Dean Melanson

Dean Clement Melanson (born November 19, 1973) is a Canadian retired professional ice hockey defenceman. He played 9 games in the National Hockey League with the Buffalo Sabres and Washington Capitals between 1995 and 2001. The rest of his career, which lasted from 1993 to 2008, was spent in the minor leagues and in Europe.

Dean Melanson
Born	(1973-11-19) November 19, 1973 (age 51) Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Canada
Height	5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
Weight	200 lb (91 kg; 14 st 4 lb)
Position	Defence
Shot	Right
Played for	Buffalo Sabres Washington Capitals Iserlohn Roosters Kassel Huskies Milano Vipers Basingstoke Bison
NHL draft	80th overall, 1992 Buffalo Sabres
Playing career	1993–2008

Biography

Melanson was born in Antigonish, Nova Scotia. As a youth, he played in the 1985 and 1986 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournaments with a minor ice hockey team from Antigonish.^[1]

Melanson was drafted in the fourth round, 80th overall, by the Buffalo Sabres in the 1992 NHL Entry Draft.^{[citation needed]} Melanson appeared in only nine games in the NHL: five with the Sabres in the 1994–95 season and four with the Washington Capitals in the 2001–02 season.^{[citation needed]} In his brief NHL career, Melanson went scoreless and recorded eight penalty minutes.^{[citation needed]}

The majority of his professional career was spent in the American Hockey League, where he won the Calder Cup in 1996 with the Rochester Americans. He also suited up for teams in the International Hockey League, Germany's Deutsche Eishockey Liga, the Ligue Nord-Américaine de Hockey and the United Hockey League. He also had a spell in Italy for the Milano Vipers. Melanson ended his professional career after playing 11 games with British Elite Ice Hockey League team the Basingstoke Bison in the 2007–08 season.^{[citation needed]}

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1990–91	Saint-Hyacinthe Laser	QMJHL		69	10	17	27	110		4	0	1	1	2
1991–92	Saint-Hyacinthe Laser	QMJHL		42	8	19	27	158		6	1	2	3	25
19920–93	Saint-Hyacinthe Laser	QMJHL		57	13	29	42	253		—	—	—	—	—
1992–93	Rochester Americans	AHL		8	0	1	1	6		14	1	6	7	18
1993–94	Rochester Americans	AHL		80	1	21	22	138		4	0	1	1	2
1994–95	Buffalo Sabres	NHL		5	0	0	0	4		—	—	—	—	—
1994–95	Rochester Americans	AHL		43	4	7	11	84		—	—	—	—	—
1995–96	Rochester Americans	AHL		70	3	13	16	204		14	3	3	6	22
1996–97	Quebec Rafales	IHL		72	3	21	24	95		7	0	2	2	12
1997–98	Rochester Americans	AHL		73	7	9	16	228		4	0	2	2	0
1998–99	Rochester Americans	AHL		79	7	27	34	192		17	3	2	5	32
1999–00	Philadelphia Phantoms	AHL		58	11	25	36	178		4	2	3	5	10
2000–01	Chicago Wolves	IHL		42	1	7	8	80		—	—	—	—	—
2000–01	Philadelphia Phantoms	AHL		15	1	4	5	48		—	—	—	—	—
2000–01	Portland Pirates	AHL		13	1	4	5	14		2	0	0	0	10
2001–02	Washington Capitals	NHL		4	0	0	0	4		—	—	—	—	—
2001–02	Portland Pirates	AHL		70	2	14	16	140		—	—	—	—	—
2002–03	Portland Pirates	AHL		23	1	4	5	40		—	—	—	—	—
2002–03	Binghamton Senators	AHL		35	4	3	7	93		13	0	1	1	48
2003–04	Iserlohn Roosters	DEL		27	4	6	10	150		—	—	—	—	—
2003–04	Saint-Hyacinthe Cousin	QSMHL		3	0	5	5	7		—	—	—	—	—
2004–05	Kassel Huskies	DEL		49	3	6	9	143		—	—	—	—	—
2005–06	Saint-Hyacinthe Cristal	LNAH		30	2	13	15	42		—	—	—	—	—
2005–06	Muskegon Fury	UHL		6	0	0	0	9		12	1	4	5	18
2006–07	Muskegon Fury	UHL		6	1	1	2	12		—	—	—	—	—
2006–07	Milano Vipers	Italy		2	0	0	0	6		8	0	0	0	57
2007–08	Basingstoke Bison	EIHL		11	0	2	2	32		—	—	—	—	—
AHL totals				567	42	132	174	1365		72	9	18	27	142
NHL totals				9	0	0	0	8		—	—	—	—	—