Dallas Drake
began his trek to the NHL under the guidance of many fine coach’s of
the Trail-Rossland Minor Hockey system, graduating at the age of 14 in
1984-85 season to the KIJHL Rossland Jr. Warriors for a period of three
years before playing his final season of junior 1987-88 with the Vernon
Lakers of the BCJHL at the age of 18, in 47 games, he scored 124 points
and in the playoffs, notched 26 points in eleven games.
In
1988-89, he enrolled at North Michigan University and scored 39 points
as a WCHA freshman and guided the school to a WCHA championship. After
scoring 37 points as a sophomore in 1989-90, Drake improved to 22 goals
and 58 points in 1990-91. He was a key factor in the team winning the
1991 NCAA championship final by scoring the winning goal in triple
overtime. In 1991 -92, he led the WCHA with 39 goals and 80 points. That
year, he was a WCHA First Time All-Star, an NCAA West First Team
All-American and winner of the WCHA Player of the Year award.
In
1993-94 Drake played one game on a conditioning stint with the AHL’s
Adirondack Red Wings.
Drake was
selected 116th overall in the 1989 NHL Entry Draft by the
Detroit Red Wings. He made his NHL debut on October 6, 1992 against the
Winnipeg Jets and scored his first goal two weeks later on October 20
against those same Jets. That rookie season, Drake contributed 18 goals
and 44 points in 72 games.
In
1993-94, he was traded to the Winnipeg Jets. In 62 games split between
the two teams, he scored 13 goals and 40 points before establishing a
career-high 19 goals in 69 games in 1995-96.
In
1996-97, Drake moved with the franchise to Phoenix and in 1999-00, he
played 79 games and scored a career-high 30 assists and 45 points and
had five game-winning goals. On June23, 2000, Drake’s rights were
selected in the Expansion Draft by the Columbus Blue Jackets. On July 1,
however, he signed as an unrestricted free agent with the St. Louis
Blues and stayed with the organization for six seasons. Drake achieved a
career high in goals with 20 in 2002-03 and was named captain of the
Blues from 2005-06 to 2006-07.
Following
his stint in St. Louis, Drake was signed as a free agent by the Detroit
Red Wings on July 9th, 2007 returning to the club that originally had
drafted the gritty forward. Before
signing, Drake had considered retiring from the league but decided to
return in an effort to finally capture the Stanley Cup. A little less
than a year later, that decision paid off big time.
After dominating the league during the regular season, Drake and
the Red Wings beat the Pittsburgh Penguins in game six of the Stanley
Cup Final giving the Trail, B.C. native his first Stanley Cup. During
the on ice post-game celebrations Detroit captain Nicklas Lidstrom
passed the Stanley cup to Drake first.
First with his ultimate goal in hockey accomplished, Drake called
it a career on July 15, 2008.
Regular Season
Season
Club
League
GP
G
A
TP
1984-85
Rossland Jr.
KIJHL
30
13 37
50
1985-86
Rossland Jr.
KIJHL
41
53
73
126
1986-87
Rossland Jr.
KIJHL
40
55 80
125
1987-88
Vernon
BCJHL
47
39
85
124
1988-89
Northern Mich
WCHA
38
17
22
39
1989-90
Northern Mich
WCHA
36
13
24
37
1990-91
Northern Mich
WCHA
44
22
36
58
1991-92
Northern Mich
WCHA
39
39
41
80
1992-93
Detroit
NHL
72
18
26
44
1993-94
Detroit
NHL
47
10
22
32
Anirondeck
AHL
1
2
0
2
Winnipeg
NHL
15
3
5
8
1994-95
Winnipeg
NHL
43
8
18
26
1995-96
Winnipeg
NHL
69
19 20
39
1996-97
Phoenix
NHL
63
17
19
36
1997-98
Phoenix
NHL
60
11 29
40
1998-99
Phoenix
NHL
53
9
22
31
1999-00
Phoenix
NHL
79
15 30
45
2000-01
St. Louis Blues
NHL
82
12
29
41
2001-02
St. Louis Blues
NHL
80
11
15
26
2002-03
St. Louis Blues
NHL
80
20
10
30
2003-04
St. Louis Blues
NHL
79
13
22
35
2004-05
None
2005-06
St. Louis Blues
NHL
62
2
24
26
2006-07
St. Louis Blues
NHL
60
6
6
12
2007-08
Detroit
NHL
65
3
3
6
NHL
Totals
1009
177
300
477
