Ed Jovanovski

At 47 years old, Ed Jovanovski has this physical status:

Edward Jovanovski (born June 26, 1976) is a Canadian retired professional ice hockey defenceman.

He was born in Windsor, Ontario, and is of Macedonian descent. Jovanovski played major junior ice hockey for two seasons with the Windsor Spitfires of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), earning First All-Star, Second All-Star and All-Rookie Team honours.

He was then selected first overall in the 1994 NHL Entry Draft by the Florida Panthers.

During his rookie NHL season, he earned All-Rookie Team honours and helped the Panthers advance to the Stanley Cup Finals, where they lost to the Colorado Avalanche.

After three-and-a-half seasons in Florida, Jovanovski was traded to the Vancouver Canucks in a seven-player deal involving Pavel Bure.

During his tenure with Vancouver, he was awarded the Babe Pratt Trophy as the team's best defenceman three consecutive years.

He also led the club's defencemen in scoring four consecutive years.

In July 2006, Jovanovski became an unrestricted free agent and signed with the Phoenix Coyotes.

He led the team's defencemen in scoring during his first three years with the club.

Jovanovski returned to the Florida Panthers for three seasons, before retiring in 2015.

Known as a two-way defenceman, he has recorded three 40-point and one 50-point season in the NHL. Internationally, Jovanovski played for the Canadian national team.

A one-time Winter Olympian, he won a gold medal at the 2002 Games in Salt Lake City.

At the under-20 level, he won gold at the 1995 World Junior Championship.

He went on to play in four Men's World Championships, winning silver in 2005 and 2008.

He represented Canada at the 2004 World Cup, playing in one game due to injury in the championship-winning tournament.

Personal life

Jovanovski was born in Windsor, Ontario, to Kostadin and Lilja Jovanovski. His parents immigrated to Canada in 1973 from Macedonia. Coming from an athletic family, Kostadin was a semi-professional soccer player in Yugoslavia. Jovanovski speaks English, French and some Macedonian. Jovanovski followed after his father and played organized soccer growing up. He did not start playing hockey until age 11, when his older brother, Denny, joined a team.

During his junior career, Jovanovski and two other Windsor Spitfire teammates were charged with sexually assaulting a 24-year-old woman in February 1995. After a pre-trial hearing in June, the Crown attorney dropped the charges in August due to a lack of convincing evidence.

Beginning his NHL career with the Florida Panthers, he owned a condominium in Boca Raton, Florida. He met his wife, Kirstin, in Florida and retained a residence in Boca Raton, where he spent his summers. Jovanovski and Kirstin had their first child, daughter Kylie Everett, on August 25, 1998. Three years later, Kyra was born on April 24, 2001, while her twin sister died in utero. Kirstin was later pregnant with twins a second time and gave birth to son Cole and daughter Coco on May 25, 2006, in Florida.

In 2005, Jovanovski was featured in a documentary aired on multicultural network Omni Television. Entitled The Late Bloomer: Ed Jovanovski, it explored his career, family tragedy and attachments to his Macedonian heritage.

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Playing career

Jovanovski competed in the 1990 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with a minor ice hockey team from Windsor as a youth. Jovanovski, a young boy in Windsor, joined the Windsor Spitfires in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) after playing bantam and Junior B. Jovanovski led all team defensemen in scoring in 62 games in his rookie season with the Spitfires. He was selected by League coaches as the Emms Division's top bodychecker, and was named to the OHL's All-Rookie and Second All-Star Teams, in addition to being named as the Emms Division's top bodychecker. In the 1994 NHL Entry Draft, Jovanovski was rated first overall by the Florida Panthers. He confessed to being surprised at the top pick, considering that he had not been ranked first at any time in his draft-eligible season. Radek Bonk, the Czech spy, was ranked first overall by the NHL Central Scout Bureau, but Panthers President Bill Torrey preferred a defenseman over a forward.

Following the draft, the 1994–95 NHL season was suspended for three-and-a-half months due to a labour dispute between NHL players and owners. As a result of this, Jovanovski stayed in junior for the 1994-95 OHL season. When NHL returns to action in January 1995, it was speculated that the Panthers would sign Jovanovski and bring him up to the NHL. However, then-Panthers General Manager Bryan Murray announced that Jovanovski will remain with Windsor, citing the fact that he will probably not get much playing time with the club. He played in approximately 40 minutes per game with Windsor this season, scoring 23 goals and 65 points in fewer than 50 games. In nine playoff games before Windsor was cut, he had scored nine points. Jovanovski was selected to the OHL First All-Star Team.

Jovanovski signed a four-year, $5.7 million deal with the Panthers in June 1995, marking his second major junior season. He broke his right hand during a match with Hartford Whalers forward Brendan Shanahan while playing for the club in the subsequent pre-season. He missed the first 11 games of the season due to his injury. He scored his first NHL goal against the Whalers on December 2, 1995, a game-winner in a 5–3 triumph. He had a tenacious and 21 points in his rookie season, his highest mark in seven games. During the regular season, he was encouraged by Panthers management to play more conservatively than he was used to in the OHL, focusing on defensive positioning.

Jovanovski helped the Panthers advance to the Stanley Cup Finals after being ranked fourth in the Eastern Conference going into the 1996 playoffs. In Game 2 of the first round against Boston Bruins goaltender Craig Billington, he scored his first Stanley Cup playoff goal in his career. The Panthers were defeated in four games versus the Colorado Avalanche in the Finals. In 22 games, Jovanovski scored a goal and nine points. It would be his first appearance in Stanley Cup Finals. He was selected to the NHL All-Rookie Team in the off-season. Along with Chicago Blackhawks forward Éric Dazé and Ottawa Senator Daniel Alfredsson, who eventually received the award, he was also nominated for the Calder Memorial Trophy as the league's rookie of the year.

Jovanovski was suspended without pay from the NHL for three games starting on November 23, 1996. During a break in play against the Dallas Stars the previous night, he illegally left the penalty box open to face any other players. He sustained a knee injury during a game against the Edmonton Oilers in January 1997, sidelining him for several weeks later in the season. He was involved in an on-ice altercation with San Jose Sharks forward Bernie Nicholls, resulting in a two-game suspension and a maximum $1,000 fine for Nicholls for intent to hurt. Jovanovski missed 21 games in his second NHL season due to his injuries and suspensions. Over 61 games, he scored seven goals and 23 points.

Jovanovski played in 81 games between 1997 and 1998, scoring nine goals and 23 points. Jovanovski was expected to miss Florida after his rookie year, but his deal was set to come to an end following the 1998-99 season.

Jovanovski was traded to the Vancouver Canucks in January 17, 1999, after three-and-a-half seasons with the Panthers. In 2000, he was sent with Dave Gagner, Mike Brown, Kevin Weekes, and a first-round draft pick in exchange for Pavel Bure, Bret Hedican, Brad Ference, and a third-round pick (Robert Fried). Jovanovski, who joined the Canucks as a rebuilding period for the franchise, quickly established himself as a top defenseman in Vancouver's lineup. His ability to contribute as a defensiveman complemented the Canucks' up-tempo style of play.

In a game against the New Jersey Devils on February 9, 1999, Jovanovski suffered a fractured foot while blocking a shot. He was involved in an altercation with Montreal Canadiens forward Shayne Corson later in the season. The two players were sent off the ice after being high-sticked in the face by Corson, and Corson was prompted to verbally confront Jovanovski. According to Corson, the feud resulted from Jovanovski's remarks about his family. The Canadiens forward was suspended five games by the NHL after being intruded in the Canucks' dressing room for five games in comparison to one game for the high-sticking infraction. Jovanovski had two goals and 11 points in 31 games with the Canucks this season. He finished with 27 points in 72 games, despite playing with the Panthers.

Jovanovski tallied five goals and 26 points in his first full season with Vancouver (first among team defencemen) over 75 games. He finished second overall among team defencemen in average ice time per game, behind only Mattias hlund. He led all team defensemen with 12 goals and 47 points in 2000-2001, and that was the following season. In 2001, he was selected to his first of three consecutive NHL All-Star Games. He also received his first of three consecutive Babe Pratt Trophies, which are given annually to the Canucks' fan-voted best defenceman. The Canucks returned to the playoffs after a six-year absence thanks to Jovanovski's offensive play. It was also Jovanovski's first playoff season since 1997.

Jovanovski scored a career-high 17 goals in 2001-02, ranked second amongst all NHL defensemen. His 48 points ranked fifth among NHL defensemen and was his highest total as a Canuck. For the second straight season, the Canucks were seeded eighth in the Western Conference, and the Detroit Red Wings beat them in the first round of the 2002 playoffs. In six post-season games, Jovanovski scored a goal and five points.

He was re-signed by the Canucks to a three-year contract extension on January 27, 2003, midway through the following season. He broke his foot on the day after signing, sidelining him for 14 games. Despite his season being reduced by injuries, he still had a career-high 40 assists to go with six goals in 2002–03. His 46 points ranked tenth overall in the League amongst defencemen, and it was his fourth year he led Canucks defencemen in scoring. In 14 post-season games, Jovanovski had scored eight points before the Canucks were eliminated by the Minnesota Wild in the second round. In playoff scoring, his seven goals led all league defensemen.

During a game against the Nashville Predators on January 25, 2004, Jovanovski suffered a third-degree shoulder injury midway through the 2003–04 season. He collapsed to the ice and slid into the rink boards after colliding with opposition forward Martin Erat. He returned late in the season to help the Canucks win the Northwest Division championship. He has scored seven goals and 23 points in 56 games. The Canucks were defeated by the Calgary Flames in the first round after four assists in seven 2004 playoff games.

Jovanovski was inactive during the 2004–2005 season due to the NHL lockout as well as rib and knee injuries sustained during the 2004 World Cup. Jovanovski was preparing for a season as an NHL rookie in 2005-2006, but his season was interrupted due to groin, foot, and abdominal injuries. He had 33 points in 44 games for a career-high 0.75 points-per-game average. The Canucks suffered as a result of Jovanovski's absence in the final 27 games of the season, and did not qualify for the 2006 playoffs. Jovanovski did not receive a salary offer from the Canucks during the 2005-06 season, eventually becoming an unrestricted free agent. Daniel and Henrik Sedin's re-signings, as well as the signing of goaltender Roberto Luongo, left little room on the team's salary cap to keep Jovanovski.

Jovanovski joined the Phoenix Coyotes on July 1, 2006, marking the beginning of his five-year, $32.5 million contract. He was hoping to return to Florida, where he spent his summers, after receiving a contract offer from the Panthers. Being coached by Wayne Gretzky was a major factor in his decision for Phoenix, according to him. Jovanovski was voted to his fourth NHL All-Star Game in the upcoming season, but injuries continued to plague the sport. He missed the last 22 games of the 2006-07 regular season due to an abdominal injury, limiting him to 29 points (first among Coyotes defensemen) in 54 games. With 31 victories and 67 points, the Coyotes finished last in the Western Conference.

Jovanovski made a career-high 51 points (12 goals and 39 assists), ranking tenth among League defencemen and leading all Coyotes defencemen. Since Oleg Tverdovsky's 55-point year in 1996-97, it was also the second-highest defenseman in Coyotes history. Jovanovski's career began on December 1, 2007, after a head blow of Minnesota Wild forward Marián Gábork was suspended. In 2008, Jovanovski appeared in his second straight All-Star Game. However, the team continued to fail as they finished 12th in the West, eight points behind a 2008 playoff position. Jovanovski's offensive output dropped to 36 points in 82 games this season. Despite his lowest total since his third season with the Panthers in 1997–98 (not including seasons with major injuries), the Coyotes defencemen led all Coyotes defensemen in scoring for the third year in a row. He missed the playoffs with Phoenix for the third year in a row, finishing 13th in the West on a team basis.

Jovanovski played in ten games in 2009–2010 due to a lower-body injury in November and December 2009. He was suspended for two games by the NHL for a head blow by Minnesota Wild forward Andrew Ebbett with his forearm on December 7, 2009. He was suspended for another two-game suspension for elbowing New York Islanders rookie forward John Tavares in the head in the following month. He played in over 66 games this season, totaling 10 goals and 34 points. Keith Yandle, the team's top-scoring defenseman, had scored 41 points but was overtaken by him. Although the Coyotes' season was marked by ambiguity from a business standpoint as the franchise had filed for bankruptcy in May 2009 and was taken over by the NHL, the team nevertheless had a good season and had their best season in history. They finished with 50 wins and 107 points (a 28-point increase from the previous season) and tied for their third best record in the West, coming only behind the San Jose Sharks in second place. The Coyotes were eliminated in seven games despite facing the Detroit Red Wings in the first round. In his first NHL playoffs since 2004, Jovanovski had one goal and no assists.

Jovanovski was selected to serve as team captain from October 21 to 25, 2010 in the first month of the 2010-11 season. In a 4–3 victory over the Nashville Predators on November 3, he registered his first NBA hat-trick. He scored all three goals against Pekka Rinne, becoming the first Coyotes defenseman to score a hat-trick in team history. He became the 256th player in NHL history to play 1,000 games in a row, defeating the Dallas Stars on December 26, the 256th player in the NBA to do so. Jovanovski suffered with injuries throughout the season, missing time on six occasions. In a game against the Atlanta Thrashers on February 17, 2011, his most serious injury was an orbital bone fracture after his face collided with an opposing player's helmet. He returned in April for the last three games of the regular season and the playoffs after missing 20 games due to the injury. In Jovanovski's brief appearances over the season, he scored 14 points in over 50 games. For the second year in a row, the Coyotes ranked sixth in the West, facing the Red Wings in the first round. As the Coyotes were defeated in four games in four games, Jovanovski had one assist in the post-season.

On July 1, 2011, Jovanovski signed a four-year, $16.5 million contract to return to the Florida Panthers. He was instrumental in the franchise's reshaping and push to make the playoffs. Kevin Dineen, the Panthers' coach, had named Jovanovski captain for the 2012–13 season, but it would be a difficult season for him and the team. He stayed on the sidelines and limited him to six games before a season-ending injury shut him down, leaving the team in last place. After a ten-month recovery, Jovanovski returned to the ice in January of 2014 and played 36 games for Florida. He had intended to play out the final year of his deal and retire, but the Panthers had conflict and on June 29, 2014, he was given unconditional waivers for the sole of a buyout. Dave Tallon, Florida's General Manager at the time, made it clear that selling out his captain was a difficult decision to make. "We sincerely thank Ed for his seven years of service and dedication to the Florida Panthers and the South Florida community," Tallon said. "He is a true professional in every sense and is well-known throughout the league for the way he conducts himself both on and off the ice." This was not a straightforward decision, and we wish him success and happiness in his coming endeavors.

During the 2014–15 season, Jovanovski remained inactive in the NHL, but on December 28, 2015, he announced his retirement from the NHL.

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