History of Jay Bouwmeester in Timeline
Jay Daniel Bouwmeester is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who played 17 seasons in the NHL for the Florida Panthers, Calgary Flames, and St. Louis Blues. Drafted third overall by the Panthers in 2002, he was named to the NHL All-Rookie Team in 2003. After seven seasons with Florida, he was traded to Calgary in 2009, where he played for four seasons before being traded to St. Louis in 2013. Bouwmeester is notable for one of the longest iron man streaks in NHL history, playing in 737 consecutive regular season games from 2004 to 2014.
September 27, 1983: Birth of Jay Bouwmeester
Jay Bouwmeester was born on September 27, 1983, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
1996: Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament
As a youth, Jay Bouwmeester played in the 1996 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament.
1997: Alberta Midget Championship
Jay Bouwmeester's team won the Alberta midget championship in the 1997-98 season.
1998: WHL Bantam Draft
Jay Bouwmeester was selected first overall by the Medicine Hat Tigers in the 1998 WHL Bantam Draft.
1999: Joins Medicine Hat Tigers
Jay Bouwmeester joined the Medicine Hat Tigers full-time in the 1999-2000 WHL season.
2000: First WHL Season
Jay Bouwmeester played his first full WHL season with the Medicine Hat Tigers in 1999-2000, scoring 34 points in 64 games.
2000: World Junior Championships
Jay Bouwmeester represented Canada at the World Junior Championships in 2000.
2000: World Junior Championships Bronze Medal
Jay Bouwmeester won a bronze medal at the 2000 World Junior Championships, becoming the youngest player to ever represent Canada at the tournament.
2001: Improved WHL Season
Bouwmeester's offensive totals improved in the 2000-01 WHL season, recording 53 points.
2001: World Junior Championships Bronze Medal
Jay Bouwmeester and Team Canada won another bronze medal at the 2001 World Junior Championships. He recorded two assists during the tournament.
November 11, 2002: First NHL Goal
Jay Bouwmeester scored his first NHL goal on November 11, 2002, against the Chicago Blackhawks.
2002: World Junior Championships
Bouwmeester again represented Canada at the World Junior Championships in 2002.
2002: Drafted into the NHL
In 2002, Jay Bouwmeester was drafted third overall by the Florida Panthers in the NHL Entry Draft.
2002: Final WHL Season
In the 2001-02 WHL season, Jay Bouwmeester scored 61 points and was named to the WHL's East All-Star Team.
2003: Second NHL Season
Jay Bouwmeester improved to 20 points in 61 games during the 2003-04 NHL season.
2003: NHL All-Rookie Team
Jay Bouwmeester was named to the NHL All-Rookie Team in 2003 after completing his first season with the Florida Panthers.
2003: World Championships Gold Medal and Best Defenceman
Jay Bouwmeester won a gold medal at the 2003 World Championships. He was also named the tournament's best defenceman and an all-star, finishing second in scoring among defencemen.
2003: World Championship Gold Medal
Jay Bouwmeester won his first World Championship gold medal with Team Canada in 2003.
2004: Start of Ironman Streak
Jay Bouwmeester began his impressive ironman streak of consecutive regular season games played in 2004.
2004: Foot Injury
Jay Bouwmeester missed 18 games due to a foot injury during the 2003-04 NHL season.
2004: World Cup of Hockey Championship
Jay Bouwmeester was part of the Canadian team that won the World Cup of Hockey in 2004.
November 2005: Jiří Fischer Cardiac Arrest
In November 2005, Jiří Fischer of the Detroit Red Wings suffered a cardiac arrest on the bench during a game.
2005: AHL Season and Calder Cup Finals
During the 2004-05 NHL lockout, Jay Bouwmeester played for the San Antonio Rampage and Chicago Wolves in the AHL, reaching the Calder Cup Finals with the Wolves.
2006: DUI Arrest
In 2006, Jay Bouwmeester was arrested for driving under the influence in Edmonton.
2006: Breakout Season and Olympics Invite
Jay Bouwmeester had a breakout season in 2005-06, scoring 46 points in 82 games and receiving an invitation to Team Canada for the 2006 Winter Olympics.
2006: Winter Olympics Appearance
Jay Bouwmeester participated in the 2006 Winter Olympics as an injury replacement for Scott Niedermayer, playing six games for Canada, who lost in the quarter-finals.
2007: First NHL All-Star Game
Jay Bouwmeester played in his first NHL All-Star Game in 2007.
2007: Career-High Goals and All-Star Game
Jay Bouwmeester scored a career-high 12 goals in the 2006-07 season and played in his first NHL All-Star Game.
2008: Playing Style and Criticism
During the 2008-09 season, Bouwmeester's playing style was analyzed, highlighting his skating ability and offensive capabilities. However, his lack of physicality, despite his size, was criticized as a factor preventing him from being considered an elite defenseman. He registered a low number of hits compared to other defensemen with similar ice time.
2008: Highest Point Total Since 2008-09
During the mentioned season (likely 2013-14 based on context), Bouwmeester achieved his highest point total since the 2008-09 season with the Florida Panthers, recording 37 points for the Blues.
2008: Leading Ice Time and Contract Negotiations
In the 2007-08 season, Jay Bouwmeester led the NHL in average ice time and signed a one-year contract with the Panthers while seeking unrestricted free agency.
2009: Second NHL All-Star Game
In 2009, Jay Bouwmeester played in his second NHL All-Star Game.
2009: Trade to Calgary Flames
In 2009, Jay Bouwmeester was traded from the Florida Panthers to the Calgary Flames.
2009: Trade to Calgary and Contract Signing
In 2009, Jay Bouwmeester's negotiating rights were traded to the Calgary Flames, where he signed a five-year contract.
2009: First Season with Calgary Flames
In the 2009-10 season, Jay Bouwmeester's first with the Calgary Flames, he scored only three goals.
2010: 2010 Olympics Reserve
Despite participating in the summer camp, Jay Bouwmeester was left off the final roster for the 2010 Winter Olympics but was selected as a reserve in case of injuries.
2010: Playoff Drought Continues
Following the 2009-10 season, Jay Bouwmeester continued to hold the active record for most games played without a Stanley Cup playoff appearance.
March 15, 2011: Breaks Consecutive Games Record
On March 15, 2011, Jay Bouwmeester broke the NHL record for consecutive games played by a defenseman.
2012: Increased Offensive Production in Calgary
During the 2012 lockout-shortened season, Jay Bouwmeester's offensive production increased with the Calgary Flames. He scored 6 goals and 15 points in 33 games, while leading the team in ice time. However, the Flames failed to make the playoffs, marking 750 career games for Bouwmeester without a playoff appearance.
April 1, 2013: Trade to St. Louis Blues
On April 1, 2013, Jay Bouwmeester was traded from the Calgary Flames to the St. Louis Blues. The trade involved prospects Mark Cundari and Reto Berra, along with a first-round draft pick. Bouwmeester waived his no-trade clause to facilitate the move.
2013: Contract Extension with St. Louis Blues
Before the 2013-14 season, Jay Bouwmeester signed a five-year, $27 million contract extension with the St. Louis Blues.
2013: Trade to St. Louis Blues
Jay Bouwmeester was traded to the St. Louis Blues in 2013.
March 2014: Rich Peverley Cardiac Arrest
Rich Peverley suffered a cardiac arrest on the bench during a game in March 2014 while playing for the Dallas Stars.
November 23, 2014: End of Iron Man Streak
Jay Bouwmeester's iron man streak ended on November 23, 2014, when he missed a game against the Winnipeg Jets due to a lower-body injury sustained in the previous game against the Ottawa Senators. The streak ended at 737 consecutive games, the fifth-longest in NHL history at the time.
2014: End of Ironman Streak
In 2014, Jay Bouwmeester's ironman streak of 737 consecutive regular season games played came to an end.
2014: 2014 Winter Olympics Gold Medal
Jay Bouwmeester played in all six games for Canada at the 2014 Winter Olympics, contributing one assist and winning a gold medal.
2014: Olympic Gold Medal
Jay Bouwmeester won an Olympic gold medal with Team Canada at the 2014 Winter Olympics.
November 2016: Craig Cunningham Cardiac Arrest
Craig Cunningham collapsed from cardiac arrest during a pre-game skate in November 2016 while playing for the Tucson Roadrunners, the Arizona Coyotes' AHL affiliate.
October 20, 2018: First Healthy Scratch
On October 20, 2018, Jay Bouwmeester was a healthy scratch for the first time in his career, during a game against the Toronto Maple Leafs. He returned to the lineup for the next game.
March 29, 2019: Blues Clinch Playoff Berth
The St. Louis Blues clinched a playoff berth on March 29, 2019, after a late-season turnaround. The team had struggled in the first half of the season, leading to a coaching change from Mike Yeo to Craig Berube.
April 8, 2019: Contract Extension and Stanley Cup Win
Jay Bouwmeester signed a one-year, $3.25 million contract extension with the Blues on April 8, 2019. The Blues went on to win the 2019 Stanley Cup Finals, the first in franchise history. Bouwmeester recorded seven assists in 26 playoff games during the championship run. This win made him the 29th member of the Triple Gold Club.
2019: Stanley Cup Championship and Triple Gold Club
Jay Bouwmeester won the Stanley Cup with the St. Louis Blues in 2019, making him the 29th member of the prestigious Triple Gold Club.
February 11, 2020: Cardiac Arrest During Game
On February 11, 2020, Jay Bouwmeester suffered a cardiac arrest and collapsed on the bench during a game against the Anaheim Ducks. The game was postponed and later completed on March 11, 2020 with a win for St. Louis
February 14, 2020: ICD Procedure
On February 14, 2020, Jay Bouwmeester underwent an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) procedure to restore his heart's normal rhythm following his cardiac arrest.
January 11, 2021: Retirement from Hockey
Jay Bouwmeester officially announced his retirement from professional hockey on January 11, 2021, almost a year after his cardiac arrest incident.
