Cammalleri, Mike

Michael Cammalleri

Cammalleri, whose mother is Jewish, was born in Ontario. He has excelled in every level of hockey he has played. A center for the Los Angeles Kings, Mike is a young, versatile left-handed shooter with exceptional speed, intelligence and grit. Mike is equally adept at both scoring and creating chances for his teammates. Bruce Boudreau, Mike's coach with the Kings� AHL entry, the Manchester Monarchs, observed that Cammalleri is "the smartest player I�ve had the good fortune to coach. He sees the ice well. He can take a one-timer better than any player I�ve seen. He reads plays like Gretzky and Lemieux.�

Birth and Death Dates:
b. June 8, 1982

Career Highlights:
Mike began skating at the age of three and was playing in the AAA hockey in the MTHL for the Toronto Red Wings by the age of eleven. He graduated to the Bramalea Blues of the OPJHL (Ontario Provincial Junior Hockey League), where he recorded 191 in 87 games over a two-year span and was named OPJHL Rookie of the Year in 1997-98. Mike then entered the University of Michigan (after finishing high school in three years) and became one of the top college players in the country.

A CCHA first team All-Star and NCAA West second team All-America in 2001, Mike was the team's assistant captain and was named CCHA first team and NCAA West first team All-America in 2002. Cammalleri scored 61 points in his sophomore season, then followed that with 43 points in a partial junior year in which he was sidelined with mononucleosis, as the Wolverines skated to consecutive Frozen Fours. Mike decided to forego his senior season and completed his three-year collegiate career with 131 points in 110 games.

The Canadian center starred for his national team at the 2001 and 2002 World Junior Championships. In the 2001 Championships, Mike racked up up six points in seven games. Cammalleri led the 2002 tournament with seven goals and four assists and was picked out by many as the star of the event.

Selected by the Los Angeles Kings in the second round of the 2002 NHL Draft (49th overall), Mike began the 2002-03 season with the Manchester Monarchs of the AHL (American Hockey League). After only seven games with the Monarchs, he was called up by the Kings and in his NHL debut on November 8, he registered his first career NHL point when he assisted on a goal by fellow Jewish player, Mathieu Schneider. Mike scored his first NHL goal -- a game-winner -- eight days later, in his fifth Kings contest.

Cammalleri played in 28 games prior to being injured at the end of January, 2003. He missed the remainder of the season after being placed on injured reserve with post-concussion symptoms. Before his injury, Cammalleri scored five points and added three assists for the Kings. He was a teammate of All-Star defenseman Mathieu Schneider before Schneider was traded to the Detroit Red Wings in mid-March. Mike missed the rest of the season due to the injury.

Cammalleri returned to the Kings for the 2003-04 campaign. Los Angeles finished the regular season with a record of 28-29-16-9 and in third place in the Pacific Division (81 points). During the season, Mike played in 31 games for the Kings and registered nine goals and six assists.

With the players locked out of the 2004-2005 season by the owners, Mike played in the American Hockey League. His sensational play for the Kings� AHL affiliates, the Manchester Monarchs, enabled him to finish as the AHL�s top goal scorer with 46 in 79 games. His coach, Bruce Boudreau, called his star "very smart. Has great vision and knows what to do when he has the puck. A real hockey sense...He wants to be the best. He's a driven kid who knows where he wants to end up and he will do what it takes to get there." (New Hampshire Union Leader, December 2, 2004).

Origin:
Richmond Hill (Ontario), Canada

Career Dates:
Cammalleri played center at the University of Michigan from 1999-2002. Since 2002, he has been playing in the NHL for the Los Angeles Kings.

Physical description:
5'9", 180 pounds

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