Kirk Daubenspeck

13 NHL Games

October 9, 1997 Chicago Blackhawks vs Tampa Bay Lightning. 1-4 loss.
October 10, 1997 Chicago Blackhawks vs Dallas Stars. 0-7 loss.
October 13, 1997 Chicago Blackhawks vs Phoenix Coyotes. 1-2 loss.
October 15, 1997 Chicago Blackhawks vs Washington Capitals. 0-2 loss.
October 17, 1997 Chicago Blackhawks vs St. Louis Blues. 0-2 loss.
October 19, 1997 Chicago Blackhawks vs Buffalo Sabres. 5-2 win.
October 22, 1997 Chicago Blackhawks vs New York Rangers. 1-0 win.
October 24, 1997 Chicago Blackhawks vs Dallas Stars. 0-2 loss.
October 26, 1997 Chicago Blackhawks vs Carolina Hurricanes. 2-3 loss.
October 27, 1997 Chicago Blackhawks vs Montreal Canadiens. 2-4 loss.
October 29, 1997 Chicago Blackhawks vs Vancouver Canucks. 3-0 win.
October 31, 1997 Chicago Blackhawks vs San Jose Sharks. 5-3 win.
November 2, 1997 Chicago Blackhawks vs Pittsburgh Penguins. 3-1 win.

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   Kirk Daubenspeck was drafted by the Philadelphia Flyers in 1992. Two years later, while playing with the University of Wisconsin, Daubenspeck was traded from the Flyers to the Ottawa Senators. He was named to the All-American Team in his last season of NCAA hockey. Late September, 1997,  Daubenspeck, after taking part in the Senators initial training camp, was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks before the season began in exchange for a sixth-round draft pick.

   Early October, 1997 the Blackhawks lost Jeff Hackett to a sprained ankle. Their first option to replace him, Mark Lamothe, was injured while playing with the IHL's Indianapolis Ice. It was his backup who was Chicago's next choice. Kirk Daubenspeck, less than a month after joining the Hawks and barely into his first pro season, was recalled to take Hackett's place on Chicago's roster. "This is the ultimate goal of a hockey player, to play in the NHL," said Daubenspeck of the surprise call to the NHL. He dressed as Chris Terreri's backup for nearly a month before Hackett was healthy enough to return. (1)

   Many years after his hockey career had ended, I asked Daubenspeck about his personal highlights from his time in the NHL. "Playing up in Chicago for 33 days was something very special." says Daubenspeck. "My favourite time while being called up was being on an extended road trip that included Dallas & Phoenix road games. Really playing with two of my childhood favourite players, Gary Suter & Chris Chelios, was the highlight. They both played at the University of Wisconsin (Madison), which is where I grew up. I was backing up a game at Madison Square Garden when the glass fell on Gretzky's wife, that's kind of neat to say because many people remember that game. Not to mention I was on the ice with the Great One. On that road trip I mentioned earlier, when we were playing Dallas, I thought I was going to get in because we were down big in the 2nd and we ended up losing 7 to 0. As you know, that din't happen."

   Daubenspeck played many more years of pro hockey after his brief NHL stint. "The highlight of my career," says Daubenspeck, "was winning a league championship in South Carolina (2001)." He later won the Calder Cup in 2006 with the Hershey Bears then retired from pro hockey. 2011, Daubenspeck nearly lost his life in a car accident. He suffered a severe brain injury and was in a come for six days. He spent over a month in the hospital but miraculously recovered. He currently resides in his hometown state of Wisconsin. 

Career stats from hockeydb.com
Born Jul 21 1974 -- Madison, WI 
Height 6.00 -- Weight 190
Drafted by Philadelphia Flyers - round 7 #151 overall 1992 NHL Entry Draft

RS Scoring			RS Goalie Stats										PO Scoring
Season	Team	Lge	GP	A	PIM	Min	GA	EN	SO	GAA	W	L	T	Svs	Pct	GP	A	PIM
1992-93	Sioux City Musketeers	USHL	9	0	6	470	49	0	0	6.26	0	7	1	251	0.837
1992-93	Wisconsin Capitols	USHL	28	3	38	1542	123	0	0	4.79	5	20	1	955	0.886
1993-94	U. of Wisconsin	WCHA	7	0	0	280	19	0	0	4.07	2	2	0	139	0.880
1994-95	U. of Wisconsin	WCHA	41	5	14
1995-96	U. of Wisconsin	WCHA	39	4	10	2257	151	0	0	4.01	17	20	2
1996-97	U. of Wisconsin	WCHA	33	3	6	1925	124	0	1	3.86	13	18	2
1997-98	Indianapolis Ice	IHL	18	0	4	953	58	2	0	3.65	6	9	0	454	0.887	-	-	-
1997-98	Jacksonville Lizard Kings	ECHL	32	2	4	1865	92	1	1	2.96	20	9	2	862	0.904	-	-	-
1998-99	Jacksonville Lizard Kings	ECHL	8	1	4	424	18	0	0	2.55	5	3	0	177	0.908	-	-	-
1998-99	Chesapeake Icebreakers	ECHL	13	0	20	774	31	0	2	2.40	7	2	4	355	0.920	7	0	2
1998-99	Indianapolis Ice	IHL	12	2	4	650	43	1	0	3.97	2	8	1	314	0.879	-	-	-
1999-00	Rochester Americans	AHL	22	1	2	1235	53	4	1	2.57	7	10	4	553	0.913	1	0	0
1999-00	South Carolina Stingrays	ECHL	6	1	6	360	17	0	0	2.83	4	2	0	156	0.902	-	-	-
2000-01	Orlando Solar Bears	IHL	2	0	0	77	3	0	0	2.34	0	1	0	20	0.870	-	-	-
2000-01	Rochester Americans	AHL	1	0	0	60	6	0	0	6.00	0	1	0	20	0.769	-	-	-
2000-01	South Carolina Stingrays	ECHL	45	3	37	2624	119	3	3	2.72	26	13	3	1279	0.915	13	1	4
2001-02	Colorado Gold Kings	WCHL	60	5	54	3539	164	1	4	2.78	36	19	5	1582	0.906	5	0	0
2002-03	South Carolina Stingrays	ECHL	58	2	17	3454	167	1	0	2.90	36	16	6	1802	0.915	4	1	2
2003-04	South Carolina Stingrays	ECHL	47	3	50	2773	123	4	3	2.66	29	15	2	1406	0.920	7	0	4
2003-04	Worcester IceCats	AHL	1	0	0	59	2	0	0	2.04	0	1	0	24	0.923	-	-	-
2004-05	South Carolina Stingrays	ECHL	25	0	4	1437	55	5	2	2.30	12	10	3	784	0.934	1	0	0
2004-05	Portland Pirates	AHL	28	0	10	1507	58	0	4	2.31	14	12	1	772	0.930	-	-	-
2005-06	Hershey Bears	AHL	23	0	4	1115	58	0	2	3.12	10	6	2	495	0.895	-	-	-
2005-06	South Carolina Stingrays	ECHL	2	0	0	120	2	0	0	1.00	2	0	0	46	0.958	-	-	-

(1) Rich Strom. "Goalie's Fast Trip: Madison to the NHL." The Chicago Tribute. Oct. 8 ,1997