Antoine Roussel, born on November 21, 1989, is a French former professional ice hockey left winger. He most recently played for the Arizona Coyotes of the National Hockey League (NHL). Known for his physical play, Roussel consistently ranked among the NHL's leaders in penalty minutes (PIM) since entering the league.
Early Life and Career Beginnings
Born in Roubaix, France, Roussel initially played rugby before transitioning to hockey. He participated in the 2002 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with a team from Nantes. At 16, Roussel and his family moved to Quebec, Canada.
Early career stats
- Played midget hockey for the Collège Charles-Lemoyne Riverains in Longueuil after arriving in Canada in 2006.
- Signed an AHL contract with the Providence Bruins on August 9, 2010.
NHL Career
Undrafted in the NHL Entry Draft, Roussel signed an AHL contract on 9 August 2010 with the Providence Bruins, where he played the 2010-11 season.
On July 2, 2012, Roussel signed a contract with the Dallas Stars. During the 2012-13 season, Roussel split his time between Dallas and their AHL affiliate, the Texas Stars.
For the 2013-14 season, Roussel played with the Dallas Stars for the entire season, playing 81 games. During the 2016-17 season on 18 February 2017, Roussel scored his first NHL hat trick against the Tampa Bay Lightning. He was the second ever French-born NHL player to do so, joining Paul MacLean.
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After six seasons with the Stars, Roussel left as a free agent and on 1 July 2018, he signed a four-year, $12 million contract with the Vancouver Canucks.
Roussel is a member of a precious rare breed -- he's one of only nine NHL players ever to be born in France, and one of just two currently active in the league. He has scored 10 or more goals and earned 100 PIM in the same season six times in his career.
He's also one of the most skilled tough guys in the NHL, a ruthless hitter and willing fighter who's already established a record as a reliable provider of a goal total in the teens and a point total in the 20s.
Antoine Roussel vs Shea Weber Feb 15, 2016
Dallas Stars (2012-2018)
Roussel showed signs of becoming more than just a physical presence in the Stars lineup last year, scoring 12 goals in 60 games -- and five in his final 10 -- before a hand injury cost him the last five weeks of the season. The 27-year-old France native has also flashed some scoring prowess on the international stage, and Dallas will head into 2017-18 seemingly ready to give him a spot on the second line alongside Jason Spezza and Martin Hanzal, a role that should allow Roussel to establish new career scoring highs across the board if he can hang onto it.
If the secret isn't out on Roussel in your league, you need to grab him. The French forward has a good nose for the net and loads of grit. His game is growing and he has a real shot at a gig on the left side of Dallas' second line. As the Stars coaching staff works with him, you should expect to see his offensive production grow and his PIMs decline as they help him rein in his hot temper.
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The feisty Frenchman was an ideal fit on Dallas' fourth line last season, chipping in seven goals in just 39 games despite averaging just 9:24 of ice time after being called up from the AHL in early February.
Vancouver Canucks (2018-2021)
Roussel set a career-high in points in 2018-19 with the Canucks, with 31, before suffering a season-ending knee injury on 13 March 2019, during a game against the New York Rangers. Roussel's injury was later revealed to be a torn anterior cruciate ligament or ACL. After undergoing surgery in late-March, Roussel's recovery carried over into the 2019-20 NHL season.
He'll be pushed by younger, cheaper players this coming season, but Roussel -- who still has three years and $9 million remaining on his contract -- should wind up playing a familiar bottom-six role for the Canucks in 2019-20. Roussel's 2018-19 campaign was cut short by a knee injury, suffered towards the end of the season, that limited him to 65 games. Prior to being shut down for the season, Roussel, 29, racked up 31 points, marking a new career-high for the veteran winger.
Roussel missed the first two months of last season while recovering from knee surgery. He saw just 11:50 per game when he got back into the lineup, producing a reasonable 13 points in 41 contests. That's in line with his usual 25-to-30-point output over the course of a full season -- it doesn't appear his knee injury will have too many lingering effects. The 31-year-old winger can also chip in effectively as a pest, as he produced 44 hits and 43 PIM in 2019-20.
Arizona Coyotes (2021)
On July 23, 2021, Roussel was traded to the Arizona Coyotes as part of a blockbuster deal.
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Playing Style and International Career
Regarded as a physical player, Roussel has consistently been one of the NHL's leaders in penalty minutes (PIM) since he entered the league. Still, he may provide up to 40 points this season and offer ample help in the penalty minutes category. He logged 209 PIMs last season -- third-highest in the NHL -- and will still likely deliver 200 this year.
Roussel was a member of the French national team at the 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2017 IIHF World Championships.
Career Statistics
Antoine Roussel's career statistics showcase his contributions as both a scorer and a physical presence on the ice.
The 28-year-old winger is a man out of time, as his willingness to scrap is increasingly out of step with the modern NHL, and he doesn't bring much else to the table. Roussel's modest offensive contributions even dried up last season, as he failed to score double-digit goals or 25-plus points for the first time in a season in which he played at least 60 games.
| Season | Team | Games Played | Goals | Assists | Points | Penalty Minutes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012-13 | Dallas Stars | 39 | 7 | 7 | 14 | 110 |
| 2013-14 | Dallas Stars | 81 | 14 | 15 | 29 | 209 |
| 2014-15 | Dallas Stars | 80 | 13 | 10 | 23 | 134 |
| 2015-16 | Dallas Stars | 76 | 6 | 13 | 19 | 130 |
| 2016-17 | Dallas Stars | 60 | 12 | 15 | 27 | 124 |
| 2017-18 | Dallas Stars | 73 | 5 | 9 | 14 | 99 |
| 2018-19 | Vancouver Canucks | 65 | 9 | 22 | 31 | 74 |
| 2019-20 | Vancouver Canucks | 41 | 5 | 8 | 13 | 43 |
| 2020-21 | Vancouver Canucks | 35 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 30 |