Brandon Dubinsky

{{Infobox ice hockey player

| name = Brandon Dubinsky

| image = Brandon Dubinsky 2013-11-01.JPG

| image_size = 230px

| caption = Dubinsky with the Columbus Blue Jackets in November 2013

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1986|4|29}}

| birth_place = Anchorage, Alaska, U.S.

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 1

| weight_lb = 209

| position = Centre / Left Wing

| shoots = Left

| played_for = New York Rangers
Columbus Blue Jackets

| ntl_team = USA

| draft = 60th overall

| draft_year = 2004

| draft_team = New York Rangers

| career_start = 2006

| career_end = 2019

}}

Brandon Grae Dubinsky (born April 29, 1986) is an American former professional ice hockey player. He previously played for the New York Rangers and Columbus Blue Jackets of the National Hockey League (NHL). Dubinsky was drafted 60th overall in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft by the Rangers.

Playing career

Dubinsky was born to a Russian American family, in Anchorage, Alaska. He played minor ice hockey in Anchorage and Seattle through Sno-King Amateur Hockey Association, and graduated from Service High School in 2004.{{citation needed|date=February 2019}} As a youth, he played in the 1999 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with the Alaska All-Stars.{{cite web|url=https://www.publicationsports.com/ressources/files/439/Joueurs_Pro.pdf|title=Pee-Wee players who have reached NHL or WHA|year=2018|website=Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament|access-date=2019-02-12|archive-date=2019-03-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190306085544/https://www.publicationsports.com/ressources/files/439/Joueurs_Pro.pdf|url-status=dead}}

He spent his junior career with Portland Winter Hawks of the Western Hockey League (WHL) for four years, and was a two-time Western Conference second team All-Star before being drafted in the second round of the 2004 NHL Draft by the New York Rangers.{{cite web | url = http://www.hhof.com/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/SearchPlayer.jsp?player=21318 | title = Legends of Hockey Brandon Dubinsky | publisher = hhof.com | access-date = November 11, 2017}}

=New York Rangers (2006–2012)=

Dubinsky played for the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League (AHL) for most of the 2006–07 season. He first played for the New York Rangers on March 8, 2007, against the New York Islanders.{{citation needed|date=February 2019}}

Dubinsky scored his first NHL goal against Marc-André Fleury on November 8, 2007, in a 4–2 win against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Dubinsky was the 3rd star of the game.{{cite news | url = http://www.nhl.com/ice/m_news.htm?id=373669 | title = Brandon Dubinsky nets 1st NHL goal in Rangers' 4-2 win over Pens | publisher = NHL.com | date = November 8, 2007 | access-date = November 11, 2017}} He spent much of the season centering the Rangers' first forward line with Jaromír Jágr and Sean Avery.{{cite news|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/hockey/rangers/2008/02/19/2008-02-19_rookie_brandon_dubinsky_ready_to_rumble_.html|title=Rookie Brandon Dubinsky ready to rumble on Jaromir Jagr's line|newspaper=NY Daily News|date=2008-02-19|access-date=2008-06-29|first=John|last=Dellapina}} He was one of sixteen rookies selected to participate in the 2008 YoungStars competition at the 56th NHL All-Star Game in Atlanta. He scored two goals and one assist and was named YoungStars Most Valuable Player.{{cite news|url=http://rangers.nhl.com/team/app?articleid=351375&page=NewsPage&service=page|title=Rangers Show Off Their Skills; Dubinsky YoungStars MVP|publisher=newyorkrangers.com|date=2008-01-26|access-date=2008-02-16|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080301182421/http://rangers.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&page=NewsPage&articleid=351375|archive-date=2008-03-01}} Dubinsky scored his first career playoff goal in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals against the New Jersey Devils on April 13, 2008.{{citation needed|date=February 2019}}

File:Brandon Dubinsky 2011.png in October 2011]]

His successful rookie season was marked on April 4, 2008, when Dubinsky was awarded the Steven McDonald Extra Effort Award for the 2007–08 season{{cite news | url=http://rangers.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&page=NewsPage&articleid=359244 | title=Dubinsky wins Extra Effort Award | publisher=newyorkrangers.com | date=2008-04-04 | access-date=2008-06-29 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080614000444/http://rangers.nhl.com/team/app?articleid=359244&page=NewsPage&service=page | archive-date=2008-06-14 }} and "Rookie of the Year" for the Rangers as voted by his teammates.{{citation needed|date=February 2019}}

On May 12, 2008, Dubinsky scored a hat trick in his first World Championships, in Halifax, Nova Scotia, against Norway.{{cite news | url=http://rangers.nhl.com/team/app?articleid=363220&page=NewsPage&service=page | title=Dubinsky Rocks the Worlds with a Hat Trick | publisher=newyorkrangers.com | date=2008-05-12 | access-date=2008-06-29 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080513121614/http://rangers.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&page=NewsPage&articleid=363220 | archive-date=2008-05-13 }} Team USA went on to win the game 9–1.{{citation needed|date=February 2019}}

On November 24, 2008, Dubinsky scored a Gordie Howe hat trick against the Phoenix Coyotes. He squared off against the Coyotes' tough guy Daniel Carcillo protecting the Rangers' netminder Henrik Lundqvist at 2:58 into the first, taking a five-minute major penalty for fighting. He then scored a wraparound goal 1 minute 15 seconds into the second period (which ended up being the game winner). Dubinsky then finished the "Gordie" with an assist to Dan Girardi, who scored a power play goal from the blue line at 7:37 into the third period. The Rangers won the game 4–1 and Dubinsky along with Lundqvist and Zherdev were named the three stars. Ranger coach Tom Renney called the feat a "Gordie Orr hat trick" claiming that Dubinsky "didn't do that well in the fight".{{cite news| url=http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/hockey/rangers/2008/11/24/2008-11-24_scott_gomez_returns_as_rangers_beat_coyo-2.html|title=Scott Gomez returns as Rangers beat Coyotes, break losing skid|publisher=nydailynews.com|date=2008-11-24|access-date=2008-11-24|location=New York|first=Peter|last=Botte}}

Dubinsky finished his second full season with one point more than his previous season. Despite a strong start with a game-winning goal in the Rangers' first game {{cite news| url=https://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/boxscore;_ylt=AhC36XOAGBG34AjSZWosnnYmvLYF?gid=2008100420|title=New York Rangers/Tampa Bay Lightning Box Score|publisher=Yahoo.com|date=2008-10-04|access-date=2009-07-19}} and a streak of 11 points in his first 11 games in 2008–09, he suffered a 20-game goal-scoring drought.{{cite news|url=http://www.nypost.com/seven/01182009/sports/rangers/dubinsky_rediscovers_scoring_touch_150689.htm|title=Dubinsky rediscovers scoring touch|newspaper=New York Post|last=Brooks|first=Larry|date=2009-01-18|access-date=2009-01-18}} On April 15, 2009, Dubinsky scored the game-winning goal with 8:17 remaining in the third period of the Rangers' first game of the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Eastern Conference Quarterfinals against the Washington Capitals.{{citation needed|date=February 2019}}

After holding out at the beginning of the 2009–10 season and missing over a week of training camp, Dubinsky signed a two-year contract worth $3.7 million as a restricted free agent.{{cite news|url=http://www.newsday.com/sports/hockey/rangers/rangers-dubinsky-ends-holdout-signs-2-year-deal-1.1461899|title=Rangers' Dubinsky ends holdout, signs 2-year deal|publisher=newsday.com|last=Zipay|first=Steve|date=2009-09-19|access-date=2009-09-19}} Dubinsky tallied 3 goals and 10 points on the season before suffering a broken hand in a game against the Calgary Flames on November 7, 2009, which relegated him to the injured reserved list for more than a month.{{citation needed|date=February 2019}}

Dubinsky returned to the Rangers' lineup on December 14 against the Atlanta Thrashers. Four games later, he scored his first goal in more than two months against the Carolina Hurricanes. The goal was the game-winner in a 3–1 Rangers victory. Despite missing over a month due to injury, Dubinsky finished the season with career highs in goals and points. After the 2010–11 season, Dubinsky avoided arbitration with the Rangers and signed a four-year, $16.8 million contract.{{cite news| url=https://www.usatoday.com/sports/hockey/nhl/rangers/2011-07-21-brandon-dubinsky-agrees-to-four-year-deal_n.htm|title=Brandon Dubinsky avoids arbitration with four-year deal|work=USA Today|first1=Mike|last1=Brehm|first2=Kevin|last2=Allen|date=2011-07-21}}

On April 14, 2012, in the opening minutes of what would be the Rangers' Game 2 3–2 overtime loss against the Ottawa Senators during the first round of the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs, an incensed Dubinsky, ejected after attacking Matt Carkner during a brawl on the ice, slammed a water cooler on his way out of the game.{{cite web |title=Brandon Dubinsky Ejected Early In Game 2 |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/brandon-dubinsky-ejected-early-in-game-2/ |website=CBS Sports |access-date=18 March 2024 |date=14 April 2012}}

=Columbus Blue Jackets (2012–2019)=

On July 23, 2012, Dubinsky was traded, along with Artem Anisimov, Tim Erixon, and a first round draft pick in 2013, to the Columbus Blue Jackets for Rick Nash, minor leaguer Steven Delisle and a conditional third round pick in the same draft.{{cite news|url=https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=401276|publisher=TSN|title=Blue Jackets Ship Nash to Rangers In Blockbuster Trade|date=2012-07-23}} On July 11, 2014, Dubinsky signed a 6-year, $35.1 million contract extension with Columbus.{{cite magazine | url = http://www.thehockeynews.com/news/article/columbus-blue-jackets-sign-centre-brandon-dubinsky-to-6-year-35-million-contract-extension | title = COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS SIGN CENTRE BRANDON DUBINSKY TO 6-YEAR, $35-MILLION CONTRACT EXTENSION | magazine = The Hockey News | date = Jul 11, 2014 | access-date = November 11, 2017}}

During the 2012–13 NHL lockout, Dubinsky played for the Alaska Aces of the ECHL{{cite web|last=Woody|first=Doyle|title=Dubinsky Says He's In Full-Time With Alaska Aces|url=http://community.adn.com/adn/node/162595|access-date=20 January 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131202232325/http://community.adn.com/adn/node/162595|archive-date=2 December 2013}} and made his Blue Jackets debut once the NHL returned from the work stoppage.

Dubinsky was named an alternate captain of the Blue Jackets on October 8, 2015.{{cite web |url=https://www.dispatch.com/article/20151008/BLOGS/310089758 |title=Blue Jackets - Dubinsky, Jenner named alternate captains |last=Portzline |first=Aaron |publisher=The Columbus Dispatch |date=October 8, 2015}}

In October 2017 Dubinsky was stripped of his "A", by head coach John Tortorella, and it was given to defenceman Jack Johnson.{{cite web | last = Brooks | first = Larry | title = John Tortorella's tough love act is getting old again | url = https://nypost.com/2017/10/28/john-tortorellas-tough-love-act-is-getting-old-again/ | date = October 28, 2017 | access-date = November 11, 2017}} During the 2017–18 season, Dubinsky suffered a fractured orbital during a fight with Zack Kassian of the Edmonton Oilers on December 12, 2017. He was subsequently placed on long term injured reserve.{{cite web|last1=Merz|first1=Craig|title=Dubinsky to miss 6-8 weeks for Blue Jackets with orbital bone fracture|url=https://www.nhl.com/news/brandon-dubinsky-of-columbus-blue-jackets-out-6-8-weeks-with-injury/c-293975956|website=NHL.com|publisher=NHL|access-date=14 December 2017|date=13 December 2017}}

Personal life

Dubinsky was born in Anchorage, Alaska.{{cite web | url = https://www.nhl.com/bluejackets/news/tapped-in-dubinsky-dishes-on-golf-alaska-fashion/c-685733| author = Kathryn Tappen | title = Tapped In: Dubinsky dishes on golf, Alaska, fashion | website = NHL.com | date = October 6, 2013 | access-date = November 20, 2017}}