Dustin Penner

Dustin Penner (born on September 28, 1982) is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward currently playing for the Anaheim Ducks of the National Hockey League (NHL).

Dustin was not drafted by an NHL team. In 2004, he was signed as a free agent by the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim after playing college hockey for the University of Maine in the NCAA.

Dustin won the Stanley Cup in his first full season with the (renamed) Anaheim Ducks in 2007, adding a second Stanley Cup in his first full season with the Los Angeles Kings in 2012.

Minor and collegiate Hockey Career
Growing up in Winkler, Manitoba, Dustin played for his high school hockey team, the Garden Valley Zodiacs. After high school he was cut by many minor hockey teams including his local junior club three times.

With little hope of ever playing hockey professionally, Dustin agreed to play with Minot State University-Bottineau (now known as Dakota College at Bottineau), but immediately broke his femur, ending his first year with the club.

The next year, in the 2001-02 season, Dustinbecame a very important player for Bottineau, scoring 20 goals with 13 assists in 23 games, also earning the Most Determined Player Award for his improvement and stellar play after recovering from his injury.

Dustin then went to an evaluation camp at Saskatoon. He played well there, scoring an average of three points per game. He was scouted by Grant Standbrook, the assistant coach for the University of Maine and was offered a scholarship, which he accepted.

Although he did not initially join the team, in the 2003–04 season, Dustin helped lead the Black Bears and to the NCAA Championship game, scoring the game-winning goal in the semifinals against Boston College. Maine then lost the championship title game to the University of Denver 1-0.

Anaheim Ducks
On May 12, 2004, Dustin was signed as a free agent by the Mighty Ducks to a three-year entry-level contract. He was assigned to the Cincinnati Mighty Ducks, Anaheim's American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate.

Dustin recorded 28 points in his professional rookie season with Cincinnati, then took a major step the next season as he was moved to the Portland Pirates, who became the Mighty Ducks' AHL affiliate in 2005–06.

Dustin scored 39 goals and 84 points in 57 games with Portland while also making his NHL debut, appearing in 19 games with the Mighty Ducks that season. He was originally called up on November 23, 2005 being sent back and forth from the minors.

During the Mighty Ducks' 2006 playoff run, Dustin scored 9 points in 13 games until Anaheim was eliminated by the Edmonton Oilers in the Western Conference Finals.

Dustin earned a full-time roster spot with the Ducks in 2006–07 and broke out with 29 goals and 45 points playing with Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry on a unit dubbed the "Kid Line". His goal total was the second highest on the team, only trailing superstar Teemu Selanne. He also set the Ducks' franchise rookie record for most points (surpassed by Bobby Ryan in 2008–09).

During the Ducks' 2007 Stanley Cup run, Dustin scored the game-winner in Game 1 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals against the Minnesota Wild and Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Finals against the Ottawa Senators.

In Game 5, Dustin and the Ducks defeated the Senators 6-2 to win the Stanley Cup. He became the first former Maine Black Bear to win the Stanley Cup as a player.

Edmonton Oilers
After winning the Stanley Cup with the Ducks, Dustin's entry-level deal expired and he became a restricted free agent in the off-season.

With the Ducks dealing with salary cap issues and the signing of Todd Bertuzzi, Edmonton Oilers general manager Kevin Lowe jumped at the opportunity and signed Dustin to a five-year, $21.25 million offer sheet. Lowe was criticized by the media and specifically Ducks' general manager Brian Burke.

After seven days had passed, the Ducks were ultimately unwilling to match the offer and Dustin became an Oiler. To date, he is the most recent player to change teams via an offer sheet.

In his first season with the Oilers, Dustin scored a team-high 23 goals and improved to 47 points. He then began the 2008–09 season with a slow start and was publicly criticized by head coach Craig MacTavish for a lack of fitness and competitiveness after being made a healthy scratch for the second consecutive game.

Dustin was confirmed to be a part of a planned summertime 2009 blockbuster trade that would see Andrew Cogliano, Ladislav Smid and himself dealt to the Ottawa Senators in exchange for disgruntled All-Star forward Dany Heatley.

In the end, Heatley exercised the no-trade clause contained in his contract and the deal could not be finalized (Heatley would, shortly after, accept a trade to the San Jose Sharks).

Dustin got off to a good start in 2009-10 NHL season and was fourth in NHL scoring with 11 goals and 11 assists after 18 games played.

On October 22nd for the first time in his career, Dustin scored 5 points (2 Goals, 3 Assists), in a game against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Dustin's linemates for that game were Ales Hemsky (1 Goal, 4 Assists) and Sam Gagner (1 Goal, 2 Assists). At season's end, the Oilers had finished last overall in the league, but Penner had recorded career highs in goals (32) and points (63).

Los Angeles Kings
On February 28, 2011, Dustin was traded from the Edmonton Oilers to the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for Colten Teubert, a first round draft pick in 2011 (Oscar Klefbom), as well as a conditional third round pick in 2012 (Daniil Zharkov).

On May 22, 2012, Dustin scored the winning goal in overtime in game 5 against the Phoenix Coyotes to advance the Los Angeles Kings to the 2012 Stanley Cup Finals.

On June 11, 2012, Dustin won his second Stanley Cup as the Kings defeated the New Jersey Devils 6-1 in Game 6.

Dustin is only the 21st NHL player to play for both sides of the Freeway Face-Off between the Anaheim Ducks and the Los Angeles Kings—and the only one to win the Stanley Cup with both teams.

On July 1, 2012, Dustin re-signed with the Kings on July 1, 2012 to a one year contract worth $3.25 million.

Return to Anaheim Ducks
On July 16, 2013, Dustin was signed as a free agent to return on a one-year, $2 million deal with the Anaheim Ducks.

Awards & Achievements

 * 2001-02 (NJCAA): Most Determined Player Award - MSU-Bottineau
 * 2003-04 (NCAA): All-Tournament Team
 * 2003-04 (NCAA): Jack Semler Award, University of Maine (Most Improved Player)
 * 2006-07 (NHL): Stanley Cup (Anaheim Ducks)
 * 2011-12 (NHL): Stanley Cup (Los Angeles Kings)

Career Transactions

 * May 12, 2004: Signed as a free agent by the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim.
 * August 2, 2007: Signed as a restricted free agent by the Edmonton Oilers to an offer sheet that was not matched by the Anaheim Ducks. The Ducks received 1st, 2nd, and 3rd round picks from the Edmonton Oilers as compensation in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft.
 * February 28, 2011: Traded to the Los Angeles Kings.
 * July 1, 2012: Resigned with the Los Angeles Kings as an unrestricted free agent.
 * July 16, 2013: Returned to the Anaheim Ducks as an unrestricted free agent.