Craig Rivet

Did You Know?

• Rivet won a gold medal with Team Canada at the 2003 World Championships in Finland, recording 1 assist in 9 games.
• He co-hosted 'The Instigators' with Andrew Peters on WGR 550 out of Buffalo and MSG Western New York.
• After stepping down from that show in September 2021, he co-hosts the podcast 'After The Whistle' with Andrew Peters.

Playing career

Rivet was selected by the Montreal Canadiens in the third round, 68th overall, of the 1992 NHL entry draft from the Kingston Frontenacs of the Ontario Hockey League. After being drafted, he posted junior career highs in 1992–93 with 19 goals, 55 assists, and 74 points, adding 12 points in the playoffs as Kingston reached the semi-finals before losing to the Peterborough Petes in five games. He began his professional career with Montreal's AHL affiliate, the Fredericton Canadiens, before earning a full-time roster spot with Montreal in 1997–98 and later becoming an alternate captain to Saku Koivu. Following a 25-point season with a career-high 8 goals in 2001–02, he signed a four-year, $12 million contract extension with the Canadiens. In 2005–06, he improved to 34 points, his best offensive output with Montreal. With his contract expiring after 2006–07, Rivet was traded on February 25, 2007, to the San Jose Sharks along with a fifth-round draft pick in 2008 for Josh Gorges and a first-round pick in 2007 (later used to draft Max Pacioretty). Before becoming an unrestricted free agent, he re-signed with the Sharks to a four-year, $14 million contract, choosing that over a $12 million offer with a no-trade clause. In the first season of that contract, he recorded a career-high 30 assists and 35 points, leading all Sharks defencemen in scoring.