Alex Chiasson
Canadian forward who won the Stanley Cup with Washington in 2018.
Alex Chiasson is a Canadian former professional ice hockey forward who played for seven NHL teams: the Dallas Stars, Ottawa Senators, Calgary Flames, Washington Capitals, Edmonton Oilers, Vancouver Canucks, and Detroit Red Wings. He won the Stanley Cup with the Capitals in 2018.
Born in Montreal, Quebec, and raised in Saint-Augustin-de-Desmaures, Chiasson grew up a Montreal Canadiens fan. He started skating at age four after his sister suggested it. He played in the 2003 and 2004 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournaments with a minor team from Rive-Nord, Montreal. After his sophomore year of high school, he moved to the United States to attend Northwood School in Lake Placid, New York. He did not speak English at the time—knowing only "yes," "no," and "toaster," which earned him the nickname "Toaster"—but later became fluent.
Chiasson played for the Des Moines Buccaneers of the USHL in 2008–09, coached by J. P. Parisé. He led the team in scoring with 17 goals and 33 assists for 50 points in 56 games and was selected for the 2009 USHL All-Star Game. He enrolled at Boston University in 2009, joining the defending NCAA champions. He missed several games in his first season due to a concussion, finishing with seven goals and 19 points in 35 games. During the 2010 offseason, he trained with Patrice Bergeron in Quebec. In 2010–11, he led BU in scoring with 14 goals and 34 points in 35 games, and his teammates called him "chaser." In his final season, 2011–12, he had 15 goals and 46 points in 38 games and was named to the Hockey East All-Tournament Team after BU lost in the conference semifinals.
The Dallas Stars selected Chiasson in the second round, 38th overall, of the 2009 NHL draft. He signed a three-year contract with Dallas in March 2012 and finished the season with their AHL affiliate, the Texas Stars, scoring one goal and five points in nine games. Due to the 2012 NHL lockout, he returned to Texas for the start of 2012–13, posting 13 goals and 35 points in 57 games. He made his NHL debut on April 3, 2013, against the Anaheim Ducks, and scored his first NHL goal two days later against Viktor Fasth. Playing on the top line with Jamie Benn and Ray Whitney, he scored six goals in his first six games. He later rejoined Texas for the Calder Cup playoffs, scoring one goal and three points in seven games.
Quick Facts
- Birth Date
- 1990-10-01
- Birth Place
- Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Height Ft
- 6
- Height In
- 4
- Weight Lb
- 200
- Position
- Right wing
- Shoots
- Right
- Played For
- Dallas Stars / Ottawa Senators / Calgary Flames / Washington Capitals / Edmonton Oilers / Vancouver Canucks / Detroit Red Wings
- Draft
- 38th overall
- Draft Year
- 2009
- Draft Team
- Dallas Stars
- Career Start
- 2012
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Chiasson grew up in Saint-Augustin-de-Desmaures, Quebec, cheering for the Montreal Canadiens. He began skating at age 4 after his sister suggested it. He played in the 2003 and 2004 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournaments with a minor ice hockey team from Rive-Nord, Montreal. After his sophomore year of high school, he left Quebec to study at Northwood School in Lake Placid, New York. He did not speak English until moving to the United States, famously knowing only the words 'yes', 'no', and 'toaster'—hence his nickname 'Toaster'—but later became fluent.
He played for the Des Moines Buccaneers of the USHL in 2008–09, leading the team in scoring with 17 goals and 33 assists for 50 points in 56 games, and was selected for the 2009 USHL All-Star Game. He then enrolled at Boston University, where he played three seasons. In his first season he missed several games due to a concussion. He led his team in scoring in 2010–11 with 14 goals and 34 points in 35 games. His teammates nicknamed him 'chaser'. In his final season he was named to the Hockey East All-Tournament Team in 2012.
Chiasson made his NHL debut with the Dallas Stars on April 3, 2013, and scored his first NHL goal in his second game. He was traded to the Ottawa Senators in a blockbuster deal on July 1, 2014, then to the Calgary Flames on June 27, 2016. After a season with the Flames, he signed a professional tryout with the Washington Capitals and later a one-year contract, winning the Stanley Cup in 2018. He later played for the Edmonton Oilers, where he set a career high of 22 goals in 2018–19.
Reader's Guide
Alex Chiasson's NHL career spanned seven teams over more than a decade, with his most notable achievement being a Stanley Cup championship with the Washington Capitals in 2018. Though he was a healthy scratch for the Stanley Cup Final, he contributed one goal and one assist in 16 playoff games that postseason. His career high in goals came with the Edmonton Oilers in 2018–19, when he scored 22 goals and 38 points in 73 games, playing on the top two lines and the first power play unit. Chiasson's path to the NHL included overcoming a language barrier—he knew only 'yes', 'no', and 'toaster' when he moved to the United States—and a concussion early in his college career. He was a second-round draft pick of the Dallas Stars in 2009 and played NCAA hockey at Boston University, where he led his team in scoring in his sophomore season. His professional journey included a blockbuster trade involving Jason Spezza and a salary arbitration case with the Ottawa Senators. Chiasson's versatility as a depth scorer allowed him to find roles on multiple teams, and his nickname 'Toaster' from his early English struggles became a distinctive part of his personal story.
Did You Know?
- He scored six goals in his first six NHL games with the Dallas Stars in 2013.
- Chiasson set a career high of 22 goals in the 2018–19 season with the Edmonton Oilers.
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