Mike Knuble - Playing Career

Playing Career

Knuble was drafted in the 4th round, 76th overall by the Detroit Red Wings in the 1991 NHL Entry Draft. He played the next four years at the University of Michigan and was given Second Team CCHA All-Star honors in 1994 and 1995 and NCAA West All-American Team honors in 1995. Following his collegiate career, he made his professional debut in the 1995 Calder Cup playoffs with the Adirondack Red Wings. He spent the entire 1995–96 season and most of the 1996–97 season with Adironack before making his NHL debut with the Detroit Red Wings on March 26, 1997. Knuble's debut came against the Colorado Avalanche in the famous "Fight Night at the Joe" match. He played a total of 9 regular season games in 1996–97 and none in the playoffs. Detroit won the Stanley Cup that season, but Knuble's name wasn't engraved on the Cup since he had not played enough games. However, Detroit repeated as Cup Champions in 1997–98, his first full season in the NHL, and though he only played three playoff games, he met the necessary requirements to have his name engraved on the Cup. Knuble was included on both Stanley Cup winning team pictures in 1997 and 1998.

Prior to the 1998–99 season, Detroit traded Knuble to the New York Rangers for a 2000 2nd round draft choice (Tomas Kopecky). Knuble played in all 82 games with the Rangers that season, recording 15 goals and 20 assists. With a month to go in the 1999–2000 season, the Rangers traded him to the Boston Bruins for Rob DiMaio. After posting 20 points in 82 games in 2000–01 and 14 points in 54 games in 2001–02, Knuble found himself playing left wing on a line with Joe Thornton and Glen Murray beginning in 2002–03. He scored 30 goals and 29 assists in 75 games, good for third on the Bruins. After another solid season in 2003–04, 21 goals and 25 assists in 82 games, Knuble signed with the Philadelphia Flyers in the off-season. He played for Linköpings HC of the Elitserien during the 2004–05 NHL lockout, scoring 26 goals and assisting on 13 others in 49 games.

When the lockout came to an end, Knuble was slotted to play right wing on a line with Simon Gagne and Peter Forsberg, a line which was later nicknamed the Deuces Wild Line. He responded with his best season as a pro in 2005–06, recording career highs in goals (34), assists (31), and points (65). On pace to duplicate his numbers despite his team's poor season in 2006–07, Knuble's season was nearly cut short after a collision with Rangers forward Brendan Shanahan. After missing a month of action he returned to the ice and finished with 24 goals and 30 assists in 64 games and brought his plus/minus to +2, Knuble being one of two Flyers (Gagne being the other) to finish with a plus rating.

Knuble recorded his first career hat trick on February 2, 2008, scoring all the goals in a 3-0 Flyers win over the Anaheim Ducks. Knuble netted his first career playoff overtime goal on April 17, 2008, scoring the winner during the second overtime of the Flyers 4-3 victory over the Washington Capitals. He has traveled to schools in New Jersey and Philadelphia teaching kids about hockey in his free time.

On July 1, 2009, he signed a 2 year deal worth $2.8 million a season with the Washington Capitals.

On November 13, 2009, in a game against the Minnesota Wild, Knuble broke a finger in the first period and did not finish the game. He returned on December 11 after missing 4 weeks of action. Knuble scored Washington's first goal in the second period of the 2011 NHL Winter Classic against Pittsburgh goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury.

On April 11, 2011, Knuble was signed to a one-year contract extension (through the end of the 2011-2012 season) with the Capitals, worth $2 million.

On December 20, 2011, Knuble played in his 1000th NHL game. At that time, Knuble had scored 221 NHL goals since turning age 30.