Jason Chimera

Jason Chimera (/tʃɪˈmɛərə/; born May 2, 1979) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey left winger who played for five teams in the National Hockey League (NHL).

Jason Chimera
Chimera with the Washington Capitals in 2010
Born	(1979-05-02) May 2, 1979 (age 45) Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Height	6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Weight	205 lb (93 kg; 14 st 9 lb)
Position	Left wing
Shot	Left
Played for	Edmonton Oilers Columbus Blue Jackets Washington Capitals New York Islanders Anaheim Ducks
National team	Canada
NHL draft	121st overall, 1997 Edmonton Oilers
Playing career	1999–2018

Playing career

Chimera played his junior career in the WHL, for Medicine Hat and Brandon. He was selected 121st overall in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft by his hometown team, the Edmonton Oilers, mostly because of his outstanding skating. Chimera played three seasons on the Hamilton Bulldogs, which at that point was the Oilers' farm team in the American Hockey League. In his final season, he was named to the AHL First All-Star team.

Chimera played two seasons for Edmonton before being traded to the Phoenix Coyotes for draft choices. Because of the NHL lockout, he did not play the following season and went to play in Italy for Mastini Varese. Chimera was subsequently dealt to the Columbus Blue Jackets, without playing a game in Phoenix, as part of a trade for Geoff Sanderson.

With the Blue Jackets, Chimera predominantly played left wing on the team's third line. He was usually centered by Manny Malhotra and spent significant time playing alongside right wingers such as Dan Fritsche and Trevor Letowski. However, Chimera began the 2008–09 season as the veteran presence on a line with rookies Derick Brassard and Jakub Voracek.

He was a member of the 2007 Canadian IIHF World Championship team that won gold in a 4–2 win against Finland in Moscow.

Chimera was traded to the Washington Capitals on December 28, 2009 for Chris Clark, the Capitals captain, and Milan Jurčina.^[1] The trade came less than two months after Capitals superstar Alexander Ovetchkin was injured either during a scrum/fight with Chimera, or as Ovetchkin exited the penalty box, colliding with Columbus' Raffi Torres.^[2] The injury was the longest of Ovetchkin's career, keeping him out of six games.^[3]

Chimera was re-signed a two-year contract extension with the Capitals on November 8, 2013.^[4]

On July 1, 2016, Chimera signed a two-year deal as a free agent with the New York Islanders.^[5] During the subsequent season, Chimera played in his 1,000th game.

In the 2017–18 season, his final season under contract with the Islanders, Chimera was dealt at the trade deadline to the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for Chris Wagner on February 26, 2018.^[6]

While with the Capitals, Chimera was nicknamed “the Ice Cheetah” for his speed on the ice.^[7]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1996–97	Medicine Hat Tigers	WHL		71	16	23	39	64		4	0	1	1	4
1997–98	Medicine Hat Tigers	WHL		72	34	32	66	93		—	—	—	—	—
1997–98	Hamilton Bulldogs	AHL		4	0	0	0	8		—	—	—	—	—
1998–99	Medicine Hat Tigers	WHL		37	18	22	40	84		—	—	—	—	—
1998–99	Brandon Wheat Kings	WHL		21	14	12	26	32		5	4	1	5	8
1999–00	Hamilton Bulldogs	AHL		78	15	13	28	77		10	0	2	2	12
2000–01	Hamilton Bulldogs	AHL		78	29	25	54	93		—	—	—	—	—
2000–01	Edmonton Oilers	NHL		1	0	0	0	0		—	—	—	—	—
2001–02	Edmonton Oilers	NHL		3	1	0	1	0		—	—	—	—	—
2001–02	Hamilton Bulldogs	AHL		78	29	25	54	93		15	4	6	10	10
2002–03	Edmonton Oilers	NHL		66	14	9	23	36		2	0	2	2	0
2003–04	Edmonton Oilers	NHL		60	4	8	12	57		—	—	—	—	—
2004–05	Mastini Varese	ITA		15	7	3	10	34		5	2	1	3	31
2005–06	Columbus Blue Jackets	NHL		80	17	13	30	95		—	—	—	—	—
2006–07	Columbus Blue Jackets	NHL		82	15	21	36	91		—	—	—	—	—
2007–08	Columbus Blue Jackets	NHL		81	14	17	31	98		—	—	—	—	—
2008–09	Columbus Blue Jackets	NHL		49	8	14	22	41		4	0	1	1	2
2009–10	Columbus Blue Jackets	NHL		39	8	9	17	47		—	—	—	—	—
2009–10	Washington Capitals	NHL		39	7	10	17	51		7	1	2	3	2
2010–11	Washington Capitals	NHL		81	10	16	26	64		9	2	2	4	2
2011–12	Washington Capitals	NHL		82	20	19	39	78		14	4	3	7	6
2012–13	Piráti Chomutov	ELH		5	1	0	1	10		—	—	—	—	—
2012–13	Washington Capitals	NHL		47	3	11	14	48		7	1	2	3	4
2013–14	Washington Capitals	NHL		82	15	27	42	36		—	—	—	—	—
2014–15	Washington Capitals	NHL		77	7	12	19	51		14	3	4	7	4
2015–16	Washington Capitals	NHL		82	20	20	40	22		12	1	1	2	12
2016–17	New York Islanders	NHL		82	20	13	33	40		—	—	—	—	—
2017–18	New York Islanders	NHL		58	2	9	11	35		—	—	—	—	—
2017–18	Anaheim Ducks	NHL		16	1	1	2	2		2	0	0	0	0
NHL totals				1,107	186	229	415	892		71	12	17	29	32

International

Medal record
Representing  Canada
Ice hockey
World Championships
	2007 Moscow
	2008 Halifax/Quebec City
World Junior Championships
	1999 Winnipeg

Year	Team	Event	Result		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1999	Canada	WJC			7	2	2	4	2
2007	Canada	WC			9	1	5	6	8
2008	Canada	WC			9	0	2	2	6
2014	Canada	WC	5th		8	1	2	3	0
Junior totals					7	2	2	4	2
Senior totals					26	2	9	11	14