Damian Rhodes (born May 28, 1969) is an American former professional ice hockey goaltender. Rhodes played for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Ottawa Senators, and Atlanta Thrashers over eleven National Hockey League (NHL) seasons. He became the first player in Thrashers' franchise history when he was acquired in June 1999.
Playing career
High school
Rhodes was born in St. Paul, Minnesota. While attending Richfield Senior High School, he played goaltender for the high school varsity team, Richfield Spartans, during his Junior and Senior years. In his Junior year, he and fellow goal tender Jon Lee shared goaltending on the team. One of the highlights of that year was an upset win against Richfield's arch-rival, the Edina Hornets. The Edina Hornets that year had only lost a single game during the regular season and had beaten Richfield twice. In the Section 6 quarter final game against Edina, Rhodes stopped 36 of 39 shots on goal and Richfield had won the upset game 4-3. In the following Section 6 final game against the Minnetonka Skippers, Rhodes only allowed a single goal in a 2-1 victory and gave the Richfield Spartans a berth in the Minnesota State High School Hockey Championship.
Toronto Maple Leafs
Rhodes was drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 6th round of the 1987 Entry Draft, 112th overall. After being drafted by the Maple Leafs, Rhodes attended Michigan Tech University, where he posted a 37-49-1 record over three seasons with the Huskies. While at Michigan Tech, Rhodes was credited with scoring a goal in a game on January 21, 1989.
Rhodes made his NHL debut on March 22, 1992 as he was called up from the Newmarket Saints of the American Hockey League near the end of the season. Rhodes showed some potential in a 3-1 victory over the Detroit Red Wings.
Rhodes spent the next couple seasons with the St. John's Maple Leafs, before serving as a backup to Felix Potvin from the 1993–94 season to 1995–96.
In an effort to secure a full-time starting job, Rhodes was traded on January 23, 1996 in a three-way deal between the Maple Leafs, Ottawa Senators and New York Islanders that saw him and fellow players Kirk Muller, Don Beaupre, Ken Belanger and Martin Straka, along with the rights to Wade Redden and Bryan Berard (both of whom were the top two picks in the 1995 NHL Entry Draft) move between the three teams.
Ottawa Senators
Rhodes was established as the Sens starting goaltender shortly after the trade. He posted a 10-22-4 record, which was largely in part to playing in front of a shaky defensive corps. His solid play however, led him to being considered the Senators goalie of the future.
Rhodes split goaltending duties with Ron Tugnutt during his first full season with the team, with Rhodes starting the majority of the team's games. Rhodes posted a 14-20-4 record with a 2.72 GAA in 50 games. Rhodes served as the team's backup in the franchise's first ever playoff series against the Buffalo Sabres, in which he saw no action.
Rhodes gained notoriety in 1998. Rhodes had a 13-17-5 record and a 2.23 GAA at the time, and opted to dye his hair blonde as a way to change his fortunes. Following the change, Rhodes posted a 10-4-2 record, lowering his GAA to 1.81. Rhodes' momentum carried into the 1998 Stanley Cup playoffs as he outplayed Martin Brodeur and was instrumental in the team's first round upset over the New Jersey Devils, which was the first playoff series victory for the Senators franchise. Rhodes' momentum would evaporate in the next round, as the Senators were defeated in five games by the Washington Capitals.
Rhodes is one of thirteen goaltenders in NHL history to score a goal, managing the task without taking a shot. Rhodes was the last player to touch the puck on a delayed penalty call when Lyle Odelein of the New Jersey Devils inadvertently put the puck in his own goal with Martin Brodeur out of the net for an extra attacker in Ottawa's 6–0 victory on January 2, 1999.
Rhodes' lack of playing time near the end of the 1998-99 season, led to Tugnutt establishing himself as the team's starting goaltender down the stretch. Rhodes' salary and tendency to allow soft goals made him expendable. Rather than lose him to the Atlanta Thrashers in the expansion draft, the Senators traded Rhodes to the Thrashers on June 18, 1999 in exchange for future considerations. Rhodes would become the first player acquired by the Thrashers franchise.