Chicago Blackhawks

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Lapointe arrived in Chicago in the summer of 2005, signing a 3-year free agent contract after the lockout wiped out the 2004–05 season. He brought a physical edge and veteran leadership to a rebuilding Blackhawks squad. During the 2005–06 season, when captain Adrian Aucoin was sidelined by injury, Lapointe was named captain for the latter portion of the campaign. His durability was remarkable: he played in 209 consecutive games with Chicago and 254 straight overall before missing a game on January 16, 2008, against St. Louis with what was believed to be the flu. That absence ended a streak that had stretched back to December 29, 2003, when he was still with Boston. On February 26, 2008, the Blackhawks traded Lapointe to the Ottawa Senators for a sixth round draft pick.

In Their Own Story

The streak was a quiet badge of honor for Lapointe. Night after night, he laced up his skates, took his shifts, and threw his body into the corners. The 254 consecutive games—209 of them in a Blackhawks sweater—spoke to a toughness that went beyond the 1,143 career penalty minutes he'd pile up. When Adrian Aucoin went down, Lapointe was handed the captain's 'C' for the latter part of the 2005–06 season, a nod to his professionalism. Then, on January 16, 2008, the flu finally caught him. He sat out against St. Louis, and the streak ended. Less than six weeks later, on February 26, 2008, he was traded to the Ottawa Senators for a sixth round draft pick, closing his chapter in Chicago.

Reader's Guide

For fans looking to understand Lapointe's Blackhawks tenure, focus on three key moments. First, his signing in August 2005 as a free agent after the lockout—he was brought in to add grit and experience to a young roster. Second, his captaincy during the latter portion of the 2005–06 season, stepping in when Adrian Aucoin was injured. Third, his remarkable ironman streak: 209 consecutive games with Chicago and 254 straight overall, snapped on January 16, 2008, when he sat out against St. Louis with what was believed to be the flu. His last absence before that had been December 29, 2003, with Boston. The trade on February 26, 2008, sent him to Ottawa for a sixth round pick, ending his time in Chicago.

Did You Know?

• Lapointe served as Blackhawks captain for the latter portion of the 2005–06 season due to an injury to Adrian Aucoin.
• He played in 209 consecutive games with Chicago and 254 straight overall before sitting out January 16, 2008, against St. Louis with what was believed to be the flu.
• His last absence before that streak ended had been December 29, 2003, while he was with Boston.
• Lapointe was traded by the Blackhawks to the Ottawa Senators on February 26, 2008, for a sixth round draft pick.
• He signed a 3-year free agent deal with Chicago in August 2005 after the NHL lockout wiped out the entire 2004–05 season.