Jordin Tootoo

Jordin Tootoo
ᔪᐊᑕᓐ ᑐᑐ

Tootoo in September 2014.
Born (1983-02-02) February 2, 1983
Churchill, MB, CAN
Height 5 ft 9 in (175 cm)
Weight 199 lb (90 kg; 14 st 3 lb)
Position Right Wing
Shoots Right
NHL team
Former teams		 New Jersey Devils
Nashville Predators
Detroit Red Wings
NHL Draft 98th overall, 2001
Nashville Predators
Playing career 2003–present

Jordin John Kudluk Tootoo (Inuktitut: ᔪᐊᑕᓐ ᑐᑐ;[1] born February 2, 1983) is a Canadian professional hockey player, who is currently playing for the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League. Tootoo has previously played for the Nashville Predators and the Detroit Red Wings. Of Inuit and Ukrainian descent, he is both the first Inuk player and the first player to grow up in Nunavut to participate in an NHL game.[2] Tootoo is widely regarded as one of the NHL's best active agitators, and is able to annoy, fight, and distract other players to help his team win. At the end of the 2014-15 NHL season, Tootoo had 880 career PIMs in 607 NHL games.

Playing career

Tootoo in 2010 with Nashville

Nashville Predators

Tootoo played Bantam AAA hockey in Spruce Grove, Alberta. The Brandon Wheat Kings selected him in the 3rd round of the 1998 WHL Bantam Draft. Tootoo played for the Wheat Kings in the Western Hockey League (WHL) from 1999 to 2003 and was selected 98th overall in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft as the sixth choice of the Nashville Predators. He became the first player of Inuit descent to play in a regular season NHL game when he suited up against the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim on Opening Night October 9, 2003. He was also the first person of Inuit descent to be drafted by an NHL team. Tootoo wears the number '22' as a play on words of his name.[2]

Tootoo got his first NHL point with an assist on a Dan Hamhuis goal against the St. Louis Blues on October 16, 2003 and scored his first NHL goal against the Atlanta Thrashers on October 23. Tootoo has also earned two "Gordie Howe hat tricks"—on January 10, 2004, and December 8, 2007—when he notched a goal, an assist, and a fighting major in each game.

He spent the 2005–06 season between the Nashville Predators and the Predators' minor league affiliate, the Milwaukee Admirals, where he played during the 2004–05 NHL lockout. On July 21, 2006 he was re-signed by the Predators to a two-year contract. On January 31, 2008, he was re-signed to another two-year contract extension.

Tootoo scored his first playoff goal on April 10, 2008, against the Detroit Red Wings in the second period of Game 1 of the 2008 Western Conference Quarter Finals in a 3–1 loss.

Detroit Red Wings

Tootoo warming up during 2012-13 NHL season.

Tootoo was designated an unrestricted free agent after the 2011–12 season. He signed a three-year, $5.7 million contract with the Detroit Red Wings, Nashville's Central Division rival on July 1, 2012.[3] He scored his first goal as a Red Wing against his former team, the Predators on February 19, 2013.

On June 18, 2014, the Red Wings placed Tootoo on unconditional waivers for the purpose of a compliance buyout.[4]

New Jersey Devils

Tootoo attended the training camp for the New Jersey Devils on a tryout basis and signed a one-year contract with the team on October 7, 2014. He played with the team for 68 games during the 2014–15 season. He scored 10 goals, had 5 assists, and sat for 72 PIM ranking 55th most penalty points in the NHL. On May 8, 2015, he was re-signed to a second one-year $825,000 contract.

Suspensions and disciplinary issues

Tootoo has faced NHL disciplinary action on multiple occasions for his actions. On March 17, 2007, Tootoo punched defenceman Stéphane Robidas of the Dallas Stars in the face during a game. Robidas was knocked unconscious and suffered a concussion. Two days later the NHL issued Tootoo a five-game suspension without pay, and accusations of "dirty" play were leveled. These accusations were resurrected after an incident on October 11, 2007, in which Tootoo hit the head of Daniel Winnik of the Phoenix Coyotes with his shoulder.[5]

On December 6, 2011, the NHL again suspended Tootoo, this time for two games, as a result of a charging incident against Buffalo Sabres' goaltender Ryan Miller in a game played on December 3, 2011.[6] The incident occurred after Nashville's own GM, David Poile, publicly supported league action to prevent such hits on goaltenders.[6]

Columbus Blue Jackets' forward Derek Dorsett accused Tootoo of throwing a sucker punch at him during a game on February 20, 2013.[7]

Personal life

Jordin Tootoo's older brother Terence played for the Roanoke Express of the ECHL in the 2001–02 season. Terence had a successful junior career with the OCN Blizzard, and was named the Express' Rookie of the Year.[8] In August 2002, Terence committed suicide at the age of 22, in the wake of an arrest for drunk driving.[9]

Tootoo's middle name, Kudluk, means "thunder" in Inuktitut.[10] Jordin's mother Rose (née Harrison)[11] is of Ukrainian descent, while his father Barney is an Inuk from Nunavut.[12]

He is the paternal nephew of the former Manitoba Legislative Assembly Speaker George Hickes and cousin to former Nunavut Legislative Assembly Speaker and current Canadian Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard Hunter Tootoo.

Although born in Manitoba, Tootoo grew up in Rankin Inlet, Nunavut,[13] where he was taught to skate and play hockey by his father.[14] Growing up in Rankin Inlet also allowed Tootoo to learn the traditional Inuit lifestyle that includes hunting and camping.[2]

As the first Inuk[2] to play in the National Hockey League he has become a role model for youth in Nunavut.[15][16]

On December 27, 2010, Tootoo voluntarily entered the NHL/NHLPA's Substance Abuse and Behavioral Health Program to receive treatment for an alcohol problem.[17] Following successful completion of the program, he returned to finish the season and play in the 2011 Stanley Cup playoffs.

In 2013 Stephen Brunt mentioned on radio that he is working on a book with Tootoo.[18] The book was published on October 21, 2014, entitled All The Way: My Life on Ice.[19]

International play
Medal record
Representing Canada
Ice hockey
World Junior Championships
2003 Canada

Tootoo represented Canada at the 2003 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, where he recorded two goals and one assist in six games, and won a silver medal.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

    Regular season   Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1999–00 Brandon Wheat Kings WHL 45 6 10 16 214 — — — — —
2000–01 Brandon Wheat Kings WHL 60 20 28 48 172 6 2 4 6 18
2001–02 Brandon Wheat Kings WHL 64 32 39 71 272 16 4 3 7 58
2002–03 Brandon Wheat Kings WHL 51 35 39 74 216 17 6 3 9 49
2003–04 Nashville Predators NHL 70 4 4 8 137 5 0 0 0 4
2004–05 Milwaukee Admirals AHL 59 10 12 22 266 6 0 0 0 41
2005–06 Nashville Predators NHL 34 4 6 10 55 3 0 0 0 0
2005–06 Milwaukee Admirals AHL 41 13 14 27 133 15 9 2 11 35
2006–07 Nashville Predators NHL 65 3 6 9 116 4 0 1 1 21
2007–08 Nashville Predators NHL 63 11 7 18 100 6 2 0 2 4
2008–09 Nashville Predators NHL 72 4 12 16 124 — — — — —
2009–10 Nashville Predators NHL 51 6 10 16 40 6 0 1 1 2
2010–11 Nashville Predators NHL 54 8 10 18 61 12 1 5 6 28
2011–12 Nashville Predators NHL 77 6 24 30 92 3 0 0 0 4
2012–13 Detroit Red Wings NHL 42 3 5 8 78 1 0 0 0 2
2013–14 Grand Rapids Griffins AHL 51 6 12 18 104 4 0 1 1 4
2013–14 Detroit Red Wings NHL 11 0 1 1 5 — — — — —
2014–15 New Jersey Devils NHL 68 10 5 15 72 — — — — —
NHL totals 607 59 90 149 880 40 3 7 10 65

International

Year Team Event Result   GP G A Pts PIM
2003 Canada WJC 2nd 6 2 1 3 4
Junior totals 6 2 1 3 4

Awards

See also

References

External links

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