Anthony Stewart (ice hockey) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Anthony Stewart
Born	(1985-01-05) January 5, 1985 (age 40) LaSalle, Quebec, Canada
Height	6 ft 3 in (191 cm)
Weight	225 lb (102 kg; 16 st 1 lb)
Position	Right Wing
Shot	Right
Played for	Florida Panthers Atlanta Thrashers Nottingham Panthers Carolina Hurricanes Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg HC Fribourg-Gottéron Rapperswil-Jona Lakers KHL Medveščak Zagreb
NHL Draft	25th overall, 2003 Florida Panthers
Playing career	2005–2016

Anthony Stewart (born January 5, 1985) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He played in top leagues like the NHL, AHL, and KHL. Anthony was born in Quebec, Canada. His family moved to Toronto when he was a child.

Stewart played minor hockey in Toronto. He won three championships across Ontario. After his minor hockey days, he was chosen by the Kingston Frontenacs in the first round of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) draft. After two seasons with Kingston, the Florida Panthers drafted him in the first round of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft. He was the 25th player picked overall.

He spent four years with the Panthers' teams, playing in both the NHL and the AHL. After that, he joined the Atlanta Thrashers for two years. When the Thrashers team moved to Winnipeg, they became the new Winnipeg Jets. They did not offer Anthony a new contract. He then signed with the Carolina Hurricanes as a free agent. After one season in Carolina, he was traded to the Kings. However, he spent most of that season playing in the minor leagues.

In 2013, he tried out for the San Jose Sharks but did not get a contract. He then signed with Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg in the KHL. His younger brother, Chris, also played in the NHL. Chris retired after the 2019–2020 season, playing for the Philadelphia Flyers. Anthony Stewart also proudly represented Canada in several international hockey tournaments.

Early Life and Family

Anthony Stewart was born in LaSalle, Quebec, in 1985. He is the oldest of seven children. His parents are Norman and Sue Stewart. Norman moved to Canada from Jamaica in 1974. He often worked seasonal jobs like landscaping or construction. Sue was a stay-at-home mom.

Anthony's family moved to Toronto the year after he was born. When he was a child, they were evicted from their home. They then moved to a special shelter in a tough part of Scarborough. Anthony started skating at age four and playing hockey at five.

When he was young, he often walked with his father to hockey games and practices. One time, they were walking in a snowstorm. Another hockey parent, Bob Ziemendorf, picked them up. He was driving his own child to the same place. Mr. Ziemendorf drove them home after practice. From then on, he regularly gave the family rides. He also helped them with money for hockey and groceries. During a very difficult time for the family, Anthony lived with Mr. Ziemendorf and his family for over a year and a half. Anthony later said that without this help, he might not have made it to the NHL.

Playing Hockey

Minor and Junior Hockey

Anthony Stewart played minor hockey for the North York Canadians. He was such a good player that the head of the team personally helped pay for his hockey costs. With Anthony on the team, the North York Canadians won three championships across Ontario. He also played in the 1999 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with North York.

After minor hockey, the Kingston Frontenacs picked him in the first round of the OHL draft. In his first OHL season, he scored 19 goals and 43 points. In the 2002–03 season, he scored even more, with 38 goals and 70 points. He then added seven more points in five playoff games.

Before the next season, Anthony was named captain of the Frontenacs. He was also drafted in the first round of the NHL draft. Experts thought he was the 19th best young player in North America before the 2003 NHL entry draft. The Florida Panthers chose him with their second first-round pick, 25th overall.

Even though the Frontenacs missed the playoffs in the next season, Anthony scored a career-high 35 goals. He went to the Panthers' training camp before the 2004–05 OHL season. He played very well there. However, he was sent back to Kingston to help him grow as a player. In his last OHL season, he led the Frontenacs in scoring with 67 points. After the Frontenacs missed the playoffs again, Anthony played his first professional games. He played 10 games for the AHL team San Antonio Rampage. He scored one goal and two assists there.

Professional Career

Stewart playing for the Thrashers in 2010

Anthony Stewart started the 2005–06 season in the AHL with the Rochester Americans. After four games, the Panthers called him up to the NHL. He made his NHL debut on October 18, 2005, against the New Jersey Devils. In that game, he got his first NHL point, an assist. Two days later, he scored his first NHL goal against Washington Capitals goalie Olaf Kolzig.

He played ten games, scoring two goals and three points. Then, he injured his wrist when he crashed into the boards after a check. The injury needed surgery and ended his season. The next year he mostly played in the AHL. He played 62 games and had 13 goals and 27 points. Anthony played ten games with the Panthers, getting only one assist.

In the 2007–08 season, he spent more time in the NHL. He played 26 games for Florida and again only got one assist. While in the AHL, he played against his brother Chris. Chris was on the Lake Erie Monsters team. It was the first time they had played against each other in an organized hockey game. Anthony scored a goal and an assist in that game. Rochester won 3–2 against Lake Erie. He finished the season with 31 points in 54 games. In the 2008–09 NHL season, Anthony played only in the NHL for the first time. He played 59 games for the Panthers, scoring 2 goals and 7 points.

After that season, Anthony left the Panthers as a free agent. He signed with the Atlanta Thrashers. After the 2009 pre-season, he was sent to the Thrashers' AHL team, the Chicago Wolves. In his first year with them, he had career highs in games played (77) and assists (19). He also matched his career high in points (31).

Anthony played the entire 2010–11 season with the Thrashers. He scored his first career hat-trick in a game against the Anaheim Ducks. His third goal tied the game 4–4. The Thrashers then won the game in a shootout. In that season, Anthony set new career highs in games played and in all major scoring categories.

When the Thrashers team moved to Winnipeg, they became the Winnipeg Jets. They decided not to offer Anthony Stewart a new contract. This made him a free agent. He signed a two-year contract with the Carolina Hurricanes on July 2, 2011. After his first 50 games with the Hurricanes, Anthony had 6 goals and 13 points. He mostly played on the fourth line. Even though he led the team with a +4 rating, Carolina placed him on waivers. He stayed with the team after clearing waivers the next day. He finished the year with 9 goals and 20 points in 77 games. His plus-minus rating dropped to -2.

Before the 2012–13 season, the NHL had a lockout. Three weeks into the lockout, Anthony signed with the Nottingham Panthers in the Elite Ice Hockey League in the United Kingdom. Anthony said he signed with the team to stay in good playing shape. He played 19 games for Nottingham, getting 11 points.

When the lockout ended, Carolina traded Anthony to the Los Angeles Kings. They also sent two draft picks in exchange for Kevin Westgarth. Los Angeles did not play Anthony in their first game. They placed him on waivers before their next game. Anthony cleared waivers and was sent to the Kings' minor league team, the Manchester Monarchs. This move allowed the Kings to bring Anze Kopitar back to their active roster.

In the 2013–14 season, Anthony first signed a one-year contract with the Russian club, Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg in the KHL. He did not play well there, scoring only 1 goal in 19 games. So, Anthony and the club agreed to end his contract. He then joined the Swiss club, HC Fribourg-Gottéron in the National League A, on a monthly contract on December 16, 2013. Anthony had 8 points in 12 games. He then continued his busy season, joining his third club, Rapperswil-Jona Lakers, for a short time to finish the year.

On August 4, 2014, Anthony tried playing in the KHL again. He signed a trial contract with the Croatian club, KHL Medveščak Zagreb. He was released from his try-out after 12 games with the club on October 14, 2014.

International Play

Medal record
Representing  Canada
World Junior Championships
Gold	2005 Grand Forks
Silver	2004 Helsinki
World Junior U18 Championships
Gold	2003 Yaroslavl
Eight Nations Cup
Gold	2002 Slovakia
Representing Ontario
World U-17 Hockey Challenge
Bronze	2002 Manitoba

Anthony Stewart first played for his country in 2002. He represented Ontario at the World U-17 Hockey Challenge. This tournament is not run by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF). In this event, Canada has five teams from different regions. Team Ontario won a bronze medal, beating Quebec 5–2. Also in 2002, he played for Team Canada in the Eight Nations Cup. This was also not an IIHF event. He helped the team win a gold medal.

Anthony made his official IIHF international debut for Canada in the 2003 IIHF World U18 Championships in Yaroslavl, Russia. He scored six goals in the tournament. This tied him for fourth place in overall scoring. He was the top goal-scorer for Canada. However, he did not have any assists. He finished third on his team in total points. The Canadian team ended the first round with two wins, two losses, and one tie. In the next round, they beat the Slovakian team 3–0 to win the gold medal. At the end of the tournament, Anthony was named to the All-Star team.

Later that year, Anthony represented the OHL in the 2003 ADT Canada-Russia Challenge. He scored one goal. He helped the OHL win both of their games. This helped the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) win the series 5–1.

The next year, Anthony was chosen to play for Canada in the 2004 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships in Finland. Canada won all their games in the first round. They made it to the final game. There, they played against the United States team. In the second period of the final, Anthony scored a goal. This put Canada ahead 3–1. It was his third point of the game, as he had assisted on the two goals before. However, Canada gave up three goals in the third period. They lost 4–3 and won the silver medal. Anthony finished the tournament with 11 points. He tied with teammate Nigel Dawes and US player Zach Parise for the most points scored in the tournament. Dawes was officially named the top scorer because he had one more goal than Anthony and Parise.

Later in 2004, Anthony was chosen to play in the 2004 ADT Canada-Russia Challenge. He was part of the OHL All-Stars team. He was later named an alternate captain. He scored a short handed goal in the OHL's second game of the series. They won that game 5–2. The OHL won both of its games in the series. This helped the CHL win the series 4–2.

In 2005, Anthony was again chosen to play for Canada in the World Junior Championships in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Unlike in previous years, Anthony had a tough time at this tournament. In the second game, he was moved to the 13th forward spot, meaning less ice time. An injury to teammate Jeremy Colliton allowed Anthony to play in the next game. He scored two goals in that game, helping Canada win 9–0 against the German team.

Once again, Canada had an undefeated run to the final. They faced Russia in the final. In the final game, Anthony scored the fifth goal in a 6–1 win for Canada. This earned him his third international gold medal.

Media Work

From 2018 to 2023, Anthony Stewart worked as an on-air analyst for Sportsnet in Canada. He shared his hockey knowledge and opinions on TV.

See also

• List of black NHL players
• List of family relations in the NHL