Steve Ray Poapst (born January 3, 1969 in Cornwall, Ontario) is a retired professional ice hockey defenceman who completed his playing career with the St. Louis Blues of the NHL after four seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks and one with the Pittsburgh Penguins. He is now coach and General manager of the Chicago Steel of the United States Hockey League.
He played for Colgate University from 1987 to 1991. Undrafted by an NHL team, he turned pro with the Hampton Roads Admirals in 1991-92. After several years in the minor pro, Poapst was signed by the Washington Capitals.
Poapst spent most of his time with the Portland Pirates, playing only 25 games for the Capitals over two seasons. In 2000 he signed as a free agent with the Chicago Blackhawks. He finally made it as a regular with the Hawks in 2001-02.
He played for the Hawks until 2005 when he was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins and then to the St. Louis Blues during the 2005-06 season. He retired in 2006.
In 2007 he was named coach and General manager of the Chicago Steel.
In August, 2010, he became an assistant coach of the Rockford IceHogs of the American Hockey League.
Career statistics[]
Ice hockey[]
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1987–88 | Colgate University | ECAC | 32 | 3 | 13 | 16 | 22 | |||||||
| 1988–89 | Colgate University | ECAC | 30 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 38 | |||||||
| 1989–90 | Colgate University | ECAC | 38 | 4 | 15 | 19 | 54 | |||||||
| 1990–91 | Colgate University | ECAC | 32 | 6 | 15 | 21 | 43 | |||||||
| 1991–92 | Hampton Roads Admirals | ECHL | 55 | 8 | 20 | 28 | 29 | 14 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 12 | ||
| 1992–93 | Hampton-Roads Admirals | ECHL | 63 | 10 | 35 | 45 | 57 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | ||
| 1992–93 | Baltimore Skipjacks | AHL | 7 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 6 | ||
| 1993–94 | Portland Pirates | AHL | 78 | 14 | 21 | 35 | 47 | 12 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 8 | ||
| 1994–95 | Portland Pirates | AHL | 71 | 8 | 22 | 30 | 60 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 16 | ||
| 1995–96 | Portland Pirates | AHL | 70 | 10 | 24 | 34 | 79 | 20 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 16 | ||
| 1995–96 | Washington Capitals | NHL | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1996–97 | Portland Pirates | AHL | 47 | 1 | 20 | 21 | 34 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 6 | ||
| 1997–98 | Portland Pirates | AHL | 76 | 8 | 29 | 37 | 46 | 10 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 8 | ||
| 1998–99 | Portland Pirates | AHL | 54 | 3 | 21 | 24 | 36 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 1998–99 | Washington Capitals | NHL | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 1999–00 | Portland Pirates | AHL | 58 | 0 | 14 | 14 | 20 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | ||
| 2000–01 | Norfolk Admirals | AHL | 37 | 1 | 8 | 9 | 14 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 2000–01 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 36 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 12 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 2001–02 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 56 | 1 | 7 | 8 | 30 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2002–03 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 75 | 2 | 11 | 13 | 50 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 2003–04 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 53 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 26 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 2005–06 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 21 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 10 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 2005–06 | St. Louis Blues | NHL | 41 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 37 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| NHL Totals | 307 | 8 | 28 | 36 | 173 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||