Richard Dorian Matvichuk (born February 5, 1973) is a Canadian former ice hockey defenceman. He played 14 seasons in the National Hockey League with the Minnesota North Stars/Dallas Stars, and the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League.

Playing career

Although he was born in Edmonton, Alberta, Matvichuk was raised in the nearby city of Fort Saskatchewan. Matvichuk was drafted eighth overall in the 1991 NHL Entry Draft by the Minnesota North Stars, and made the transition, along with several other players, including Mike Modano and Derian Hatcher, to the franchise's move to Dallas, and played 733 regular season games as a Dallas Star. Matvichuk played 12 years for the Stars, scoring 38 goals and 129 assists, although with a rather low average of penalty minutes compared with his physical style of play.

Matvichuk was also a part of the 1999 Stanley Cup winning team which brought Dallas their first championship trophy. He became a free agent in the 2004 NHL offseason. He was later signed by the New Jersey Devils, making a similar Stars-to-Devils transition as Jamie Langenbrunner and Joe Nieuwendyk. He missed all but the last game of the 2006–07 season after having back surgery. He was released by the Columbus Blue Jackets during the 2008 preseason, when he was there on a tryout basis.

Coaching

On May 4, 2012, Matvichuk was announced as the assistant general manager and defensive coach of Central Hockey League's Allen Americans. On June 12, 2014, he was named the head coach of the ECHL's Missouri Mavericks. On June 2, 2016, Matvichuk was named head coach of the Western Hockey League's Prince George Cougars. He was fired as head coach of the Cougars on February 8, 2019, after an overall 85–89–22 record with the team that was on an eleven-game losing streak during the 2018–19 season.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular seasonPlayoffs
SeasonTeamLeagueGPGAPtsPIMGPGAPtsPIM
1988–89Fort Saskatchewan TradersAJHL5873643147—————
1989–90Saskatoon BladesWHL568243212610281016
1990–91Saskatoon BladesWHL68133649117—————
1991–92Saskatoon BladesWHL5814405412622191061
1992–93Minnesota North StarsNHL5323526—————
1992–93Kalamazoo WingsIHL30116—————
1993–94Dallas StarsNHL2503322711212
1993–94Kalamazoo WingsIHL438172584—————
1994–95Dallas StarsNHL140221450224
1994–95Kalamazoo WingsIHL1706616—————
1995–96Dallas StarsNHL736162271—————
1996–97Dallas StarsNHL57571287701120
1997–98Dallas StarsNHL7431518631611214
1998–99Dallas StarsNHL643912512215620
1999–00Dallas StarsNHL7042125422325714
2000–01Dallas StarsNHL7841620621000014
2001–02Dallas StarsNHL829122152—————
2002–03Dallas StarsNHL6815658120338
2003–04Dallas StarsNHL75120213650118
2005–06New Jersey DevilsNHL62110114070004
2006–07New Jersey DevilsNHL10000900010
2007–08Lowell DevilsAHL4213440—————
NHL totals7963913917862412351924128

International

YearTeamEventGPGAPtsPIM
1992CanadaWJC40002
2002CanadaWC71016
Junior totals40002
Senior totals71016

Awards

External links

  • Biographical information and career statistics from , or , or , or
Preceded byDerian HatcherMinnesota North Stars first-round draft pick 1991Succeeded byTodd Harvey