Trent McCleary

Trent McCleary
Date of birth	September 8, 1972
place of birth	Swift Current , Saskatchewan , Canada
size	185 cm
Weight	81 kg
position	Right wing
Shot hand	Right
Career stations
1988-1989	Swift Current Legionnaires
1989-1993	Swift Current Broncos
1993-1994	Thunder Bay Senators
1994-1995	Prince Edward Island Senators
1995-1996	Ottawa Senators
1996-1997	Boston Bruins
1997-1998	Detroit Vipers Las Vegas Thunder
1998-2000	Montréal Canadiens

Trent Kenneth McCleary (born September 8, 1972 in Swift Current , Saskatchewan ) is a retired Canadian ice hockey player . During his career he played for the Ottawa Senators , Boston Bruins and Montréal Canadiens in the National Hockey League .

Career

McCleary began playing ice hockey in his childhood and mostly played for teams near his hometown. For the 1989/90 season he was finally signed by the Swift Current Broncos , the city's top-class junior team and reigning Memorial Cup champion, from the Western Hockey League . He had already played three games for the team in the preseason. Overall, the mostly defensive right winger remained loyal to the Broncos until the end of the 1992/93 season. In his senior year he won the President's Cup with the team , the championship of the WHL, and took part in the Memorial Cup tournament.

After the junior season was over, the Ottawa Senators signed the undrafted Canadian and used him on their farm teams in the American Hockey League between 1993 and 1995 . For the 1995/96 season McCleary then received a regular place in the squad of the Ottawa Senators in the NHL and ran in 75 of the 82 season games. During the summer break, the Senators transferred him to the Boston Bruins with a third-round draft pick for Shawn McEachern , where he was also part of the regular staff in the first season. After he was released before the 1997/98 season, he played in the International Hockey League with the Detroit Vipers and Las Vegas Thunder , as no other NHL team had signed him. It was not until October 1998 that the Montréal Canadiens took the opportunity to secure the services of the free agent . He came in his first year with the Canadiens to only 46 games and commuted between the AHL and NHL in the following year.

accident

At a home game of the Canadiens on January 29, 2000 against the Philadelphia Flyers , McCleary was hit by the puck so badly after a slap shot by Chris Therien on the larynx that his lungs collapsed. Only due to the rapid intervention of the medical staff and carried out in the Montreal General Hospital tracheotomy McCleary lived. After two larynx operations, which enabled him to speak again, he initially considered a comeback, but later found that this was no longer feasible with a 15 percent narrowed trachea, due to a partial paralysis of the left vocal fold and a scar on the cricoid cartilage was. This was also confirmed by the attending physician, who examined McCleary after being used in a preparatory game for the 2000/01 season after he had complained of breathing difficulties. On November 8, 2000, he finally announced his official retirement.

Achievements and Awards

• 1993 President's Cup win with the Swift Current Broncos

NHL statistics

	Seasons	Games	Gates	Assists	Points	Penalty minutes
Regular season	4th	192	8th	15th	23	134
Playoffs	-	-	-	-	-	-

Others

McCleary founded the Trent McCleary - Patrick Marleau Sport and Recreation Foundation with NHL player Patrick Marleau in 2001 , which financially supports young people between the ages of six and 18 so that their athletic potential can be promoted. Travis Moen has also supported the foundation since 2007 , which is why it has since been called Trent McCleary - Patrick Marleau - Travis Moen Sports and Recreation Foundation . McCleary, Marleau, and Moen are all from or near Swift Current .

Individual evidence

1. ↑ cbc.ca, Habs player narrowly escapes death
2. ↑ cbc.ca, McCleary would "definitely" return to rink
3. ↑ cbc.ca, McCleary announces retirement

Web links

• Trent McCleary at hockeydb.com (English)
• Trent McCleary at legendsofhockey.net (English)