Hartman, Mike

Hartman played in 397 games during a ten-year NHL career spanning the mid-1980s to the mid-1990s. He also appeared in 21 career playoff games and registered no points and 106 penalty minutes. A rough and tough wing. Mike once set the Buffalo Sabres' team record for penalty minutes in one season with 316. After his NHL career ended, he was player/coach for the American team at the 1997 Maccabiah Games.

Birth and Death Dates:
b. Feb. 7, 1967

Career Highlights:
In 1986, Hartman was selected by the Buffalo Sabres in the 7th round (131st overall) in the NHL Draft. After beginning that season in the minors, Mike was called up to the NHL and played in 17 games for the Sabres (28-44-8, fifth in the Adams Division), scoring 3 goals and 3 assists. Over the next four seasons, Mike remained a regular left wing for the Sabres (who made the playoffs in each of the four years but did not get past the first round). In 1988-89, Hartman achieved a career-high 316 penalty minutes; the distinction was also a team record at the time. Mike's highest scoring season came in 1989-90, when he registered career high in goals (11) and assists (10).

In 1991, Mike was traded to the Winnipeg Jets. He played in 75 games that year for the Jets and had 264 penalty minutes. The following year, he was claimed by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 1992 Expansion Draft and played in 58 games for the Lightning before being traded to the New York Rangers late in the season. In 1994, he was a member of the Rangers when they won the Stanley Cup, New York's first title since 1940. Mike said: "I was one of the small pieces to a big puzzle that year with the Rangers. Being part of a Stanley Cup champion has to rank as one of the highlights of my life." Hartman remained with the Rangers until 1995 (he played in only one game in the NHL that year) and after an injury ended his hopes of playing with the Colorado Avalanche, bumped around the minors for the next few years. He also played in Germany in the late 1990s. While playing there, Mike said: "I'm in a good situation. Other than soccer, hockey is probably the most popular sport in the country. I've met a lot of nice people."

In addition to playing, Hartman has also spent the later stages of his career as a coach . While playing with the Charlotte Checkers of the ECHL in 1997-98, he served as an assistant coach. And in the summer of 1997, Mike also did double duty on the U.S. Maccabiah team. Hockey made its debut in the Maccabiah games that year, and Hartman helped lead the Americans to the silver medal . Mike said of competing in the Games: "After dealing with the pressure associated with professional hockey all these years, the Maccabiah Games were a nice change of pace. I wanted the guys to give 100 percent on the ice, but at the same time, I wanted them to have an experience they'd remember forever. It was important that the guys had a cultural experience as well as a hockey experience. I know I did."

Origin:
Detroit, Michigan

Career Dates:
Hartman played left wing in the NHL for the Buffalo Sabres from 1986-1991; with the Winnipeg Jets in 1991-92; the Tampa Bay Lightning in 1992-93; and for the New York Rangers from 1993-1995.

Position:
left wing

Physical description:
6'0", 190 pounds
left-handed

Career Statistics:
In the NHL:
Games: 397

Goals: 43
Assists: 35
Points: 78

Power play goals: 5
Short-handed goals: 0
Game-winning goals: 6

Shots: 481
Shooting percentage: 8.9

Penalty minutes: 1,388
Plus/Minus: -34

< Previous |  Next >