The Seven is an arbitrary list of randomly connected hockey subjects that will run every Thursday on Puck Daddy. Agree to disagree.
Were it not for Jean-Luc, Alexandre would be our favorite Picard.
Alas, he's an NHL journeyman rather than having thwarted a Borg assimilation of Earth or convinced William Shatner to leave the Nexus to kill Malcolm McDowell. Oh, but what an NHL journeymen.
One might say he's made our list of The 7 NHL journeymen nearing Mike Sillinger levels of relocation, in honor of the since-retired forward who had 12 stops in his NHL career.
One might also say that list begins … now.
7. Alexandre Picard, Defenseman
Picard was recalled from the AHL on Thursday by the Pittsburgh Penguins, joining the team on its West Coast trip. Taken 85th overall in the 2003 NHL Draft, an appearance with the Penguins would be an appearance with his sixth NHL team at just age 26. Picard previously played for the Philadelphia Flyers, (who drafted him) Tampa Bay Lightning, Ottawa Senators, Carolina Hurricanes and Montreal Canadiens. Perhaps best known for a 5-point game — all assists — in 2007 for the Flyers against the Devils.
6. Brian Boucher, Goalie
They're not booing. They're Bouching.
Just because you're a goaltender doesn't mean you can't be a journeyman too, and Boucher has played for seven NHL teams since he was drafted No. 22 overall by the Philadelphia Flyers in 1995. This included 3-game stints for the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2006-07 and the Calgary Flames in 2005-06. Currently with the Carolina Hurricanes, Boucher also played for the Phoenix Coyotes, Chicago Blackhawks, San Jose Sharks and the Flyers … twice.
5. Sean O'Donnell, Defenseman
We had to get one crusty old guy on here, and O'Donnell turned 40 last month.
He actually played his first six seasons with the Los Angeles Kings from 1994-2000, and returned to the Kings for two more seasons in the 2008-10. Along with those stops: The Minnesota Wild, Boston Bruins, New Jersey Devils, Phoenix Coyotes, Mighty Ducks of Anaheim (and the Anaheim Ducks), the Philadelphia Flyers and, now, the Chicago Blackhawks.
He has one Stanley Cup ring with the Ducks in 2007 and 1,182 games played, seventh on the active list in the NHL.
4. Josh Green, Center
A bit of a cheat since he's currently in the AHL, but we simply had to include a player who has already suited up for eight NHL teams. The soon-to-be 34-year-old was drafted by the Los Angeles Kings at No. 30 in 1996; since then, he's played for the Kings, the New York Islanders, Edmonton Oilers, New York Rangers (twice), Washington Capitals, Calgary Flames, Vancouver Canucks, Anaheim Ducks and is now in the Oilers organization. Hopefully he gets a recall: He's stuck on 199 career PIMs. Probably trips a guy on his first shift back to break the 2-0-0.
3.
Alex Auld, GoalieAuld was drafted by the Florida Panthers in 1999, and then traded to the Vancouver Canucks, where he played parts of four seasons. He was sent back to Florida in the Luongo trade, played there for a year, and then played for the Coyotes and Boston Bruins in 2007-08. Then it was off to the Ottawa Senators for a season, followed by a split season between the Dallas Stars and New York Rangers (that's his Mike Richter kiss-up mask above). The Montreal Canadiens played him 16 times in 2010-11; he's back in Ottawa this season, appearing in three games and losing them all.
Alex Auld is 30. The Senators are the eighth team he's played for.
2. Vinny Prospal, Center
Most journeymen are of the scrappy, third-liner variety. Prospal's a different type of journeyman: The instant offense, frequent enigma type.
He has 690 points in 990 career games, including 12 so far with the Columbus Blue Jackets in which he has 10 points. That situation's the epitome of Prospal: Acquired after Kristian Huselius went down, gradually making himself indispensible. The Flyers drafted him in 1993; he played for them twice, along with the Ottawa Senators, Florida Panthers, Tampa Bay Lightning (where he won the Cup and came back a second time), Mighty Ducks of Anaheim and New York Rangers.
1. Dominic Moore, Center
Of all the Mike Sillinger-ish players on this list, Moore might be the most Mike Sillinger-y.
Moore, 31, is in the second year of a two-year deal with the Tampa Bay Lightning, playing the kind of two-way hockey that's made him an appealing asset during his NHL career. The Bolts are his eighth team, following the New York Rangers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Minnesota Wild, Toronto Maple Leafs, Buffalo Sabres, Florida Panthers and Montreal Canadiens.
Moore tops this week's 'The 7' because he's on a path to Sillingerville. Perhaps the Lightning like him so much, he sticks for a bit. Or, perhaps he'll become someone else's checking line center with scoring pop. Either way, he's got plenty of years ahead of him … and there are plenty of teams with whom he's yet to play.
Previously on Puck Daddy's The 7
The 7 neglected NHL fan
The 7 players we'd pay to watch in an NHL shootout
The 7 NHL veterans still livin' the dream in minor leagues
The 7 most heartwarming stories of the NHL preseason