Theoren Fleury Theoren Wallace " Theo " Fleury ( born June 29 , 1968 in Oxbow , Saskatchewan , Canada ) is a retired international and professional player of Metis heritage . Fleury was drafted by the Calgary Flames in the 8th round , 166th overall , of the 1987 NHL Entry Draft . He played over 1000 games in the National Hockey League ( NHL ) for the Flames , Colorado Avalanche , New York Rangers and Chicago Blackhawks . At times the smallest player in the NHL , Fleury played a physical style , often leading to altercations . As a junior , he was at the centre of the infamous Punch - up in Piestany , a brawl that saw both Canada and the Soviet Union disqualified from the 1987 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships . Once considered a long shot to play in the NHL due to his size , Fleury ultimately scored 1000 points while winning the Stanley Cup in 1989 with the Flames , and a gold medal in the 2002 Olympic Games . In 1996 , Fleury was diagnosed with Crohn ' s disease . He battled drug and alcohol addictions throughout his career , which ultimately forced him out of the NHL in 2003 . After cleaning up , he played one season in the British Elite Ice Hockey League in 2005 – 06 before retiring from hockey . Early life . Theoren was born on June 29 , 1968 . His father , Wally , of French heritage , was himself a hockey player whose dreams of a professional career ended when he broke his leg playing baseball in the summer of 1963 , an injury that helped fuel a drinking problem . The Fleurys moved to Williams Lake , British Columbia for four years , where Theo ' s brother Ted was born in 1970 , before returning to the prairies , settling in Russell , Manitoba by 1973 , the year his youngest brother Travis was born . Wally worked as a truck driver and maintenance worker at the arena in Russell . Theoren grew up skating and playing hockey at every opportunity , often accompanying his father to the arena in Russell in the pre - dawn hours . He was described by his teachers as a determined youth , who would repeat any activity he failed at until he got it right . Playing career . Junior . Fleury played junior with the Moose Jaw Warriors of the Western Hockey League . Fleury was a member of Canada ' s national junior team at the World Junior Championships . On January 4 , 1987 , he was involved in a fight that started the infamous " Punch - up in Piestany " against the Soviet Union team . A bench - clearing brawl resulted in both teams being ejected from the tournament , costing Canada an assured medal . Fleury was drafted by the Calgary Flames 166th overall in the 1987 NHL Entry Draft . Initially regarded as being too small to compete in the NHL , Fleury proved to play with the strength and physicality of a power forward , despite his diminutive size . In addition to having speed and play making ability , he also possessed strength and did not need the presence of an enforcer on his line as he could hit , fight and grind despite his size . Calgary Flames . He was a member of the 1989 Stanley Cup Champion Calgary Flames . In his first full season with the Flames in 1989 - 90 , Fleury tallied 31 goals and 35 assists . Fleury tallied two 100 point seasons , one 50 + goal season and three 40 + goal seasons in his time with the Flames . At the latter point in the 1998 – 99 NHL season , it was clear Calgary was not going to be able to keep Fleury , as he would be commanding a high price on the unrestricted free agency market and Calgary would not be able to afford his salary . Instead of losing Fleury through the free agency market , the Flames arranged a deal with the Colorado Avalanche before the trade deadline in exchange for Rene Corbet , Wade Belak and Robyn Regehr . By the time he left the Flames in 1999 , he was the last remaining Flame on the roster of their 1989 Stanley Cup winning team and held numerous club and NHL records . In the end , the Flames ’ future plans panned out . With the departure of Fleury , Jarome Iginla became the new star and Robyn Regehr developed into a successful defenseman . Colorado Avalanche / New York Rangers / Chicago Blackhawks . Upon arrival in Denver , Fleury played in 15 games before the end of the season , scoring 10 goals and 14 assists for 24 points and another 5 goals and 12 assists for 17 points in 18 playoff games . Despite his success with the Avalanche , Fleury was not re - signed and eventually landed a spot on the New York Rangers on July 5 , 1999 . After three seasons with the Rangers , Fleury signed with the Chicago Blackhawks for the 2002 – 03 NHL season . However , by this time , wrestling with off - ice worries , including his father ' s cancer operation , his substance abuse problems had begun to surface , something which he battled since his playing career began in Calgary . In 1996 , he was diagnosed with Crohn ' s Disease . Although seemingly under control for half a year by the time he won Olympic gold , Fleury ' s substance abuse issues resurfaced . In October 2002 he suffered a relapse and was suspended for six months , and placed in the NHL / NHLPA Substance Abuse and Behavioral Health Program for violating his aftercare program . Fleury began the 2002 – 03 NHL season serving out the 25 - game suspension . Soon after his return , however , he missed a practice , claiming he had overslept , and in January , he was involved in an incident at a strip club in Columbus , Ohio . He was suspended in 2003 for again violating the substance abuse program . In an attempt to restore his career , Fleury attempted to join the North Peace Hockey League ' s Horse Lake Thunder , which is based in the Horse Lake First Nations , Alberta . His first game was to be on January 6 , 2005 , but he was ruled ineligible because he was under an NHL contract during the previous season . After two appeals , Fleury and the Thunder were able to overturn the decision . In Fleury ' s first game with the Thunder , on January 22 , 2005 , he scored one goal and two assists . Fleury ' s cousin , Todd Holt , as well as former NHLer , Gino Odjick also played for the Thunder . The Thunder played in the 2005 Allan Cup in Lloydminster . After two convincing round robin wins , the Thunder were upset by the eventual champion Thunder Bay Bombers , 6 - 5 , in the semi - final . Belfast Giants . Fleury signed for the 2005 – 06 season with the Belfast Giants of the British Elite Ice Hockey League , and made a stellar debut on October 15 , 2005 , against Edinburgh Capitals scoring a hat - trick , gaining 4 assists , and fighting Fredrik Oduya which led to him being named man of the match . Although he helped the Giants to the league championship , he was involved in several incidents including one game in which he attempted to climb out of the penalty box in order to reach a Coventry Blaze fan who had taunted him , and threatened match officials as a result of frustrating officiating . Following a particularly frustrating encounter with a British ice hockey official ( in which the referee was disciplined as a result of his actions ) , Fleury , clearly enraged , stated in a press conference after the game , that he would not return to the league for the next season , citing the poor standard of officiating in the EIHL . He was also voted the Elite League Player of the year by the British Hockey Writers Association . Owner . Fleury was part of an ownership group for the Calgary Hitmen that included wrestler Bret Hart and fellow hockey player Joe Sakic .