Blair Atcheynum facts for kids

Blair Michael Atcheynum (born April 20, 1969) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He played as a right winger. Blair is from the Sweetgrass First Nation and is of Cree descent.

He played in the NHL for several teams, including the Ottawa Senators, St. Louis Blues, Nashville Predators, and Chicago Blackhawks. Before joining the NHL, he played in junior leagues and spent many years in the minor leagues, where he won the Calder Cup twice.

Blair Atcheynum has also supported young hockey players. He helped at the Aboriginal Role Model Hockey School in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. He was also an assistant coach for the Battlefords North Stars, a minor ice hockey team.

Playing Career

Junior Hockey Days

Blair Atcheynum started playing minor ice hockey with the North Battleford North Stars. He then moved on to play major junior ice hockey in the Western Hockey League (WHL). He first joined the Saskatoon Blades in the 1985–86 season.

After playing 19 games with the Blades, he was sent back to North Battleford. He rejoined the Blades for the 1986–87 season. Later that season, he moved to the Swift Current Broncos. This happened after the Broncos had a tragic bus crash, and Blair helped their team.

He then joined the Moose Jaw Warriors in the same season. Blair really started to shine with the Warriors in the 1987–88 season. He scored 32 goals and had 48 points in 60 games.

Becoming a Star Player

In his final season with the Warriors, the 1988–89, Blair became a star player and a leader. He had an amazing 22-game point streak. He was named the WHL's Player of the Month for the East Division twice.

Blair was named the Warriors' Most Valuable Player. He also won the Brad Hornung Trophy as the league's most sportsmanlike player. He was chosen for the WHL's First All-Star Team. He scored 70 goals and 138 points in 71 games, setting a new team record for goals in a season.

The Warriors made the playoffs that year. They swept the Medicine Hat Tigers in the first round. However, they were then swept by the Swift Current Broncos in the next round. Blair played in all seven playoff games, scoring two goals and seven points.

Professional Hockey Journey

Blair Atcheynum was drafted by the Hartford Whalers in the third round of the 1989 NHL entry draft. He was the 52nd player chosen overall. He signed a contract and started his professional career in the AHL with the Binghamton Whalers. In his first season, he scored 20 goals and 41 points in 78 games.

Winning the Calder Cup

In the 1990–91, Blair played for the Springfield Indians, the Whalers' new AHL team. He helped the Indians win the Calder Cup, which is the championship trophy for the AHL. He scored 25 goals and 52 points in the regular season. In the playoffs, he had six assists in 13 games.

He continued to play for Springfield in the 1991–92 season. He scored 16 goals and 37 points in 62 games.

Making His NHL Debut

In 1992, the NHL added two new teams. Blair Atcheynum was chosen by the Ottawa Senators in the 1992 NHL expansion draft. He made his NHL debut on January 19, 1993, against the Quebec Nordiques.

A few days later, on January 21, he got his first NHL point. He assisted on a goal in a game against the Minnesota North Stars. He played in four games for the Senators before returning to the AHL. He finished the 1992–93 with the New Haven Senators, scoring 16 goals and 34 points in 51 games.

Back to the Minor Leagues

Blair spent the next few seasons playing in different minor leagues. He played for the Columbus Chill in the ECHL and the Portland Pirates and Springfield Indians in the AHL during the 1993–94. He then moved to the IHL with the Minnesota Moose in the 1994–95.

He also played for the Worcester IceCats (AHL) and the Cape Breton Oilers (AHL). In the 1995–96, he had a great season with Cape Breton, scoring 30 goals and 72 points in 79 games.

Another Calder Cup Win

In the 1996–97, Blair signed with the Hershey Bears of the AHL. He had an outstanding season, leading the team in scoring with 42 goals and 87 points in 77 games.

The Bears made it to the 1997 Calder Cup playoffs finals. Blair missed some games due to an injury. However, he returned for the finals and helped the Bears win their second Calder Cup during his career.

Returning to the NHL

Blair signed an NHL contract with the St. Louis Blues in August 1997. He earned a spot on the team and made his Blues debut on October 11. He scored his first NHL goal for the Blues on November 1.

He played in 61 games during the 1997–98 NHL season, scoring 11 goals and 26 points. He was part of a strong defensive line called the "CPA Line." The Blues made the 1998 Stanley Cup playoffs and won their first series. They were then eliminated by the Detroit Red Wings. Blair played in ten playoff games.

Moving Teams and Final NHL Years

In 1998, the NHL expanded again. Blair was chosen by the new Nashville Predators in the 1998 NHL expansion draft. He played in the Predators' first-ever game on October 10. He scored his first goal for Nashville on October 24.

He played 53 games for the Predators in the 1998–99 NHL season before being traded back to the St. Louis Blues in March 1999. He played 12 more regular season games for the Blues. He also scored his first NHL playoff goal on April 25. The Blues made it to the second round of the 1999 Stanley Cup playoffs.

In 1999, Blair signed with the Chicago Blackhawks. He played in 47 games during the 1999–2000 NHL season, scoring five goals and 12 points.

For the 2000–01 NHL season, Blair started with the Norfolk Admirals in the AHL. He also played seven games for the Chicago Wolves in the IHL. He was called up to the Blackhawks again and played 19 games, scoring one goal. He finished his career with the Norfolk Admirals.

Blair Atcheynum retired from professional hockey in 2001. He played a total of 196 NHL games over four seasons.

Private Life

Blair Atcheynum is a member of the Cree First Nation. His father was also an ice hockey player.

Blair has been a role model for young Indigenous athletes. He was an instructor at the Aboriginal Role Models Hockey School in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. He also worked as an assistant coach for the Battlefords North Stars. In 2012, he was honored at the First Nation Games alongside Fred Sasakamoose, who was the first treaty Indian to play in the NHL. They were recognized for inspiring young First Nations athletes.

Career Statistics

Awards and Honours