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Mathieu Schneider

Mathieu Schneider won a Stanley Cup with the Montreal Canadiens in 1993, helped the U.S. earn the inaugural World Cup of Hockey title in 1996, and is among the top five American defensemen all-time in the NHL in nearly every statistical category.

Schneider was drafted 44th overall by the Canadiens in the 1987 NHL Entry Draft, and began his 21-year professional career with Montreal in 1987-88. Over the course of his NHL career, he played with Montreal for parts of eight seasons and had stints with nine additional franchises including the New York Islanders, Toronto Maple Leafs, New York Rangers, Los Angeles Kings, Detroit Red Wings, Anaheim Ducks, Atlanta Thrashers, Vancouver Canucks and Phoenix Coyotes. 

A year after helping the Canadiens win the Stanley Cup in 1993, Schneider led all Montreal defensemen with 52 points, including 20 goals. He was traded during the following season to the Islanders where he spent nearly two seasons before being moved to Toronto in the midst of the 1995-96 campaign.

Following time with the Rangers and Kings, Schneider joined the Red Wings during the 2002-03 season. In the course of his four campaigns with the Red Wings, he surpassed 1,000 games played and 100 postseason appearances. He also recorded single-season career-highs in points (59) and goals (21) during the 2005-06 season and tied his single-season mark for assists (41) in 2006-07. After leaving Detroit, Schneider spent the following three seasons in Anaheim, Atlanta, Montreal and Vancouver before finishing his NHL career with Phoenix in 2009-10.

A two-time NHL All-Star Game participant (1996, 2003), Schneider completed his career with 743 points (223-520) in 1,289 NHL games. He is among the top five American defensemen of all-time in nearly every statistical category, including games played (3rd, 1289), points (5th, 43), goals (4th, 223), power play goals (3rd, 100), and game-winning goals (4th, 36). He is also sixth in assists (520).

Schneider put on the Team USA sweater at four international events, highlighted by helping the U.S. earn the inaugural World Cup of Hockey title in 1996. He also participated in two Olympic Winter Games (1998, 2006) as well as the IIHF World Junior Championship (1988).