Ray Emery

Lore & Background

Emery was born Raymond Robert Nichols in Hamilton, Ontario. His mother, a steel mill crane operator, raised him after his biological father abandoned them. He was adopted by Paul Emery in 1986 and grew up near Cayuga, Ontario. Originally a defenceman, he switched to goaltender at age nine due to a shortage of netminders in his league. After failing to make eight junior teams, he landed with the Dunnville Terriers of the Ontario Junior Hockey League and was named Rookie of the Year. He later played for the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the OHL, where he was named OHL Goaltender of the Year in 2001–02 and gained notoriety for his fighting ability.

Emery began his NHL career with the Ottawa Senators in 2005–06, setting a record by winning his first nine games. He became the starter after Dominik Hašek's groin injury and led the Senators to the 2007 Stanley Cup Final, where they lost to the Anaheim Ducks in five games. Known for his aggressive style, Emery was suspended multiple times for on-ice incidents, including a three-game ban for striking Maxim Lapierre with his stick and a fight with Buffalo Sabres goaltender Martin Biron that resulted in 22 penalty minutes. Teammates and fans called him 'Razor' or 'Sugar Ray' after boxer Sugar Ray Robinson.

After leaving Ottawa, Emery played one season in the KHL for Atlant Moscow Oblast, then signed with the Philadelphia Flyers. In 2010, he was diagnosed with avascular necrosis of the hip, a disease that ended the career of athlete Bo Jackson. Emery underwent successful bone graft surgery and returned to play, later winning the Stanley Cup with Chicago in 2013.

Reader's Guide

Ray Emery's significance lies in his unique combination of skill, resilience, and pugnacity. He was a goaltender who could fight—earning 22 penalty minutes in a single brawl—yet also backstopped his team to the Stanley Cup Final and later won the championship. His recovery from avascular necrosis of the hip, a condition that forced Bo Jackson into retirement, marked him as exceptionally driven. Emery's legacy includes the William M. Jennings Trophy for fewest goals against in 2013, shared with Corey Crawford, and two Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy nominations for perseverance. His aggressive playing style, which earned him the nicknames 'Razor' and 'Sugar Ray,' made him a fan favorite and a rare enforcer in the goaltending position. Off the ice, his early life—born to a single mother, adopted, and raised on a farm—shaped a tenacious character that carried him through a career marked by both controversy and triumph.

Did You Know?

• Emery set an NHL record by winning his first nine career starts, surpassing Bob Froese's eight.
• He once received 22 penalty minutes in a single game, including two five-minute fighting majors.
• Emery was diagnosed with avascular necrosis of the hip, the same disease that ended Bo Jackson's career, but returned to play.
• He was named OHL Goaltender of the Year in 2001–02 with a record of 33 wins and a 2.73 GAA.