Nigel Dawes facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Nigel Dawes
Dawes with the Adler Mannheim in 2022
Born	(1985-02-09) February 9, 1985 (age 40) Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Height	5 ft 9 in (175 cm)
Weight	200 lb (91 kg; 14 st 4 lb)
Position	Left wing
Shot	Left
Played for	New York Rangers Phoenix Coyotes Calgary Flames Atlanta Thrashers Montreal Canadiens Barys Astana Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg Ak Bars Kazan Adler Mannheim
National team	Kazakhstan
NHL Draft	149th overall, 2003 New York Rangers
Playing career	2004–2023

Nigel Alexander Dawes (born February 9, 1985) is a former professional ice hockey player from Canada. He played as a left wing. Nigel also became a citizen of Kazakhstan later in his career.

He played 212 games over five seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL). He played for famous teams like the New York Rangers, Phoenix Coyotes, Calgary Flames, Atlanta Thrashers, and Montreal Canadiens.

After leaving the NHL, Dawes became very well-known in Europe. He was a top goal scorer, often called a "sniper," in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). He played for teams such as Barys Astana, Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg, and Ak Bars Kazan. In the KHL, he scored an amazing 267 goals and earned 505 points in 543 games. This made him the 5th highest scorer and 2nd highest goal scorer in KHL history!

Before his professional career, Dawes played for the Kootenay Ice in the Western Hockey League. With the Kootenay Ice, he helped his team win the 2002 Memorial Cup in 2002. He also played for Team Canada in the IIHF World Junior Championship in 2004 and 2005, winning a gold medal in 2005. Later, he joined the Kazakhstani national team after becoming a citizen of Kazakhstan.

Playing Career Highlights

Nigel Dawes started his hockey journey playing junior ice hockey for the Kootenay Ice in the Western Hockey League (WHL). In his very first year, his team, the Ice, won the Memorial Cup in 2002. This was after they won the President's Cup as champions of the WHL.

Dawes got even better in his next two seasons. In the 2003–04 season, he was named a top player in the Western Conference. He also won the Brad Hornung Trophy for being the most sportsmanlike player and was named the Ice's most valuable player.

Dawes with the Rangers

After two seasons in the WHL, the New York Rangers picked Dawes in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft. He was the 149th player chosen overall. After playing more junior hockey and a few games in the American Hockey League (AHL) for the Hartford Wolf Pack, the Rangers signed him to his first professional contract in 2004 when he was 19.

Dawes played one more season with the Kootenay Ice, where he was recognized as one of the best players in the WHL. He finished his time with the Kootenay Ice as their all-time leading goal scorer, with 159 goals in 245 games.

Nigel scored his first NHL goal on October 21, 2006, playing for the Rangers against the Toronto Maple Leafs. He later recorded his first NHL assist in the 2007–08 season. He became a strong player for the Rangers, especially in shootouts.

Over the next few years, Dawes played for several NHL teams. He was traded to the Phoenix Coyotes in 2009 and then joined the Calgary Flames later that year. In 2010, he signed with the Atlanta Thrashers, and in 2011, he was traded to the Montreal Canadiens.

In May 2011, Dawes decided to leave the NHL and signed a contract with Barys Astana in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL), which is based in Kazakhstan. He played there for many years, becoming one of the league's top scorers. He later joined Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg and Ak Bars Kazan in the KHL.

In 2021, Dawes signed a two-year contract with Adler Mannheim in Germany's top league, the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL). After 17 years of playing professional hockey, Nigel Dawes announced his retirement in 2023 due to injuries.

International Play

Medal record
Men's ice hockey
Representing  Canada
World Junior Championships
Silver	2004 Finland
Gold	2005 USA

Nigel Dawes proudly played for Canada in the World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. He won a silver medal in 2004 and a gold medal in 2005. In the 2004 tournament, Dawes was a standout player, leading everyone with six goals and five assists in six games. He even scored two goals and an assist in the gold medal game against the United States.

Later in his career, Nigel Dawes became a citizen of Kazakhstan. This allowed him to play for the Kazakhstani national team. In 2016, the IIHF approved his request to play for Kazakhstan in the 2016 IIHF World Championship.

Personal Life

Nigel Dawes was born in Winnipeg, Canada. His mother is Canadian, and his father is from Jamaica.

Awards and Honours

Images for kids

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  Dawes with the Adler Mannheim in 2022

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  Dawes with the Rangers

See also

• List of black ice hockey players