Playing Career
Sullivan was taken by the New Jersey Devils in the 1994 NHL Entry Draft ninth round, 233rd overall. Sullivan was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs during the 1996–97 NHL season, where he went on to score a (then) career high 40 points during the 1998–99 NHL season.
Sullivan was then picked up off waivers in 1999 by the Chicago Blackhawks. Sullivan posted a new career high of 75 points in the 2001–02 NHL season.
Sullivan was traded to the Nashville Predators for a second-round pick in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft (Michael Blunden) and a second-round pick in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft (Ryan Garlock) on February 16, 2004.
Upon arriving in Nashville, Sullivan put up 30 points in 24 games, including a hat trick in his first game with the Predators, and 10 points in his first 3 games with the team.
He was named the NHL's Offensive Player of the Week for October 9–16, 2005.
In February 2007, Sullivan suffered a debilitating back injury in a game against the Montreal Canadiens that forced Sullivan out of action for the remainder of the 2006–07 season, all of the 2007–08 season, and the first half of the 2008–09 season. Sullivan made his comeback on January 10, 2009, against the Chicago Blackhawks after nearly 23 months. Due to his successful comeback during the 2008–09 season, Sullivan was awarded the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy for his perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey.
On July 1, 2011, he signed a one-year contract worth $1.5 million with the Pittsburgh Penguins. His early season play was disappointing, but as the season went on, he became better accustomed to the Penguins' lineup. He finished with 48 points in 79 games.
On July 4, 2012, Sullivan signed a 1-year, $1.85 million deal with the Phoenix Coyotes.
Read more about this topic: Steve Sullivan
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