Mike Sillinger

Apr 22, 2008 | By Ben Chaisson | Players Articles Archive

Mike Sillinger (born June 29, 1971 in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada) is a veteran ice hockey player currently with the New York Islanders of the National Hockey League. Sillinger has played for 12 different teams, more than anyone else in NHL history. Over the course of his career he has been traded nine times, also an NHL record.

Playing career

Sillinger was drafted by the Detroit Red Wings in the first round, eleventh overall, in the 1989 NHL Entry Draft. He stayed with the Red Wings until the 1994–95 NHL season when he was traded to the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim. After a short stint in Anaheim, he wound up playing for the Vancouver Canucks. Since Vancouver, he has been on the roster of nine other teams: the Philadelphia Flyers, Tampa Bay Lightning, Florida Panthers, Ottawa Senators, Columbus Blue Jackets, Phoenix Coyotes, St. Louis Blues, Nashville Predators and the New York Islanders.

Of these 12 teams, Sillinger has full seasons with only Detroit, Vancouver, Columbus and New York. The rest of the teams, he was traded to or from during a season. When Sillinger joined the Predators for the 2005–06 NHL season – his 11th team – he broke the record for the most teams played for previously held by Michel Petit and J. J. Daigneault. He also holds the related record of scoring a goal for 12 different teams. The next season, Sillinger set another record, playing in the NHL playoffs for an NHL-record eighth team. For all of these reasons, he is sometimes referred to as "Suitcase Sillinger".

On November 1st, 2007, Sillinger played in his 1,000th NHL game versus the Tampa Bay Lightning. His family joined him on ice for a pre game ceremony. The Islanders would go on to win the game 4–0, with Sillinger tallying an assist.

Mike Sillinger

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