Steven Joseph Chiasson (April 14, 1967 – May 3, 1999) was a Canadian ice hockey defenceman with the National Hockey League's Detroit Red Wings, Calgary Flames, Hartford Whalers and Carolina Hurricanes.
Chiasson died in an automobile accident, while driving under the influence, on May 3, 1999.
NHL career Chiasson was born in Barrie, Ontario, and raised in Peterborough, Ontario. As a youth, he played in the 1980 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with a minor ice hockey team from Peterborough.
Drafted by the Detroit Red Wings in 1985, he was an offensive defenceman who displayed a lot of skill. During the 1992–93 NHL season Chiasson recorded a career-high 62 points and represented the Campbell Conference in the NHL All-Star Game. He was traded to the Calgary Flames in exchange for Mike Vernon in the 1994 off-season. Chiasson spent two and a half seasons with the Flames before being dealt to the Hartford Whalers in 1997 and continued with the team as they became the Carolina Hurricanes the following season. After spending most of the 1998–99 season on the injured list, Chiasson returned for the playoffs and scored a power play goal in Game 5 of their conference quarterfinal round with the Boston Bruins, which would end up being his last NHL goal.
Chiasson was also frequently a member of the Canadian national team, representing them in eight IIHF World Championships over the course of his career.
Fatal accident On May 3, 1999, after the Hurricanes were eliminated from the playoffs in Boston and returned to Raleigh, Chiasson crashed his pickup truck on the way home from a team party. Driving roughly 20 miles per hour (32 kilometers per hour) over the speed limit and not wearing a seatbelt, Chiasson was ejected from the vehicle after it rolled over and died instantly from his injuries. Chiasson was survived by his wife, Susan, and three young children: Michael, Ryan and Stephanie. There is a sculpture garden created in his honor with life-size bronze portraits of his children playing around a pond and a plaque in his memory in Millennium Park, Peterborough, Ontario, the town where he was raised. The Stanley Cup was brought to this spot on July 27, 2006, by former Flames teammate Cory Stillman, after Stillman won the Cup with the Hurricanes that season.
Legacy After his death, the Carolina Hurricanes established the Steve Chiasson Award to honor the player who "best demonstrates leadership, perseverance, determination and dedication."
No player has ever worn #3 for the Hurricanes again, though it has not been officially retired.
Chiasson's older son, Michael played defence for the University of Michigan men's hockey team and wore his late father's #3. Chiasson's other son, Ryan, also wore #3 for the Dubuque Fighting Saints of the USHL during the 2013–2014 season.
Career statistics Regular season and playoffs Regular season Playoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM1983–84Guelph PlatersOHL551910112 — — — — —1984–85Guelph PlatersOHL6182230139 — — — — —1985–86Guelph PlatersOHL5412294112618101020371986–87Detroit Red WingsNHL45145732000191987–88Adirondack Red WingsAHL236111758 — — — — —1987–88Detroit Red WingsNHL292911579224311988–89Detroit Red WingsNHL65123547149521361989–90Detroit Red WingsNHL67142842114 — — — — —1990–91Detroit Red WingsNHL4231720805314191991–92Detroit Red WingsNHL6210243413611156121992–93Detroit Red WingsNHL791250621557224191993–94Detroit Red WingsNHL82133346122723521994–95Calgary FlamesNHL452232539712391995–96Calgary FlamesNHL768253362421301996–97Calgary FlamesNHL475111632 — — — — —1996–97Hartford WhalersNHL18311147 — — — — —1997–98Carolina HurricanesNHL667273465 — — — — —1998–99Carolina HurricanesNHL281891661122 NHL totals751933053981,10763161834119
International Year Team Event GP G A Pts PIM 1987 Canada WJC 6 2 2 4 21 1997 Canada WC 11 0 3 3 8
See also List of ice hockey players who died during their playing career
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