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| 1984 NHL DRAFT PICK |
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Ray Sheppard
Selected in
third round
No. 60 overall by Buffalo Sabres
Born
May 27, 1966
 | Position:
Right Wing
Height: 6-1 Weight: 175
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| BEFORE THE DRAFT |
Last Team:
Cornwall (OHL)
Birthplace:
Pembroke, Ontario (Canada)
Hometown: Ottawa, Ontario |
 |
 |
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| PRE-DRAFT
STATISTICS | | Year |
Team | League |
GP | G |
A | TP |
PIM | | 1982-83 |
Brockville | OPJHL |
48 | 27 |
36 | 63 |
81 | | 1983-84 |
Cornwall | OHL |
68 | 44 |
36 | 80 |
69 |
|
PRE-DRAFT AWARDS AND HONORS
Miscellaneous: Finished third among
all OHL rookies with 80 points in
1983-94. ... Cornwall's third-round pick, No. 38 overall, in 1983 OHL priority selection. ... Also played football and basketball in high
school. |
| NHL CAREER |
Debut: October 8, 1987 (Minnesota at
Buffalo)
Numbers: 27, 23 (Buffalo); 23
(N.Y. Rangers); 26 (Detroit); 26 (S.J.);
26, 16 (Florida); 26 (Carolina)
Stanley Cup: Never won.
Playing Status:
Retired 2001 |
| CAREER NHL STATISTICS | | Years |
Teams | GP |
G | A |
TP | PIM | | 1987-2000 |
Buffalo, NYR, Detroit,
S.J., Florida, Carolina | 817 |
357 | 300 |
657 | 212 |
|
| CAREER NHL PLAYOFF STATISTICS |
| Years | Teams |
GP | G |
A | TP |
PIM | | 1988-1999 |
BUF, DET, FLO, CAR | 81 |
30 | 20 |
50 | 21 |
|
NHL
AWARDS AND HONORS
NHL All-Rookie Team: 1987-88 (Buffalo)
Stanley Cup Finals (Lost): 1995 (Detroit), 1996 (Florida)
Buffalo Hunt Trophy (Rookie of Year): 1987-88
Florida Carrier Cool Cat of Year (Three-Stars Leader): 1996-97
Detroit Records: Most goals by a right wing in one season (52 in
1993-94, shares record)
50-Goal Seasons: 1993-94 (Detroit) (52 goals)
Buffalo Goals
Leader: 1987-88 (38)
Detroit Goals
Leader: 1995 (30)
Detroit Playoffs Goals Leader: 1992 (6)
Florida Points
Leader: 1996-97 (60)
Florida Goals
Leader: 1996-97 (29)
Florida Playoffs Goals
Leader: 1997 (2, tie)
Carolina Playoffs Points Leader: 1999 (6)
Carolina Playoffs Goals
Leader: 1999 (5)
Miscellaneous: Missed Buffalo's entire 1986 training camp with
re-aggravation of prior left knee injury, suffered at Hockey Canada
development camp in August 1986. He could not pass his pre-camp physical
due to the cartilage damage in his left knee and was not allowed to
participate in the training camp. The injury required surgery. ... Played on
line with Pierre Turgeon for Buffalo in 1987-88. ... Missed
part of 1987-88 season with sprained ankle, an injury suffered during
Buffalo's Oct. 10, 1987, game at Montreal. He did not return to action until
Buffalo's Oct. 17, 1987, game at Quebec. He scored his first NHL goal in
that game. ... Named
Buffalo Player of Month for November 1987. ... Named NHL Rookie of Month for
February 1988, becoming first Buffalo player to receive honor. ... Led
Buffalo with 22.0 percent shooting percentage in 1987-88. ... Tied
for Buffalo lead with 15 power-play goals in 1987-88. ... Was runner-up to
Joe Nieuwendyk for 1987-88 Calder Trophy as NHL's top rookie. ... Missed
part of Buffalo's 1988 training camp with bruised back, an injury suffered
in September 1988. ... Suffered severe facial lacerations when he was cut by
Troy Murray's stick during Buffalo's Nov. 25, 1988, game vs. Chicago. He
came back for the next game and suffered additional facial lacerations when
he was cut by Mark Howe's stick during Buffalo's Nov. 27, 1988, game vs.
Philadelphia. He did not return to action until Buffalo's Dec. 2, 1988, game
vs. Hartford. ... Missed part of 1988-89 season with the flu, an illness
contracted in late December 1988. ... Missed part of 1988-89 season with
sprained ankle, suffered in Buffalo's Jan. 28, 1989, game at
Montreal. He did not return until Buffalo's Feb. 10, 1989, game
vs. Vancouver. ... Missed part of 1989-90 season with the flu, an illness
contracted in December 1989. ... Played on line with Pierre Turgeon for
Buffalo in 1989-90. ... Signed one-year termination contract with Buffalo in
July 1990 before team traded him to N.Y. Rangers. ... Scored goal in his
first game with N.Y. Rangers on Oct. 4, 1990, at Chicago. ... Missed part of 1990-91 season with sprained MCL in
right knee, an injury suffered when he was kneed by Brent Sutter during N.Y.
Rangers' Feb. 18, 1991, game vs. N.Y. Islanders. He did not return until N.Y. Rangers' March 21, 1991, game at Pittsburgh. ... Missed remainder of 1990-91
regular season and entire 1991 playoffs with separated left shoulder, an injury suffered during N.Y. Rangers' March 24,
1991, game vs. N.Y. Islanders. ... Led N.Y. Rangers with five game-winning
goals in 1990-91. ... Signed reported three-year, $1.8 million contract with Detroit as a
unrestricted free agent on Aug. 5,
1991. Sheppard was an unrestricted free agent, because he had been playing
out a termination contract with the Rangers. Although he had wanted to stay
in New York, Sheppard asked that the Rangers let him go to Detroit because
of the rare opportunity the Red Wings were offering him. Since the Rangers
couldn't promise a comparable amount of playing time, New York general
manager Neil Smith made no effort to match Detroit's offer. ... Missed part
of 1991-92 season with wrist injury, suffered during Detroit's Oct. 15,
1991, game vs. Edmonton. ... Missed part of 1991-92 season with strained
lower abdominal muscle, an injury suffered in Detroit's March 20, 1992, game
vs. N.Y. Rangers.
He did not return until Detroit's April 12, 1992, game at Chicago. ...
Tied for Detroit lead with 11 power-play goals and seven first goals in
1991-92. ... Scored hat trick in Game 4 of Detroit's first-round playoff
series at Minnesota on April 24, 1992. ... Missed part of 1992-93 season
with sprained right knee, an injury suffered in Detroit's Oct. 8, 1992, game
at Los Angeles. He did not return to action until Detroit's Oct. 24, 1992,
game at St. Louis. ... Missed part of 1992-93 season with re-aggravation of
right knee injury, suffered during Detroit's Oct. 28, 1992, game vs. San
Jose. He did not return to action until Detroit's Nov. 4, 1992, game vs.
Montreal. ... Missed part of 1992-93 season with back spasms, an injury
suffered during Detroit's Feb. 11, 1993, game at Los Angeles. He did not
return to action until Detroit's Feb. 19, 1993, game vs. Calgary. ... Missed
part of 1992-93 season with strained back, an injury suffered during
Detroit's March 2, 1993, game at N.Y. Islanders. He did not return to action
until Detroit's March 10, 1993, game at Edmonton. ... Missed final 1992-93
regular-season game with groin injury, suffered in Detroit's
April 10, 1993, game vs. Buffalo. ... Played on
line with Steve Yzerman and Keith Primeau for Detroit in 1993-94. ...
Missed part of 1993-94 season with hamstring injury, suffered during
Detroit's Nov. 9, 1993, game vs. Edmonton. ... Named NHL Player of Week for
the week ending Jan. 23, 1994. ... Missed part of 1993-94 season with arm
injury, suffered in Detroit's March 19, 1994, game at Winnipeg
Islanders. ... Scored his 50th goal of the 1993-94 season in Detroit's
March 29, 1994, game vs. Hartford. ... Tied for fifth in NHL with 52 goals
in 1993-94. ... Led Detroit with 19 power-play goals in 1993-94. ... Tied
for Detroit lead with 20.0 percent shooting percentage in 1993-94. ...
Missed part of 1995 season with back injury, suffered during Detroit's Feb.
20, 1995, game at Toronto. He did not return to action until Detroit's Feb.
25, 1995, game vs. St. Louis. ... Scored goals in seven consecutive games
for Detroit from April 9-21, 1995, giving him a tie with Peter Bondra for
the longest goal-scoring streak by an NHL player in 1995. ... Led Detroit
with five game-winning goals in 1995. ... Tied for third in NHL with 30
goals in 1995 lockout-shortened season. ... Broke with Detroit
management during bitter salary arbitration case in the summer of 1995.
Sheppard, who was seeking $1.95 million for the 1995-96 season, eventually
lost the case and had to settle for $1.55 million, which was still higher
than the $1.35 million Detroit had offered. Angry at the Wings for
refusing to pay him what he wanted, and fearful that he would get limited
playing time under coach Scotty Bowman, Sheppard demanded a trade during the
early part of the 1995-96 season. His wish was finally granted when Detroit
sent him to San Jose in exchange for Igor Larionov and future considerations
on Oct. 25, 1995. ... Missed part of 1995-96 season with groin injury,
suffered in San Jose's Nov. 2, 1995, game vs. New Jersey. ... Missed
part of 1995-96 season with knee injury, suffered during San Jose's Dec. 16,
1995, game at St. Louis. He did not return to action until San Jose's Dec.
22, 1995, game vs. Los Angeles. ... Missed part of 1995-96 season with
partially separated shoulder, an injury suffered
during San Jose's Feb. 5, 1996, game vs. Toronto. He did not return to action until
San Jose's March 1, 1996, game vs. Tampa Bay. ... Played on line with Stu
Barnes and Dave Lowry for Florida in 1995-96. ... Recorded first home hat
trick in Florida Panthers history when he scored three goals vs. N.Y.
Islanders on March 21, 1996. ... Was one of only two NHL players, along with
Jaromir Jagr, to score at least 30 goals in every season between 1991-92 and
1995-96. ... Scored first playoff goal
in Florida Panthers history when he beat Bill Ranford at 7:37 of the first
period during Game 1 of Florida's first-round series at Boston on April 17,
1996. ... Missed start of 1996-97 season with slightly separated right
shoulder, suffered in Florida's Sept. 28, 1996, preseason game
at Toronto. He did not make his 1996-97 NHL regular-season debut until
Florida's Oct. 8, 1996, game vs. N.Y. Rangers. ... Missed part of 1996-97
season with sprained ACL in right knee, an injury suffered when he was kneed
by Peter Bondra in Florida's Feb. 1, 1997, game vs. Washington. Bondra
was suspended one game and fined $1,000 for the incident. Sheppard did not
return to action until Florida's Feb. 27, 1997, game vs. St. Louis. He
scored a goal in that game. ... Scored his 300th career
NHL goal for Florida on March 13, 1997, vs. Vancouver. It was the second of
three goals he scored in that game. ... Set Florida single-season record
(since broken) with 226 shots on goal in 1996-97. ... Was one of only two
NHL players (with Brendan Shanahan) to score three hat tricks during 1996-97
season. ... Led Florida with 13 power-play goals, seven game-winning goals
and 226 shots in 1996-97. ... Missed part of 1997-98 season with sprained
knee, an injury suffered during Florida's Jan. 7, 1998, game at Edmonton.
... Missed remainder of 1997-98 season with pulled groin, an injury suffered
during Carolina's April 13, 1998, game vs. Boston. ... Missed part of
1998-99 season with back spasms, an injury suffered during Carolina's Dec.
19, 1998, game at Buffalo. ... Missed part of 1998-99 season with strained
groin, an injury suffered during Carolina's Jan. 3, 1999, game vs.
Nashville. He did not return to action until Carolina's Jan. 14, 1999, game
vs. Florida. ... Missed part of 1998-99 season with bruised foot, an injury
suffered in Carolina's Feb. 26, 1999, game at Vancouver. He did not return
until Carolina's March 8, 1999, game vs. Buffalo. ... Signed with Florida as a Group III unrestricted free agent on Nov.
15, 1999. ... Missed part of 1999-00 season with flu and inner ear
infection, an illness contracted in January 2000. ... Missed part of 1999-00
season with strained groin, an injury suffered during Florida's March 21,
2000, game at N.Y. Rangers. He did not return to action until Florida's
March 31, 2000, game vs. Ottawa. He scored the game-winning goal in that
game.
Benched in Buffalo: Despite being just two seasons removed from a stellar rookie year that landed him on the NHL's
1987-88 All-Rookie team, Sheppard, then 23, found himself in the Buffalo
doghouse by the start of the 1989-90 season. Coming off a disappointing
second year in the league, Sheppard saw his role on the Sabres diminish. He
played in only a handful of the team's first 15 games, and saw limited ice
time even in those games he played. By early November, he was openly
expressing his frustration despite the team's early-season success. He
insisted coach Rick Dudley and general manager Gerry Meehan were not giving
him a chance to prove himself, and he demanded a trade. "If there's no room
for Ray Sheppard in Buffalo they should move me elsewhere," he said,
claiming that the team had determined even before training camp that he
would be the fifth right winger on the depth chart. Sheppard's agent, Larry
Kelly, formally asked Meehan to trade Sheppard in early November, saying
that unless Sheppard played, his ultimate trade value would be lowered.
Despite Sheppard and Kelly's complaints, the Sabres weren't listening.
Sheppard did not play for nearly a month from late October to late November,
and only managed to get back into the Buffalo lineup when other players were
out with injuries. At one point, it was rumored that the Sabres had worked
out a deal to send Sheppard to Vancouver, but nothing ever came to pass, and
Sheppard continued to play a minimal amount, appearing in only 10 of the
first 45 Sabres games. Things began to improve in mid-January, when
the Sabres put Sheppard on a line with Pierre Turgeon. He began showing
flashes of his old form and earned a spot in the regular lineup for a short
period. But by late February, after playing his final game with the Sabres
on Feb. 20, 1990, at Winnipeg, he was back in the doghouse. On March 6, the
Sabres demoted Sheppard to Rochester (AHL), where he spent the rest of the
1989-90 season. His time with the Sabres finally came to an end in July
1990, when Buffalo traded him to the New York Rangers, giving his career a
new start. |
| NON-NHL CAREER |
Post-Draft Teams:
Cornwall (OHL); Rochester (AHL); Langnau (Switzerland)
NON-NHL
AWARDS AND HONORS
AHL Calder Cup: 1987
(Rochester)
OHL Tilson Trophy (MVP): 1985-86
(Cornwall)
OHL Mahon Trophy (Most Points, RW): 1985-86 (Cornwall)
(142)
OHL Powers Trophy (Points Leader):
1985-86 (Cornwall) (142)
OHL All-Star First Team: 1985-86 (Cornwall)
Cornwall Records: Most goals in one season (81 in 1985-86)
OHL Goals Leader: 1985-86 (Cornwall) (81 goals)
Miscellaneous: Missed part of
1984-85 season with left knee injury. ... Missed start of
1986-87 season with left knee injury, re-aggravation of prior injury
suffered at Hockey Canada development camp in August 1986. The injury
required surgery, and Sheppard did not return until he began
playing for Rochester (AHL) in December 1986. ... Missed part of 1989-90
season with left knee injury, suffered in Rochester's March 16, 1990, AHL game vs. Newmarket. ...
Named CCM AHL Graduate of the Month for November 1996. ... Worked at Florida
Panthers hockey school during off-seasons of his playing days with Panthers.
... Was active in charitable causes during his
playing days in Detroit, including work with Easter Seal Society and efforts
to fight leukemia. ... Was subject of a book called Heaven on Ice,
written by his brother, Chess Sheppard. ... Returned to Florida and became a
youth hockey coach after retirement, working with the Florida Junior
Panthers organization.
Personal: Full name is Raymond G.
Sheppard. |
| HOW HE GOT AWAY |
| TRADE:
Buffalo traded Sheppard to N.Y. Rangers for $1 and future
considerations (paying Sheppard's 1990-91 salary) on July 9, 1990. |
|
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|
SNAPSHOT '84 | | Total Selected: |
250 | | Forwards: |
142 | | Defense: |
88 | | Goaltenders: |
20 | | Major Junior: |
110 | | Tier II/Jr. B: |
16/9 | | College Players: |
23 | | High School: |
47 | | Midget: |
4 | | U.S. Junior B: |
1 |
| Canadian: |
145 |
| Euro-Canadian: |
2 | | USA Citizens: |
62 | | U.S.-Born: |
63 |
| European: |
41 |
| Reached NHL: |
102 |
| Stanley Cup: |
20 | | Hall of Fame: |
1 |
| All-Star Game: |
18 |
| Year-end All-Star: |
7 |
| Olympians: |
31 |
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