15 Interesting Facts About Paul Stastny

A highly skilled, legacy-born playmaker, Paul Stastny carved out a stellar 17-season NHL career defined by his elite hockey intelligence, outstanding vision, and international success with Team USA.

Position
Center
Jersey
#26
Status
Retired
Teams
6
Facts
15
1

He won a silver medal representing the United States at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

2

He announced his retirement from professional hockey in October 2023 after playing 17 seasons in the NHL.

3

He was drafted 44th overall in the second round of the 2005 NHL Entry Draft by the Colorado Avalanche.

4

He played college hockey for the University of Denver Pioneers, winning an NCAA Championship in 2005.

5

He scored the series-clinching overtime goal in Game 6 of the 2023 playoffs for the Carolina Hurricanes against the New York Islanders.

6

He began his NHL career wearing jersey number 62 before switching to number 26, which was his father's retired number with the Quebec Nordiques.

7

He had a 20-game point streak in his rookie season, breaking the NHL rookie record previously held by Teemu Selänne.

8

He scored his first career NHL hat-trick in the opening game of his sophomore season against Marty Turco of the Dallas Stars.

9

He is a dual citizen of Canada and the United States but chose to represent the United States internationally.

10

He was selected to his first NHL All-Star Game in 2008 but was unable to play because he had to undergo an emergency appendectomy.

11

He and his father became the eighth father-son duo in NHL history to both play in an NHL All-Star Game.

12

He played in Germany for EHC München during the 2012–13 NHL lockout, scoring 18 points in 13 games.

13

He played his 977th career NHL game on March 21, 2021, which exactly tied his father's career NHL games played total.

14

He was one of the few NHL players who preferred to use a wood stick during his first four seasons in the league before switching to graphite in 2010.

15

He made a $1,000 donation to the Canadian truckers' 'Freedom Convoy' in 2022, which was subsequently seized by the Canadian government.

About Paul Stastny

Paul Stastny is a Canadian-American former professional ice hockey center who played 17 seasons in the NHL, most notably with the Colorado Avalanche and St. Louis Blues. The son of Hockey Hall of Famer Peter Šťastný, he was a highly skilled playmaker known for his exceptional hockey sense, vision, and intuitive style of play. Over his distinguished career, he accumulated 822 points in 1,145 regular-season games and represented the United States in multiple international tournaments, including two Winter Olympics.

Career Achievements & Milestones

NCAA Champion

2005

WCHA Rookie of the Year

2005

NHL All-Rookie Team

2007

Olympic Silver Medalist

2010

NHL All-Star

2011

Player Information & Stats

Detailed career statistics and background information about Paul Stastny.

Player Info

Country: United States
Position: Center
Jersey #: 26
Status: Retired
Age: 40 years old

Physical Stats

Height: 6' 0" (183 cm)
Weight: 193 lbs (88 kg)
Born: Quebec City, Quebec

Career Stats

Seasons: 17
Goals: 293
Assists: 529
Points: 822
Teams: 6
Drafted: 2005
Round: 2nd

Teams & Career

Colorado Avalanche EHC München St. Louis Blues Winnipeg Jets Vegas Golden Knights Carolina Hurricanes

Paul Stastny played for 6 different teams during his 17 seasons career. He was originally drafted 2nd overall by the Colorado Avalanche in 2005.