2006 Stanley Cup Finals Game 7- Where are They Now?
I’ll admit, I fell for it too. I looked on the schedule for the Canes a few months ago and saw “EDM” and immediately got excited to see a 2006 Stanley Cup rematch. But it’s certainly not the same Canes and Oilers on the ice these days that we saw in 2006, is it?
On paper, anytime you see EDM and CAR playing, it’s technically a rematch. However, with only seven on the 40 players from that epic night in June of 2006 still remaining on one of these two teams (eight of 52 if you count scratches, and this includes Sergei Samsonov who was in Edmonton for this game, now in Carolina), is it really a rematch?
With this in mind, I thought it would be interesting to see where these 40 guys – and a few notable scratches – are at now and what they have done since June 19, 2006.
Edmonton Players
Still with Edmonton – Shawn Horcoff, Ales Hemsky
No Longer with Edmonton
Ryan Smyth – Ah, Captain Canada. Well Captain Canada was traded to the Islanders from Edmonton and currently plays for the Colorado Avalanche. His trade out of the Canada sent shock waves throughout the country.
Jarett Stoll – Stoll was traded out of Edmonton along with Matt Greene to the Kings where he still plays. Stoll is loving life in Hollywood as he currently dates actress Rachel Hunter.
Radek Dvorak – Dvorak left Edmonton via free agency and played in St. Louis. He now is in the Canes division playing for the Florida Panthers.
Raffi Torres – One of the best players from this series, Torres has done nothing compared to his career break out year of 2005 – 2006. He was traded to Columbus and recently signed with Vancouver.
Michael Peca – Peca was one of the veterans for Edmonton during this series. Peca played a few more years signing with Toronto. He retired from hockey on January 19, 2010. He currently works for the NHL Player’s Association.
Fernando Pisani – Pisani made history in these playoffs becoming the first (and still only) player to score a short handed playoff overtime winner in game 5. Pisani just signed with the Stanley Cup Champion Blackhawks in this past off-season.
Ethan Moreau – Moreau was signed by Columbus and still plays there.
Rem Murray – Murray signed with a club in Finland following the finals and currently plays for Hale Innsbruck, an Austrian professional team.
Chris Pronger – Pronger was the first person to ever score on a penalty shot in the Stanley Cup playoffs in game 1 of this series. Pronger was traded to Anaheim the next season where he helped the Ducks win the Stanley Cup. Pronger currently plays for the Flyers under Cup winning Hurricane coach, Peter Laviolette.
Jaroslav Spacek – Spacek is currently a member of the Montreal Canadians. He left Edmonton via free agency signing with the Buffalo Sabres.
Jason Smith – Smith will be best known for his turnover behind the net in game 1 that led to Rod Brind’Amour’s game winner. Smith had more impact on the Canes after this game as well. He was traded to Philadelphia for a young defensemen named Joni Pitkanen. Pitkanen was later traded to Carolina for Erik Cole. Smith retired from the Flyers in September of 2009. In August, Smith was charged with Assault and Battery stemming from a domestic dispute. Charges have been withdrawn.
Steve Staois – The famous Pisani overtime winner was due to Staois, who took the penalty that caused the Oilers to go shorthanded. Staois was traded to Calgary at the 2009 – 2010 deadline and still wears Flames’ red.
Matt Greene – Greene was traded along with Stoll to LA and still plays there where he wears an A for the Kings.
Dick Tarnstrom – Tarnstrom’s last NHL game was game 7 of the finals. He spent the next season in Sweden and still remains there playing for AIK, which is located in Stockholm.
Notable Players not in the game from Edmonton
Dwayne Roloson – Roloson was famously injured in game 1 and never played another minute in the series. He spent many more years in Edmonton and was signed this off season by the New York Islanders as their back up to Rick Dipietro.
Georges Laraque – Laroque was traded to Phoenix and also spent time in Pittsburgh and Montreal since the finals. He was suspended five games for knee hit last season and retired in early August. He currently serves as the Deputy Leader of the Green Tea Party of Canada and even fought in a boxing match.
Carolina Hurricanes
Still with Carolina – Eric Staal, Erik Cole, (although, he was traded to Edmonton before being traded back), Chad LaRose, Cam Ward
No longer with Carolina
Mark Recchi – Recchi was a rental player from Pittsburgh traded due to the Erik Cole neck injury. He resigned with Pittsburgh and spent time with Atlanta and Tampa Bay before signing with his current team, the Bruins. Recchi is the oldest player in the NHL currently.
Cory Stillman – Stillman was traded the next season along with Mike Commodore to Ottawa for Joe Corvo and Patrick Eaves. He currently plays for the Florida Panthers.
Rod Brind’Amour – Brind’Amour retired from the NHL in the off-season and currently works for the Hurricanes as Director of Forward Development. His jersey will be retired later this season.
Justin Williams – Known for scoring the empty net goal at the end of the game, Williams will forever be engraved in Hurricane fans’ minds. He was traded to LA as a part of the three team deal that brought Erik Cole back to Carolina. Ironically the third player in this deal, Patrick O’Sullivan, now is a Hurricane as well making all four players involved in the two Erik Cole trades (Pitkanen, Williams, O’Sullivan, Cole) all members of the Hurricanes at one point in their career.
Matt Cullen – Cullen, after a career year in 05 – 06, signed with the Rangers. He returned to the Canes and just recently signed with his hometown Wild.
Andrew Ladd – Ladd was traded to Chicago for Tuomo Ruutu and won the cup for the second time last year with the Hawks. He signed as a free agent with the Thrashers in the off-season.
Craig Adams – The third player from this game to get his name on the cup elsewhere, Adams signed with Pittsburgh a few seasons after the game 7 and still plays for the Penguins.
Kevyn Adams – Adams was traded the next season to Phoenix for Denis Sidenberg. Adams retired from the NHL in January of 2009. Ironically enough, he was traded from Phoenix to Chicago for Radim Vrbata, a player the Hawks acquired from the Canes.
Bret Hedican – Hedican signed a few seasons later with Anaheim and has since retired. Hedican made cameos as his wife Kristi Yamaguchi won the hit show “Dancing with the Stars.” Hedican currently serves as a post game analyst for the San Jose Sharks on CSN California.
Mike Commodore – The famous bathrobe and antics of Commodore, as mentioned before, were traded to Ottawa. He signed the next off season with Columbus and still plays for the Blue Jackets.
Frantisek Kaberle – The man that will always be remembered for scoring the winner in game 7, Kaberle finished his NHL career in Carolina. He currently plays in the Czech Republic for HC Kladno. His brother Tomas still plays for the Maple Leafs.
Aaron Ward – Ward went with Cullen the next season to the Rangers but was quickly traded to Boston. Ward returned to Carolina in a trade for Patrick Eaves before being shipped to Anaheim at last year’s deadline. Ward retired in the off-season and can be seen on Versus as an in-studio analyst during their hockey coverage.
Glen Wesley – Wesley played two more years with Carolina and retired. Wesley’s 2 is retired and he currently serves as the Director of Defensive Player Development for Carolina.
Niclas Wallin – The Secret Weapon was amazing in the 06 playoffs scoring two overtime winners – something the likes of Wayne Gretzky and Gordie Howe never accomplished once in their careers, much less twice in the same playoffs. Wallin was traded at the trade deadline last season to San Jose and still plays for the Sharks.
Martin Gerber – Gerber’s last game in Carolina was this night as he signed the following off-season with Ottawa taking them to the Cup finals that same season. He bounced around the NHL before playing one season in the KHL. He came back to the NHL in this past off-season and is currently with, ironically enough, Edmonton.
Notable players from Carolina not in the game
Doug Weight – Weight was brought to Carolina as a rental from St. Louis. He injured his shoulder in game 5 and was not in the lineup for game 6 or 7. Weight was visibly in pain when he lifted the Cup over his head. Weight returned to St. Louis after game 7 and currently serves as the Captain of the New York Islanders.