Garrett Stafford

Garrett Stafford (born January 28, 1980) is a professional ice hockey defenseman who is currently a part of the Edmonton Oilers organization.
==Playing career==
Stafford played two years of junior hockey for the Des Moines Buccaneers of the United States Hockey League before joining the New Hampshire Wildcats. He played for UNH for four years (although he missed the first semester of his senior season because he was academically ineligible.) He was an assistant captain his junior year. He ended his college career with a national championship game, which UNH lost 5-1 to Minnesota.
On December 9, 2003, he was signed as a free agent by the San Jose Sharks, and spent three seasons with the Sharks' American Hockey League affiliate, the Cleveland Barons (later the Worcester Sharks.) 
His first pro season ended with an ugly incident. On April 30, 2004, Stafford was playing for the Cleveland Barons against the Hamilton Bulldogs in the Calder Cup playoffs when he got into an altercation with Hamilton's winger Alexander Perezhogin. Stafford cross-checked Perezhogin in the face resulting in them both falling to the ice. As they were getting up Stafford took another swing with his stick, this time making contact with the back of Perezhogin's helmet. In response, Perezhogin swung his stick into Stafford's face as he was getting up. The slash knocked Stafford unconscious resulting in a concussion and sending him into convulsions on the ice as well as causing severe facial wounds which required 20 stitches to repair.
Perezhogin was charged with assault causing bodily harm] and was given a one year probation as well as being ordered to cover Stafford's medical expenses and donate a further $5000 to charity. Perezhogin was also suspended for the rest of the playoffs and the whole of the 2004–05 season, the longest suspension in AHL history. Stafford was also suspended for six games for his part in the incident. He made a full recovery in time for the next season.
On July 16, 2007, he was signed as a free agent by the Detroit Red Wings, who sent him to their AHL affiliate, the Grand Rapids Griffins. Stafford played his first NHL game on February 23, 2008, against the Vancouver Canucks. He was recalled by the Wings earlier that day after injuries to Nicklas Lidstrom, Brian Rafalski and Chris Chelios. Stafford was released by the Red Wings after the 2008 Stanley Cup run and on July 3, 2008, he was signed as a free agent by the Dallas Stars. On October 4, 2008, the Stars loaned him back to Grand Rapids. The Stars recalled him on March 29, 2009. In the 2009–10 season he was assigned to Dallas' AHL affiliate, the Texas Stars, and helped Texas reach the Calder Cup finals in its inaugural year.
On July 3, 2010, Stafford was signed as a free agent by the Phoenix Coyotes to a one-year contract.
On October 23, 2011, the Montreal Canadiens acquired Stafford and forward Petteri Nokelainen from the Phoenix Coyotes in exchange for forward Brock Trotter and a seventh-round pick in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft.http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/canadiens-acquire-nokelainen-stafford-from-phoenix/article2210666/
Stafford was signed as a free agent to a one-year contract with the Washington Capitals on July 2, 2012. Due to the impending 2012 NHL lockout, he was directly assigned to AHL affiliate, the Hershey Bears, to begin the 2012–13 season. On April 2, 2013, Stafford was traded by the Capitals to the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for Dane Byers. 
==Awards==
* 2002 Hockey East Second All-Star Team
* 2003 Hockey East All-Tournament Team
* 2004 AHL Second All-Star Team
* 2004 AHL All-Rookie Team
== Career statistics ==
  	  	  	 	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	 	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs
Season 	Team 	League of his own	 	GP 	G 	A 	Pts 	PIM 	 	GP 	G 	A 	Pts 	PIM
1996–97 	Des Moines Buccaneers 	USHL 	 	37 	1 	10 	11 	40 	 	5 	0 	0 	0 	0
1997–98 	Des Moines Buccaneers 	USHL 	 	53 	6 	17 	23 	89 	 	12 	1 	3 	4 	42
1998–99 	Des Moines Buccaneers 	USHL 	 	56 	8 	33 	41 	54 	 	13 	2 	2 	4 	18
1999–00 	University of New Hampshire	HE 	 	38 	3 	9 	12 	28 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2000–01 	University of New Hampshire	HE 	 	37 	5 	21 	26 	44 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2001–02 	University of New Hampshire	HE 	 	36 	5 	22 	27 	42 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2002–03 	University of New Hampshire	HE 	 	23 	1 	15 	16 	24 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2003–04 	Cleveland Barons 	AHL 	 	73 	12 	34 	46 	71 	 	6 	0 	0 	0 	6
2004–05 	Cleveland Barons 	AHL 	 	68 	6 	18 	24 	55 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2005–06 	Cleveland Barons 	AHL 	 	80 	11 	28 	39 	86 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2006–07 	Worcester Sharks 	AHL 	 	77 	11 	30 	41 	58 	 	6 	0 	3 	3 	2
2007–08 	Grand Rapids Griffins 	AHL 	 	69 	11 	33 	44 	36 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2007–08 	Detroit Red Wings 	NHL 	 	2 	0 	0 	0 	0 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2008–09 	Grand Rapids Griffins 	AHL 	 	70 	11 	34 	45 	50 	 	10 	0 	5 	5 	4
2008–09 	Dallas Stars 	NHL 	 	3 	0 	2 	2 	0 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2009–10 	Texas Stars 	AHL 	 	60 	7 	25 	32 	22 	 	21 	4 	6 	10 	10
2010–11 	San Antonio Rampage 	AHL 	 	65 	14 	32 	46 	74 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2010–11 	Phoenix Coyotes 	NHL 	 	2 	0 	0 	0 	0 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
AHL totals	AHL totals 	AHL totals 	 	572 	83 	234 	317 	452 	 	43 	4 	14 	18 	22
NHL totals	NHL totals 	NHL totals 	 	7 	0 	2 	2 	0 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
==References==
==External links==
*
*
Category:Born in 1980
Category:American ice hockey players
Category:Cleveland Barons (2001–2006) players
Category:Dallas Stars players
Category:Des Moines Buccaneers alumni
Category:Detroit Red Wings players
Category:Grand Rapids Griffins players
Category:New Hampshire Wildcats players
Category:Phoenix Coyotes players
Category:San Antonio Rampage players
Category:Texas Stars players
Category:Worcester Sharks players
Category:Portland Pirates players