Theoren Fleury

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Theoren Fleury bigraphy, stories - Canadian former ice hockey player

Theoren Fleury : biography

June 29, 1968 –

Theoren Wallace "Theo" Fleury (born June 29, 1968) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player for the Calgary Flames, Colorado Avalanche, New York Rangers, and Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League (NHL), Tappara of Finland’s SM-liiga, and the Belfast Giants of the UK’s Elite Ice Hockey League. He was drafted by the Flames in the 8th round, 166th overall, at the 1987 NHL Entry Draft, and played over 1,000 games in the NHL between 1989 and 2003.

One of the smallest players of his generation, Fleury played a physical style that often led to altercations. As a junior, he was at the centre of the infamous Punch-up in Piestany, a brawl that resulted in the disqualification of both Canada and the Soviet Union from the 1987 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. Once considered unlikely to play in the NHL due to his small size, Fleury scored over 1,000 points in his career and won the Stanley Cup in 1989 with the Flames. He twice represented Canada at the Winter Olympics, winning a gold medal in 2002. Throughout his career, he battled drug and alcohol addictions that ultimately forced him out of the NHL in 2003, when he was only 35 years old. He played one successful season in the British Elite Ice Hockey League in 2005–06, and made two attempts to win the Allan Cup. After an unsuccessful NHL comeback attempt with the Flames, he retired in 2009.

Outside of hockey, Fleury overcame his addictions, operated a concrete business in Calgary with his family, and filmed a pilot for a reality television show based around it. He marketed his own brand of clothing, which led him to play two professional baseball games for the Calgary Vipers of the Golden Baseball League. In 1995, he was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease, and his annual charity golf tournament has helped raise more than $1 million for the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of Canada.

Fleury co-wrote Playing with Fire, a best-selling autobiography released in October 2009, in which he revealed that he had been sexually abused by former coach Graham James. Fleury filed a criminal complaint against James, who subsequently pleaded guilty to charges of sexual assault. Fleury has since become an advocate for sexual abuse victims and developed a career as a public speaker.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

    Regular season   Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1983–84 St. James Canadians MJHL 22 31 33 64 88
1984–85 Moose Jaw Warriors WHL 71 29 46 75 82
1985–86 Moose Jaw Warriors WHL 72 43 65 108 124 13 7 13 20 16
1986–87 Moose Jaw Warriors WHL 66 61 68 129 110 9 7 9 16 34
1987–88 Moose Jaw Warriors WHL 65 68 92 160 235
1987–88 Salt Lake Golden Eagles IHL 2 3 4 7 7 8 11 5 16 16
1988–89 Salt Lake Golden Eagles IHL 40 37 37 74 81
1988–89 Calgary Flames NHL 36 14 20 34 46 22 5 6 11 24
1989–90 Calgary Flames NHL 80 31 35 66 157 6 2 3 5 10
1990–91 Calgary Flames NHL 79 51 53 104 136 7 2 5 7 14
1991–92 Calgary Flames NHL 80 33 40 73 133
1992–93 Calgary Flames NHL 83 34 66 100 88 6 5 7 12 27
1993–94 Calgary Flames NHL 83 40 45 85 186 7 6 4 10 5
1994–95 Tappara SM-l 10 8 9 17 22
1994–95 Calgary Flames NHL 47 29 29 58 112 7 7 7 14 2
1995–96 Calgary Flames NHL 80 46 50 96 112 4 2 1 3 14
1996–97 Calgary Flames NHL 81 29 38 67 104
1997–98 Calgary Flames NHL 82 27 51 78 197
1998–99 Calgary Flames NHL 60 30 39 69 68
1998–99 Colorado Avalanche NHL 15 10 14 24 18 18 5 12 17 20
1999–00 New York Rangers NHL 80 15 49 64 68
2000–01 New York Rangers NHL 62 30 44 74 122
2001–02 New York Rangers NHL 82 24 39 63 216
2002–03 Chicago Blackhawks NHL 54 12 21 33 77
2004–05 Horse Lake Thunder NPHL 7 4 10 14 28
2005–06 Belfast Giants EIHL 34 22 52 74 270 7 1 12 13 34
2008–09 Steinbach North Stars HM 13 8 19 27 42 4 2 5 7 26
NHL totals 1084 455 633 1088 1840 77 34 45 79 116