Patrick Sharp

Sharp began his hockey career in Thunder Bay, Ontario, playing first for the Thunder Bay Kings program[1] then for the former Thunder Bay Flyers of the United States Hockey League (USHL). From there, he continued his hockey career in the college ranks with the University of Vermont, before the Philadelphia Flyers selected him in the third round, 95th overall, of the 2001 NHL Entry Draft.

Sharp won the Calder Cup with the Philadelphia Phantoms during the 2004–05 NHL lockout

After completing two years with Vermont, Sharp made his NHL debut in 2003–04, splitting the season between the Flyers and their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Philadelphia Phantoms, recording seven points (5 goals, 2 assists) in 41 regular season games with the Flyers, and 29 points (15 goals, 14 assists) in 35 games for the Phantoms. Due to the 2004–05 NHL lockout, Sharp spent the entire following season in the AHL with the Phantoms, registering 23 goals and 29 assists (52 points) in 75 regular-season games and eight goals and 13 assists (21 points) in 21 playoff games en route to a Calder Cup championship.

Midway through the 2005–06 season, on December 5, 2005, Sharp was traded by the Flyers (along with Éric Meloche) to the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for Matt Ellison and a third-round pick in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft.[2] He finished the season with a combined 31 points between the two teams. Sharp emerged with the Blackhawks in 2007–08, recording career-highs of 36 goals, 26 assists and 62 points. He led the Blackhawks in power play goals (9), shorthanded goals (7) and game-winning goals (7). Near the half-way mark for the season, on January 17, 2008, Sharp signed a new, four-year contract with the Blackhawks lasting through to the end of the 2011–12 season.

At the start of the 2008–09 season, on October 8, 2008, Sharp was named an alternate captain for the Blackhawks, along with Duncan Keith.[3] Despite being limited by injuries, Sharp helped the Blackhawks form a highly offensive and young core led by second-year forwards Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane and newly acquired defenceman Brian Campbell. He finished the season with 44 points in 61 games. He added 11 points in the 2009 playoffs as the Blackhawks were eliminated in the Western Conference Finals by the Detroit Red Wings.

Sharp with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2012

On June 9, 2010, Sharp won the Stanley Cup with Chicago over the Philadelphia Flyers, his former team. He contributed 11 goals and 11 assists during Chicago's 2010 playoff run.

On January 30, 2011, Sharp was named the Most Valuable Player in the 2011 NHL All-Star Game, earning one goal and two assists in the game. On August 3, 2011, he signed a new five-year contract with Chicago worth $29.5 million, which came into effect for the 2012–13 season and carried an annual salary cap hit of $5.9 million.[4] On September 12, 2011, Sharp underwent an emergency appendectomy after experiencing abdominal discomfort. Team physician Dr. Michael Terry anticipated that Sharp would have a full recovery in about three-to-four weeks.[5]

On November 25, 2011, in a 6–5 win against the Anaheim Ducks, Sharp scored his second career NHL hat-trick.[6] Jonathan Toews, who himself had a career-high five-point game, recorded the primary assists on all three of Sharp's goals.[7][8] Sharp would finish the season with 33 goals and 36 assists. He scored one goal during the Blackhawks' first round exit to the Phoenix Coyotes in the 2012 playoffs.

During the 2012–13 NHL lockout, Sharp remained in Chicago, while many of his teammates started playing for European leagues. He spent time with his then nine-month-old daughter, and was involved in Gillette's "My City is My Gym" fitness program as a spokesperson.[9][10] During the shortened NHL season, when play resumed in 2013, Sharp played 28 games, recording 6 goals and 14 assists and a plus-minus rating of +8. On December 27, 2013, in a 7–2 win against the Colorado Avalanche, Sharp scored his third career NHL hat-trick.[11] Four games after, in a 5–3 win against the New Jersey Devils on January 3, 2014, he scored his fourth NHL hat-trick.[12] On January 7, 2014, he was named to the Canadian Olympic team for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.[13]

He would win his third Stanley Cup championship with the Blackhawks in 2015. He scored five goals with 10 assists during the playoffs.[14]

On July 10, 2015, due to salary cap issues, Sharp and Blackhawks defenceman Stephen Johns were traded to the Dallas Stars in exchange for Trevor Daley and Ryan Garbutt.[15]

On December 22, 2015, in the first matchup against his former Blackhawks, he tallied a two-point performance, adding a goal and an assist in a 4–0 victory. He played in 76 games in his first year in Dallas, recording 20 goals and 35 assists.

On July 1, 2017, Sharp signed a one-year contract with the Chicago Blackhawks for the 2017–18 season.[16] Sharp accepted a pay cut, earning a $800,000 base salary with $200,000 in potential bonuses, to return to Chicago.[16] The Blackhawks named Sharp an alternate captain for their final home game of the season and honored him after the game.[14] Sharp announced his intention to retire after his final game, commenting, "I think I've known what I wanted to do for a long period of time here, and it's never easy... But I think I'm just ready to take that next step in my life — and looking forward to it."[17]

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