Mark Recchi

Mark Recchi
Hockey Hall of Fame, 2017
Recchi in March 2018
Born	(1968-02-01) February 1, 1968 Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada
Height	5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
Weight	195 lb (88 kg; 13 st 13 lb)
Position	Right wing
Shot	Left
Played for	Pittsburgh Penguins Philadelphia Flyers Montreal Canadiens Carolina Hurricanes Atlanta Thrashers Tampa Bay Lightning Boston Bruins
National team	Canada
NHL draft	67th overall, 1988 Pittsburgh Penguins
Playing career	1988–2011
Medal record Representing Canada World Championship 1997 Finland World Junior Championships 1988 Soviet Union

Mark Louis Recchi (/rɛkɪ/; born February 1, 1968) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey winger and current assistant coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected in the fourth round, 67th overall, by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 1988 NHL Entry Draft and played a total of 22 seasons in the NHL for the Penguins, Philadelphia Flyers, Montreal Canadiens, Carolina Hurricanes, Atlanta Thrashers, Tampa Bay Lightning and Boston Bruins. Recchi won the Stanley Cup three times in his playing career: in 1991 with the Penguins, in 2006 with the Hurricanes, and in 2011 with the Bruins. During the 2010-11 season, Recchi was the last active player who had played in the NHL in the 1980s. Subsequently, in Game 2 of the 2011 Finals, Recchi became the oldest player ever to score in a Stanley Cup Finals game at age 43. On June 26, 2017, in his fourth year of eligibility, Recchi was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Playing career

Recchi played his junior hockey for the Kamloops Blazers of the Western Hockey League (WHL). His number 8 was retired by the team shortly after he left for the NHL. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins, first playing in the NHL in 1988, and was a key player on their Stanley Cup-winning team in 1991.

The following season, Recchi was traded to the Philadelphia Flyers as part of a deal that brought Rick Tocchet and Kjell Samuelsson to Pittsburgh. He played for Philadelphia from 1992 to 1995 as part of the "Crazy Eights" line with Eric Lindros and Brent Fedyk, including a 53-goal, 70-assist and 123-point season in 1992–93, still the Flyers' single-season point-scoring record. In 1995, he was traded to the Montreal Canadiens in a deal for Éric Desjardins, Gilbert Dionne and John LeClair, but was reacquired by the Flyers late in the 1998–99 season and was consistently among their top scorers.

During the 1999–2000 season, Recchi was a finalist for the Lester B. Pearson Award as the National Hockey League Players' Association (NHLPA) MVP, and he finished third in scoring, only five points behind winner Jaromír Jágr and runner-up Pavel Bure. Recchi also finished third in voting for the NHL All-Star team right wing position behind Jágr and Bure. In 2000 and 2004, the Flyers would make the Eastern Conference Finals, but they would bow out of each series in seven games.

In 2000, Recchi was named "Kamloops Male Athlete of the 20th Century", and had a street named "Mark Recchi Way" in his honour.

In August 2004, Recchi rejoined the Pittsburgh Penguins as a free agent, signing a two-year contract with a two-way option for a third year. The first year was eventually nullified by the NHL lock-out; in the second year, with the Penguins languishing at the bottom of the NHL standings, Recchi waived his no-trade clause to be sent to the Stanley Cup-contending Carolina Hurricanes at the deadline for minor-league forward Krys Kolanos, left wing Niklas Nordgren and a 2007 second-round pick. Recchi won his second Stanley Cup with the Hurricanes that season, then re-signed with the Penguins during the summer of 2006 off-season.

Recchi skating with the Penguins in 2007

On January 20, 2007, he scored his seventh career hat-trick (against the Toronto Maple Leafs), and just under a week later, Recchi scored his 500th career goal on January 26, 2007, on the power play against the Dallas Stars.

During the summer of 2007, Recchi re-signed with the Pittsburgh Penguins on a one-year, $2 million contract, but on December 4, he was placed on waivers and assigned to their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, on December 6. The Penguins then placed Recchi on re-entry waivers the next day, where Recchi was claimed by the Atlanta Thrashers. In his first game against his former team, he scored the game-winning goal in a shootout.

On July 7, 2008, Recchi signed a one-year deal as a free agent with the Tampa Bay Lightning. After scoring 45 points in 62 games with the Lightning in the 2008–09 season, and with the Lightning out of playoff contention, on March 4, 2009, Recchi was traded at the trade deadline (along with a second-round pick in 2010) to the Boston Bruins in exchange for Mārtiņš Karsums and Matt Lashoff. Recchi scored his first two goals for the Bruins three days later on March 7, as the first and third Bruins goals in a 5–3 home ice defeat of the visiting Chicago Blackhawks.

Recchi with the Bruins in 2009

On July 2, 2009, Recchi re-signed with the Bruins on a one-year contract. At the time, Recchi had stated that the 2009–10 season would be his final year. With the retirement of Joe Sakic in the summer of 2009, Recchi became the leader in points and assists among active players. Recchi would serve as an alternate captain during the season while Marc Savard was injured and out of the line-up, playing 81 of 82 games in the 2009–10 season.

During the 2010 playoffs, Recchi became the third-oldest player to score a playoff goal, behind Chris Chelios and Gordie Howe, and also became the oldest player to have a multi-goal game in the playoffs when he scored two goals in a 5–4 overtime loss to the Philadelphia Flyers in Game 4 of the second round. After suffering defeat in the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Flyers, instead of retiring, Recchi re-signed with the Bruins for a one more year.

In the 2010–11 season on November 24, 2010, Recchi scored twice against the Florida Panthers to earn his 1,500th career point.

In Game 2 of the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals, Recchi became the oldest ever player to score a goal in a Stanley Cup Finals, doing so at age 43. In Game 3 of the Finals, he scored the final two goals of his career. On June 15, 2011, Recchi became a three-time winner of the Stanley Cup and joined Jack Marshall, Frank Foyston, Jack Walker, Mike Keane, Claude Lemieux, Hap Holmes, Al Arbour, Gord Pettinger, Larry Hillman, and Joe Nieuwendyk in winning at least three Stanley Cups with three different teams, as the Bruins defeated the Vancouver Canucks in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals. Recchi also led the team in scoring during the Finals series.

Having previously announced he would "sail off into the sunset" if Boston were victorious in the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals, he announced his retirement in an interview with Ron MacLean of Hockey Night in Canada during the post-game Stanley Cup celebration. Recchi was the last player active in professional hockey who had played in the NHL in the 1980s, finishing his career fourth all-time in games played and 12th all-time in points.

Assistant coach for the Penguins in 2018

Post-retirement

Recchi is a co-owner of the Kamloops Blazers, along with Dallas Stars owner Tom Gaglardi and Jarome Iginla, Shane Doan and Darryl Sydor.

In 2013, Recchi joined the Dallas Stars as a consultant along with former Stars Mike Modano and Marty Turco.

On July 18, 2014, Recchi was hired as the Pittsburgh Penguins' player development coach. He was a part of the 2016 and 2017 Stanley Cup champion teams. He was subsequently promoted to director of player development on June 15, 2017. He was named the assistant coach on July 11, 2017, following the departure of Rick Tocchet, who was named the head coach of the Arizona Coyotes.

Recchi did not have his contract renewed by the Penguins following the 2019-20 season.

Recchi was hired by the New Jersey Devils as an assistant coach on September 8, 2020. He was subsequently fired by the Devils on May 4, 2022. The Columbus Blue Jackets hired Recchi as an assistant coach on September 25, 2023.

Personal life

Mark Recchi was born on February 1, 1968, to Mel and Ruth Recchi in Kamloops, British Columbia. Mark has three brothers: Marty, Mike and Matt.

Recchi married Kim Lazur on August 20, 2016, and they have two children together. Recchi has six children in total, four from a previous marriage. The children's names are: Christina, Bella, Samantha, Brendan, Cameron and Austin.

Awards and achievements

• Inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2017

Recchi in 2006 with the Penguins.

Award	Year(s)
WHL West first All-Star team	1988
Stanley Cup champion	1991 (Pittsburgh), 2006 (Carolina), 2011 (Boston) as a player, 2016, 2017 (Pittsburgh) as a development coach
NHL All-Star Game	1991, 1993, 1994, 1997 (named MVP), 1998, 1999, 2000
NHL second All-Star team	1992
Eddie Shore Award	2010

Records

• His 123 points (53 goals, 70 assists) in the 1992–1993 season is the Flyers regular season scoring record.
• Oldest player to record 5 assists in a game on March 1, 2009, at 41 years, 28 days.
• Oldest player to score a Stanley Cup Finals goal on June 6, 2011, at 43 years, 126 days.

NHL transactions

• On February 19, 1992: Traded from the Pittsburgh Penguins with Brian Benning and a first-round pick in the 1992 draft (Jason Bowen) to the Philadelphia Flyers for Kjell Samuelsson, Rick Tocchet and Ken Wregget.
• On February 9, 1995: Traded from the Philadelphia Flyers to the Montreal Canadiens for Éric Desjardins, John LeClair and Gilbert Dionne.
• On March 10, 1999: Traded from the Montreal Canadiens to the Philadelphia Flyers for Dainius Zubrus, a second-round pick in the 1999 draft (Matt Carkner) and a sixth-round pick in the 2000 draft (Scott Selig).
• On March 9, 2006: Traded from the Pittsburgh Penguins to the Carolina Hurricanes for Niklas Nordgren, Krys Kolanos and a second-round pick in the 2007 draft (Kevin Marshall).
• On December 4, 2007: Placed on waivers by the Pittsburgh Penguins
• On December 6, 2007: Assigned to the Pittsburgh Penguins American Hockey League affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, after clearing waivers.
• On December 7, 2007: Claimed off re-entry waivers by the Atlanta Thrashers.
• On March 4, 2009: Traded to the Boston Bruins from the Tampa Bay Lightning with a 2010 second-round pick, for defenceman Matt Lashoff and forward Mārtiņš Karsums.
• On June 15, 2011: Retired from the National Hockey League

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1984–85	Langley Eagles	BCHL		51	26	39	65	39		—	—	—	—	—
1984–85	New Westminster Bruins	WHL		4	0	1	1	0		—	—	—	—	—
1985–86	New Westminster Bruins	WHL		72	21	40	61	55		—	—	—	—	—
1986–87	Kamloops Blazers	WHL		40	26	50	76	63		13	3	16	19	17
1987–88	Kamloops Blazers	WHL		62	61	93	154	75		17	10	21	31	18
1988–89	Pittsburgh Penguins	NHL		15	1	1	2	0		—	—	—	—	—
1988–89	Muskegon Lumberjacks	IHL		63	50	49	99	86		14	7	14	21	28
1989–90	Pittsburgh Penguins	NHL		74	30	37	67	44		—	—	—	—	—
1989–90	Muskegon Lumberjacks	IHL		4	7	4	11	2		—	—	—	—	—
1990–91	Pittsburgh Penguins	NHL		78	40	73	113	48		24	10	24	34	33
1991–92	Pittsburgh Penguins	NHL		58	33	37	70	78		—	—	—	—	—
1991–92	Philadelphia Flyers	NHL		22	10	17	27	18		—	—	—	—	—
1992–93	Philadelphia Flyers	NHL		84	53	70	123	95		—	—	—	—	—
1993–94	Philadelphia Flyers	NHL		84	40	67	107	46		—	—	—	—	—
1994–95	Philadelphia Flyers	NHL		10	2	3	5	12		—	—	—	—	—
1994–95	Montreal Canadiens	NHL		39	14	29	43	16		—	—	—	—	—
1995–96	Montreal Canadiens	NHL		82	28	50	78	69		6	3	3	6	0
1996–97	Montreal Canadiens	NHL		82	34	46	80	58		5	4	2	6	2
1997–98	Montreal Canadiens	NHL		82	32	42	74	51		10	4	8	12	6
1998–99	Montreal Canadiens	NHL		61	12	35	47	28		—	—	—	—	—
1998–99	Philadelphia Flyers	NHL		10	4	2	6	6		6	0	1	1	2
1999–00	Philadelphia Flyers	NHL		82	28	63	91	50		18	6	12	18	6
2000–01	Philadelphia Flyers	NHL		69	27	50	77	33		6	2	2	4	2
2001–02	Philadelphia Flyers	NHL		80	22	42	64	46		4	0	0	0	2
2002–03	Philadelphia Flyers	NHL		79	20	32	52	35		13	7	3	10	2
2003–04	Philadelphia Flyers	NHL		82	26	49	75	47		18	4	2	6	4
2005–06	Pittsburgh Penguins	NHL		63	24	33	57	56		—	—	—	—	—
2005–06	Carolina Hurricanes	NHL		20	4	3	7	12		25	7	9	16	18
2006–07	Pittsburgh Penguins	NHL		82	24	44	68	62		5	0	4	4	0
2007–08	Pittsburgh Penguins	NHL		19	2	6	8	12		—	—	—	—	—
2007–08	Atlanta Thrashers	NHL		53	12	28	40	20		—	—	—	—	—
2008–09	Tampa Bay Lightning	NHL		62	13	32	45	20		—	—	—	—	—
2008–09	Boston Bruins	NHL		18	10	6	16	2		11	3	3	6	0
2009–10	Boston Bruins	NHL		81	18	25	43	34		13	6	4	10	6
2010–11	Boston Bruins	NHL		81	14	34	48	35		25	5	9	14	8
NHL totals				1,652	577	956	1,533	1,033		189	61	87	148	93

International

Year	Team	Event		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1988	Canada	WJC		7	0	5	5	4
1990	Canada	WC		5	0	2	2	2
1993	Canada	WC		8	2	5	7	2
1997	Canada	WC		9	3	3	6	0
1998	Canada	OLY		5	0	2	2	0
Junior totals				7	0	5	5	4
Senior totals				27	5	12	17	4

See also

• List of NHL players with 1,000 games played
• List of NHL players with 500 goals
• List of NHL players with 1,000 points
• List of NHL statistical leaders

External links

• Biographical information and career statistics from NHL.com, or Eliteprospects.com, or Hockey-Reference.com, or Legends of Hockey, or The Internet Hockey Database
• Mark Recchi's Day With the Stanley Cup