Scott Mellanby

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Mellanby was selected 27th overall by the Philadelphia Flyers in the 1984 NHL entry draft. He played for the University of Wisconsin–Madison for two seasons and also competed with Canada's National Hockey Team. He made his NHL debut on March 22, 1986, against the New York Rangers. In 1989, he suffered a severe cut from a broken beer bottle on his left arm during a barroom brawl. He played for Philadelphia until the summer of 1991, when he was traded to the Edmonton Oilers. He was left unprotected by the Oilers in the 1993 NHL Expansion Draft and was claimed by the Florida Panthers. With the Panthers, he killed a rat with his hockey stick in the team dressing room, spawning the 'rat trick' craze. He scored the Panthers' first ever goal in franchise history on October 9, 1993, and played in the 1996 All-Star game. He was traded to the St. Louis Blues in February 2001. He then signed as a free agent with the Atlanta Thrashers in the summer of 2004 and re-signed for the 2006–07 season. He announced his retirement on April 24, 2007, becoming the first player to retire as a Thrashers captain. He played the 3rd most NHL games (1431) without a Stanley Cup victory. The closest he came to the cup was when his Philadelphia Flyers lost to Edmonton in the 1987 Stanley Cup Finals, 4 games to 3. After retirement, he worked for the Vancouver Canucks organization, then as an assistant coach with the St. Louis Blues, then as director of player personnel and assistant GM for the Montreal Canadiens, and later as senior advisor to the general manager of the St. Louis Blues.

In Their Own Story

The story of Scott Mellanby in Florida starts with a rat. Before a game, he killed a rat in the team dressing room with his hockey stick. Fans latched onto the moment, and soon the "rat trick" was born—thousands of plastic rats raining down after every Panthers goal. But his impact went deeper. He scored the franchise's first goal on October 9, 1993, and played in the 1996 All-Star Game. His gritty play helped carry the Panthers to the 1996 Stanley Cup Finals, where they fell to the Edmonton Oilers in seven games. That run cemented his place as the heart of the early Panthers.

Reader's Guide

Mellanby is a former NHL right winger known for his time with the Florida Panthers, where he sparked the 'rat trick' tradition. He also played for the Flyers, Oilers, Blues, and Thrashers, and later worked in coaching and management.

Did You Know?

• Mellanby killed a rat with his hockey stick in the Panthers' dressing room, leading to fans throwing plastic rats on the ice after goals.
• He scored the Florida Panthers' first ever franchise goal on October 9, 1993.
• He played 1,431 NHL games, the third most without winning the Stanley Cup.
• He is a founder of Athletes Against Autism, along with Olaf Kolzig and Byron Dafoe.

NHL Career Trajectory and Defining Moments

Scott Mellanby was selected 27th overall by the Philadelphia Flyers in the 1984 NHL Entry Draft. After two seasons at the University of Wisconsin–Madison (35 goals, 82 points in 72 games), he made his NHL debut on March 22, 1986, against the New York Rangers. In 1989, he suffered a severe injury in a barroom brawl when he tried to help a friend, getting a cut from a broken beer bottle that sliced four tendons, a nerve, and an artery in his left arm. He played for Philadelphia until summer 1991, when he was traded to the Edmonton Oilers in a six-player deal involving Jari Kurri. The Oilers left him unprotected in the 1993 NHL Expansion Draft, and the Florida Panthers claimed him. In Florida, he scored the franchise's first goal on October 9, 1993, and played in the 1996 All-Star Game. He was traded to the St. Louis Blues in February 2001, where his career was revitalized—he scored 57 points in 2002–03, his highest total since 1996. He signed with the Atlanta Thrashers in summer 2004 and re-signed for 2006–07. On November 23, 2006, he was suspended one game for a fight against the Washington Capitals.

Legacy of Resilience and Unfinished Business

Mellanby announced his retirement on April 24, 2007, becoming the first player to retire as a Thrashers captain. He finished his career having played the third-most NHL games (1,431) without a Stanley Cup victory, behind only Phil Housley (1,495) and Mike Gartner (1,432). His closest shot at the Cup came when his Philadelphia Flyers lost to the Edmonton Oilers in the 1987 Stanley Cup Finals, 4 games to 3. Despite the lack of a championship, his resilience was defined by his recovery from a severe 1989 arm injury and his ability to revitalize his career with the St. Louis Blues, scoring 57 points in 2002–03.

Executive Evolution and Post-Playing Roles

After retiring, Mellanby worked for three years in the Vancouver Canucks organization as a special consultant to general manager Mike Gillis and the hockey operations department. He then spent two years as an assistant coach with the St. Louis Blues before stepping down after the 2011–12 season. On May 28, 2012, he was hired by the Montreal Canadiens as director of player personnel, becoming an assistant GM on July 30, 2014. He joined the St. Louis Blues as senior advisor to the general manager on July 11, 2022.

Personal Life and Advocacy for Autism

Mellanby and his wife, Susan, have a daughter, Courtney, and two sons, Carter and Nicholas. His son Carter is autistic, which led Mellanby to become involved in many autism-related causes. Along with fellow NHLers Olaf Kolzig and Byron Dafoe, Mellanby is a founder of Athletes Against Autism.