each of the next three seasons. His performances with the Canucks in the playoffs were criticized for being significantly less effective than his regular-season play.
Cloutier was unable to compete in the 2005-06 NHL season due to a partially torn Anterior cruciate ligament suffered in a game against the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim on November 20, 2005. He had surgery on December 15, 2005, and was unable to play the rest of the season, leaving Alex Auld as the starting goaltender for the campaign.
On July 5, 2006, Cloutier was then traded to the Los Angeles Kings for a 2007 second-round draft pick and a conditional pick in 2009.

Off the ice

In his personal life, Dan resides in his hometown of Sault Ste Marie, Ontario, during the off season with his wife, Nikki, whom he married July 16, 2004. His older brother, Sylvain, born on the 13th of February 1974, is also a hockey player and currently plays professionally in England.

See also

★ List of NHL players

★ List of NHL seasons

★ List of current NHL goaltenders

External links

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