Mark "Rex" Recchi
Alternate Captain
Birthdate: 1 February 1968
Birthplace: Kamloops, BC
Height: 5'10
Weight: 185 lbs
Sweater Number: 8
Position: Mostly RW, some center and left wing
Drafted/Acquired: Drafted from Kamloops by Pittsburgh in the fourth round (67th overall) of the 1988 NHL Entry Draft. Traded with Brian Benning and first round pick to Flyers for Kjell Samuellson, Rick Tocchet, Ken Wregget, and third round pick on 2/19/92. Traded with 3rd round pick to Canadiens for Eric Desjardins, John LeClair, and Gilbert Dionne on 2/9/95. Traded back to Flyers for Dainius Zubrus and 2nd round pick on 3/10/99.
Marital Status: Married to Alexa with a daughter, Christina
Career Notes
- 1987-88: Was a member of the Canadian National Team that won a Gold Medal in the 1988 World Junior Championship Tournament. Named to the WHL West All-Star Team following the 1987-88 season. Led the WHL in playoff assists (21) and playoff points (31) in 1988. Led the WHL in assists for the 1987-88 regular season with 93. Drafted by Pittsburg in fourth round of 1988 entry draft.
- 1988-89: Named to the IHL Second All-Star Team after posting 99 points (50G,49A - eighth in the IHL) for Muskegon. Recorded his first NHL goal (against Eldon Reddick) and first NHL assist at Winnipeg on January 20, 1989. Played his first NHL game at Toronto on November 16, 1988
- 1989-90: Was third among NHL rookies in points (67), second among NHL rookies in goals (30) and fourth among NHL rookies in assists (37). Was named NHL Rookie of the Month for February.
- 1990-91: Was a member of the 1991 Stanley Cup Champion Pittsburgh Penguins, recording 34 points (10G,24A) in 24 playoff games. Led the Penguins in points (113, fourth in the NHL) and assists (73, tied for fourth in the NHL). Tied for the Penguins’ lead in goals with 40. Posted a career high five assists at NY Rangers on December 3, 1990.
- 1991-92: Recorded two goals and an assist at Washington on February 22, 1992, his first game as a Flyer. Set a career high for points in a game with six (3G,3A) at Quebec on November 18, 1991, including his first NHL hat trick.
- 1992-93: Posted a team-record 123 points for the Flyers. Posted career highs for goals (53) and points (123) in a single season. Led the Flyers in goals (53, tied for 11th in the NHL), assists (70, tied for 12th in the NHL) and points (123, 10th in the NHL). Was scoreless vs. Quebec on December 3, 1992, ending his 17-game point-scoring streak from October 18 through November 28, 1992 (14G,23A). Named NHL Player of the Week for period from November 9 through 15, 1992, 12 points (3G,9A) in three games. Tied his career high for points in a game with six (2G,4A) vs. NY Islanders on November 12, 1992.
- 1993-94: Led the Flyers in points (107, tied for fifth in the NHL) and assists (67, tied for seventh in the NHL). Was second on the team in goals with 40. Recorded his 500th NHL point with an assist at New Jersey on March 26, 1994
- 1994-95: Led Montreal in scoring with 43 points (14G,29A) in 39 games. Led the Canadiens in goals with 14.
- 1995-96: Was third on the Canadiens in scoring with 78 points (28G,50A) in 82 games. Played his 500th career NHL game at Pittsburgh on December 22, 1995.
- 1996-97: Was the Canadiens’ Molson Cup Player of the Year. Led the Canadiens in goals with 34. Recorded his 700th NHL point with a goal at Edmonton on March 1, 1997. Named MVP of the 1997 NHL All-Star Game after scoring three goals in the contest. Registered his 400th NHL assist at Toronto on November 23, 1996.
- 1997-98: Was the Canadiens’ Molson Cup Player of the Year. Led the Canadiens in scoring with 74 points (32G,42A) in 82 games. Led the Canadiens in goals with 32. Played his 700th NHL game vs. Tampa Bay on March 28, 1998. Represented the Canadiens in the 1998 NHL All-Star Game. Named NHL Player of the Week for period from December 29, 1997 through January 4, 1998 (seven points - 4G,3A - in four games). Scored his 300th NHL goal at New Jersey on December 12, 1997.
- 1998-99: Was third on the team in power play assists with 20 (19 with Montreal). Missed the final two games of the regular season due to symptoms associated with a vascular spasm. Missed two games, April 3 and 5, due to migraine headaches. Played at Nashville on April 1 after missing the previous three games due to a concussion (March 27 through 30), sustained at Toronto on March 22. Mark and his wife, Alexa, celebrated the birth of their first child, Christina, on March 26. Scored a goal vs. Coloardo on March 11, his first game as a Flyer since being traded to Montreal on February 9, 1995. Was acquired by the Flyers from the Montreal Canadiens on March 10 in exchange for right wing Dainius Zubrus, a second round pick in the 1999 NHL Entry Draft (Matt Carkner) and the New York Islanders’ sixth round pick in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft. Had recorded 12 goals and 35 assists for 47 points and 28 penalty minutes in 61 games for the Canadiens this season. His 35 assists and 47 points led the Canadiens this season. Missed four games from December 12 through 19, 1998, due to pneumonia. Missed game at Nashville on December 12, 1998 due to pneumonia, ending his consecutive regular season games played streak at 570 (from October 4, 1991 through December 11, 1998 - the eighth longest streak in NHL history).
- 1999-2000: Won his second-career Bobby Clarke Trophy as the Flyers' MVP. Led NHL in assists (63). Led team in points (91, third in NHL). Second on team goals (28). Tied for team in plus/minus (+20). One of three Flyers to play all 82 games. Appeared in seventh career All-Star game. During playoffs, ranked fifth in NHL in points (18). Played 53:57 in 5 OT game in Pittsburgh 5/4/00. Registered his 900th career point, an assist, at Florida 1/17/00. Appeared in his 800th career game 11/13/99 vs. San Jose
- 2000-01: Was first on the team in points (77), in assists (50, tied for 17th in the NHL), in game-winning goals (8) and in power play points (24 - 7G,17A). Was tied for second on the team in goals with 27. Had an 11-game point-scoring streak (from 2/25/01 through 3/19/01 - 6G,13A). Was named First Star after recording a goal and two assists vs. St. Louis on 3/13/01. His goal vs. St. Louis on 3/13/01 was his 1,000th career NHL point (60th player in NHL history to reach milestone). Was scoreless vs. Tampa Bay on 2/24/01, ending his seven-game point-scoring streak (6G,7A) and his seven-game assist streak (7A). Was goalless at NY Islanders on 2/22/01, ending his four-game goal-scoring streak (5G). Scored a goal vs. NY Islanders on 2/1/01, his 400th point as a Flyer (16th player to accomplish feat). Recorded two goals and two assists at Pittsburgh on 1/31/01. His second assist at Pittsburgh on 1/31/01 was his 600th in the NHL (an NHL Milestone). Game at Carolina on 1/27/01 was his 900th in the NHL. Posted a goal and three assists at Atlanta on 1/5/01. Recorded a goal and an assist in his 300th game as a Flyer at Buffalo on 11/22/00. Recorded a shorthanded goal and two assists at Atlanta on 11/17/00. Scored the game-winning goal in overtime at Toronto on 11/15/00, after missing the previous nine games (from 10/24/00 through 11/11/00) due to a concussion. Returned to action vs. Anaheim on 10/21/00 after missing four games (from 10/12/00 through 10/19/00) due to a concussion. Flyers had a 32-9-2 record when Recchi registers at least a point in a game. Was the Flyers' nominee for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy ("perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey")
- 2001-02: Scored his first hat trick as a Flyer on 10/20/01 vs. Washington.
Profile
It's got to be hard to be Montreal Canadiens fan. First, your team loses John LeClair and Eric Desjardins in a very bad trade. Then, your team trades Mark Recchi for an underachiever in Dainius Zubrus. And finally, the kicker. In the big leadership change, the three captains that emerge are Desjardins, assisted by (guess who?) LeClair and Recchi. Somewhere, God is chuckling.
"Rex" had a monster season in his first full season back with the Flyers. Hampered by the lingering effects of pneumonia and a concussion in 98-99, he rebounded to be the Flyers MVP, winner of the Bobby Clarke Award for 1999-2000. Recchi's main assets are his speed and his seemingly boundless energy. Despite his relatively small size, he's a very durable player and an excellent passer, playmaker, and puck-carryer. His leadership ain't half-bad either. Recchi seems to play his best hockey in the orange and black--and it's good to see him back on our side.
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