Columbus Blue Jacket's R.J. Umberger and His Hockey Career

Richard Allen Umberger (most commonly called RJ) is a name that most hockey fans have heard more than a few times. RJ Umberger was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on May 3, 1982, making him twenty-seven years old. RJ Umberger plays center, is 6 feet 2 inches tall, and weighs 215 pounds. RJ Umberger's road to a professional hockey career begins in Ohio with the Ohio State Buckeyes hockey team in the CCHA (Central Collegiate Hockey Association). RJ Umberger spent three hockey seasons with the Ohio State Buckeyes and did not play the 2003-2004 season.

His hockey career at Ohio State University was an impressive one. RJ Umberger was named to the CCHA All-Rookie Team in 2001. In 2001, Umberger was named to the First All-Star team. Also in 2003, RJ Umberger was named to the NCAA West Second All-American Team.

In 2001, RJ Umberger entered the NHL draft and was selected by the Vancouver Canucks, 16th overall. He was the Vancouver Canuck's first round pick. Although he was drafted in 2001, he chose to remain in college until the 2003-2004 season. The 2004-2005 season was the year of the NHL Lockout, which could be the reason RJ Umberger headed over to the AHL (American Hockey League) to play with the Philadelphia Phantoms, or it could be that he would have been placed with them either way. The AHL teams serve as feeder teams for the NHL, and the league itself is primarily a developmental league. RJ Umberger spent the year of the NHL Lockout with the Philadelphia Phantoms and played in almost every game. The Philadelphia Phantoms won the Calder Cup during that year. The Calder Cup is the equivalent to the Stanley Cup in the AHL.

RJ Umberger started off the 2005-2006 season with the Philadelphia Phantoms, but only played eight games with them before being called up to play with their affiliate NHL team, the Philadelphia Flyers. He played most of the games with the Philadelphia Flyers, scoring the first goal of his NHL career in a game against the Tampa Bay Lightning. RJ Umberger remained with the Philadelphia for the 2006-2007 season and the 2007-2008 season. In 2006-2007 he played all but one of the regular season games, and in the 2007-2008 season, he played a little more than seventy of them. Before the start of the 2008-2009 season, RJ Umberger was traded by the Flyers to the Columbus Blue Jackets, where he played the 2008-2009 season.

RJ Umberger has been a great asset to the United States in international competitions. In both 2001 and 2002, Umberger played for Team USA in the World Junior Championships. In 2006, he again played for Team USA in the World Championships.

ref-www.nhl.com