Wojtek Wolski Wojciech " Wojtek ” Wolski ( pronounced : " VOY - tek VOL - skee " ; born February 24 , 1986 ) is a Polish - Canadian professional ice hockey left winger , currently playing for the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League ( NHL ) . He previously played for the Colorado Avalanche and the Phoenix Coyotes . Playing career . Junior . Wolski was drafted in the first round , 21st overall in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft by the Colorado Avalanche . It was originally believed that he would be the 10th - 15th pick , but some teams passed on him because he was charged with assault causing bodily harm by Toronto police shortly before the draft . Wolski allegedly beat and hospitalized another young man his age at a birthday party . The case was dismissed when it was learned that Wolski was defending his girlfriend , who had been pushed off a porch . Prior to being drafted , Wolski attended St . Michael ' s College School and played for the Buzzers hockey team in 2001 – 02 . Before making the Avalanche roster , he recorded 14 franchise records as a member of the OHL ' s Brampton Battalion , and earned the award for Ontario Hockey League ( OHL ) ' s Most Valuable Player ( MVP ) in 2006 . Wolski was the OHL Player of the Month an unprecedented four months in a row ( December , January , February , and March ) . He was also an Alternate captain for Ontario ' s Under - 17 team at the 2003 Canada Winter Games . Wolski suited up for Team Canada in the 2004 Canada / Russia Series and was voted Player of the Game ( Team Cherry ) for 2004 CHL Top Prospects Game . Professional . Wolski made his Avalanche debut in the 2006 playoffs and marked a sensational debut with three points ( one goal , two assists ) . In his first full professional season , Wolski played in the NHL YoungStars Game on January 23 , 2007 , a part of the 55th National Hockey League All - Star Game festivities held in Dallas . He recorded two points ( two assists ) for the Western Conference . In the 2008 - 09 season , Wolski demonstrated his scoring talent in shootouts . At season ' s end , he would score 10 times out of 12 attempts , establishing a single season record in percentage of shootout goals scored . His 14 goals and 28 assists would be good enough to finish third on the Avs with 42 points , behind Milan Hejduk and Ryan Smyth . On March 3 , 2010 , Wolski was traded to the Phoenix Coyotes for Peter Mueller and Kevin Porter . In his first game with the Coyotes , he scored the game - winning goal against his former team , the Avalanche , with just 22 seconds left in the 3rd period . Three days later , in his second game with the Coyotes , he scored again in a 4 - 0 win against the Anaheim Ducks . On June 28 , 2010 , Wolski resigned a two year contract with the Phoenix Coyotes . Since joining Phoenix , he switched from the number 8 he wore in Colorado ( already in use by Scottie Upshall ) to number 86 , becoming the second NHL player to wear that number ( Jonathan Ferland played 7 games for Montreal in 2006 wearing number 86 ) . In the 2010 - 11 season , Wolski failed to recapture his scoring pace from after last years trade from Colorado . With a steadily diminished role with the Coyotes he was traded for the second time within a year to the New York Rangers for Michal Rozsival on January 10 , 2011 . Wolski also failed to click with the Rangers , building a reputation as a player who " would rather not play in tough areas to score " , he was a healthy scratch on more than one occasion . Personal . Wolski left Poland with his parents and older brother Kordian ( Real Estate agent in Toronto ) in 1989 . Two years later , by way of West Germany , they finally landed in Toronto , Ontario . He learned how to skate at a local outdoor skating rink in Etobicoke using his brothers skates , which were a few sizes too big . In order to make them fit , he would wear three pairs of socks and stuff the front of the boot with newspapers . The first NHL game he attended as a young boy was the Colorado Avalanche versus the Toronto Maple Leafs at Maple Leaf Gardens . He followed the Avalanche as his favorite team ever since then , and grew to idolize future teammate Joe Sakic before coincidentally being drafted by Colorado himself . During 2006 - 2007 Wolski dated Canadian actress Ashley Leggat while playing for the Avalanche .