Jeff O'Neill

Jeff O'Neill
File:JeffOneill.png
Born	February 23, 1976 Richmond Hill, ON, CAN
Height	6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight	195 lb (88 kg; 13 st 13 lb)
Position	Right Wing
Shoots	Right
NHL team Former teams	Toronto Maple Leafs Carolina Hurricanes Hartford Whalers
NHL draft	5th overall, 1994 Hartford Whalers
Playing career	1995–present

Jeffrey O'Neill (Born - February 23 1976 in Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada) is a Canadian professional hockey Right Winger in the National Hockey League who has played for the Hartford Whalers, Carolina Hurricanes and Toronto Maple Leafs.

Playing career

O'Neill was drafted in the 1st Round, 5th overall by the Hartford Whalers in the 1994 NHL Entry Draft, He was traded from Carolina to Toronto on July 30, 2005 in exchange for a conditional pick in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft. He also played for the Ontario Hockey League Guelph Storm, American Hockey League Springfield Falcons. O'Neill was also selected to the Eastern Conference team for the 2002-03 NHL All-Star Game.

Minor Hockey

O'Neill grew up playing minor hockey in the King City Kings (OMHA) program before playing AAA for the Richmond Hill-Vaughan Kings (OMHA). At age 15, O'Neill suited up for the Thornhill Thunderbirds Jr.A. (MTJHL) and finished second in the junior league in scoring as rookie.

In 1992, O'Neill was the first overall selection of the Guelph Storm in the OHL Priority Selection. O'Neill was the third of three brothers to play in the OHL (Donnie - Peterborough 1989-1992 and Ryan - Windsor/Guelph 1991-1994).

O'Neill spent three years in Guelph, leading the team to the OHL Finals in 1994-95 where his club lost to the Detroit Junior Red Wings - a club coached at the time by Paul Maurice. Maurice would end up being O'Neill's coach several years later with the Carolina Hurricanes and subsequently the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The Toronto-Carolina trade

O'Neill was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs on July 30, 2005 for a conditional 2006 draft pick. The 30-year-old had expressed a desire to play for the Maple Leafs before the signing of the new CBA. It was a fortunate move for O'Neill in part for the traditional reasons of teams improving themselves, but also because his brother, Donny O'Neill, 33, had died nine days before in a road accident in Vaughan, Ontario. The move allowed O'Neill to be closer to his family. Because of the passing of his brother Donny, the 2005-06 season was a hard one for O'Neill.

Career statistics

				Regular Season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1995-96	Hartford Whalers	NHL		65	8	19	27	40		-	-	-	-	-
1996-97	Hartford Whalers	NHL		72	14	16	30	40		-	-	-	-	-
1997-98	Carolina Hurricanes	NHL		74	19	20	39	67		-	-	-	-	-
1998-99	Carolina Hurricanes	NHL		75	16	15	31	66		-	-	-	-	-
1999-00	Carolina Hurricanes	NHL		80	25	38	63	72		-	-	-	-	-
2000-01	Carolina Hurricanes	NHL		82	41	26	67	106		6	1	2	3	10
2001-02	Carolina Hurricanes	NHL		76	31	33	64	63		22	8	5	13	27
2002-03	Carolina Hurricanes	NHL		82	30	31	61	38		-	-	-	-	-
2003-04	Carolina Hurricanes	NHL		67	14	20	34	60		-	-	-	-	-
2005-06	Toronto Maple Leafs	NHL		74	19	19	38	64		-	-	-	-	-
NHL Totals				253	13	33	46	239		29	0	0	0	6

Stats as of September 22, 2006.

References

• HockeyDB