Rumun Ndur facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Rumun Ndur |
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Born | Zaria, Nigeria |
July 7, 1975 ||
Height | 6 ft 2 in (188 cm) | ||
Weight | 244 lb (111 kg; 17 st 6 lb) | ||
Position | Defence | ||
Shot | Left | ||
Played for | Buffalo Sabres New York Rangers Atlanta Thrashers Coventry Blaze Nottingham Panthers Muskegon Lumberjacks |
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NHL Draft | 69th overall, 1994 Buffalo Sabres |
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Playing career | 1995–2010 |
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 as a defence player for teams like the Buffalo Sabres, the New York Rangers, and the Atlanta Thrashers.
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Rumun Ndur's Hockey Journey
Starting Out in Canada
Rumun Ndur moved to Union, Ontario, which is close to London, Ontario. There, he started playing minor hockey for the St. Thomas Travelers. He also played for junior teams like the Belmont Pests and Clearwater Steeplejacks.
In 1992, Ndur was chosen by the Guelph Storm in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) draft. This was an important step in his journey to becoming a professional player.
Reaching the NHL
The Buffalo Sabres picked Rumun 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, a team in the American Hockey League (AHL).
Ndur made his first appearance in the NHL during the 1996–97 season with the Sabres. Later, in 1998, he was traded to the New York Rangers. A year after that, he joined the Atlanta Thrashers. Overall, Ndur played 69 games in the NHL. He scored 2 goals and made 3 assists, totaling 5 points. He also had 137 penalty minutes.
Playing in Europe
After his time in the NHL, Ndur played for teams in other countries. In 2005, he signed with HK Jesenice in the Slovenian Ice Hockey League. This made him the first African player to join a team in Slovenia. He played 14 games there, scoring 2 goals and 3 assists. That season, Ndur helped his team win the Slovenian Championship.
Later Career
Ndur later played for the Coventry Blaze in the Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL) in the UK. He suffered a neck injury early in the 2007–08 season, which kept him from playing for the rest of the year.
After leaving Coventry, Ndur joined the Nottingham Panthers for the 2008–09 season. He then returned to North America to play for the Muskegon Lumberjacks in the International Hockey League before he retired from playing.