Quick Facts
Biography
Mark I. Fistric (born June 1, 1986) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who is currently an unrestricted free agent. He was last signed by the Anaheim Ducks of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted by the Dallas Stars 28th overall in the first round of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft. He played major junior for the Vancouver Giants of the Western Hockey League (WHL).
Playing career
Fistric began his major junior career in the WHL with the Vancouver Giants in 2001–02 while spending the majority of the season in the Alberta Midget Hockey League (AMHL), winning the Brian Benning Trophy as the league's top defenceman with the Maple Leaf Athletic Club.
After a 12-point campaign with the Giants in 2003–04, he was drafted in the first round, 28th overall, by the Dallas Stars in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft. He returned to the Giants but was kept out of the lineup for all but 15 games in the subsequent 2004–05 season. In his fourth and final WHL season, Fistric won the 2006 President's Cup with the Giants and competed in the 2006 Memorial Cup. Five years after graduating from junior, Fistric was inducted into the Giants' Ring of Honour, a series of banners commemorating the team's best alumni.
Turning pro in 2006–07, Fistric was assigned to the Iowa Stars, Dallas' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, and scored 24 points in his professional rookie season. He made his debut with Dallas the following season in 2007–08, splitting the campaign between Iowa and the NHL. He managed 2 assists in his 35-game NHL rookie season with the Stars. Fistric continued to split time between the Stars and the AHL in 2008–09, recording 4 assists in 36 games in his second NHL season. In the off-season, the Stars re-signed Fistric to a three-year, $3 million contract on July 8, 2009.
Fistric is known for his aggressive physical play. In a game against the Calgary Flames on January 27, 2010, Fistric received a match penalty for intent to injure after hitting opposing forward Eric Nystrom (who later became a Stars teammate) over the head with his own helmet during a fight, when the helmet became caught on his hand. The following day, he was fined $2,500 by the league for the incident.
On January 14, 2013, Prior to the lockout shortened 2012–13 season, Fistric was traded by the Stars to the Edmonton Oilers for a Third Round pick in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft.
On August 20, 2013, the Anaheim Ducks signed Fistric as a free agent to a one-year, $900,000 contract. In the 2013–14 season, Fistric was the Ducks depth defenseman, adding a physical element in 34 games. During the campaign, Fistric was signed to a three-year contract extension with Anaheim on January 29, 2014.
In the following 2014–15 season, Fistric effectiveness was hampered by a back injury, limiting him to just 9 regular season games. With the emergence of depth among the organization on the blueline, Fistric was placed on unconditional waivers and bought out from the final two-years of his contract with the Ducks on June 29, 2015.
Career statistics
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 2001–02 | Vancouver Giants | WHL | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2002–03 | Vancouver Giants | WHL | 63 | 2 | 7 | 9 | 81 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | ||
| 2003–04 | Vancouver Giants | WHL | 72 | 1 | 11 | 12 | 192 | 11 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 10 | ||
| 2004–05 | Vancouver Giants | WHL | 15 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 32 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 16 | ||
| 2005–06 | Vancouver Giants | WHL | 60 | 7 | 22 | 29 | 148 | 18 | 1 | 9 | 10 | 30 | ||
| 2006–07 | Iowa Stars | AHL | 80 | 2 | 22 | 24 | 83 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | ||
| 2007–08 | Iowa Stars | AHL | 30 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 48 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2007–08 | Dallas Stars | NHL | 37 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 24 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | ||
| 2008–09 | Manitoba Moose | AHL | 35 | 0 | 8 | 8 | 26 | 22 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 26 | ||
| 2008–09 | Dallas Stars | NHL | 36 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 42 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2009–10 | Dallas Stars | NHL | 67 | 1 | 9 | 10 | 69 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2010–11 | Dallas Stars | NHL | 57 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 44 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2010–11 | Texas Stars | AHL | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2011–12 | Dallas Stars | NHL | 60 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 41 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2012–13 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 25 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 32 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2013–14 | Anaheim Ducks | NHL | 34 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 28 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | ||
| 2013–14 | Norfolk Admirals | AHL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2014–15 | Anaheim Ducks | NHL | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2014–15 | Norfolk Admirals | AHL | 34 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 84 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| NHL totals | 325 | 4 | 30 | 34 | 284 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | ||||
Awards
- Won the Brian Benning Trophy (AMHL Top Defenceman) in 2002.
- Won a President's Cup with the Vancouver Giants in 2006.
Ball hockey
Fistric annually competes in Division 8 of a Ball Hockey Association in Edmonton. Fistric also plays summer hockey in the Strathcona Summer Hockey League.