Fernando Pisani

Fernando Antonio Pisani (born December 27, 1976) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey right winger. He played professionally in the National Hockey League for his hometown Edmonton Oilers for seven NHL seasons, and one for the Chicago Blackhawks.

Fernando Pisani
Pisani with the Edmonton Oilers in April 2009
Born (1976-12-27) December 27, 1976
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Height 6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight 205 lb (93 kg; 14 st 9 lb)
Position Right Wing
Shot Left
Played for Edmonton Oilers
Chicago Blackhawks
SCL Tigers
HC Asiago
Södertälje SK
NHL Draft 195th overall, 1996
Edmonton Oilers
Playing career 2000–2011

Playing career

After posting 103 points in 58 games with the St. Albert Saints of the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL), Pisani was drafted in the eighth round, 195th overall, by his hometown team, the Edmonton Oilers in the 1996 NHL Entry Draft. Upon being drafted, Pisani played four years of collegiate hockey for Providence College.

In 2000–01, the Oilers assigned him to their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Hamilton Bulldogs. Pisani spent two seasons in Hamilton, before being called up in his third AHL season in 2002–03. He scored his first NHL goal on February 5, 2003, in a 2-1 win against the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim.[1] He finished the season with the Oilers, playing in 35 games with 13 points. Pisani is generally considered a "late bloomer", because he did not see his first NHL action until the age of 27.

Due to the 2004–05 NHL lockout, Pisani went overseas to Europe and played in the Swiss Nationalliga A and Italian Serie A with HC Asiago.

2006 Stanley Cup Playoffs

As NHL play resumed in 2005–06, Pisani scored a career-high 18 goals, 19 assists and 37 points. Although the Oilers entered the playoffs as the eighth and final seed in the Western Conference, they embarked on a cinderella run to the 2006 Stanley Cup Finals against the Carolina Hurricanes. Pisani became a playoff hero in the process, significantly elevating his game. Against the first-seeded Detroit Red Wings, Pisani scored two third period goals (his fourth and fifth of the series) in game six, series-clinching 4-2 victory.[2] Advancing to the second round against the San Jose Sharks, Pisani recorded another two-goal effort, including the game winner, in a 6-3 game five win.[3] Reaching the finals against Carolina, the Oilers faced elimination in the fifth game. Going into overtime on the penalty kill, Pisani intercepted a pass and scored his second goal of the game on a breakaway to stave off elimination. It was the first time in Stanley Cup Finals history that an overtime game was decided by a shorthanded goal.[4] Pisani then scored the Oilers' only goal in a game seven loss.[5] He just missed tying the game with three minutes left in regulation time when his shot, on the rebound from the initial shot by Raffi Torres, were both saved by Carolina goalie Cam Ward.[6]

Pisani finished the playoffs with a league-leading 14 goals including 5 game-winners,[7] nearly matching his regular season output of 18 goals in 80 games. He was re-signed by the Oilers in the off-season to a four-year, $10 million contract on July 1, 2006.[8]

Ulcerative Colitis

Pisani followed his 2006 playoff performance with a 28-point season in 2006–07, but the Oilers failed to qualify for the post-season. Prior to the start of the 2007–08 season, he was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, sidelining him for the first 26 games of the campaign.[9] He returned to the Oilers lineup on December 2, 2007, and was nominated that year for the Bill Masterton Trophy, an award given for perseverance and dedication to hockey.[10][11] The award was subsequently given to Jason Blake of the Toronto Maple Leafs who had been diagnosed with chronic myelogenous leukemia at the start of the season, but still managed to play in all 82 games.[12]

Final NHL years

An injury shortened 2008–09 NHL season saw Pisani suit up for only 38 games, scoring seven goals to go with eight assists.

After becoming an unrestricted free agent, Pisani signed a one-year deal with the reigning Stanley Cup champions, the Chicago Blackhawks, for the 2010–11 season, during which he appeared in 60 games and registered 16 points.

On January 1, 2012, the Swedish team Södertälje SK of the HockeyAllsvenskan announced that Pisani would join the team.[13] However, on January 10, Pisani revoked the contract, stating that he did not think he was at a level where he could contribute effectively.[14]

Personal life

He attended St. Cecilia Junior High School and Archbishop O'Leary Catholic High School with Sheldon Souray.[15] He and his wife Heidi have two sons and a daughter.

Records

Career statistics

Bold indicates led league

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1993–94 St. Albert Saints AJHL 50 6 21 27 24 11 3 6 9 14
1994–95 Bonnyville Pontiacs AJHL 16 4 34 38 97 — — — — —
1994–95 St. Albert Saints AJHL 40 26 21 47 16 5 4 1 5 4
1995–96 St. Albert Saints AJHL 58 40 63 103 134 18 7 22 29 28
1996–97 Providence College HE 35 12 18 30 36 — — — — —
1997–98 Providence College HE 36 16 18 34 20 — — — — —
1998–99 Providence College HE 38 14 37 51 42 — — — — —
1999–2000 Providence College HE 38 14 24 38 56 — — — — —
2000–01 Hamilton Bulldogs AHL 52 12 13 25 28 — — — — —
2001–02 Hamilton Bulldogs AHL 79 26 34 60 60 15 4 6 10 4
2002–03 Hamilton Bulldogs AHL 41 17 15 32 24 — — — — —
2002–03 Edmonton Oilers NHL 35 8 5 13 10 6 1 0 1 2
2003–04 Edmonton Oilers NHL 76 16 14 30 46 — — — — —
2004–05 SCL Tigers NLA 7 1 3 4 0 — — — — —
2004–05 Asiago Hockey A.S. ITA 12 1 5 6 6 9 4 6 10 0
2005–06 Edmonton Oilers NHL 80 18 19 37 42 24 14 4 18 10
2006–07 Edmonton Oilers NHL 77 14 14 28 40 — — — — —
2007–08 Edmonton Oilers NHL 56 13 9 22 28 — — — — —
2008–09 Edmonton Oilers NHL 38 7 8 15 14 — — — — —
2009–10 Edmonton Oilers NHL 40 4 4 8 10 — — — — —
2010–11 Chicago Blackhawks NHL 60 7 9 16 10 3 0 0 0 0
2011–12 Södertälje SK SWE.2 3 0 1 1 4 — — — — —
AHL totals 172 55 62 117 112 15 4 6 10 4
NHL totals 482 87 82 169 200 33 15 4 19 12

See also

References
  1. "Anaheim vs. Edmonton". USA Today. 2003-02-05. Retrieved 2008-10-01.
  2. "Oilers upset Red Wings in NHL playoffs". Bloomberg. 2006-05-02. Retrieved 2008-10-01.
  3. "Oilers close in on conference finals with 6-3 win over Sharks". USA Today. 2006-05-14. Retrieved 2008-10-01.
  4. "Game 5 a just outcome for Oilers". USA Today. 15 June 2006. Retrieved 2008-10-01.
  5. "Game 7: Hurricanes 3 - Oilers 1". The Globe and Mail. Toronto. Archived from the original on June 23, 2006. Retrieved 2008-10-01.
  6. Klein, Jeff Z.; Reif, Karl-Eric (2007-04-29). "These are the saves to remember". The New York Times. Retrieved 2008-10-01.
  7. "Fernando Pisani agrees to four-year deal". 2006-07-01. Retrieved 2008-10-01.
  8. "Saturday's Sports Transactions". USA Today. 2006-07-01. Retrieved 2008-10-01.
  9. "Fernando's future". Edmonton Oilers. 2007-10-12. Retrieved 2010-10-08.
  10. "Fernando Pisani returns to Oilers lineup". Edmonton Oilers. 2007-12-02. Retrieved 2010-10-07.
  11. "Jason Blake, Chris Chelios, Fernando Pisani are selected as Masterton finalists". International Herald-Tribune. 2008-05-09. Retrieved 2008-10-01.
  12. Hunter, Paul (2008-06-12). "Leafs' Blake wins Masterton Trophy". Toronto Star. Retrieved 2008-10-01.
  13. "NHL-meriterade Pisani till SSK". 2012-01-01. Archived from the original on 2013-04-18. Retrieved 2012-01-05.
  14. "Pisani vänder hem & Ingen Nylander". 2012-01-01. Archived from the original on 2012-05-24. Retrieved 2012-01-11.
  15. "Fernando Pisani alumni bio". Providence College. 2009-01-02. Retrieved 2009-01-02.
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