Garrett Stafford
Garrett Stafford ( born January 28, 1980 in Los Angeles, California) is an American professional ice hockey defender, who is under contract with the Genève -Servette HC in the National League A since December 2013.
Career
Garrett Stafford began his career in 1996 at the Des Moines Buccaneers in the U.S. Junior League USHL. He could win a regular place at the Buccaneers and increased each season. 1998/99 was the most successful season, which was crowned by winning the playoffs. In addition, Stafford came on 41 scorer points in 56 league games and was one of the ten best 33 assists preparers of the USHL.
He then went to the University of New Hampshire and played with the college team in the Hockey East Hockey League. After a solid first season, Stafford developed after the best defender of his team and put especially on the offensive accents. 2002 and 2003 they won the championship of the Hockey East and moved in 2003 also reached the final of the national college championship NCAA one.
In autumn 2003 Stafford moved to the second-class professional league AHL to the Cleveland Barons. After starting with Cleveland in the season, also took him the San Jose Sharks of the NHL under contract, but Stafford was at first at the Barons, who acted as a farm team of the Sharks. He immediately had a very good debut season with twelve gates, and 34 templates and was a reward in the AHL All- Rookie Team and to the AHL Second All-Star Team selected. However, the season ended for him with a negative incident. In the sixth playoff game of the first round between Cleveland and the Hamilton Bulldogs, he met his opponent Alexander Pereschogin with a stick check in the face, after which they both went to the ground. As Stafford got up, he struck with the bat against the back of Pereschogins helmet, whereupon he struck Stafford with the bat in the face. Stafford fell and remained unconscious and lying twitching convulsions on the ice. Pereschogin was then closed for the rest of the playoffs as well as for the upcoming AHL season, while Stafford was given a six-match ban for his assault.
The following two years in Cleveland were unsuccessful for the team and they missed the playoffs both times, after which the team was relocated and renamed the Worcester Sharks. The team presented itself significantly better in the 2006/07 season and reached the playoffs again, but where they failed at the Manchester Monarchs. Stafford was the best defender of the Sharks with eleven goals and 30 templates, but did not stay in the organization of the San Jose Sharks, but signed in the summer of 2007, a contract with the Detroit Red Wings.
For their farm team, the Grand Rapids Griffins, he went to the AHL in the 2007/ 08 season, took over with Mark Cullen and Ryan Oulahen the office of captain and crew also included in Grand Rapids at the important pillars in defense. After several defenders had failed due to an injury at the Red Wings in February 2008, Stafford was first appointed to the NHL squad and gave his debut on 23 February. After a second application for the Red Wings Stafford returned to the Griffins, where until then second best AHL season of his career he completed his 44 scorer points in 69 games.
In July 2008, his contract ran out with the Red Wings and he was obliged by the Dallas Stars. But even there he failed the jump to the NHL squad, after which he was sent back to the AHL and returned to the Grand Rapids Griffins. The 2009/10 season Stafford spent exclusively in the AHL and was achievers at the Texas Stars. In July 2010, the defender signed as a free agent contract with the Phoenix Coyotes. In the course of the season 2010/11 the Americans played two NHL games for the team from the U.S. state of Arizona, during the ungedraftete Stafford again counted in the AHL farm team of the cornerstones of the team.
In October 2011, the Phoenix Coyotes him transferred together with Petteri Nokelainen in exchange for Brock Trotter and a seventh- round choice of law in the NHL Entry Draft in 2012 to the Montreal Canadiens.
Awards and achievements
- 2003 Hockey East All- Tournament Team
- 2004 AHL Second All-Star Team
- 2004 AHL All- Rookie Team
- 2013 winning the Spengler Cup with the Genève -Servette HC
Career Stats
( 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 )