Drew Stafford

Drew Stafford
Stafford while with the Buffalo Sabres
Born	October 30, 1985 (1985-10-30) (age 26) Milwaukee, WI, USA
Height	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Weight	202 lb (92 kg; 14 st 6 lb)
Position	Right wing
Shoots	Right
NHL team	Buffalo Sabres
National team	United States
NHL Draft	13th overall, 2004 Buffalo Sabres
Playing career	2006–present

Drew Stafford (born October 30, 1985) is an American ice hockey forward, an alternate captain for the Buffalo Sabres of the National Hockey League (NHL). He started playing hockey at an early age and played for the Waukesha Warhawks in Waukesha, Wisconsin, playing with local area legends Todd Rose and Damian Carrasco-Zanini. He then went on to play for the American Hockey League's Rochester Americans before being called up to the National Hockey League to play for the Buffalo Sabres on November 5, 2006.

Stafford is the nephew of the Edmonton Oilers head equipment manager Barrie Stafford. His Father, Gordie, had also played professional hockey in the International Hockey League.

Playing career

Stafford spent one year in St. Albert, Alberta, playing for the St. Albert Bantam AA Flyers. During this season (1999–2000) he finished 3rd in league scoring with 26 goals and 47 points in 30 league games, and led his team to a provincial berth. At the conclusion of the season Stafford was selected to participate in Hockey Alberta's elite development program as a member of the Northwest Sharks in the 2000 Pioneer Chrysler Alberta Cup.

Prior to playing at North Dakota, Stafford played minor hockey at Shattuck-Saint Mary's in Faribault, Minnesota. Following his stint at Shattuck he took another step forward in his hockey career, playing three seasons with the North Dakota Fighting Sioux. Following his freshman season, Stafford was drafted in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft 13th overall by the Buffalo Sabres. After two more seasons, he signed a contract with the Sabres in 2006 for his impressive play at both the WCHA and international level, foregoing his senior season at the University of North Dakota. Stafford finished his three-year collegiate career with an impressive 118 points (48 goals, 70 assists).

Stafford formed a band called "Red Seal Peach" while at UND with former Lowell Devils goaltender, Jordan Parise.

He started his professional career with Buffalo's AHL affiliate, the Rochester Americans. With nine points in the first eleven games of the season, he caught the attention of the Sabres' management, and was called up to Buffalo in early November to replace injured winger Maxim Afinogenov. In his NHL debut on November 5 against the New York Rangers, Stafford assisted on a game-winning overtime goal by Danny Brière, receiving his first NHL point. On November 11, he scored his first goal in the NHL on the Philadelphia Flyers' Antero Niittymäki. He won NHL Rookie of the Month honors for March 2007 despite the fact that Paul Stastny of the Colorado Avalanche had his record breaking rookie scoring streak in the same month. Stafford scored his first game-winning goal on February 27 against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Stafford skating with teammate Jordan Leopold in 2011

Stafford became a regular to the Sabres lineup in the 2007–2008 season, scoring his first career hat trick against the Atlanta Thrashers on January 18, 2008. More than a year later he went on to score his second hat trick in a 10-2 rout of the Edmonton Oilers on January 27, 2009. A little less than a year after that, he celebrated this third hat trick on December 15, 2010 against the Boston Bruins. He added his fourth, also against Boston, on January 1, 2011, his fifth on February 8, 2011 versus the Tampa Bay Lightning, and his sixth on February 13, 2011 against the New York Islanders.

On June 3, 2011, Stafford signed a 4 year, $16 million dollar extension with the Sabres.

Awards

• 2004: Gold medal (2004 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships)
• 2006–07: Played in the AHL All-Star Classic for Planet USA

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2003–04	North Dakota Fighting Sioux	WCHA		36	11	21	32	30		—	—	—	—	—
2004–05	North Dakota Fighting Sioux	WCHA		40	13	22	35	34		—	—	—	—	—
2005–06	North Dakota Fighting Sioux	WCHA		41	24	23	47	63		—	—	—	—	—
2006–07	Rochester Americans	AHL		34	22	22	44	30		—	—	—	—	—
2006–07	Buffalo Sabres	NHL		41	13	14	27	33		10	2	2	4	4
2007–08	Buffalo Sabres	NHL		64	16	22	38	51		—	—	—	—	—
2008–09	Buffalo Sabres	NHL		79	20	25	45	29		—	—	—	—	—
2009–10	Buffalo Sabres	NHL		71	14	20	34	35		3	0	0	0	0
2010–11	Buffalo Sabres	NHL		62	31	21	52	34		7	1	2	3	2
NHL totals				317	94	102	196	182		20	3	4	7	6

International

Medal record
ice hockey
Competitor for the  United States
World Junior Championships
Gold	2004 Helsinki

Year	Team	Comp	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2003	United States	WJC18	6	3	2	5	8
2004	United States	WJC	6	0	2	2	2
2005	United States	WJC	7	5	4	9	14
2006	United States	WC	7	0	1	1	0
2008	United States	WC	7	1	3	4	6
2009	United States	WC	9	2	1	3	6
Junior int'l totals			19	8	8	16	24
Senior int'l totals			23	3	5	8	12

References

• (December 14, 2006). Meet Drew Stafford. Featured article.
• (May 3, 2006). Sabres Sign Drew Stafford. Press release.
• (November 5, 2006). Sabres Rebound In Big Apple. Press release.
• USA Hockey. Drew Stafford. Retrieved May 8, 2006.
• Edmonton Minor Hockey Association Banatam AA League
• Drew Stafford at Sabres Rookie Camp
• Town of Banff Stafford Family Induction

External links

• Drew Stafford's career stats at The Internet Hockey Database

Preceded by Thomas Vanek

Buffalo Sabres first round draft pick 2004

Succeeded by Marek Zagrapan

Persondata
Name	Stafford, Drew
Alternative names
Short description	American ice hockey player
Date of birth	October 30, 1985
Place of birth	Milwaukee, WI, USA
Date of death
Place of death