Ed Jovanovski
Edward Jovanovski, nicknamed "JovoCop", is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman. He was born in Windsor, Ontario, and is of Macedonian descent.
Jovanovski played major junior ice hockey for two seasons with the Windsor Spitfires of the Ontario Hockey League, earning First All-Star, Second All-Star and All-Rookie Team honours. He was then selected first overall in the 1994 NHL Entry Draft by the Florida Panthers. During his rookie NHL season, he earned All-Rookie Team honours and helped the Panthers advance to the Stanley Cup Finals, where they lost to the Colorado Avalanche. After three-and-a-half seasons in Florida, Jovanovski was traded to the Vancouver Canucks in a seven-player deal involving Pavel Bure. During his tenure with Vancouver, he was awarded the Babe Pratt Trophy as the team's best defenceman three consecutive years. He also led the club's defencemen in scoring four consecutive years. In July 2006, Jovanovski became an unrestricted free agent and signed with the Phoenix Coyotes. He led the team's defencemen in scoring during his first three years with the club. Jovanovski returned to the Florida Panthers for three seasons, before retiring in 2015. Long known as a two-way defenceman, Jovanovski recorded one 50-point season, as well as three of 40 or better, during his NHL career.
Internationally, Jovanovski played for the Canadian national team. A one-time Winter Olympian, he won a gold medal at the 2002 Games in Salt Lake City. At the under-20 level, he won gold at the 1995 World Junior Championship. He went on to play in four World Championships, winning silver in 2005 and 2008. He represented Canada at the 2004 World Cup, playing in one game due to injury in the championship-winning tournament.
Playing career
Major junior (1993–95)
As a youth, Jovanovski played in the 1990 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with a minor ice hockey team from Windsor. After playing bantam and Junior B in his hometown of Windsor, Jovanovski joined the Ontario Hockey League with the Windsor Spitfires. In his rookie season with the Spitfires, Jovanovski led all team defencemen in scoring, with 50 points in 62 games. In addition to being voted as the Emms Division's top bodychecker by League coaches, he was named to the OHL's All-Rookie and Second All-Star Teams. That off-season, Jovanovski was selected first overall by the Florida Panthers in the 1994 NHL Entry Draft. He admitted to being surprised at the top selection, as he had not been ranked first at any point in his draft-eligible season. Czech prospect Radek Bonk was ranked first overall by the NHL Central Scouting Bureau, but Panthers President Bill Torrey preferred to select a defenceman over a forward.Following the Draft, the 1994–95 NHL season was suspended for three-and-a-half months due to a labour dispute between NHL players and owners. Consequently, Jovanovski remained in junior for the beginning of the 1994–95 OHL season. When NHL was set to resume play in January 1995, it was speculated that the Panthers might sign Jovanovski and call him up to the NHL. However, then-Panthers General Manager Bryan Murray announced that Jovanovski would remain with Windsor, citing that he would likely not receive much playing time with the club. He averaged approximately 40 minutes per game with Windsor that season, scoring 23 goals and 65 points over 50 contests. He also added nine points in nine playoff games before Windsor was eliminated. Jovanovski was named to the OHL First All-Star Team.
Florida Panthers (1995–1999)
Following his second major junior season, Jovanovski signed a four-year, $5.7 million contract with the Panthers in June 1995. Playing with the club during the subsequent pre-season, he broke his right hand during a fight with Hartford Whalers forward Brendan Shanahan. The injury caused him to miss the first 11 games of the season. After recovering, he scored his first career NHL goal against the Whalers on December 2, 1995, a game-winner in a 5–3 victory. He finished his rookie season with 10 goals and 21 points over 70 games. During the regular season, he was encouraged by Panthers management to play more conservatively than he was used to in the OHL, focusing on defensive positioning.Ranking fourth in the Eastern Conference going into the 1996 playoffs, Jovanovski helped the Panthers advance to the Stanley Cup Finals. He scored his first career Stanley Cup playoff goal in Game 2 of the first round against Boston Bruins goaltender Craig Billington. Facing the Colorado Avalanche in the Finals, the Panthers were defeated in four-straight games. Jovanovski contributed a goal and nine points in 22 post-season games. It would be his only Stanley Cup Finals appearance. In the off-season, he was named to the NHL All-Rookie Team. He was also nominated for the Calder Memorial Trophy as the League's rookie of the year, alongside Chicago Blackhawks forward Éric Dazé and Ottawa Senators forward Daniel Alfredsson, who ultimately won the award.
On November 23, 1996, Jovanovski received a three-game suspension from the NHL without pay. In a game against the Dallas Stars the previous night, he illegally left the penalty box ready to fight any opposing players during a break in play. Later in the season, he suffered a knee injury during a game against the Edmonton Oilers in January 1997, sidelining him for several weeks. The following month, he was involved in an on-ice altercation with San Jose Sharks forward Bernie Nicholls, resulting in a two-game suspension and the maximum $1,000 fine for Nicholls for intent to injure. The accumulated injuries and suspensions caused Jovanovski to miss 21 games in his second NHL season. He scored seven goals and 23 points over 61 contests.
In 1997–98, Jovanovski appeared in 81 games, recording nine goals and 23 points. With his contract set to expire following the 1998–99 season, Jovanovski was beginning to be seen as a disappointment in Florida, failing to improve on his successful rookie year.
Vancouver Canucks (1999–2006)
On January 17, 1999, after three-and-a-half seasons with the Panthers, Jovanovski was traded in a seven-player deal to the Vancouver Canucks. He was sent with Dave Gagner, Mike Brown, Kevin Weekes and a first-round draft pick in 2000 in exchange for Pavel Bure, Bret Hedican, Brad Ference and a third-round pick in 2000. Joining the Canucks in the midst of a rebuilding period for the franchise, Jovanovski quickly established himself as a top defenceman in Vancouver's lineup. His ability to join the rush as a defenceman complemented the Canucks' up-tempo style of play.A month following his trade, Jovanovski suffered a broken foot while blocking a shot in a game against the New Jersey Devils on February 9, 1999. Later in the season, he was involved in an altercation with Montreal Canadiens forward Shayne Corson. After being high-sticked in the face by Corson, the two players were sent off the ice, at which point Corson entered the Canucks' dressing room to verbally confront Jovanovski. According to Corson, the feud stemmed from comments Jovanovski had said about his family. As a result of entering the Canucks' dressing room, the Canadiens forward was later suspended five games by the NHL, in addition to one game for the high-sticking infraction. In 31 games with the Canucks that season, Jovanovski recorded two goals and 11 points. Combined with his games played with the Panthers, he totalled 27 points in 72 games.
Image:Ed Jovanovski.jpg|thumb|250px|left| Jovanovski in April 2004
In his first full season with Vancouver, Jovanovski tallied five goals and 26 points over 75 games. He also ranked second among team defencemen in average ice time per game, behind only Mattias Öhlund. The following season, in 2000–01, he led all team defencemen with 12 goals and 47 points over 79 games. He was then named to his first of three consecutive NHL All-Star Games in 2001. At the end of the season, he also earned his first of three consecutive Babe Pratt Trophies, awarded annually to the Canucks' fan-voted best defenceman. Jovanovski's offensive emergence helped the Canucks return to the playoffs after a six-year absence. It also marked Jovanovski's first playoff season since 1997.
In 2001–02, Jovanovski scored a career-high 17 goals, ranking second amongst all NHL defencemen. His 48 points ranked sixth among NHL defencemen and was his highest total as a Canuck. The Canucks finished as the eighth seed in the Western Conference for the second consecutive season, and were eliminated by the Detroit Red Wings in the opening round of the 2002 playoffs. Jovanovski contributed a goal and five points in six post-season games.
Midway through the following season, he was re-signed by the Canucks to a three-year contract extension on January 27, 2003. The day after signing, he injured his foot, sidelining him for 14 games. Despite his season being shortened by injury, he recorded a career-high 40 assists to go with six goals in 2002–03. His 46 points ranked tenth overall in the League amongst defencemen, and it marked the fourth consecutive year he led Canucks defencemen in scoring. Jovanovski added eight points in 14 post-season games before the Canucks were eliminated in the second round by the Minnesota Wild. His seven goals led all League defencemen in playoff scoring.
Midway through the 2003–04 season, Jovanovski suffered a third-degree shoulder separation during a game against the Nashville Predators on January 25, 2004. Colliding with opposing forward Martin Erat, he fell to ice and slid into the rink boards. He returned late in the season to help the Canucks secure the Northwest Division title. In 56 games, he scored seven goals and 23 points. Adding four assists in seven 2004 playoff games, the Canucks were defeated in the first round by the Calgary Flames.
Image:Ed Jovanovski2.jpg|thumb|250px| Jovanovski in the 2005–06 season opener
Due to the NHL lockout, as well as rib and knee injuries sustained during the 2004 World Cup, Jovanovski was inactive during the 2004–05 season. When the NHL resumed play in 2005–06, Jovanovski was on pace for a career year, but his season was interrupted by groin, foot and abdominal injuries. He finished with 33 points in 44 games for a career-high 0.75 points-per-game average. The Canucks suffered from Jovanovski missing the final 27 games of the season and did not qualify for the 2006 playoffs. Following the 2005–06 season, Jovanovski did not receive a contract offer from the Canucks, subsequently becoming an unrestricted free agent. The decision to let him go was influenced by the re-signings of Daniel and Henrik Sedin, as well as the acquisition of goaltender Roberto Luongo, leaving no room on the team's salary cap to retain Jovanovski.