Craig MacDonald

James Craig MacDonald (born April 7, 1977) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played parts of eight seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL). He is from the town of Antigonish in Nova Scotia, Canada.

Playing career After gaining admission to Harvard University (where he majored in economics) MacDonald played for the Harvard varsity team before being drafted in the 4th round (88th overall) in the 1996 NHL entry draft by the Hartford Whalers. His rights were transferred to Carolina when the franchise moved there in 1997. After two years he joined the Canadian Olympic team in 1998, he signed with Carolina the following year, and played his first NHL game on January 7, 1999, against the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 1998–99 NHL season. On January 20, 2004, MacDonald was claimed off waivers by the Boston Bruins. On August 11, 2005, he signed as a free agent for the Calgary Flames.

While playing for the Florida Panthers, MacDonald was on a line with Marcus Nilson and Byron Ritchie that was named the John Deere line. They got this name due to them working hard every shift. The John Deere line was reunited in Calgary in the 2005–06 NHL season. On July 2, 2007, MacDonald signed with the Tampa Bay Lightning.

On December 20, 2007, during a game versus the Toronto Maple Leafs, MacDonald was hit by a wrist shot from Toronto defenceman Hal Gill that fractured nine of MacDonald's teeth, only three of which were able to be salvaged. He also required 25–30 stitches to close a cut in his tongue and an additional 50 or so to sew together wounds to the inside of his lip and gums, according to team trainer Tom Mulligan. MacDonald also underwent three root canal surgeries the following morning. He wore a full cage on his helmet to protect him from any further injury.

On July 14, 2008, MacDonald signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets. Craig is also one of the few NHL players who have attended Harvard. He left North America on June 30, 2009, and signed for German Deutsche Eishockey Liga team DEG Metro Stars. After one year with DEG Metro Stars signed on April 6, 2010, with fellow DEL team, Adler Mannheim.

In addition to having been a professional hockey player, MacDonald is also an accomplished golfer, having won two consecutive Nova Scotia Junior Golf Championship titles- and considered professional golf as a career before being signed by the Carolina Hurricanes of the NHL.

Career statistics Regular season and playoffs Regular seasonPlayoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 1995–96 Harvard University ECAC 34 7 10 17 8 — — — — — 1996–97 Harvard University ECAC 32 6 10 16 20 — — — — — 1997–98 Canadian National Team Intl 62 18 29 47 38 — — — — — 1998–99 Beast of New Haven AHL 62 17 31 48 77 — — — — — 1998–99 Carolina Hurricanes NHL 11 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1999–00 Cincinnati Cyclones IHL 78 12 24 36 76 11 4 1 5 8 2000–01 Cincinnati Cyclones IHL 82 20 28 48 104 5 0 1 1 6 2001–02 Lowell Lock Monsters AHL 64 19 22 41 61 — — — — — 2001–02 Carolina Hurricanes NHL 12 1 1 2 0 4 0 0 0 2 2002–03 Lowell Lock Monsters AHL 27 7 20 27 38 — — — — — 2002–03 Carolina Hurricanes NHL 35 1 3 4 20 — — — — — 2003–04 Florida Panthers NHL 34 0 3 3 25 — — — — — 2003–04 San Antonio Rampage AHL 2 0 0 0 4 — — — — — 2003–04 Boston Bruins NHL 18 0 3 3 8 1 0 0 0 0 2004–05 Lowell Lock Monsters AHL 71 10 18 28 104 2 0 0 0 0 2005–06 Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights AHL 13 1 3 4 29 — — — — — 2005–06 Calgary Flames NHL 25 3 2 5 8 1 0 0 0 0 2006–07 Norfolk Admirals AHL 7 3 6 9 12 — — — — — 2006–07 Chicago Blackhawks NHL 25 3 2 5 14 — — — — — 2007–08 Tampa Bay Lightning NHL 65 2 9 11 16 — — — — — 2007–08 Norfolk Admirals AHL 7 3 8 11 8 — — — — — 2008–09 Syracuse Crunch AHL 70 15 25 40 71 — — — — — 2008–09 Columbus Blue Jackets NHL 8 1 1 2 0 — — — — — 2009–10 DEG Metro Stars DEL 56 19 23 42 76 3 2 0 2 0 2010–11 Adler Mannheim DEL 51 6 22 28 123 5 0 2 2 4 2011–12 Adler Mannheim DEL 28 6 14 20 12 14 3 5 8 6 2012–13 Adler Mannheim DEL 51 7 22 29 68 6 0 1 1 4 NHL totals 233 11 24 35 91 7 0 0 0 2

Awards and honors Award Year All-ECAC Hockey Rookie Team 1995–96