Michael Cammalleri

Lore & Background

Cammalleri was born in Richmond Hill, Ontario, and raised in a secular household with a half-Italian, half-Jewish family background. His maternal grandparents, from Poland and Czechoslovakia, were Holocaust survivors. He played most of his minor ice hockey with the Toronto Red Wings organization and played in the 1996 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with them. He chose not to play in the Ontario Hockey League to preserve his college eligibility, instead joining the Junior A Bramalea Blues, where he was named rookie of the year as a 15-year-old. He committed to the University of Michigan at age 15 and graduated high school at 17. At Michigan, he was a first-team CCHA all-star and NCAA All-American, and played in the 'Cold War' outdoor game that set a then world attendance record in 2001. He was selected by the Los Angeles Kings in the 2001 draft and signed with them after his junior year. He spent time in the AHL with the Manchester Monarchs, where he set franchise records with 46 goals and 109 points in 2004–05, earning the Willie Marshall Award. He established himself as an NHL regular with the Kings, leading the team in goals in 2005–06 and being voted team MVP in 2006–07. After a contentious arbitration hearing, he was traded to the Calgary Flames in a three-way deal at the 2008 draft. With the Flames, he had a career year, leading the team with 39 goals and finishing second with 82 points. Unable to re-sign due to salary cap constraints, he signed a five-year, $30 million contract with the Montreal Canadiens. He scored the 20,000th goal in Canadiens franchise history in 2009 and tied a franchise record for goals in one playoff series in 2010. He returned to the Flames in 2012 after being traded in the middle of a game. After his contract expired in 2014, he signed a five-year deal with the New Jersey Devils but was bought out three years in. He then signed a one-year contract to return to the Kings, opting for a second tenure with a team for the second time in his career. Internationally, he won bronze and silver at the World Junior Championships and was named best forward in 2002, and won gold at the 2007 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships.

Reader's Guide

Michael Cammalleri's career is notable for its unusual trajectory, including two separate stints with both the Los Angeles Kings and the Calgary Flames. He was part of a historic moment in NHL history when he scored the first regular season goal ever played in Europe. His time with the Montreal Canadiens included scoring the franchise's 20,000th goal and tying a team record for goals in a playoff series. His trade to the Flames in 2012 was unusual because it occurred in the middle of a game. Cammalleri's college career included playing in the 'Cold War' outdoor game that set a world attendance record. He was recognized for his charitable efforts supporting children and the military. His family background, with Holocaust survivor grandparents, shaped his personal identity. He represented Canada internationally on four occasions, winning medals at the World Junior Championships and a gold medal at the 2007 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships.

Did You Know?

• He scored the 20,000th goal in Montreal Canadiens franchise history in 2009.
• He was traded in the middle of a game when he returned to the Calgary Flames in 2012.
• His maternal grandparents were Holocaust survivors from Poland and Czechoslovakia.