Mark Rycroft

Ice hockey player

Mark Rycroft

Born|  (1978-07-12) July 12, 1978 (age 46)
Penticton, British Columbia, Canada
Height|  5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
Weight|  194 lb (88 kg; 13 st 12 lb)
Position|  Right wing
Shot|  Right
Played for|  St. Louis Blues
Colorado Avalanche
NHL draft|  Undrafted
Playing career|  2000-2008

Mark A. Rycroft (born July 12, 1978) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey right winger who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the St. Louis Blues and Colorado Avalanche. Rycroft is currently a color commentator for Altitude Sports and Entertainment, the local affiliate of the Colorado Avalanche.

## Playing career

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Prior to playing professional hockey, Rycroft played two seasons with Nanaimo Clippers in the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) and three collegiate seasons at the University of Denver. Having gone undrafted in any NHL Entry Draft, on May 15, 2000, Rycroft signed an NHL contract with the St. Louis Blues as a free agent. In the 2001–02 season, he made his NHL debut with the Blues.

During the 2004–05 NHL lockout, Rycroft played for the Diables Rouges de Briançon in the Ligue Magnus. On July 12, 2006, he was signed as a free agent by the Colorado Avalanche to a two-year contract.[1] After playing the 2006–07 season with the Avalanche, Rycroft was assigned to the club's American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Lake Erie Monsters, to start the 2007–08 season.

On January 22, 2008, Rycroft was traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for Darcy Campbell and Philippe Dupuis.[2] He was immediately assigned to the Blue Jackets' AHL affiliate, Syracuse Crunch, and ultimately never played a game for Columbus. On July 17, 2008, Rycroft signed with Dinamo Minsk of the newly-formed Kontinental Hockey League (KHL),[3] but was later released without having played a game for the team.

Rycroft is currently a TV color commentator for Altitude Sports and Entertainment, the local affiliate of the Colorado Avalanche.

## Career statistics

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|  | Regular season |  | Playoffs

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Season | Team  | League  | GP  | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP  | G  | A  | Pts  | PIM
1995–96  | Nanaimo Clippers | BCHL | 60  | 17  | 28  | 45  | 28  | —  | —  | —  | —  | —
1996–97  | Nanaimo Clippers  | BCHL  | 58  | 32  | 35  | 67  | 79  | —  | —  | —  | —  | —
1997–98 | University of Denver | WCHA | 35  | 15  | 17  | 32  | 28  | —  | —  | —  | —  | —
1998–99 | University of Denver  | WCHA  | 41  | 19  | 18  | 37  | 36  | —  | —  | —  | —  | —
1999–00 | University of Denver  | WCHA  | 41  | 17  | 17  | 34  | 87  | —  | —  | —  | —  | —
2000–01 | Worcester IceCats | AHL | 71  | 24  | 26  | 50  | 68  | 11  | 2  | 5  | 7  | 4
2001–02 | Worcester IceCats  | AHL  | 66  | 12  | 19  | 31  | 68  | 3  | 0  | 1  | 1  | 0
2001–02 | St. Louis Blues | NHL | 9  | 0  | 3  | 3  | 4  | —  | —  | —  | —  | —
2002–03 | Worcester IceCats  | AHL  | 45  | 8  | 18  | 26  | 35  | 1  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 0
2003–04 | St. Louis Blues  | NHL  | 71  | 9  | 12  | 21  | 32  | 3  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 2
2004–05  | Diables Rouges de Briançon | FRA | 13  | 8  | 8  | 16  | 18  | 4  | 2  | 1  | 3  | 0
2005–06 | St. Louis Blues  | NHL  | 80  | 6  | 4  | 10  | 46  | —  | —  | —  | —  | —
2006–07 | Colorado Avalanche | NHL  | 66  | 6  | 6  | 12  | 31  | —  | —  | —  | —  | —
2007–08 | Lake Erie Monsters | AHL  | 30  | 1  | 6  | 7  | 17  | —  | —  | —  | —  | —
2007–08  | Syracuse Crunch | AHL  | 34  | 3  | 10  | 13  | 10  | 13  | 2  | 2  | 4  | 4
NHL totals  | 226  | 21  | 25  | 46  | 113  | 3  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 2

## Awards and honours

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Award  | Year  |

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College
WCHA All-Rookie Team  | 1998  |

## References

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1. ^ "Avs agree to terms with Liles, four others". ESPN. 2006-07-12. Retrieved 2008-11-12.
2. ^ "Jackets trade for Avs' Rycroft". ESPN. 2008-01-22. Retrieved 2008-11-12.
3. ^ "Dynamo Minsk confirm newcomers". Hockeyweb.de (German). 2008-07-18. Retrieved 2008-11-12.

## External links

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