Brian Rafalski

Brian Rafalski ( born September 28, 1973 in Dearborn, Michigan ) is a retired American professional ice hockey player who played during his playing career, 1990-2011, among others, for the New Jersey Devils and Detroit Red Wings in the National Hockey League.

• 3.1 International

Career

1990 Brian Rafalski started his career with the Madison Capitols in the USHL. From 1991, he went to the University of Wisconsin- Madison, where he studied economics and played for the University Hockey Team. 1994/95 he led the team with 45 points in 43 games in the final round of the NCAA Championship. He received several awards this season, including as best defender of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association and was elected to the NCAA First All-Star Team.

After 1995 he was departed from college, he joined the Swedish Elitserien to Brynäs IF, where he played Year 1996 he went to Finland and HPK Hämeenlinna joined from the SM- liiga. In his first season he was able to convince there and got the Pekka - Rautakallio Trophy as the best defender of the season. Within the league, he then moved to HIFK Helsinki and won in the 1997/98 season the championship. He had his best season 1998/ 99, when he was again named the best defender and also the Kultainen kypärä as the best player of the SM - liiga and the Matti - Keinonen Trophy as the player got the best plus / minus rating.

Meanwhile, the National Hockey League had become aware of him and the New Jersey Devils took him under contract in May 1999. At the age of 26 years so he was very late in his debut in the NHL, but he was able to continue directly to its good performance in Europe, winning the Devils to the Stanley Cup. In addition, the choice came into the NHL All- Rookie Team. Also in the 1999/2000 season attracted the Devils into the Stanley Cup finals, failed there but the Colorado Avalanche. Rafalski was in the playoffs an important support for the team, as he was able to achieve 18 points in 25 games.

He continued to play at a high level and was nominated by the U.S. national team for the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. In the end, he won the silver medal with the team. In the final, he scored the intermediate 2:2 for the U.S. in the 2:5 defeat against Canada.

2002/ 03 he won with the New Jersey Devils for the second time the Stanley Cup and the following year he was first appointed to the NHL All-Star Game. A second nomination followed in 2007. At the Olympic Winter Games in Turin in 2006 Rafalski again belonged to the squad of the U.S., which are only made ​​by a Viertelfinalaus against Finland eighth. In the season 2006/ 07 Rafalski set a new personal record with 55 points scorer, failed in New Jersey, but in the second round of the playoffs.

In summer 2007, he signed a five- year contract with the Detroit Red Wings, who brings him a total of 30 million U.S. dollars. Rafalski played in the 2007/ 08 season, mainly in the first line of defense along with captain Nicklas Lidstrom and presented, even though he graduated from injury nine games in his record from last year by 55 points and led the defenders of the Red Wings with 13 goals.

Also in the play-offs he made together with Lidstrom one of the most dominant defense ranks of the League and thus large share of the entry into the Stanley Cup final. After the Red Wings three of the first four games of the series won against the Pittsburgh Penguins, they were in the fifth game against the groups with 0:2 back before they were able to make in the last third and Rafalski little later even met the leadership. But with 35 seconds remaining, the Penguins were able to balance the game more, and took it in the third overtime. The following sixth game Rafalski sat with another Hits 1-0 lead the foundation for their fourth win over the penguins and thus the total third Stanley Cup victory in his career. After the 2010/11 season the defender decided to end his playing career.

Rafalski took with Team USA at the Olympic Winter Games in 2010 and won the team silver medal.

Brian Rafalski is considered as an intelligent defender who has a very good shot and can therefore be very important especially in power play situations. However, he is 1.78 meters not particularly large, and sometimes has to stand up physically robust opponents problems.

Awards and achievements

• 2000 NHL Rookie of the Month February
• 2000 NHL All- Rookie Team
• 2000 Stanley Cup win with the New Jersey Devils
• 2002 NHL All-Star Game ( injury-related cancellation )
• 2003 Stanley Cup win with the New Jersey Devils
• 2004 NHL All-Star Game
• 2007 NHL All-Star Game
• 2008 Stanley Cup win with the Detroit Red Wings

Internationally

• 2010 Best defender of the Olympic Winter Games
• 2010 All -Star team for the Olympic Winter Games

Career Stats

Internationally

Represented the U.S. at:

• U20 World Junior Championships 1992
• U20 World Junior Championships 1993
• 1995 World Cup
• 1999 World Cup

• 2002 Winter Olympics
• World Cup of Hockey 2004
• 2006 Winter Olympics
• 2010 Winter Olympics

( Key to Career statistics: Sp or GP = Games Played, T or G = goals scored, V or A = achieved assists; Pts or Pts = scored points scorer, SM or PIM = received penalty minutes, / - = Plus / Minus balance sheet; PP = scored majority gates; SH = scored shorthanded goals, GW = achieved victory gates; Play-downs/Relegation 1 )