Jamie McLennan

Jamie McLennan
Born	(1971-06-30) June 30, 1971 Edmonton, AB, CAN
Height	6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight	205 lb (93 kg; 14 st 9 lb)
Position	Goaltender
Caught	Left
Played for	New York Islanders St. Louis Blues Minnesota Wild Calgary Flames New York Rangers Florida Panthers
NHL Draft	48th overall, 1991 New York Islanders
Playing career	1991–2008

James Todd McLennan (born June 30, 1971) is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who is now an analyst for The Sports Network (TSN), TSN Radio 1050 and NHL Network. He spent eleven seasons in the National Hockey League with the New York Islanders (1993–96), St. Louis Blues (1997–2000), Minnesota Wild (2000–01), Calgary Flames (2002–04, 2006–07), New York Rangers (2004) and Florida Panthers (2005–06). His active playing career ended in 2008 after a year with the Nippon Paper Cranes of Asia League Ice Hockey. He is popularly known by his nickname Noodles because of his preference for eating homemade pasta instead of diner food on minor-league bus rides before away games.

Playing career

Following a productive season with the Western Hockey League's Lethbridge Hurricanes in which McLennan backstopped the Hurricanes to the WHL Finals, he was drafted in the 3rd round, 48th overall by the New York Islanders in the 1991 NHL Entry Draft. After a two and a half-year stint playing for the Islanders' minor league affiliates in the American, International and East Coast Hockey Leagues, McLennan backed-up veteran Ron Hextall in the 1993–94 season, posting a winning record. He spent the following two seasons with the Islanders organization, alternating between the NHL club and the Islanders' IHL affiliate.

A few weeks after the 1995–96 NHL season had been completed, McLennan drove from Salt Lake City, Utah to Lethbridge, Alberta, on his way home to Edmonton. While visiting family in Lethbridge he fell ill. He went to a hospital on May 6, 1996, after feeling sick all evening, with immobility setting in. What was thought to be the flu turned out to be bacterial meningitis. After nearly dying that day, he spent the following week in intensive care. The Islanders declined to renew his contract on July 1.

The St. Louis Blues signed him to a contract on July 15. After a relatively quick recovery he spent the following season in the AHL. He returned to the NHL as the Blues' back-up goaltender for the 1997–98 NHL season. That year he played 30 games, posting 16 wins, two shutouts and a 2.17 goals against average. He was awarded the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, awarded to the NHL player who best displays perseverance and dedication to hockey. He was picked off the Blues' roster by the Minnesota Wild in the 2000 NHL Expansion Draft. After a season playing for the expansion Wild, he played the following season in the AHL.

The Calgary Flames acquired him in a trade at the 2002 NHL Entry Draft, where he again played the role of NHL backup, achieving two wins in 17 decisions. Despite his 2–11–4 record, he remained with the team as Roman Turek's backup. When Turek became injured in the 2003–04 season, McLennan was thrust into the starting role. He played well, but as the season wore, Miikka Kiprusoff, who had been acquired earlier in the season by the Flames, had taken over the starting job. Turek returned, and McLennan was traded to the New York Rangers in March 2004.

Following the season he was signed to a contract by the Florida Panthers. During the cancelled 2004–05 NHL season he played for the British National League's Guildford Flames. He was brought back to Calgary in 2006, once again as backup to Miikka Kiprusoff. The following season, McLennan had a five week stint in Russia with Metallurg Magnitogorsk before returning to Canada.

On April 21, 2007, during a playoff game versus the Detroit Red Wings (which turned out to be his last NHL game of his career), McLennan slashed Johan Franzén twice in the leg. McLennan was due to be assessed a minor penalty. However, after play was stopped, McLennan violently slashed Franzén in the stomach, resulting in a game misconduct for McLennan. The NHL suspended McLennan for five games and fined coach Jim Playfair $25,000 and the team $100,000 for actions late in Game 5 of the Flames' first-round series against the Detroit Red Wings.

On November 21, 2007, McLennan signed with the Nippon Paper Cranes of Asia League Ice Hockey. McLennan announced his retirement at the end of the 2007–08 season.

Post-retirement

On July 10, 2008, he was named as the director of goaltender development and as a professional scout for the Calgary Flames. On June 23, 2009, McLennan moved into the coaching staff of the Flames after he was named as an assistant coach to Brent Sutter.

McLennan now writes a column for The Hockey News and is a studio analyst for the NHL Network and is a full time Analyst on TSN as well as a co-host on "Leafs Lunch" on TSN Radio 1050, Toronto. In addition to his roles, McLennan is a colour commentator for the Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators.

Career statistics

				Regular season										Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	W	L	T/OT	MIN	GA	SO	GAA	SV%		GP	W	L	MIN	GA	SO	GAA	SV%
1987–88	St. Albert Raiders	Alberta Midget AAA						1224	80	0	3.92			—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1988–89	Spokane Chiefs	WHL		11				578	63	0	6.54			—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1988–89	Lethbridge Hurricanes	WHL		7				368	22	0	3.59			—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1989–90	Lethbridge Hurricanes	WHL		34	20	4	2	1690	110	1	3.91			13	6	5	677	44	0	3.90
1990–91	Lethbridge Hurricanes	WHL		56	32	18	4	3230	205	0	3.81			16	8	8	970	56	0	3.46
1991–92	Richmond Renegades	ECHL		32	16	12	2	1837	114	0	3.72	.891		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1991–92	Capital District Islanders	AHL		18	4	10	2	952	60	1	3.78	.885		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1992–93	Capital District Islanders	AHL		38	17	14	6	2171	117	1	3.23	.893		1	0	1	20	5	0	15.00
1993–94	New York Islanders	NHL		22	8	7	6	1237	61	0	2.84	.905		2	0	1	82	6	53	4.39	.887
1993–94	Salt Lake Golden Eagles	IHL		24	8	12	2	1320	80	0	3.64	.889		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1994–95	New York Islanders	NHL		21	6	11	2	1185	67	0	3.39	.876		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1994–95	Denver Grizzlies	IHL		4	3	0	1	239	12	0	3.00	.906		11	8	2	640	23	1	2.15	.929
1995–96	New York Islanders	NHL		13	3	9	1	636	39	0	3.68	.886		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1995–96	Utah Grizzlies	IHL		14	9	2	2	728	29	0	2.39	.911		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1995–96	Worcester IceCats	AHL		22	14	7	1	1216	57	0	2.81	.905		2	0	2	119	8	0	4.03
1996–97	Worcester IceCats	AHL		39	18	13	4	2152	100	2	2.79	.903		4	2	2	262	16	0	3.66	.894
1997–98	St. Louis Blues	NHL		30	16	8	2	1658	60	2	2.17	.903		1	0	0	14	1	0	4.29	.800
1998–99	St. Louis Blues	NHL		33	13	14	4	1763	70	3	2.38	.891		1	0	1	37	0	0	0.00	1.000
1999–2000	St. Louis Blues	NHL		19	9	5	2	1009	33	2	1.95	.903		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2000–01	Minnesota Wild	NHL		38	5	23	9	2230	98	2	2.64	.905		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2001–02	Houston Aeros	AHL		51	25	18	4	2852	130	3	2.74	.905		14	8	6	880	31	2	2.11	.929
2002–03	Calgary Flames	NHL		22	2	11	4	1165	58	0	2.99	.892		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2003–04	Calgary Flames	NHL		26	12	9	3	1446	53	4	2.20	.910		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2003–04	New York Rangers	NHL		4	1	3	0	244	12	0	2.95	.876		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2004–05	Guildford Flames	BNL		3	2	1	0	185	8	0	2.59	.941		7	4	3	385	13	0	2.02	.925
2005–06	Florida Panthers	NHL		17	2	4	2	678	34	0	3.01	.906		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2006–07	Calgary Flames	NHL		9	3	5	1	533	32	0	3.60	.895		1	0	0	0	0	0	0.00	—
2007–08	Nippon Paper Cranes	ALH		14	8	4	0	791	33	0	2.50	.921		10	6	4	599	23	0	2.30	.924
NHL totals				254	80	109	36	13834	617	13	2.68	.898		5	0	2	133	7	0	3.16	.892

Awards and honours

Award	Year	Notes
Western Hockey League
East First All-Star Team	1990–91
Del Wilson Trophy	1990–91
National Hockey League
Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy	1997–98

External links

• Jamie McLennan's career statistics at The Internet Hockey Database
• TSN profile
• Jamie McLennan on Twitter

Preceded by Tony Granato

Bill Masterton Trophy 1998

Succeeded by John Cullen