Mike Stapleton

Mike Stapleton (born May 5, 1966 in Sarnia, Ontario, Canada) is a retired National Hockey League hockey player who played for the Chicago Blackhawks, Pittsburgh Penguins, Edmonton Oilers, Winnipeg Jets, Phoenix Coyotes, Atlanta Thrashers, New York Islanders and Vancouver Canucks. He is the son of former NHL defenceman Pat Stapleton.
==Junior career==
Stapleton played Junior B hockey for the Strathroy Blades and Major Junior hockey in the Ontario Hockey League for the Cornwall Royals where he scored 104 goals and 258 points over three seasons and 182 games. He was rated OHL Leyden Division's hardest worker, best faceoff man and best penalty killer in a 1985–86 poll of league coaches.
==NHL career==
He was drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks #132 overall in the 1984 NHL Entry Draft. He played 697 NHL games for seven different teams netting 71 goals and 182 points along with 342 penalty minutes.
==Europe==
In 2001, Stapleton moved to Finland's SM-liiga and played for the Espoo Blues, scoring 18 goals and 37 points in 41 games. He then had a brief spell in the Swedish Elitserien for Leksands IF before returning to Espoo. He spent one more season in Finland for Tappara before retiring in 2004.
==International career==
Stapleton also played for Team Canada at the 1986 World Junior Championships where he won a silver medal.
==Coaching career==
Stapleton served as an assistant to head coach/GM Scott Gardiner with the NAHL's Traverse City North Stars during the club's inaugural 2005–06 season before accepting a position as associate coach of the OHL's Erie Otters. He is currently the head coach of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the Ontario Hockey League.
==External links==
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Category:Born in 1966
Category:Atlanta Thrashers players
Category:Canadian ice hockey players
Category:Chicago Blackhawks draft picks
Category:Chicago Blackhawks players
Category:Cornwall Royals (OHL) alumni
Category:Edmonton Oilers players
Category:Indianapolis Ice players
Category:Leksands IF players
Category:New York Islanders players
Category:Phoenix Coyotes players
Category:Pittsburgh Penguins players
Category:Saginaw Hawks players
Category:Vancouver Canucks players
Category:Winnipeg Jets players
Category:Tappara Tampere players
Category:Blues Espoo players
Category:Retired in 2004