Richard Matvichuk

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.

Awards

 * WHL East First All-Star Team – 1992
 * Stanley Cup champion – 1999