Jeff Schultz

Did You Know?

• Schultz has a younger brother, Ian, who was selected 87th overall in 2008 by the St. Louis Blues.
• Ian Schultz played in the AHL with the Hamilton Bulldogs as a prospect with the Montreal Canadiens for parts of three seasons.
• Unlike Jeff, Ian is a forward known as a tough player with a reputation for fighting.

Playing career

Schultz was one of three first-round picks for the Capitals in the 2004 NHL entry draft. He spent four seasons in the Western Hockey League with the Calgary Hitmen from 2002–03 to 2005–06. In the 2005–06 playoffs, he played seven games for the Hershey Bears, the Capitals' top minor league affiliate, and helped them win the Calder Cup. Schultz made his NHL debut on December 22, 2006, against the New Jersey Devils, playing four games before being returned to Hershey; he finished the season with 38 games for Washington. Pierre McGuire gave him the nickname "Mr. Nasty" in January 2010. At the end of the 2009–10 season, Schultz led the NHL in plus-minus with a +50 rating, becoming the first Capital to do so. In game one of the 2011 Eastern Conference Semi-final against the Tampa Bay Lightning, he set a post-season record by being on the ice for 119 consecutive minutes without being scored upon, until Steve Downie of the Lightning scored. After two diminishing seasons, Schultz was given a compliance buyout of his final contract year on July 2, 2013, making him an unrestricted free agent. He signed a one-year deal with the Los Angeles Kings on July 5, 2013. Shortly before the regular season, the Kings placed him on waivers; after clearing, he reported to the Manchester Monarchs in the AHL. Schultz was called up by the Kings on December 3, then reassigned to Manchester on February 5, 2014, without making an appearance for Los Angeles during that call-up.