Jonathan Cheechoo facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jonathan Cheechoo
Cheechoo with the San Jose Sharks in 2009
Born	(1980-07-15) July 15, 1980 (age 44) Moose Factory, Ontario, Canada
Height	6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight	220 lb (100 kg; 15 st 10 lb)
Position	Right wing
Shot	Right
Played for	San Jose Sharks HV71 Ottawa Senators Medveščak Zagreb Dinamo Minsk Slovan Bratislava
NHL Draft	29th overall, 1998 San Jose Sharks
Playing career	2002–2017

Jonathan Cheechoo (born July 15, 1980) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He played as a right winger in the National Hockey League (NHL).

During the 2005–06 season, he led the NHL in goals scored. He scored 56 goals that year. For this achievement, he won the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy. He was the first player from the San Jose Sharks team to win this award. The "Rocket" Richard Trophy goes to the NHL player who scores the most goals in a season.

Playing Career

Jonathan Cheechoo started his junior hockey career with the Belleville Bulls. This was in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). In his first year, 1997–98, he scored 76 points. This included 31 goals and 45 assists.

In the 1998 NHL Entry Draft, the San Jose Sharks picked Cheechoo. He was the 29th player chosen overall. Many people thought he would be picked later. Some even criticized the Sharks for choosing him.

Cheechoo continued to play for the Belleville Bulls. In the 1998–99 season, he had 82 points. He scored 35 goals and 47 assists. In the playoffs that year, he was amazing. He scored 30 points in 21 games. Five of his goals came in one game. This was Game 7 of the OHL Final. The Bulls won that game and their first OHL Championship.

The Sharks decided to let him keep playing in the OHL. They knew he could still get better. In his final OHL season, he had his best year. He scored 91 points, with 45 goals and 46 assists. Cheechoo often had small injuries. This was because of his strong, physical style of play.

After junior hockey, Cheechoo joined the Sharks' minor league team. This was the Kentucky Thoroughblades in the American Hockey League (AHL). He played there in the 2000–01 season. He scored 66 points in 75 games.

San Jose Sharks

Cheechoo played well in the AHL. In the 2002–03 season, he was called up to the San Jose Sharks. He helped the team, which was having a tough time. He played on the third and fourth lines. He scored 16 points in 66 games.

In the 2003–04 season, Cheechoo's hard work paid off. He scored 47 points in 81 games. He played with experienced players like Mike Ricci and Scott Thornton. They taught him how to play well defensively. Before the playoffs ended for the Sharks, Cheechoo had 10 points in 17 games. During the NHL lockout in 2004–05, Cheechoo played in Sweden. He scored 5 goals in 20 games for HV71.

The 2005–06 season was amazing for Cheechoo. His scoring exploded! He set a team record with 56 goals and 93 points. A big reason for this success was Joe Thornton. Thornton, a superstar center, joined the Sharks in November. Before Thornton arrived, Cheechoo had 15 points in 24 games. After Thornton joined, Cheechoo scored 78 points in 57 games. This included 49 goals!

Because of his incredible goal scoring, Cheechoo won the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy. He was the first Sharks player to do so. He was also the second Indigenous player to score over 50 goals in an NHL season. Joe Thornton also won the Hart Trophy (league MVP) that season.

In 2006, Cheechoo signed a five-year contract. During the 2006–07 season, Cheechoo had a slow start. But he picked up his game later. He finished the season with 37 goals and 69 points. After the season, he had surgery for injuries he got during the playoffs.

Cheechoo during the 2005–06 season. He scored a Sharks team record 56 goals that season.

In the 2007–08 season, Cheechoo's scoring dropped to 23 goals. It dropped even more the next season, to just 12 goals.

Ottawa Senators

On September 12, 2009, Cheechoo was traded to the Ottawa Senators. He played 61 games for the Senators. He scored 5 goals and 9 assists. In February 2010, he was sent to the Senators' AHL team, the Binghamton Senators. He played 25 games there. He was called back up for one playoff game. In June 2010, the Senators ended his contract. This made him a free agent.

Later Career

After leaving the Senators, Cheechoo tried out for the Dallas Stars. But he did not make the team. On October 5, 2010, he returned to the Sharks organization. He signed with their AHL team, the Worcester Sharks. He played 55 games and scored 47 points.

In 2011, Cheechoo signed with the St. Louis Blues. He played for their AHL team, the Peoria Rivermen. On November 27, he reached 500 career professional points.

In 2013, Cheechoo moved to Europe. He signed a contract with Medveščak Zagreb in Croatia. This team plays in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). He played well there, scoring 19 goals and 19 assists in 54 games.

In May 2014, Cheechoo signed with Dinamo Minsk in Belarus. He played two seasons there. In 2016, he signed with Slovan Bratislava. Cheechoo was chosen to play in the KHL All-Star game in 2017.

Retirement

On March 6, 2018, Jonathan Cheechoo officially announced he was retiring. He was honored at the SAP Center in San Jose. This happened before a Sharks game on March 24, 2018. The Sharks' general manager, Doug Wilson, spoke about Cheechoo. He said it was amazing that Cheechoo came from a remote area of Canada and became so successful.

Personal Life

Jonathan Cheechoo is a member of the Cree First Nations tribe. He grew up in Moose Factory, Ontario. When he was young, he didn't think he would play in the NHL. He thought he would become a trapper and hunter, like his grandfather.

But Cheechoo became a strong hockey player. At age 14, he left home to improve his skills. He moved to Timmins, Ontario, which was about 300 kilometers away. He played bantam hockey there. It was hard for him to be away from his family. But he had a lot of support from them.

His success was a big deal for Moose Factory. About 120 people from his hometown traveled to support him. This was when he was drafted 29th overall in 1998. Cheechoo loved growing up in a small, close-knit town. He was thankful for all the support he received. He said his favorite things to do as a kid were hunting and fishing with his grandfather, George Cheechoo.

As a young player, Cheechoo was part of the Little Native Hockey League. This tournament helps Indigenous youth play hockey. Cheechoo was captain of a team that won the tournament. He says being involved with this league was a positive part of his hockey journey. He was the Honorary Chair for the event in March 2017.

Cheechoo is known for talking to children and fans. He is a role model for Indigenous youth who play hockey. His involvement in the Little Native Hockey League inspires many young players. They hope to achieve similar success in hockey.

Records

• San Jose Sharks' franchise record for goals in a season (56) – 2005–06
• San Jose Sharks' franchise record for power-play goals in a season (24) – 2005–06
• San Jose Sharks' franchise record for hat-tricks in a season (5) – 2005–06
• San Jose Sharks' franchise record for hat-tricks in a career (9)

Career statistics

Bold indicates led league

Awards and Honours