Ray Whitney
Ray Whitney was drafted in the second round (32nd overall) in the 1991 NHL Entry Draft by the San Jose Sharks. He has played for several different NHL teams during his 14 year career, including the San Jose Sharks (1991-92 to 1996-97), Edmonton Oilers (1997-98), Florida Panthers (1997-98 to 2000-01), Columbus Blue Jackets (2000-01 to 2002-03), and Detroit Red Wings (2003-04). On August 6, 2005 Whitney signed a 2 year contract with the Carolina Hurricanes paying him $1.5 million per year.
Whitney had an extensive history with the Edmonton Oilers, having been a stick boy along with Ryan Smyth during the latter parts of Gretzky's time as an Oiler. In 2006, Ray helped Carolina win their first Stanley Cup. Ray stated that if the Hurricanes were not in the playoffs, he would have been rooting for the Oilers, as they were his childhood team. The Finals were a real emotional time for Ray and his father Floyd. Floyd stated that the Stanley Cup Finals were one of the hardest two weeks of his life. Being a guard for the Oilers dressing room and their practice goalie, Floyd had to chose between the team he worked with and his son. In the end, Floyd felt sorry for the Oilers but not too sorry, he was happy for his son. Stories like that exemplify the attitude that Whitney has towards the game, as he is very emotionally invested in it and has a rich hockey history involving his family.
While Whitney plays with his heart and soul, he is prone to streaky patches in his career that limit his productivity. Like other "heart on his sleeve" type players, Whitney isn't necessarily going to set any points records or win many scoring titles. It is the intangibles that make Ray Whitney a player to have on your team, however, as his presence in the room and his ability to emotionally get involved in the game make him a powerful asset every single game. Whitney will score huge goals when necessary and will average about 60 points a season. He is also very effective in the shootout.
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