Michael Patrick Stapleton (born May 5, 1966) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played fourteen seasons in the National Hockey League from 1986 until 2001. Throughout his career Stapleton played for the Chicago Blackhawks, Pittsburgh Penguins, Edmonton Oilers, Winnipeg Jets, Phoenix Coyotes, Atlanta Thrashers, New York Islanders and Vancouver Canucks. After leaving the NHL he spent several years playing in Europe, retiring in 2004. The son of former NHL player Pat Stapleton, he also played internationally for Canada at the 1986 World Junior Championships, winning a silver medal. After his playing career ended Stapleton served as a coach and since 2014 has been a scout with the Anaheim Ducks.
Stapleton played Junior B hockey for the Strathroy Blades and Junior A hockey in the Ontario Hockey League for the Cornwall Royals, where he scored 104 goals and 258 points over three seasons and 182 games. He was rated OHL Leyden Division's hardest worker, best faceoff man and best penalty killer in a 1985âÂÂ86 poll of league coaches.
He was drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks #132 overall in the 1984 NHL Entry Draft. He played 697 NHL games for seven different teams, netting 71 goals and 182 points along with 342 penalty minutes.
In 2001, Stapleton moved to Finland's SM-liiga and played for the Espoo Blues, scoring 18 goals and 37 points in 41 games. He then had a brief spell in the Swedish Elitserien for Leksands IF before returning to Espoo. He spent one more season in Finland for Tappara before retiring in 2004.
Stapleton was named to the Canadian national junior team for the 1986 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. Scoring 6 points in 7 games, Stapleton helped the team win the silver medal.
Stapleton served as an assistant to head coach/GM Scott Gardiner with the NAHL's Traverse City North Stars during the club's inaugural 2005âÂÂ06 season before accepting a position as associate coach of the OHL's Erie Otters. He accepted a position to become the new assistant coach for the Syracuse Crunch of the AHL in the 2010-11 American Hockey League season. He served as the head coach of the Ontario Hockey League's Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds for the 2011âÂÂ12 season and part of the 2012âÂÂ2013 season. He was fired on December 3, 2012 and replaced by Sheldon Keefe.
Stapleton is the son of former NHL defenceman and 1972 Summit Series Team Canada member Pat Stapleton. Stapleton and his wife Laura and have two sons, Luke and Nick.