| 1985 NHL DRAFT PICK |
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Craig Wolanin
Selected in first round
No.
3 overall by New Jersey Devils
Born July 27, 1967
 | Position:
Defense
Height: 6-3 Weight: 190
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| BEFORE THE DRAFT |
Last Team:
Kitchener (OHL)
Birthplace:
Grosse Pointe, Michigan (USA)
Hometown: Warren, Michigan |
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| PRE-DRAFT
STATISTICS | | Year |
Team | League |
GP | G |
A | TP |
PIM | | 1983-84 |
Compuware | Mich. AAA |
69 | 8 |
42 | 50 |
86 | | 1984-85 |
Kitchener | OHL |
60 | 5 |
16 | 21 |
95 |
|
PRE-DRAFT AWARDS AND HONORS
Michigan AAA Championship: 1983-84 (Compuware)
OHL All-Star Game: 1985
(Kitchener)
Miscellaneous: Ranked by NHL Central Scouting Bureau as No. 6 overall
prospect for the 1984 NHL draft. ... Was Kitchener's first-round pick, No.
15 overall, in 1984 OHL priority selection. |
| NHL CAREER |
Debut: October 10, 1985 (New Jersey at
Philadelphia)
Numbers: 6 (New Jersey); 6
(Quebec/Colorado); 6 (Tampa Bay);
26 (Toronto)
Stanley Cup: 1996.
Playing Status:
Retired 1999 |
| CAREER NHL STATISTICS | | Years |
Teams | GP |
G | A |
TP | PIM | |
1985-1997 |
N.J., Quebec/Colorado,
Tampa Bay, Toronto | 695 |
40 | 133 |
173 | 894 |
|
| CAREER NHL PLAYOFF STATISTICS |
| Years | Teams |
GP | G |
A | TP |
PIM | | 1988-1996 |
N.J., Quebec/Colorado | 35 |
4 | 6 |
10 | 67 |
|
NHL
AWARDS AND HONORS
New Jersey Rookie of Year: 1985-86
Miscellaneous: Was NHL's youngest full-time player in 1985-86. ... Became
youngest player to appear in a New Jersey Devils franchise game (age 18
years, 2 months) when he made his NHL debut on Oct. 10, 1985. ... Missed
part of 1985-86 season with bruised left shoulder, an injury suffered during
New Jersey's Oct. 31, 1985, game vs. Detroit. He did not return to action
until New Jersey's Nov. 15, 1985, game at Winnipeg. ... Missed remainder of
1985-86 season with broken right ring finger, an injury suffered when he was
slashed by Greg Adams during New Jersey's Feb. 1, 1986, game at Washington.
The injury required season-ending surgery on Feb. 20, 1986. ... Missed part
of 1986-87 season with concussion and 70-stitch cut in forehead, an injury
suffered when he crashed into a goalpost during New Jersey's March 21, 1987,
game at St. Louis. He did not return to action until New Jersey's April 2,
1987, game at Pittsburgh. ... Paired on defense with Ken Daneyko for Hampered by sore left hip in December 1987,
but did not miss any games. ... Missed part of 1987-88 season with back
spasms, an injury suffered during New Jersey's March 24, 1988, game at St.
Louis. ... Scored first playoff goal in New Jersey Devils history in Game 1
of Devils' first-round series at N.Y. Islanders on April 6, 1988. The goal
beat Islanders goalie Kelly Hrudey at 7:49 of the second period, cutting
Islanders' lead to 2-1 in a gamed the Islanders went on to win 4-3 in
overtime. ... Played right wing for New Jersey for two games in October
1988. It was the first time he had played a game at forward since he was 5
years old. ... Missed part of 1988-89 season with cartilage damage in right
knee, an injury suffered during New Jersey's Nov. 15, 1988, game at St.
Louis. The injury required Wolanin to wear a brace before he underwent
arthroscopic surgery on Nov. 22, 1988. He did not return until New
Jersey's Dec. 29, 1988, game vs. Boston. ... Missed part of 1988-89 season
with the flu, an illness contracted in January 1989. ... Was a healthy
scratch for seven of New Jersey's first eight games in 1989-90, prompting
him to request a trade. ... Missed part of 1989-90 season with finger
injury, suffered in New Jersey's Nov. 22, 1989, game at Pittsburgh. ...
Suffered knee injury in Quebec's 1989-90 season finale at Buffalo on
April 1, 1990. The injury kept him out of the 1990 World Championships. ...
Missed part of 1991-92 season with pulled groin, suffered during
Quebec's Oct. 17, 1991, game at Philadelphia. He did not return to action
until Quebec's Oct. 26, 1991, game vs. N.Y. Rangers. ... Missed part of
1991-92 season with knee injury, suffered during Quebec's Jan. 8, 1992, game
at Buffalo. He did not return to action until Quebec's Jan. 23, 1992, game
at Chicago. ... Missed part of 1992-93 season with pulled muscle in right
thigh, an injury suffered during Quebec's Oct. 13, 1992, game vs.
Philadelphia. He did not return to action until Quebec's Dec. 5, 1992, game
vs. Minnesota. ... Missed part of 1992-93 season with bruised ribs, an
injury suffered during Quebec's Dec. 20, 1992, game vs. N.Y. Islanders. He
did not return to action until Quebec's Jan. 5, 1993, game at N.Y.
Islanders. ... Missed part of 1992-93 season with straine groin, an injury
suffered during Quebec's Jan. 16, 1993, game vs. San Jose. He did not return
to action until Quebec's March 27, 1993, game vs. Philadelphia. ... Missed
part of 1992-93 season with pulled groin, an injury suffered during Quebec's
April 1, 1993, game at Ottawa. ... Missed part of 1993-94 season with pulled
muscle in left thigh, an injury suffered during Quebec's Oct. 18, 1993, game
vs. Montreal. He did not return to action until Quebec's Nov. 13, 1993, game
at Tampa Bay. ... Missed part of 1993-94 season with bruised right knee, an
injury suffered during Quebec's Nov. 27, 1993, game vs. Buffalo. ... Named
Quebec Defensive Player of Month for December 1993. ... Missed part of
1993-94 season with pulled groin, an injury suffered during Quebec's Jan. 4,
1994, game at Los Angeles. He did not return to action until Quebec's Jan.
25, 1994, game vs. Philadelphia. ... Missed part of 1995 season with groin
injury, suffered in Quebec's Jan. 21, 1995, season-opener at
Philadelphia. He did not return to action until Quebec's Feb. 2, 1995, game
at New Jersey. ... Missed part of 1995 season with bruised knee, an injury
suffered during Quebec's Feb. 25, 1995, game vs. Boston. He did not return
to action until Quebec's March 7, 1995, game at Pittsburgh. ... Was on Quebec team that relocated to Colorado on June 21, 1995.
... Missed part of 1995-96 season with slight separation of right shoulder,
an injury suffered in Colorado's Dec. 18, 1995, game vs. Vancouver. He
did not return to action until Colorado's Jan. 3, 1995, game vs. New Jersey.
... Underwent postseason reconstructive surgery on right shoulder on July 1, 1996. ...
Missed start of 1996-97 season while recovering from surgery to right
shoulder. As a result of the surgery, he did not make his 1996-97 NHL
regular-season debut until Tampa Bay's Dec. 4, 1996, game at Anaheim. ... Missed
remainder of
1996-97 season with sprained right knee, suffered in Toronto's March
26, 1997, game at San Jose. ... Missed start of 1997-98 season with strained
groin, an injury suffered during Toronto's training camp in September 1997.
He did not make his 1997-98 NHL regular-season debut until Toronto's Oct. 7,
1997, game at Calgary. ... Missed remainder of 1997-98 season with torn ACL
in right knee, an injury suffered in Toronto's Nov. 1, 1997, game at
Montreal -- which would prove to be the final game of his NHL career. The
injury required season-ending surgery. |
| NON-NHL CAREER |
Post-Draft Teams:
Utica (AHL); Detroit (IHL)
Canada Cup: 1991 (second place)
World Championships: 1987 (seventh), 1991 (fourth),
1994 (fourth)
NON-NHL
AWARDS AND HONORS
Miscellaneous: Demoted to New Jersey's minor
league affiliate in Utica (AHL) for six games during 1989-90 season. ... Named to Team USA in
1990 World Championships, but missed tournament due to knee injury. ... Signed with Detroit
(IHL) as an unrestricted free agent on Jan. 31, 1999. ... Ran own hockey
school called Summer Chill after his retirement... Played on Detroit Red
Wings Alumni hockey team in charity games after his retirement, even though
he never played in the Red Wings organization.
Personal: Full name is Craig W.
Wolanin. ... Older brother of former minor-leaguer Chris Wolanin. |
| HOW HE GOT AWAY |
| TRADE:
New Jersey traded Wolanin and future considerations to Quebec for Peter
Stastny on March 6, 1990. New Jersey sent Randy Velischek to Quebec to
complete the deal on August 13, 1990. |
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