Raymond Joseph "Rem" Murray (born October 9, 1972) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey left winger. Murray was selected in the sixth round, 135th overall in the 1992 NHL Entry Draft by the Los Angeles Kings, and he played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Edmonton Oilers, New York Rangers and Nashville Predators before playing in Europe to finish his career.

Rem Murray
Born (1972-10-09) October 9, 1972 (age 51)
Stratford, Ontario, Canada
Height 6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Weight 195 lb (88 kg; 13 st 13 lb)
Position Centre/Left wing
Shot Left
Played for NHL
Edmonton Oilers
New York Rangers
Nashville Predators
AHL
Cape Breton Oilers
Houston Aeros
Europe
HIFK
HC Innsbruck
HC Pustertal Wölfe
National team  Canada
NHL Draft 135th overall, 1992
Los Angeles Kings
Playing career 1995–2012

Playing career edit

Murray spent four years at Michigan State where he was a CCHA First Team All-Rookie in 1992 and a CCHA Second Team All-Star in 1995. Unsigned from the Kings, in the summer of 1995, the Edmonton Oilers signed Murray as a free agent and assigned him to their American Hockey League affiliate in Cape Breton where he led the team in scoring as a rookie and finished 14th in AHL scoring with 90 points.

Following a successful rookie season in Cape Breton, Murray joined the Oilers for the 1996–97 season. He spent 6 seasons in Edmonton. This included the 1998–99 campaign where he set career highs for goals (21) and points (39). He was traded to the New York Rangers in 2002. Murray played in 85 games during the 2002–03 season, although the NHL regular season has each team play only 82 regular season games. Murray was traded from the Rangers to the Nashville Predators mid-season.

In 2004, while playing for the Predators, Murray was diagnosed with a rare neck condition, a form of dystonia, which tentatively forced him to retire in 2005. However, after failing a tryout with the Detroit Red Wings, Murray played the 2005–06 season with the Houston Aeros of the AHL, tallying 35 points in 54 games, good enough for Murray's former team, the Edmonton Oilers, to sign him to a contract in March 2006, in time for him to take part in their run to the Stanley Cup Finals.

After two successful seasons in the Finnish SM-liiga (2007, 2008) for IFK Helsinki, Murray signed for HC Innsbruck in the Austrian Hockey League. On July 11, 2009, he signed a contract with Pustertal-Val Pusteria Wolves in the Serie A.[1]

Murray returned to Innsbruck as alternate captain the following season. After two seasons in the 2nd Austrian Hockey League, he helped Innsbruck return to the EBEL. Upon announcing his retirement at the conclusion of the season, Murray's number 17 jersey was retired by Innsbruck at the team's season opener in the 2012–13 campaign.[2]

Murray wore three different numbers while playing with the Edmonton Oilers: #17 (which he had to give up when the Oilers retired Jari Kurri's jersey), #16 (which he asked former captain Kelly Buchberger if he could wear), and #22 (which he wore on his second stint with the Oilers because #16 was already taken by Jarret Stoll).

Murray now has four kids. He is a 2016 Michigan Amateur Hockey Association 30+ Recreational Division State Champion.

Career statistics edit

Regular season and playoffs edit

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1989–90 Stratford Cullitons MWJHL 46 19 32 51 48
1990–91 Stratford Cullitons MWJHL 48 39 59 98 39
1991–92 Michigan State Spartans CCHA 44 13 38 51 18
1992–93 Michigan State Spartans CCHA 40 22 35 57 24
1993–94 Michigan State Spartans CCHA 41 16 38 54 18
1994–95 Michigan State Spartans CCHA 40 20 36 56 21
1995–96 Cape Breton Oilers AHL 79 31 59 90 40
1996–97 Edmonton Oilers NHL 82 11 20 31 16 12 1 2 3 4
1997–98 Edmonton Oilers NHL 61 9 9 18 39 11 1 4 5 2
1998–99 Edmonton Oilers NHL 78 21 18 39 20 4 1 1 2 2
1999–2000 Edmonton Oilers NHL 44 9 5 14 8 5 0 1 1 2
2000–01 Edmonton Oilers NHL 82 15 21 36 24 6 2 0 2 6
2001–02 Edmonton Oilers NHL 69 7 17 24 14
2001–02 New York Rangers NHL 11 1 2 3 4
2002–03 New York Rangers NHL 32 6 6 12 4
2002–03 Nashville Predators NHL 53 6 13 19 18
2003–04 Nashville Predators NHL 39 8 9 17 12
2005–06 Houston Aeros AHL 54 11 24 35 8
2005–06 Edmonton Oilers NHL 9 1 1 2 2 24 0 4 4 2
2006–07 HIFK SM-l 56 20 26 46 38 5 4 0 4 4
2007–08 HIFK SM-l 52 17 18 35 62 7 3 2 5 4
2008–09 HC TWK Innsbruck EBEL 54 19 34 53 50 6 2 0 2 14
2009–10 HC Pustertal Wölfe ITA 40 14 29 43 40 9 4 6 10 2
2010–11 HC TWK Innsbruck AUT.2 25 17 39 56 28 5 1 8 9 4
2011–12 HC TWK Innsbruck AUT.2 32 31 37 68 34 7 2 8 10 37
NHL totals 560 94 121 215 161 62 5 12 17 18

International edit

Year Team Event GP G A Pts PIM
2001 Canada WC 7 1 3 4 2
Senior totals 7 1 3 4 2

Championships edit

2016 Michigan Amateur Hockey Association 30+ Recreational Division State Champions

Awards and honours edit

Award Year
All-CCHA Rookie Team 1991-92
All-CCHA Second team 1994-95

References edit

  1. ^ "NHL veteran Rem Murray commits to Pustertal!!". Pustertal-Val Pusteria Wolves. July 11, 2009. Archived from the original on January 26, 2011. Retrieved July 11, 2009.
  2. ^ "Applause yet a 2:4 defeat to Zagreb". HC Innsbruck. August 25, 2012. Retrieved August 25, 2012.

External links edit