# Kelly Buchberger

Kelly Michael Buchberger (born December 2, 1966) is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach and former player. He played for several National Hockey League teams from 1986 to 2004. As a coach, he has been an assistant for the New York Islanders of the National Hockey League (NHL) and a head coach of the Tri City Americans of the Western Hockey League (WHL).

## Playing career

Buchberger has played for the Edmonton Oilers, Atlanta Thrashers, Los Angeles Kings, Phoenix Coyotes, and the Pittsburgh Penguins. He also played minor hockey with the Western Hockey League Moose Jaw Warriors and pro hockey with the American Hockey League Nova Scotia Oilers.
He was drafted in the ninth round by the Edmonton Oilers in the 1985 NHL Entry Draft, making him the 188th overall pick. He made his NHL debut in 1987 Stanley Cup finals. During his playing career, he was known best for his gritty play and leadership, having captained the Oilers for four years as the team's 9th leader in franchise history. He won the Stanley Cup twice with Edmonton, in 1987 and 1990.
Buchberger was the last remaining active member of the Oilers' roster to have been on one of their five Stanley Cup-winning teams, along with Marty McSorley. He remained with the Oilers until 1999, when he was selected by the Atlanta Thrashers in the 1999 NHL Expansion Draft.

## Coaching career

After retiring, Buchberger was an assistant coach with the AHL Edmonton Road Runners team in 2004–05. He then joined the Oilers management as a development coach. On August 3, 2007, he was named head coach of the Oilers' American Hockey League affiliate, the Springfield Falcons, and guided the team to a 35–35–10 record, the team's first .500 season since 1998–99. Buchberger then was promoted to the Edmonton Oilers during the 2008 offseason, becoming an assistant coach with them. On June 10, 2014, he was reassigned to the role of player personnel and replaced as assistant coach by Craig Ramsay.
On July 11, 2017, Buchberger was hired as the assistant coach by the New York Islanders. In 2018, he was named the head coach of the Tri-City Americans in the Western Hockey League. In 2021, his contract with the Americans was not renewed.
Buchberger was hired as the first general manager and head coach of the Devon Xtreme, a junior ice hockey expansion franchise to debut in the Alberta Junior Hockey League in the 2024–25 season.

## Career statistics
### Regular season and playoffs

| | | | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs |
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| 1983–84 | Melville Millionaires | SJHL | 60 | 14 | 11 | 25 | 139 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1984–85 | Moose Jaw Warriors | WHL | 51 | 12 | 17 | 29 | 114 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1985–86 | Moose Jaw Warriors | WHL | 72 | 14 | 22 | 36 | 206 | 13 | 11 | 4 | 15 | 37 |
| 1986–87 | Nova Scotia Oilers | AHL | 70 | 12 | 20 | 32 | 257 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 23 |
| 1986–87 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 1987–88 | Nova Scotia Oilers | AHL | 49 | 21 | 23 | 44 | 206 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 |
| 1987–88 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 19 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 81 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1988–89 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 66 | 5 | 9 | 14 | 234 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1989–90 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 55 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 168 | 19 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 13 |
| 1990–91 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 64 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 160 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 25 |
| 1991–92 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 79 | 20 | 24 | 44 | 157 | 16 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 32 |
| 1992–93 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 83 | 12 | 18 | 30 | 133 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1993–94 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 84 | 3 | 18 | 21 | 199 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1994–95 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 48 | 7 | 17 | 24 | 82 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1995–96 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 82 | 11 | 14 | 25 | 184 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1996–97 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 81 | 8 | 30 | 38 | 159 | 12 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 16 |
| 1997–98 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 82 | 6 | 17 | 23 | 122 | 12 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 25 |
| 1998–99 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 52 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 68 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1999–00 | Atlanta Thrashers | NHL | 68 | 5 | 12 | 17 | 139 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1999–00 | Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 13 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 13 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 2000–01 | Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 82 | 6 | 14 | 20 | 75 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 2001–02 | Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 74 | 6 | 7 | 13 | 105 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| 2002–03 | Phoenix Coyotes | NHL | 79 | 3 | 9 | 12 | 109 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2003–04 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 71 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 109 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2005–06 | Bentley Generals | ChHL | 9 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — |
| NHL totals | NHL totals | NHL totals | 1,182 | 105 | 204 | 309 | 2,297 | 97 | 10 | 14 | 24 | 129 |

### International

| Year | Team | Event | Result | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| 1993 | Canada | WC | 4th | 8 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 6 |
| 1994 | Canada | WC | | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| 1996 | Canada | WC | | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| Senior totals | Senior totals | Senior totals | Senior totals | 20 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 22 |

## Coaching record

| Team | Year | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Post season |
| Team | Year | G | W | L | OTL | SOL | Pts | Finish | Result |
| SPR | 2007–08 | 80 | 35 | 35 | 5 | 5 | 80 | 5th in Atlantic | Missed playoffs |
| TC | 2018–19 | 68 | 34 | 28 | 5 | 1 | 74 | 4th in U.S. | Lost in first round |
| TC | 2019–20 | 63 | 17 | 40 | 4 | 2 | 40 | 5th in U.S. | no playoffs |
| TC | 2020–21 | 19 | 7 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 14 | no standings | no playoffs |
* ↑ Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in North America the nearly complete 2019–20 WHL regular season was cancelled, and no playoffs were held.
* 1 2 The 2020–21 WHL regular season was shortened, started late, then was cancelled early, and no playoffs were held, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The Tri City Americans were in a mathematical position to finish anywhere from 3rd to 5th in the U.S. Division when the season was cancelled.

## Awards and honours

| Award | Year |
| NHL ||
| Stanley Cup (Edmonton Oilers) | 1987, 1990 |