Raffi Torres

Lore & Background

Torres played major junior hockey with the Brampton Battalion of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) from 1998–99 to 2000–01, where he was a two-time OHL Second Team All-Star. He was drafted fifth overall by the New York Islanders in 2000 and turned professional in 2001–02 with their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. After parts of two seasons with the Islanders, he was traded to the Edmonton Oilers in 2003. He became a full-time NHL player in Edmonton, recording career highs of 27 goals and 41 points in 2005–06 and helping the Oilers reach the Stanley Cup Final that year.

In the 2008 off-season, Torres was traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets, where he played the better part of two seasons. He missed significant time due to injuries, including a separated right shoulder and knee surgery, and recorded 12 goals and 20 points over 51 games in 2008–09. He was traded to the Buffalo Sabres in March 2010. After a brief stint with Buffalo, he signed with the Vancouver Canucks and played one season, reaching the 2011 Stanley Cup Final. He later played for the Phoenix Coyotes and San Jose Sharks.

Torres was suspended five times for illegal hits to opponents' heads. He received the fourth-longest suspension in NHL history at the time for a hit to the head of Marian Hossa in Game 3 of the 2012 Western Conference Quarterfinals. In October 2015, he received a 41-game (half-season) suspension for an illegal hit on Anaheim player Jakob Silfverberg, the longest suspension ever given by the NHL for a hit on another player. He never played another NHL game after that suspension and retired in November 2016.

Reader's Guide

Raffi Torres's career is defined by his physical, forechecking style and his offensive capabilities, which made him a valuable contributor to several NHL teams, particularly the Edmonton Oilers and Vancouver Canucks, both of which he helped reach the Stanley Cup Final. However, his legacy is equally shaped by his history of suspensions for illegal hits to opponents' heads. The 41-game suspension he received in October 2015 for a hit on Jakob Silfverberg remains the longest suspension ever given by the NHL for a hit on another player. That suspension effectively ended his NHL career, as he never played another game and retired in November 2016. His career thus serves as a prominent example of the league's increasing focus on player safety and the consequences of dangerous play, while also highlighting the tension between physical hockey and the enforcement of rules designed to protect players.

Did You Know?

• He scored a career-high 27 goals in the 2005–06 season with the Edmonton Oilers.
• Torres received a 41-game suspension in October 2015 for an illegal hit on Anaheim's Jakob Silfverberg, the longest suspension ever given by the NHL for a hit on another player.
• He represented Canada at the 2001 World Junior Championships, winning a bronze medal.