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With 36 days left until the Phoenix Coyotes preseason begins we are going to take a look at how the number 36 has played a role in the Coyotes history. Today we are looking at a player who was with the Coyotes briefly during his long career in the NHL. Right winger Tony Amonte had 36 points in the 59 games he played with the Yotes in the 2002-03 season. On July 12, 2002 he signed as a free agent with the Coyotes and played with the Coyotes until March 10th when he was traded to the Philadelphia Flyers for Guillaume Lefebvre a 2003 third round pick and a 2004 second round pick.
Tony Amonte had a great career in professional sports, he played over 1174 games, one of only 279 players to do so, he has 900 career points, he played in 99 career playoff games, he was part of the gold medal winning team at the 1996 World Cup of Hockey and played in the Winter Olympic Games in 1998 and 2002, winning the silver medal in 2002. His 900 points ranks him 11th in all-time points as an American-born player.
He played for 5 teams in the NHL, the Rangers, Blackhawks, Flyers, Flames and of course the Phoenix Coyotes. The Blackhawks celebrated him in 2009 with a Tony Amonte Heritage Night, where fans received a special commemorative pin. Currently he is the head coach of the Thayer Academy hockey program in Braintree, Massachusetts, his alma mater.
Although he didn't play a major role in Coyotes history, he is a part of his history and we are a part of his. If you have any memories of Amonte as a Coyote feel free to share them below.