Christopher Kunitz is a
CanadianCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
professional
ice hockeyIce hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
left wingerWinger, in the game of hockey, is a forward position of a player whose primary zone of play on the ice is along the outer playing area. They typically work by flanking the centre forward. Originally the name was given to forward players who went up and down the sides of the rink...
with the
Pittsburgh PenguinsThe Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the first expansion teams during the league's original...
of the
National Hockey LeagueThe National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
(NHL). He has previously played for the
Atlanta ThrashersThe Atlanta Thrashers were a professional ice hockey team based in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Atlanta was granted a franchise in the National Hockey League on June 25, 1997, and became the league's 28th franchise when it began play in the 1999–2000 NHL season...
and
Anaheim DucksThe Anaheim Ducks are a professional ice hockey team based in Anaheim, California, USA. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
, the latter with whom he won a
Stanley CupThe Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
in
2007The 2007 Stanley Cup playoffs of the National Hockey League began on April 11, 2007. The sixteen teams that qualified, eight from each conference, played best-of-7 series for conference quarterfinals, semifinals and championships, and then the conference champions played a best-of-7 series for the...
. He won his second
Stanley CupThe Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
with the
Pittsburgh PenguinsThe Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the first expansion teams during the league's original...
in
2009The 2009 Stanley Cup playoffs of the National Hockey League began on April 15, 2009, after the 2008–09 regular season. The sixteen teams that qualified, eight from each conference , play a best-of-seven series for the conference quarterfinals, semifinals and championships, and...
.
College and junior
Kunitz played Junior A in the
Saskatchewan Junior Hockey LeagueThe Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League is a Junior A ice hockey league under Hockey Canada, a part of the Canadian Junior Hockey League. Open to North American-born players 20 years of age or younger, the SJHL's 12 teams play in two divisions: the Bauer and Sherwood conferences...
(SJHL) with the
Melville MillionairesThe Melville Millionaires are a Junior "A" ice hockey team based out of Melville, Saskatchewan. They play out of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League. They play their home games in the Melville Stadium which has a seating capacity of 2,100. The Melville Millionaires and the Yorkton Terriers are...
for two seasons before joining the
NCAA college ranksCollege hockey refers to ice hockey played between colleges with their teams composed of enrolled students. College hockey is played in Canada and the United States, though leagues outside of North America exist....
with the
Ferris State BulldogsFerris State University is a public university with its main campus in Big Rapids, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1884 as the Big Rapids Industrial School by Woodbridge Nathan Ferris, an educator from New England who later served as governor of the State of Michigan and finally in the US Senate where...
in 1999–00. After a 79-point campaign in his senior year, he was a finalist for the
Hobey Baker AwardThe Hobey Baker Award is an annual award given to the top National Collegiate Athletic Association men's ice hockey player.It is named for hockey player and World War I veteran Hobey Baker, who played collegiately at Princeton University and learned the game at St...
in 2003 (given to
Peter SejnaPeter Sejna is a Slovak ice hockey center currently with the HC Davos of the Swiss Nationalliga A. Peter Sejna also won the bronze medal with the Slovak national ice hockey team in the 2003 Ice Hockey World Championship....
), the same year Ferris State made it to the Division I Regional Finals, just missing out on the Frozen Four. He was part of the only Ferris State team to have ever make a NCAA Tournament appearance.
Professional
Kunitz was signed as an undrafted free agent by the
Anaheim Mighty DucksThe Anaheim Ducks are a professional ice hockey team based in Anaheim, California, USA. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
on April 1, 2003. He split his professional rookie season between Anaheim and their
American Hockey LeagueThe American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
(AHL) affiliate, the
Cincinnati Mighty DucksThe Cincinnati Mighty Ducks were an ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They played in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA, at the Cincinnati Gardens.-History:...
. After spending the 2004–05 NHL lockout with Cincinnati, he was picked up on waivers by the
Atlanta ThrashersThe Atlanta Thrashers were a professional ice hockey team based in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Atlanta was granted a franchise in the National Hockey League on June 25, 1997, and became the league's 28th franchise when it began play in the 1999–2000 NHL season...
in 2005–06. Two weeks later, however, he was re-claimed off waivers by the Ducks and went on to play 67 games with them, scoring 19 goals and adding 22 assists for 41 points, surpassing
Paul KariyaPaul Tetsuhiko Kariya is a Canadian retired professional ice hockey winger who played 15 seasons in the National Hockey League . Known as a skilled and fast-skating offensive player, he played in the NHL for the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, Colorado Avalanche, Nashville Predators and St...
's club record 39-point rookie season in 1994–95 (Kunitz still qualified as a first-year player because he did not play the minimum required games with Anaheim in 2003–04 to register as his NHL rookie season; the record was broken the following season by
Dustin PennerDustin Penner is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward currently playing for the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League . Penner was never drafted by a team in the NHL. He was discovered and signed as a free agent by the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim after playing college hockey for the...
's 45 points).
In the 2006–07 NHL season, Kunitz improved to 25 goals and 60 points. He went on to help the Ducks advanced through the playoffs, past the
Minnesota WildThe Minnesota Wild are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League ....
,
Vancouver CanucksThe Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,...
, and
Detroit Red WingsThe Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...
, en route to a
FinalsThe 2007 Stanley Cup Final was a best-of-seven playoff series that determined the National Hockey League champion for the 2006–07 season. As a culmination of the 2007 Stanley Cup playoffs, the Western Conference champion Anaheim Ducks defeated the Eastern Conference champion Ottawa Senators in...
victory against the
Ottawa SenatorsThe Ottawa Senators are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
to capture both his and the franchise's first
Stanley CupThe Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
championship. Kunitz had been injured during the semi-finals against the Red Wings, but returned late in the Stanley Cup Finals against Ottawa to help clinch the championship in game five.
The next season, in 2007–08, Kunitz was named one of the team's alternate captains, his first time with the Ducks and his professional career. In regards to Kunitz' new position, Ducks head coach
Randy CarlyleRandolph Robert Carlyle is a former ice hockey defenceman and formely the head coach of the Anaheim Ducks. He was raised in Azilda, just northwest of Sudbury, Ontario.-Career:...
explained, "
Rob NiedermayerRobert W. Niedermayer, Jr. is a Canadian professional ice hockey player who currently plays for HC Lugano of the National League A in Switzerland. He also played for the Florida Panthers, Calgary Flames, Anaheim Ducks, New Jersey Devils and Buffalo Sabres...
was an [alternate] last year and did a fine job, and we thought it was important to involve our younger players in the leadership role. Chris Kunitz fit that role." However, Kunitz's production dipped to 50 points that season and in the midst of another slow season in
2008–09The 2008–09 NHL season was the 92nd season of operation of the National Hockey League . It was the first season since prior to the 2004–05 lockout in which every team played each other at least once during the season, following three seasons where teams only played against two divisions in the...
, he was traded to the
Pittsburgh PenguinsThe Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the first expansion teams during the league's original...
along with
prospectIn sports, a prospect is any player whose rights are owned by a professional team, but who has yet to play a game for the team, or isn't established with the team yet. Prospects can sometimes be assigned to farm teams...
Eric TangradiEric Tangradi is an American professional ice hockey left winger currently playing for the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League. He was selected 42nd overall in the 2nd round of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft...
for defenseman
Ryan WhitneyRyan Whitney is an American professional ice hockey defenseman and alternate captain currently playing for the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League ....
. The move was also precipitated by a need for secondary scoring on the Penguins behind
Sidney CrosbySidney Patrick Crosby ONS is a Canadian professional ice hockey player and captain of the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League . Crosby was drafted first overall by the Penguins out of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League...
and
Evgeni MalkinEvgeni "Geno" Vladimirovich Malkin is a Russian professional ice hockey center and alternate captain for the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League ....
. During the 2009 playoffs, he recorded 1 goal and 13 assists as the Pittsburgh Penguins won the Stanley Cup against the Detroit Red Wings. On November 6, 2010, Kunitz played his 400th career game and recorded a goal in that game against the Phoenix Coyotes.
International play
Kunitz made his international hockey debut for Team Canada at the
2008 World Hockey ChampionshipsThe 2008 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships was the 72nd such event hosted by the International Ice Hockey Federation. Teams representing 48 countries will participate in four levels of competition. The competition will also serve as qualifications for the 2009 competition...
. He contributed 7 points in 9 games, helping Canada to a silver medal.
Awards
- Won a Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
with the Anaheim DucksThe Anaheim Ducks are a professional ice hockey team based in Anaheim, California, USA. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
in 2007The 2007 Stanley Cup playoffs of the National Hockey League began on April 11, 2007. The sixteen teams that qualified, eight from each conference, played best-of-7 series for conference quarterfinals, semifinals and championships, and then the conference champions played a best-of-7 series for the...
and with the Pittsburgh PenguinsThe Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the first expansion teams during the league's original...
in 2009The 2009 Stanley Cup playoffs of the National Hockey League began on April 15, 2009, after the 2008–09 regular season. The sixteen teams that qualified, eight from each conference , play a best-of-seven series for the conference quarterfinals, semifinals and championships, and...
.
- Won a World Championships silver medal with Team Canada in 2008
The 2008 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships was the 72nd such event hosted by the International Ice Hockey Federation. Teams representing 48 countries will participate in four levels of competition. The competition will also serve as qualifications for the 2009 competition...
.
Personal life
Kunitz attended
Michael A. Riffel High SchoolMichael A. Riffel High School is a Catholic high school in the Walsh Acres/Lakeridge neighbourhood of northwest Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada. It was opened in 1985 to cater to the city's then-rapidly growing northwest quadrant, and to alleviate the congestion at Archbishop M.C. O'Neill High School....
in northwest
ReginaRegina is the capital city of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The city is the second-largest in the province and a cultural and commercial centre for southern Saskatchewan. It is governed by Regina City Council. Regina is the cathedral city of the Roman Catholic and Romanian Orthodox...
, graduating in 1997. Ten years after his graduation, he brought the
Stanley CupThe Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
back to Riffel in July 2007 when he had his day with the trophy. He also took the Stanley Cup back to his college town (Ferris State University, Big Rapids Michigan) on the same day. On August 11, 2009, Kunitz brought the trophy back to Regina and had a larger celebration in the city's downtown. Kunitz admitted that during his first visit, he had a low-key celebration at Riffel as a result of teammate
Ryan GetzlafRyan Getzlaf is a Canadian professional ice hockey player. He is a centre and the captain of the Anaheim Ducks of the National Hockey League . He grew up in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada and he played junior hockey with the Calgary Hitmen...
's profile. Kunitz married
ChicagoChicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
native Maureen Pfeiffer in July 2008. The couple reside in both Pittsburgh and
ChicagoChicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
.
On April 15, 2009, Chris and his wife Maureen welcomed their first child, Zachary James.
Kunitz earned a degree in marketing and business from Ferris State. While attending the school, he became a fan of
Major League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
's
Detroit TigersThe Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
.
On April 5, 2011, the couple welcomed their daughter, Payton Marie.
Career statistics
|
|
Regular season |
|
Playoffs |
| Season In an organized sports league, a season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session. For example, in Major League Baseball, one season lasts approximately from April 1 through October 1; in Association football, it is generally from August until May In an...
|
Team |
League |
GP |
G In ice hockey, a goal is scored when the puck completely crosses the goal line between the two goal posts and below the goal crossbar. A goal awards one point to the team attacking the goal scored upon, regardless of which team the player who actually deflected the puck into the goal belongs to...
|
A In ice hockey, an assist is attributed to up to two players of the scoring team who shot, passed or deflected the puck towards the scoring teammate, or touched it in any other way which enabled the goal, meaning that they were "assisting" in the goal. There can be a maximum of two assists per goal...
|
Pts Point in ice hockey has three official meanings:* A point is awarded to a player for each goal scored or assist earned. The total number of goals plus assists equals total points. In some European leagues, a goal counts as two points, and an assist counts as one...
|
PIMA penalty in ice hockey is a punishment for inappropriate behavior. Most penalties are enforced by detaining the offending player within a penalty box for a set number of minutes, during which, the player can not participate in play. The offending team usually may not replace the player on the ice,...
|
GP |
G |
A |
Pts |
PIM |
| 1999–00 |
Ferris State BulldogsThe Ferris State Bulldogs men's ice hockey team is a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I college ice hockey program that represents Ferris State University. The Bulldogs are a member of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association...
|
CCHAThe Central Collegiate Hockey Association is a NCAA Men's Division I Ice Hockey college athletic conference that operates mostly in Michigan and Ohio, although it also has members in Alaska and Indiana. It participates in the NCAA's Division I as a hockey-only conference. It holds its championship...
|
38 |
20 |
9 |
29 |
70 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
| 2000–01 |
Ferris State Bulldogs |
CCHA |
37 |
16 |
13 |
29 |
81 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
| 2001–02 |
Ferris State Bulldogs |
CCHA |
35 |
28 |
10 |
38 |
68 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
| 2002–03 |
Ferris State Bulldogs |
CCHA |
42 |
35 |
44 |
79 |
56 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
| 2003–04 |
Mighty Ducks of Anaheim |
NHL |
21 |
0 |
6 |
6 |
12 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
| 2003–04 The 2003–04 AHL season was the 68th season of the American Hockey League. The league introduces the Willie Marshall Award in honour the career points leader in the AHL, and awards it to the annual top goal scorer....
|
Cincinnati Mighty DucksThe Cincinnati Mighty Ducks were an ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They played in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA, at the Cincinnati Gardens.-History:...
|
AHLThe American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
|
59 |
19 |
25 |
44 |
101 |
9 |
3 |
2 |
5 |
24 |
| 2004–05 The 2004–05 AHL season was the 69th season of the American Hockey League. Twenty-eight teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Rochester Americans finished first overall in the regular season...
|
Cincinnati Mighty Ducks |
AHL |
54 |
22 |
17 |
39 |
71 |
12 |
1 |
7 |
8 |
20 |
| 2005–06 |
Atlanta ThrashersThe Atlanta Thrashers were a professional ice hockey team based in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Atlanta was granted a franchise in the National Hockey League on June 25, 1997, and became the league's 28th franchise when it began play in the 1999–2000 NHL season...
|
NHL |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
| 2005–06 |
Mighty Ducks of Anaheim |
NHL |
67 |
19 |
22 |
41 |
69 |
16 |
3 |
5 |
8 |
8 |
| 2005–06 The 2005–06 AHL season was the 70th season of the American Hockey League. Twenty-seven teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Hershey Bears won the Calder Cup, defeating the Milwaukee Admirals in the finals....
|
Portland Pirates The Portland Pirates is a minor professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They are the top affiliate of the Phoenix Coyotes of the National Hockey League. They play in the Cumberland County Civic Center in downtown Portland, Maine. The franchise was previously known as the...
|
AHL |
5 |
0 |
4 |
4 |
12 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
| 2006–07 |
Anaheim Ducks |
NHL |
81 |
25 |
35 |
60 |
81 |
13 |
1 |
5 |
6 |
19 |
| 2007–08 |
Anaheim Ducks |
NHL |
82 |
21 |
29 |
50 |
80 |
6 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
8 |
2008–09The 2008–09 NHL season was the 92nd season of operation of the National Hockey League . It was the first season since prior to the 2004–05 lockout in which every team played each other at least once during the season, following three seasons where teams only played against two divisions in the...
|
Anaheim Ducks |
NHL |
62 |
16 |
19 |
35 |
55 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
| 2008–09 |
Pittsburgh PenguinsThe Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the first expansion teams during the league's original...
|
NHL |
20 |
7 |
11 |
18 |
16 |
24 |
1 |
13 |
14 |
19 |
2009–10The 2009–10 NHL season was the 93rd season of operation of the National Hockey League , and the 100th season since the founding of the predecessor National Hockey Association . It ran from October 1, 2009, including four games in Europe on October 2 and 3—until April 11, 2010, with the 2010...
|
Pittsburgh Penguins |
NHL |
50 |
13 |
19 |
32 |
39 |
13 |
4 |
7 |
11 |
8 |
| 2010–11 The 2010–11 NHL season was the 94th season of operation of the National Hockey League . It was the fourth consecutive season that opened in Europe with NHL Premiere . A record three events were scheduled, all in previous NHL Premiere cities: Helsinki, Finland; Stockholm, Sweden; and Prague, Czech...
|
Pittsburgh Penguins |
NHL |
66 |
23 |
25 |
48 |
47 |
6 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
6 |
| NHL totals |
451 |
124 |
166 |
290 |
401 |
78 |
10 |
32 |
42 |
68 |
International statistics
| Year |
Country |
Event |
|
GP |
G |
A |
Pts |
PIM |
| 2008 The 2008 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships was the 72nd such event hosted by the International Ice Hockey Federation. Teams representing 48 countries will participate in four levels of competition. The competition will also serve as qualifications for the 2009 competition...
|
Canada |
WCThe Ice Hockey World Championships are an annual ice hockey tournament organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation . First officially held at the 1920 Summer Olympics, it is the sport's highest profile annual international tournament. The IIHF was created in 1908 while the European...
|
9 |
2 |
5 |
7 |
4 |
| Senior int'l totals |
9 |
2 |
5 |
7 |
4 |
External links