Jim Paek

Jim Paek (born April 7, 1967 in Seoul, South Korea) is a former professional ice hockey player in the National Hockey League who played from 1990–91 to 1994–95. He is the first of two Korean hockey players to ever play in the NHL – the other being Richard Park – and one of a handful of Asians with NHL experience.

Playing career
Paek was drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the ninth round, 170th overall, in the 1985 NHL Entry Draft. Before joining the NHL in 1990–91, he played three seasons for the Oshawa Generals (1984–85 to 1986–87) of the OHL and three seasons with the Muskegon Lumberjacks (1987–88 to 1989–90) of the IHL. Paek also played 48 games for the Canadian National Team in 1990–91.

Paek's NHL career began with the Penguins in 1990–91. Upon entering the league, he became the first Korean-born hockey player to ever play in the NHL and since he was part of the Penguins' Stanley Cup run of 1990–91, he became the first Korean to have his name engraved on the Cup. His Penguins sweater now hangs in the Hockey Hall of Fame honouring this feat.

After four seasons and two Stanley Cups in Pittsburgh, Paek was traded mid-season to the Los Angeles Kings in 1993–94 as part of the deal that brought Tomas Sandström to the Penguins. After only 18 regular season games as a King, he moved on, signing with the Ottawa Senators for the 1994–95 NHL season.

After only 29 games with the Ottawa Senators in 1994–95, he left the NHL and began play in the International Hockey League. In the IHL, he played for the Houston Aeros, Minnesota Moose, Manitoba Moose, and Cleveland Lumberjacks. His next stop was Great Britain, where he joined the Nottingham Panthers of the British Ice Hockey Superleague. With the exception of 40 games in 2001–02 with the Anchorage Aces of the West Coast Hockey League, he played out the rest of his career with the Panthers, retiring after the 2002–03 season.

In five NHL seasons, Paek played 217 regular season games, scored 5 goals, had 29 assists for 34 points. He also racked up 557 penalty minutes. Added to his regular season totals are 27 playoff games, 1 goal, 4 assists, 5 points, and 8 penalty minutes.

Coaching career
When Paek signed on as a player for the Anchorage Aces, he also signed on as an assistant defensive coach for the team.

After retiring from playing, he coached the Orlando Seals of the World Hockey Association 2. He coached only one season as the league folded after a single season (2003–04). He had a record of 27 wins, 25 losses, and 5 overtime losses.

Paek took a year off from the professional coaching ranks in 2004–05 and coached the St.Edward (Lakewood, Ohio) High School team to an Ohio state championship. While coaching at St.Edward, he also led a last place seed Cleveland Jr. Panthers ('91 birth year)team to an Eastern Elite Amateur Hockey League title.

Paek is, as of the end of the 2005–06 season, associate coach of the Grand Rapids Griffins of the American Hockey League. The team is a minor league affiliate of the Detroit Red Wings.