Jesse Schultz

Playing career

Schultz began his junior career in the Western Hockey League during the 1999–2000 season with the Tri-City Americans. Midway through the 2000–01 season he was dealt to the Prince Albert Raiders, where he recorded 32 points in 35 games. Despite that performance, he was not selected in the 2001 NHL entry draft. For the 2001–02 season he was traded to the Kelowna Rockets and posted 28 goals and 64 points, but was again passed over in the NHL draft, with scouts considering him too small and too slow for professional hockey. A 53-goal, 104-point season in 2002–03 earned him a free-agent contract from the Vancouver Canucks on July 31, 2003. Turning professional in 2003, Schultz failed to make the Manitoba Moose, the Canucks' primary farm team, and instead played for the ECHL Columbia Inferno, scoring 27 goals in 52 games. In 2004–05 he stuck with Manitoba, posting 9 goals and 24 points in 70 AHL games. The 2005–06 season proved a turning point: after two disappointing professional seasons and in the last year of his Canucks contract, he led the Moose with 37 goals and 67 points, re-establishing himself as a player with NHL potential. Heading into the 2006–07 season, Schultz was considered a favourite to make the Canucks roster after several veteran forwards departed, and he was a favourite of head coach Alain Vigneault, who had been promoted from coaching the Moose. However, a disappointing training camp saw him returned to the AHL. After a solid start in Manitoba he was recalled and made his NHL debut on November 29, 2006 against the Columbus Blue Jackets. On July 23, 2007, the Canucks traded Schultz to the Atlanta Thrashers for Jim Sharrow. He did not play a game with the Thrashers in 2007–08, instead playing for their affiliate the Chicago Wolves and helping them win the Calder Cup. On July 6, 2008, he signed a one-year contract with the Minnesota Wild and was assigned to their affiliate, the Houston Aeros. On January 6, 2010, he joined the Thomas Sabo Ice Tigers for the remainder of the 2009–10 season.