Ken Wregget

Playing career

He played for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Calgary Flames, and Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League from 1983 through 2000. He then played one season for the Manitoba Moose of the International Hockey League in 2000–2001 before retiring at the age of 37.

Wregget played for three seasons with the Lethbridge Broncos of the Western Hockey League and won the Del Wilson Trophy as the WHL's top goaltender in 1984. In 1983, he joined the St. Catharines Saints, the Toronto AHL affiliate, after being drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the third round of the 1982 NHL Entry Draft, 45th overall. He split time for two seasons between St. Catharines and the Maple Leafs. The 1986–87 season was his first full year in the NHL.

In 1992, he was traded from the Philadelphia Flyers to the reigning champion Pittsburgh Penguins along with Kjell Samuelsson and Rick Tocchet in exchange for Mark Recchi. Wregget was generally backup to Penguins goaltender Tom Barrasso, although Wregget was regarded as a solid goaltender in his own right and played well in long stretches over the next few years when the oft injured Barrasso missed time. Wregget won his only career Stanley Cup as a member of the 1992 Penguins.

Wregget's best season came in 1994–95 when he played in 38 games and compiled a 25–9-2 record with a 3.21 goals against average and a .903 save percentage while also leading the NHL in wins. In 1996, he faced the first penalty shot ever awarded during an overtime period in NHL playoff history. He stopped Washington Capitals star Joé Juneau, extending what was the third-longest game in NHL history, the longest game since 1936. The Penguins finally won 3–2 in the fourth overtime period.

Wregget also shared a majority of the work for the Penguins during the 1996-1997 season with Barrasso again injured, going 17-17-6 and getting all five playoff starts for the Penguins that season. In 1997-1998 with Barrasso healthy (and having a career year himself) and the emergence of Peter Skudra and Jean-Sebastien Aubin as legitimate back-up options, Wregget was made expendable and thus traded to the Calgary Flames after the 1998 season ended with Dave Roche for German Titov and Todd Hlusko. Despite generally being the back-up in Pittsburgh, he still as of 2015 ranks 4th in Penguins' history in games played 212 (behind Fleury, Barrasso, and Herron), 3rd in wins with 104 (behind Fleury and Barrasso), and tied for 5th in shutouts with 6 (behind Fleury, Barrasso, Binkley, Hedberg, and tied with Aubin).

Wregget moved onto Detroit the next season where he backed-up Chris Osgood before finishing his career in the minors during the 2000-2001 season with the Manitoba Moose.

In 2009, he was inducted into the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame.

Personal life

Wregget lived in Cold Lake, Alberta, for a period of time while growing up and attended Grand Centre High School.

An avid golfer, Wregget has been seen playing golf at Hickory Heights Golf Club and Lindenwood Golf Club in Western Pennsylvania.

He and his ex-wife have a daughter, Courtney, and a son, Matt, who is also a goaltender.

He is the owner of "31" Bar and Grille in Bridgeville, PA.