Johnny Oduya

Johnny Oduya

Oduya in April 2016
Born (1981-10-01) October 1, 1981
Stockholm, SWE
Height 6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight 190 lb (86 kg; 13 st 8 lb)
Position Defense
Shoots Left
NHL team
Former teams
Dallas Stars
Hammarby IF
Djurgårdens IF
Frölunda HC
New Jersey Devils
Atlanta Thrashers
Winnipeg Jets
Chicago Blackhawks
National team  Sweden
NHL Draft 221st overall, 2001
Washington Capitals
Playing career 1999present

David Johnny Oduya (born October 1, 1981), usually referred to as Johnny Oduya, is a Swedish professional ice hockey defenceman who currently plays for the Dallas Stars of the National Hockey League (NHL).

He is of Kenyan Luo descent on his father's side. Oduya is a two time Stanley Cup champion with the Blackhawks in 2013 and 2015.

Playing career

Oduya with the Winnipeg Jets in 2012

Oduya's first club was Hammarby IF, where he played as a junior. In 2000, at the age of 19, he moved to North America to play in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). He spent one season in North America, splitting time between Victoriaville Tigres and Moncton Wildcats. After moving back to Sweden, he played two seasons with Hammarby's pro-team in HockeyAllsvenskan before signing a contract with Djurgårdens IF in the Swedish Elitserien. During the two seasons he spent with the team, he was known as an aggressive defenceman and an enforcer. At times, he fought with opposition players and registered high penalties in minutes numbers. Despite this, he was also a dependable player and played regularly in the Swedish national team during the Euro Hockey Tour. In the 2005–06 season, after he had been dismissed by the Washington Capitals, the NHL organization that drafted him 221st overall in 2001, he moved to another Swedish team, Frölunda HC. With Frölunda, he played as a more offensive defenceman, scoring eight goals and 11 assists.

Oduya with the New Jersey Devils

The following season, 2006–07, Oduya signed with the New Jersey Devils in the NHL. Although expected by many to be a depth player with the Devils, when several of the team's defenders were injured, Oduya earned a spot in the lineup. He played surprisingly well in the NHL, periodically registering nearly 20 minutes of ice time per game. He played in 76 Devils games that season, only missing eight due to a mid-season injury. However, in the 2007 Stanley Cup playoffs, he was not dressed for New Jersey when the Devils were defeated in the second round, largely due to the impressive play of rookie defenceman Andy Greene.[1]

After several successful NHL seasons, Oduya was named to the Swedish roster for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. On February 4, 2010, he was traded to the Atlanta Thrashers, along with Niclas Bergfors, Patrice Cormier and a first-round draft pick in 2010, in exchange for Ilya Kovalchuk and Anssi Salmela.[2] Two years later, on February 27, 2012, Oduya was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks for a second- and third-round pick in 2013.[3]

In October 2012, during the 2012–13 NHL lockout, Oduya traveled to Bangkok, Thailand, to play for the local Flying Farangs team in the 18th Annual "Land of Smiles" Hockey tournament. He carried his team to the championship against Abu-Dhabi, and helped bring home Bangkok's first title in tournament history. [4][5]

In June 2013, Oduya won his first Stanley Cup with the Chicago Blackhawks, who defeated the Boston Bruins in six games in the Finals.[6] In Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals, Oduya assisted on the Cup winning goal scored by Dave Bolland. Oduya's shot came from the left point and deflected off the stick of Michael Frolik. Bolland, in position in front of the Boston goal, pushed the deflected shot past Bruins goaltender Tuuka Rask to give the Blackhawks their second Stanley Cup in four years.

On June 15, 2015 at the United Center in Chicago, Oduya won his second Stanley Cup with the Chicago Blackhawks over the Tampa Bay Lightning in 6 games. It was the Blackhawks' third Stanley Cup in six years.

After four seasons with the Blackhawks Oduya left as a free agent and signed a two-year contract with the Dallas Stars on July 15, 2015.[7]

Personal life

Johnny is the son of a Kenyan father and a Swedish mother. He is the younger brother of the late Fredrik Oduya, a former NHL draftee who was an enforcer in the minor leagues.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

    Regular season   Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1999–00 Hammarby IF J20 323182148 61234
1999–00 Hammarby IF Allsv 10000 10000
2000–01 Moncton Wildcats QMJHL 44113849147
2000–01 Victoriaville Tigres QMJHL 2431619112 13491310
2001–02 Hammarby IF Allsv 4611142566 21014
2002–03 Hammarby IF Allsv 3882028162 10751238
2003–04 Djurgårdens IF SEL 42448173 40006
2004–05 Djurgårdens IF SEL 49246139 1202239
2005–06 Frölunda HC SEL 478111995 1712316
2006–07 New Jersey Devils NHL 76291161 60116
2007–08 New Jersey Devils NHL 756202646 50116
2008–09 New Jersey Devils NHL 827222930 70002
2009–10 New Jersey Devils NHL 4022418
2009–10 Atlanta Thrashers NHL 2718912
2010–11 Atlanta Thrashers NHL 822151722
2011–12 Winnipeg Jets NHL 632111333
2011–12 Chicago Blackhawks NHL 181450 6 0 3 30
2012–13 Chicago Blackhawks NHL 48391210 2335816
2013–14 Chicago Blackhawks NHL 773131638 192578
2014–15 Chicago Blackhawks NHL 76281026 230556
NHL totals 66431121152296 895202544
SHL totals 138141933407 3314561
Medal record
Men's ice hockey
Representing Sweden Sweden
Winter Olympics
2014 Sochi
World Championships
2009 Kloten

International

Year Team Event Result   GP G A Pts PIM
2009 Sweden WC 3rd 5 3 1 4 2
2010 Sweden OG 5th 4 0 0 0 12
2014 Sweden OG 2nd 6 0 1 1 0
Senior totals 15 3 2 5 14

See also

References

External links

Media related to Johnny Oduya at Wikimedia Commons

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