One Star, One Sheet: Vincent Damphousse

Vincent Damphousse

432 Goals
1205 Points
1993 Stanley Cup

  Vincent Damphousse was drafted 6th overall in the 1986 Entry Draft by the Toronto Maple Leafs.  He is the highest scoring player from that draft year, and arguably had best career, with the exception of Brian Leetch, who was drafted 9th overall.

  Damphousse immediately became a regular on the Leafs.  In 1989-90 Damphousse finished second on the team with 94 points.  The following season he led the team in points with 73, which was 34 points higher than the next Leaf.  Damphousse also made waves around the NHL scoring four goals and earning MVP honours at the All-Star game in 1991.

  The Leafs, desperate for goaltending help, sent Damphousee to the Edmonton Oilers in a package that brought Grant Fuhr and Glen Anderson to Toronto.  Damphousse led the Oilers with 89 points but the Oilers felt a need to toughen up, and sent Damphousse to the Montreal Canadiens in a deal for Shayne Corson.

  Damphousse enjoyed the best years of his career in Montreal.  In his first season, 1992-93, with the Canadiens, he led the team in scoring during the regular season and during the play-offs.  1993 was Damphousse's first and only Stanley Cup victory.  Damphousse scored 90+ points three times while with the Canadiens, including a career high of 97 in 1992-93.  Damphousse also served as team captain from 1996 until he was traded in 1999 to the San Jose Sharks.

  By this time in his career, Damphousse was no longer a point a game player.  His best season with the Sharks was his first full season, 1999-2000, when he scored 70 points.  A free agent in 2004, he signed with the Colorado Avalanche, but announced his retirement after the 2004-05 season was canceled.

  Damphousse was a solid, but unspectacular, star throughout the 1990s.  He never topped 50 goals, 100 points or make the top ten in goals, assists or points. While he never played with any top tier scoring talent, he played with a lot of tier two and three players. 
  On a side note, I love how the 2003 Pacific Exclusives Gold scanned.  That set was notorious for coming out of the back in bad condition,  a lot of chipping on the corners and edges.