Steve Duchesne (born June 30, 1965) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman who played in the National Hockey League with several teams from 1986 until 2002. He was a three-time NHL All-Star and was a member of the Stanley Cup champion Detroit Red Wings in 2002.

Steve Duchesne
Born (1965-06-30) June 30, 1965 (age 58)
Sept-Îles, Quebec, Canada
Height 5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
Weight 195 lb (88 kg; 13 st 13 lb)
Position Defence
Shot Left
Played for Los Angeles Kings
Philadelphia Flyers
Quebec Nordiques
St. Louis Blues
Ottawa Senators
Detroit Red Wings
National team  Canada
NHL Draft Undrafted
Playing career 1985–2002

Playing career edit

Duchesne began his notable hockey career with the Drummondville Voltigeurs of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. Never drafted by an NHL team, he was signed as a free agent by the Los Angeles Kings on October 1, 1984. He played one season with the New Haven Nighthawks of the American Hockey League before becoming an NHL regular in 1986–87. In his rookie NHL season, he played well enough to be named to the NHL All-Rookie Team. It did not take Duchesne long to establish himself as an above average offensive defenceman. In the 1988–89 NHL season, he led all defensemen in shorthanded goals with 5.

Duchesne remained with the Kings until May 30, 1991, when he was traded to the Philadelphia Flyers in a deal that brought future Hall of Famer Jari Kurri to Los Angeles. Duchesne played one season in Philadelphia, before being involved in one of the biggest trades in NHL history, moving to the Quebec Nordiques with a package of several players and cash in the Eric Lindros trade. Although Duchesne set a career high with 82 points in Quebec, he was again traded after one season to the St. Louis Blues. He spent two seasons with the Blues before being acquired by the upstart Ottawa Senators. After two successful seasons with the Senators, in which he scored the goal that clinched the team's first ever playoff spot, he was traded back to the Blues for Igor Kravchuk due to financial considerations. Duchesne's journeyman status continued, as he returned to the Kings as a free agent after one season with the Blues. During his first season back with the Kings, he was traded to the Flyers at the trade deadline. Finally, after the 1998–99 season, Duchesne signed as a free agent with the Detroit Red Wings, where he would win the Stanley Cup in his final season, 2001–02.

Personal life edit

Duchesne now resides in Westlake, Texas with his wife and two children. He coaches the U18 Dallas Stars Midget Major AAA hockey team.[1] He is a co-owner of the Allen Americans, a Central Hockey League team which began play in the 2009-10 season.[2]

International play edit

Medal record
Representing   Canada
World Championships
  1994 Milan
  1996 Vienna

Duchesne won gold and silver with Team Canada in two international tournaments.

Awards edit

Career statistics edit

Regular season and playoffs edit

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1981–82 Cégep Beauce-Appalaches CEGEP
1982–83 Drummondville Voltigeurs QMJHL 66 5 16 21 75
1983–84 Drummondville Voltigeurs QMJHL 67 1 34 35 79 10 3 7 10 17
1984–85 Drummondville Voltigeurs QMJHL 65 22 54 76 94 5 4 7 11 8
1985–86 New Haven Nighthawks AHL 75 14 35 49 76 5 0 2 2 9
1986–87 Los Angeles Kings NHL 75 13 25 38 74 5 2 2 4 4
1987–88 Los Angeles Kings NHL 71 16 39 55 109 5 1 3 4 14
1988–89 Los Angeles Kings NHL 79 25 50 75 92 11 4 4 8 12
1989–90 Los Angeles Kings NHL 79 20 42 62 36 10 2 9 11 6
1990–91 Los Angeles Kings NHL 78 21 41 62 66 12 4 8 12 8
1991–92 Philadelphia Flyers NHL 78 18 38 56 86
1992–93 Quebec Nordiques NHL 82 20 62 82 57 6 0 5 5 6
1993–94 St. Louis Blues NHL 36 12 19 31 14 4 0 2 2 2
1994–95 St. Louis Blues NHL 47 12 26 38 36 7 0 4 4 2
1995–96 Ottawa Senators NHL 62 12 24 36 42
1996–97 Ottawa Senators NHL 78 19 28 47 38 7 1 4 5 0
1997–98 St. Louis Blues NHL 80 14 42 56 32 10 0 4 4 6
1998–99 Los Angeles Kings NHL 60 4 19 23 22
1998–99 Philadelphia Flyers NHL 11 2 5 7 2 6 0 2 2 2
1999–00 Detroit Red Wings NHL 79 10 31 41 42 9 0 4 4 10
2000–01 Detroit Red Wings NHL 54 6 19 25 48 6 2 4 6 0
2001–02 Detroit Red Wings NHL 64 3 15 18 28 23 0 6 6 24
NHL totals 1,113 227 525 752 824 121 16 61 77 96

International edit

Year Team Event Result   GP G A Pts PIM
1994 Canada WC   6 0 1 1 0
1996 Canada WC   8 1 3 4 4
Senior totals 14 1 4 5 4

See also edit

References edit

  • Total Hockey (Second Edition), Editor - Dan Diamond, ISBN 1-892129-85-X

External links edit