Espen Knutsen

Kjell Espen Knutsen Jahre (born January 12, 1972) is a Norwegian former professional ice hockey player and currently the general manager of Vålerenga in the Norwegian GET-ligaen. He played five seasons in the North American-based National Hockey League (NHL), and is to date the only Norwegian to have played in the NHL All-Star Game. In his native Norway, Knutsen is also known by the nickname "Shampoo"[1] because his father is a hairdresser, and also a former hockey player whose nickname was "The Soap" (Såpa in Norwegian).

Espen Knutsen
Born (1972-01-12) January 12, 1972
Oslo, Norway
Height 6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight 187 lb (85 kg; 13 st 5 lb)
Position Centre
Shot Left
Played for NHL
Mighty Ducks of Anaheim
Columbus Blue Jackets
SEL
Djurgården
National team  Norway
NHL Draft 204th overall, 1990
Hartford Whalers
Playing career 1988–2005

Playing career

Early career

After being drafted by the Hartford Whalers in the 10th round (204th overall) in 1990, Knutsen remained in Europe until 1997, playing for his hometown team Vålerenga, and later Djurgården of the Swedish Elitserien. In 1996, the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim acquired his rights,[2] and he made his debut with the Ducks in 1997. After a disappointing season (playing in part for the American Hockey League (AHL) Cincinnati Mighty Ducks), Knutsen returned to Djurgården. During the 1999–00 season, he was the highest paid player in the Elitserien, earning a salary of $280,000.[3]

NHL career

Knutsen got a second chance in the NHL in 2000, when he signed with the Columbus Blue Jackets on the recommendation of assistant coach George Kingston, who had previously coached the Norwegian national team. In a very good first season, Knutsen tallied 53 points (11 goals, 42 assists) in 66 games. His numbers dropped a little the next season, but he was nonetheless named to the World Team (as an injury replacement) in the 2002 All-Star Game (making him the first Norwegian ever to play in the NHL All-Star Game). The 2002–03 and 2003–04 seasons were disappointing for Knutsen, who spent large parts of the seasons on the injured list. He left the NHL in early 2004, shortly after being assigned to Columbus' AHL affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch, and once again returned to Djurgården.

Retirement

Knutsen retired because of injury in July 2005. At the news of his retirement, the general manager of Djurgården, Tommy Engström, called him one of the greatest players in the history of the club.[4] After his retirement, Knutsen moved back to his native Oslo, where he lives with his family. He was appointed head coach of his childhood club Vålerenga in 2006, a position he held until the summer of 2016 when he became the club's general manager.

Fan death
Main article: Death of Brittanie Cecil

In a March 2002 game against the Calgary Flames in Nationwide Arena, Knutsen took a shot that deflected off Flames defenseman Derek Morris' stick and accidentally struck 13-year-old Brittanie Cecil in the head, resulting in her death.[5] Knutsen later helped set up a charity in Columbus to honor Cecil's memory. Also as a result of the tragedy, the NHL made it mandatory to install protective nylon mesh nets above the glass behind both goals. In December 2010, Knutsen met with Cecil's family, bringing some closure to both parties.[6]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs
    Regular season   Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1988–89 Vålerenga NOR 361472118 —————
1989–90 Vålerenga NOR 4025285344 —————
1990–91 Vålerenga NOR 3130245442 —————
1991–92 Vålerenga NOR 3028265437 —————
1992–93 Vålerenga NOR 131113244 —————
1993–94 Vålerenga NOR 3832265820 —————
1994–95 Djurgårdens IF SEL 306142018 30110
1995–96 Djurgårdens IF SEL 3210233350 41012
1996–97 Djurgårdens IF SEL 3916334920 42466
1997–98 Cincinnati Mighty Ducks AHL 414131718 —————
1997–98 Mighty Ducks of Anaheim NHL 193036 —————
1998–99 Djurgårdens IF SEL 3918244232 40112
1999–2000 Djurgårdens IF SEL 4818355365 13516212
2000–01 Columbus Blue Jackets NHL 6611425330 —————
2001–02 Columbus Blue Jackets NHL 7711314247 —————
2002–03 Columbus Blue Jackets NHL 3154920 —————
2003–04 Columbus Blue Jackets NHL 140442 —————
2003–04 Syracuse Crunch AHL 21120 —————
2003–04 Vålerenga NOR 10004 —————
2003–04 Djurgårdens IF SEL 62354 30006
2004–05 Djurgårdens IF SEL 1508812 —————
NOR totals 189 140 124 264 169 —————
SEL totals 209 70 140 210 201 31 8 22 30 18
NHL totals 2073081111105 —————

International
Year Team Event   GP G A Pts PIM
1989 Norway EJC 5 8 4 12 10
1989 Norway WJC 7 0 2 2 10
1990 Norway EJC 6 6 11 17 10
1990 Norway WJC 7 2 7 9 6
1991 Norway WJC 6 1 2 3 0
1994 Norway OG 7 1 3 4 2
1994 Norway WC 6 3 2 5 0
1995 Norway WC 5 2 1 3 0
1996 Norway WC 5 3 0 3 0
1997 Norway WC 8 0 5 5 4
2003 Norway WC D1 5 4 5 9 8
2005 Norway OGQ 2 0 2 2 2
Junior totals 31 17 26 43 36
Senior totals 31 9 11 20 6

References
  1. "Brittanie's legacy". Blue Jackets Xtra.com. Archived from the original on March 24, 2010. Retrieved March 23, 2010.
  2. "Espen Knutsen' Profile". Legends of Hockey.com. Retrieved March 22, 2010.
  3. Diamond, Dan, ed. (2002). Total Hockey: The Official Encyclopedia of the National Hockey League, Second Edition. New York: Total Sports Publishing. p. 104. ISBN 1-894963-16-4.
  4. "Espen Knutsens karriär över". difhockey.se (in Swedish). Djurgårdens IF Hockey. 25 July 2005. Archived from the original on 15 February 2012. Retrieved 6 July 2009.
  5. Taylor, Phil (2002-04-01). "Death of a fan". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on 2009-06-09. Retrieved 2010-01-25.
  6. http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2010/12/18/a-day-for-easing-old-hurts.html
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