Steven Goertzen

Steven Goertzen (born May 26, 1984) is a Canadian-born former professional ice hockey winger who played in the National Hockey League for the Columbus Blue Jackets, Phoenix Coyotes and the Carolina Hurricanes.

Playing career Born in Stony Plain, Alberta, Goertzen started his junior hockey career with the tier II St. Albert Saints of the Alberta Junior Hockey League, but soon caught on with the Western Hockey League's Seattle Thunderbirds. After his first season with Seattle, Goertzen was selected 225th overall in the 2002 NHL entry draft by the Columbus Blue Jackets, and after three seasons and 81 points with the Thunderbirds, Goertzen moved to the professional ranks.

So far, Goertzen's career has been marked by low point totals, with his best professional season being in 2004–05 when he spread twelve points out between the AHL and ECHL. However, in the 2005–06 NHL season, Goertzen made his NHL debut with Columbus, and in thirty-nine games failed to record a point before being returned to the American Hockey League.

He failed to score a point in his first 48 career games. In his 49th career game, as a member of the Phoenix Coyotes, he scored his first two career points, both assists, in a 6–3 loss to the Edmonton Oilers.

On July 8, 2009, he signed as an unrestricted free agent with the Carolina Hurricanes. On November 10, 2010, he signed a one-year contract with the Springfield Falcons, for whom he had been playing on a professional tryout (PTO) contract.

On July 26, 2012, it was announced that Goertzen had signed for the Sheffield Steelers in the U.K. Elite Ice Hockey League. After two seasons, he switched to the Coventry Blaze. At the conclusion of the 2014–15 season with the Blaze on June 28, 2015, Goertzen announced his retirement from professional hockey.

Career statistics Regular season Playoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 2000–01 St. Albert Raiders AAA AMHL 34 11 18 29 70 — — — — — 2000–01 St. Albert Saints AJHL 1 0 0 0 0 — — — — — 2001–02 Seattle Thunderbirds WHL 66 6 9 15 45 11 2 0 2 4 2002–03 Seattle Thunderbirds WHL 71 12 19 31 95 14 4 3 7 9 2003–04 Seattle Thunderbirds WHL 69 15 18 33 115 — — — — — 2003–04 Syracuse Crunch AHL 8 0 3 3 4 1 0 0 0 0 2004–05 Syracuse Crunch AHL 57 2 7 9 100 — — — — — 2004–05 Dayton Bombers ECHL 11 0 3 3 2 — — — — — 2005–06 Columbus Blue Jackets NHL 39 0 0 0 44 — — — — — 2005–06 Syracuse Crunch AHL 32 5 5 10 41 — — — — — 2006–07 Syracuse Crunch AHL 60 9 7 16 120 — — — — — 2006–07 Columbus Blue Jackets NHL 7 0 0 0 10 — — — — — 2007–08 Syracuse Crunch AHL 59 8 5 13 72 — — — — — 2007–08 San Antonio Rampage AHL 22 1 3 4 34 7 1 0 1 5 2008–09 San Antonio Rampage AHL 57 6 8 14 90 7 1 0 1 5 2008–09 Phoenix Coyotes NHL 16 2 2 4 24 — — — — — 2009–10 Albany River Rats AHL 71 8 15 23 85 8 0 1 1 7 2009–10 Carolina Hurricanes NHL 6 0 0 0 5 — — — — — 2010–11 Springfield Falcons AHL 65 7 9 16 48 — — — — — 2011–12 BK Mladá Boleslav ELH 43 2 1 3 75 — — — — — 2012–13 Sheffield Steelers EIHL 50 19 21 40 54 2 0 2 2 0 2013–14 Sheffield Steelers EIHL 36 10 23 33 16 4 1 2 3 0 2014–15 Coventry Blaze EIHL 44 13 26 39 27 4 1 2 3 2 AHL totals 439 48 65 113 608 22 1 2 3 46 NHL totals 68 2 2 4 83 — — — — — EIHL totals 130 42 70 112 97 10 2 6 8 2