Mike Zanier
Encyclopedia
Michael Zanier is a former professional ice hockey
goaltender
who played extensively in Europe
and in North America
n minor leagues.
Zanier's junior career was spent with five different teams in the WHL
. He was never drafted, but signed with the Edmonton Oilers
where he saw some NHL
playing time. Zanier dressed for games 4 and 5 of the 1984 Stanley Cup Finals, due to Grant Fuhr
being injured. He did not appear in either game. Although the Oilers won the Cup, Zanier's name was not engraved on it, because he had not officially played in any NHL games. However, he did receive a Stanley Cup ring. Zanier did play three games for Edmonton during the next season, but that was the extent of his NHL career. Zanier went on to play many seasons in Europe.
Ice hockey
Ice 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...
goaltender
Goaltender
In ice hockey, the goaltender is the player who defends his team's goal net by stopping shots of the puck from entering his team's net, thus preventing the opposing team from scoring...
who played extensively in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
n minor leagues.
Zanier's junior career was spent with five different teams in the WHL
Western Hockey League
The Western Hockey League is a major junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitute the Canadian Hockey League as the highest level of junior hockey in Canada...
. He was never drafted, but signed with the Edmonton Oilers
Edmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division in the Western Conference of the National Hockey League ....
where he saw some NHL
National Hockey League
The 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...
playing time. Zanier dressed for games 4 and 5 of the 1984 Stanley Cup Finals, due to Grant Fuhr
Grant Fuhr
Grant Scott Fuhr is a Canadian former ice hockey goaltender in the National Hockey League and currently the goaltending coach for the Phoenix Coyotes. In 2003, he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame...
being injured. He did not appear in either game. Although the Oilers won the Cup, Zanier's name was not engraved on it, because he had not officially played in any NHL games. However, he did receive a Stanley Cup ring. Zanier did play three games for Edmonton during the next season, but that was the extent of his NHL career. Zanier went on to play many seasons in Europe.