B. J. Crombeen

Brandon James Crombeen[1] (born July 10, 1985) is an American-born Canadian former professional ice hockey right winger who last played for the Arizona Coyotes of the National Hockey League (NHL). He has also played in the NHL for the Dallas Stars, St. Louis Blues and Tampa Bay Lightning, drafted by the former in the second round, 54th overall, in 2003.

Crombeen (front) with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2013
Born (1985-07-10) July 10, 1985 (age 39)
Denver, Colorado, U.S.
Height6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Weight210 lb (95 kg; 15 st 0 lb)
PositionRight wing
ShotRight
Played forPorin Ässät
Dallas Stars
St. Louis Blues
Tampa Bay Lightning
Arizona Coyotes
NHL draft54th overall, 2003
Dallas Stars
Playing career2005–2015

Playing career

Junior

Crombeen started his junior hockey career with the OPJHL's Newmarket Hurricane 87's in the 2000–01 season. He then spent four seasons with the Ontario Hockey League (OHL)'s Barrie Colts.[2] He had 170 points in 248 regular season games and 21 points in 44 playoff games for Barrie, also recording over 100 penalty minutes in each season.[3]

Professional

Crombeen was drafted by the Dallas Stars in the second round, 54th overall, of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft. In July 2005, he signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Stars.[3] He split the 2005–06 season with the American Hockey League (AHL)'s Iowa Stars and the ECHL's Idaho Steelheads, totaling 20 points in 60 regular season games.[2] In August 2006, he signed with Ässät of SM-liiga. In 55 games, he had 22 points and 152 penalty minutes. He also played 13 regular season games and 22 playoff games for Idaho in 2006–07 and helped the team win the ECHL championship.[3][4]

Crombeen spent most of the 2007–08 season with the Iowa Stars, but was later recalled to the Dallas Stars in January and made his NHL debut. He played eight regular season games and five Stanley Cup playoff games for Dallas. In July 2008, he re-signed with the team as a restricted free agent. Crombeen played 15 games for Dallas early in the season, but in November, he was claimed off waivers by the St. Louis Blues. He finished the 2008–09 season with St. Louis, playing in 66 games and scoring 17 points.[3]

Crombeen re-signed with the Blues as a restricted free agent in July 2009. During the 2009–10 season, he played in 79 games. He had 15 points and a career-high 168 penalty minutes. In 2010–11, he played in 80 games, totaling 14 points and 154 penalty minutes.[3] He led the team in penalty minutes that season.[5]

In June 2011, Crombeen signed a two-year contract extension with St. Louis.[6] He suffered a broken left shoulder blade, however, in the Blues' final pre-season game in October.[7] He finished the season with three points and 71 penalty minutes in 40 games.[3] After the first year of his extension, St. Louis traded Crombeen and a fifth-round draft pick in 2014 to the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for fourth-round picks in both 2013 and 2014.[8]

Due to the 2012–13 NHL lockout, Crombeen signed a contract with the Orlando Solar Bears of the ECHL on November 16, 2012.[9] He played 44 games for the Lightning that season, totaling eight points and 112 penalty minutes.[3] On March 5, 2013, Crombeen scored his first goal as a member of the Lightning in a 5–2 victory over the New Jersey Devils.[10] On April 1, 2013, Tampa Bay announced the re-signing of Crombeen to a two-year contract extension. He skated 30 games that season, recording a goal and seven points to go along with 86 penalty minutes and a +6 plus-minus rating. Crombeen finished first on the Lightning and fifth in the NHL in penalty minutes accumulated for the 2012–13 season.[11]

On June 29, 2014, the Arizona Coyotes acquired Crombeen and Sam Gagner from the Lightning in exchange for a sixth-round pick in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft.[12] On October 28, 2014, Crombeen scored his first goal as a member of the Coyotes in a 7–3 loss to Tampa Bay.[13] On November 14, Crombeen played in his 400th career NHL game in Arizona's 5–0 shutout victory over the Vancouver Canucks.[14]

Crombeen retired in 2015 and took up a career in finance.[15][16]

Personal life

Despite being born in Denver, Colorado,[3] Crombeen was raised in Bright's Grove, Ontario.[17]

Crombeen was diagnosed at the age of nine with type 1 diabetes, one of the few athletes in professional sports with the condition.[18] His father, Mike Crombeen, played five seasons for the Barons, Blues, and Whalers from 1977 to 1985.[19]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular seasonPlayoffs
SeasonTeamLeagueGPGAPtsPIMGPGAPtsPIM
2000–01Newmarket HurricanesOPJHL3514132753
2001–02Barrie ColtsOHL601213251182011231
2002–03Barrie ColtsOHL6322244613361018
2003–04Barrie ColtsOHL6221295015412571235
2004–05Barrie ColtsOHL63311849111624635
2005–06Iowa StarsAHL5257129751019
2005–06Idaho SteelheadsECHL85385
2006–07ÄssätSM-l5513922152
2006–07Idaho SteelheadsECHL1374114322551045
2007–08Iowa StarsAHL65141428158
2007–08Dallas StarsNHL80223950000
2008–09Dallas StarsNHL1514526
2008–09St. Louis BluesNHL6611617122400012
2009–10St. Louis BluesNHL797815168
2010–11St. Louis BluesNHL807714154
2011–12St. Louis BluesNHL4012371710131
2012–13Orlando Solar BearsECHL20002
2012–13Tampa Bay LightningNHL44178112
2013–14Tampa Bay LightningNHL5537107920000
2014–15Arizona CoyotesNHL5833679
NHL totals4453446808501810143

International

YearTeamEventGPGAPtsPIM
2003CanadaWJC1871454
Junior totals71454

References