Rumun Ndur facts for kids

Rumun Ndur (born July 7, 1975) is a former professional ice hockey player. He was born in Nigeria but grew up in Hearst, Ontario, Canada. Ndur made history as the first player born in Nigeria to play in the National Hockey League (NHL). He played for teams like the Buffalo Sabres, the New York Rangers, and the Atlanta Thrashers.

Playing Career Highlights

Rumun Ndur started playing minor hockey in Ontario, Canada. He played for junior teams like the Belmont Pests and Clearwater Steeplejacks. In 1992, he was chosen by the Guelph Storm in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) draft.

Joining the NHL

The Buffalo Sabres picked Ndur in the 1994 NHL Entry Draft. He was the 69th player chosen overall. In 1996, he won the Calder Cup with the Rochester Americans. This is a championship trophy for the American Hockey League (AHL).

Ndur made his NHL debut with the Sabres during the 1996–97 season. Later, in 1998, he was traded to the New York Rangers. A year after that, he moved to the Atlanta Thrashers. He played 27 games with the Thrashers in the 1999–2000 season.

Overall, Rumun Ndur played 69 games in the NHL. He scored 5 points, which included 2 goals and 3 assists. He also had 137 penalty minutes.

Playing Overseas

After his time in the NHL, Ndur played hockey in other countries. At the end of the 2005-06 season, he signed with HK Jesenice in Slovenia. He became the first African player to play for a team in Slovenia. He helped his team win the Slovenian Championship that season.

Later, Ndur played for the Coventry Blaze in the Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL) in the United Kingdom. He also played for the Nottingham Panthers in the EIHL. Before retiring, he returned to North America to play for the Muskegon Lumberjacks.