Craig Weller

Craig Weller
Craig Weller
Born	March 17, 1981 (age 43); Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Height	6 ft 4 in (193 cm)
Weight	220 lb (100 kg; 15 st 10 lb)
Position	Right Wing
Shot	Right
Played for	Phoenix Coyotes; Minnesota Wild; Florida Panthers; Cardiff Devils; Villacher SV; ERC Ingolstadt
NHL draft	167th overall, 2000; St. Louis Blues
Playing career	2002–2013

Craig Weller (born March 17, 1981) is a

Phoenix Coyotes, Minnesota Wild, and Florida Panthers

during his career.

Playing career

Weller was born in Calgary, Alberta. As a youth, he played in the 1995 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with the Calgary Junior Flames minor ice hockey team.^[1]

Weller was the

Phoenix Coyotes on July 19, 2007.^[2]

He scored his first career NHL goal on October 25, 2007, against the Anaheim Ducks; the goal turned out to be the game-winning goal.^[3]

On July 1, 2008, Weller signed a two-year, $1.2 million contract with the

Alexander Fallstrom and a second round draft pick in 2011 in exchange for Chuck Kobasew.^[4]

On March 3, 2010, Weller was traded from the Bruins to the Florida Panthers along with Byron Bitz and a second round draft pick in exchange for Dennis Seidenberg and Matt Bartkowski.^[5]

On 1 November 2010, the

EIHL in the UK announced they had signed Weller, who was a free agent at the time. He became the most experienced NHL player after Theoren Fleury to play in the Elite League, playing in his preferred position as a defenceman.^{[citation needed}

]

With Weller on board, the Devils embarked on 22-game unbeaten streak, breaking the league and world records. However, the Devils narrowly missed out on the league title, finishing level on points with the Sheffield Steelers but having won 1 regulation game less, before being beaten in the Playoff final 5–4 to the Nottingham Panthers. After his first season in the UK Weller quickly established himself as a reliable, solid two way defenceman, drawing admiration from across the league, culminating in 3 awards - League Player of the Season (Journalist's Choice), Player of the Season (Voted by League GM's and Coaches) and Defenceman of the Season (Voted by League GM's and Coaches).^[citation needed]

Weller left the Devils to join

2012–13 season. In establishing a position within Panther's lineup, Weller was signed for the remainder of the campaign on September 5, 2012.^[6]

Career statistics

			Regular season					Playoffs
Season	Team	League	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1997–98	Calgary Flames AAA	AMHL	33	2	10	12	65	3	0	1	1	2
1998–99	Calgary Canucks	AJHL	49	4	14	18	80	13	0	1	1	10
1999–2000	Calgary Canucks	AJHL	53	3	14	17	100	4	0	0	0	4
2000–01	University of Minnesota Duluth	WCHA	6	0	1	1	0	—	—	—	—	—
2000–01	Kootenay Ice	WHL	30	1	5	6	40	11	0	2	2	26
2001–02	Kootenay Ice	WHL	69	5	13	18	127	22	3	7	10	27
2002–03	Hartford Wolf Pack	AHL	11	0	0	0	8	2	0	0	0	0
2002–03	Charlotte Checkers	ECHL	48	3	11	14	84	—	—	—	—	—
2003–04	Hartford Wolf Pack	AHL	68	5	9	14	86	16	2	2	4	30
2004–05	Hartford Wolf Pack	AHL	76	10	9	19	182	6	0	1	1	6
2005–06	Hartford Wolf Pack	AHL	80	12	21	33	152	13	2	3	5	44
2006–07	Hartford Wolf Pack	AHL	56	11	6	17	96	4	0	0	0	4
2007–08	Phoenix Coyotes	NHL	59	3	8	11	80	—	—	—	—	—
2008–09	Minnesota Wild	NHL	36	1	2	3	47	—	—	—	—	—
2009–10	Houston Aeros	AHL	5	0	1	1	7	—	—	—	—	—
2009–10	Providence Bruins	AHL	55	4	10	14	62	—	—	—	—	—
2009–10	Chicago Wolves	AHL	14	0	3	3	21	4	0	0	0	4
2010–11	Cardiff Devils	EIHL	41	16	36	52	52	4	2	0	2	6
2011–12	EC VSV	AUT	45	5	6	11	107	—	—	—	—	—
2012–13	ERC Ingolstadt	DEL	34	0	1	1	36	4	0	1	1	27
2013–14	Bentley Generals	ChHL	8	2	5	7	0	5	2	1	3	6
AHL totals			365	42	60	102	614	45	4	6	10	88
NHL totals			95	4	10	14	127	—	—	—	—	—

Awards and honours

Award	Year
WHL
West Second All-Star Team	2002
EIHL
Defenseman of the season	2011
Player of the season	2011
League Player of the season	2011

References

^ "Pee-Wee players who have reached NHL or WHA" (PDF). Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament. 2018. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2019-03-06. Retrieved 2019-02-10.
^ "COYTOES SIGN CRAIG WELLER". NHL.com. July 19, 2007. Retrieved February 10, 2019.
^ "Auld blanks Ducks as Coyotes' end Anaheim losing streak". espn.com. October 26, 2007. Retrieved February 10, 2019.
^ "B's sign Fallstrom to entry-level contract". Boston Bruins. 2013-03-17. Retrieved 2013-03-17.
^ "Bruins trade Bitz, Weller for Seidenberg". ESPN. 2010-03-03. Retrieved 2010-07-12.
^ "Weller remains a Panther" (in German). ERC Ingolstadt. 2012-09-05. Archived from the original on 2012-12-09. Retrieved 2012-09-05.

External links

Biographical information and career statistics from NHL.com, or Eliteprospects.com, or Hockey-Reference.com, or The Internet Hockey Database

[1] "Pee-Wee players who have reached NHL or WHA" (PDF). Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament. 2018. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2019-03-06. Retrieved 2019-02-10.

[2] "COYTOES SIGN CRAIG WELLER". NHL.com. July 19, 2007. Retrieved February 10, 2019.

[3] "Auld blanks Ducks as Coyotes' end Anaheim losing streak". espn.com. October 26, 2007. Retrieved February 10, 2019.

[4] "B's sign Fallstrom to entry-level contract". Boston Bruins. 2013-03-17. Retrieved 2013-03-17.

[5] "Bruins trade Bitz, Weller for Seidenberg". ESPN. 2010-03-03. Retrieved 2010-07-12.

[6] "Weller remains a Panther" (in German). ERC Ingolstadt. 2012-09-05. Archived from the original on 2012-12-09. Retrieved 2012-09-05.

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