{{short description|Canadian ice hockey player (born 1967)}} {{Infobox ice hockey player | image = Sylvain Lefebvre.jpg | image_size =250px | played_for = Montreal Canadiens<br>Toronto Maple Leafs<br>Quebec Nordiques<br>Colorado Avalanche<br>New York Rangers <br>SC Bern | position = Defence | shoots = Left | height_ft = 6 | height_in = 2 | weight_lb = 204 | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1967|10|14|df=y}} | birth_place = Richmond, Quebec, Canada | draft = Undrafted | draft_year = | draft_team = | career_start = 1987 | career_end = 2004 }} '''Sylvain Jean Lefebvre''' ({{respell|luh|FAYV}}; born October 14, 1967) is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach and former player who currently serves as an assistant coach for the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League (NHL). Originally undrafted by teams in the NHL, he played for five franchises between 1989 to 2003 and won the Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche in 1996. As a coach, he won the Stanley Cup with the Florida Panthers in 2024 and 2025. ==Playing career== Originally an undrafted free agent, Lefebvre signed with the Montreal Canadiens in 1986 and made the team's roster thereafter beginning in 1989–90. He played a total of three seasons with Montreal before being traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for a 1994 third round draft pick prior to the start of the 1992–93 season.<ref>{{Cite tweet|user=CanadiensMTL|number=899270073537486848|date=August 20, 2017|title=August 20, 1992: Sylvain Lefebvre is traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for a 3rd-round pick in 1994 (Martin Belanger).}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.journaldemontreal.com/2018/03/13/x-joueurs-qui-ont-joue-pour-le-canadien-et-les-maple-leafs |title=11 joueurs qui ont joué pour le Canadien et les Maple Leafs|newspaper=Le Journal de Montreal|last1=Turcotte|first1=Marc-Antoine|date=March 16, 2018|access-date=July 14, 2024}}</ref>
After two seasons with the Leafs, Lefebvre was traded to the Quebec Nordiques as part of the Wendel Clark-Mats Sundin deal on June 28, 1994.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-06-29-sp-9820-story.html |title=Maple Leafs Acquire Sundin, Send Clark to Nordiques in 6-Player Deal|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=June 29, 1994|access-date=July 14, 2024}}</ref> He would play the next five seasons with the Quebec Nordiques/Colorado Avalanche, including a 1996 Stanley Cup victory, before signing a four-year, $10-million US contract with the New York Rangers (that secured a club option for him to play a fifth season at $3-million) during the 1999 offseason.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1999/07/19/Rangers-sign-Sylvain-Lefebvre/4837932356800/ |title=Rangers sign Sylvain Lefebvre|website=UPI|date=July 19, 1999|access-date=July 14, 2024}}</ref>
Seeing a decrease in productivity after several injuries, including a shattered index finger which occurred while blocking a shot, Lefebvre's career-low in points came in the 2002–03 season where he managed just two points over 35 games played.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nydailynews.com/2003/04/01/lefebvre-season-over-2/ |title=LEFEBVRE SEASON OVER|newspaper=New York Daily News|last1=Dellapina|first1=John|date=April 1, 2003|access-date=July 14, 2024}}</ref> After four years with the Rangers, Lefebvre left the NHL and decided to join old friend Sebastien Bordeleau for one season with Swiss-based SC Bern of the Nationalliga A where he and his team won the league championship prior to his retirement from active play.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bernerzeitung.ch/die-zwoelf-meisterteams-des-sc-bern-648982549563|title=Die zwölf Meisterteams des SC Bern|newspaper=Berner Zeitung|language=de|date=April 25, 2010|accessdate=July 14, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://thelinknewspaper.ca/article/no-harm-in-change |title=No Harm In Change|newspaper=The Link|last1=Landsman|first1=David S.|date=March 16, 2015|access-date=July 14, 2024}}</ref>
==Coaching career== On June 4, 2009, the Colorado Avalanche announced that Lefebvre would serve as an assistant coach of the team's American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Lake Erie Monsters.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.denverpost.com/avalanche/ci_12652479|title=Former Avs join Sacco staff | publisher =Denver Post | date = June 19, 2009|last1=Dater|first1=Adrian | accessdate = June 20, 2009}}</ref>
In June 2012, Lefebvre became the head coach of the Hamilton Bulldogs, the AHL affiliate of the Montreal Canadiens. Following the Canadiens' purchase and subsequent relocation of the Bulldogs franchise to become the second iteration of the St. John's IceCaps in 2015, Lefebvre was kept on as head coach.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/canadiens-ahl-team-moving-from-hamilton-to-st-john-s-reports-1.2985748|website=CBC News|date=March 7, 2015|title=Canadiens' AHL team moving from Hamilton to St. John's: reports}}</ref> In 2017, the Canadiens' AHL franchise was again relocated, becoming the Laval Rocket, whereas Lefebvre remained with the team.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://theahl.com/sylvain-lefebvre-named-head-coach-of-laval |title=LEFEBVRE NAMED HEAD COACH OF LAVAL, CARRIÈRE GM |website=TheAHL.com |date=July 29, 2017}}</ref> After finishing with the worst record in the AHL during the team's inaugural 2017–18 season, Lefebvre was relieved of his head coaching duties in April 2018.<ref>{{cite web|date=April 17, 2018|title=SYLVAIN LEFEBVRE RELIEVED OF HIS DUTIES AS HEAD COACH OF THE LAVAL ROCKET|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180418042240/http://www.rocketlaval.com/en/sylvain-lefebvre-relieved-of-his-duties-as-head-coach-of-the-laval-rocket/|url=http://www.rocketlaval.com/en/sylvain-lefebvre-relieved-of-his-duties-as-head-coach-of-the-laval-rocket/|archive-date=April 18, 2018|access-date=July 14, 2024|website=Laval Rocket|publisher=}}</ref>
Lefebvre then spent three seasons with the AHL's San Diego Gulls as an assistant coach before, in June 2021, it was announced that he accepted a promotion to the NHL as assistant coach with the Columbus Blue Jackets.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=CBJ name Sylvain Lefebvre assistant coach |url=https://www.nhl.com/bluejackets/news/cbj-name-sylvain-lefebvre-assistant-coach/c-325527200 |access-date=July 2, 2021 |publisher=Columbus Blue Jackets|via=NHL.com |date=June 30, 2021 |language=en-US}}</ref> However, this ultimately fell through with Lefebvre being replaced on September 13, 2021, due to his decision not to get a COVID-19 vaccine.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/columbus-blue-jackets-announce-coaching-staff-changes/n-5745286 |title=Columbus Blue Jackets Announce Coaching Staff Changes |website=OurSportsCentral.com |date=September 13, 2021}}</ref>
Prior to the beginning of the 2022–23 NHL season, Lefebvre was named as an assistant coach for the Florida Panthers.<ref>{{Cite web |date=August 18, 2022 |title=Meet the New Florida Panthers Assistant Coaches|url=https://thehockeywriters.com/panthers-meet-the-new-assistant-coaches/|last1=Tingley|first1=Grant|access-date=July 16, 2024 |website=The Hockey Writers}}</ref> In 2024, Lefebvre won the Stanley Cup for the second time in his career, the first within his coaching capacity.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://thehockeynews.com/ahl/latest-news/14-ahl-alumni-win-the-stanley-cup-with-florida-panthers |title=14 AHL Alumni Win the Stanley Cup with Florida Panthers|website=The Hockey News|last1=McGoey|first1=Steven|date=June 29, 2024 |access-date=July 14, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=July 3, 2024|title=Sylvain Lefebvre remporte la coupe Stanley avec les Panthers de la Floride|url=https://ici.radio-canada.ca/ohdio/premiere/emissions/Par-ici-l-info/segments/rattrapage/1796928/sylvain-lefebvre-gagnant-coupe-stanley-avec-panthers-floride|access-date=July 16, 2024|work=Ici Radio-Canada|language=fr}}</ref> He won it again with the team in 2025.
==Personal life== After winning the Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche in 1996, Lefebvre was involved in an incident that attracted media attention. As part of tradition, each player on the winning team can take personal possession of the trophy for a day during the summer following the championship series, a practice that has led to several misadventures. When it was his turn, Lefebvre decided to have his daughter baptized in it.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://fansided.com/2018/05/30/25-craziest-things-people-done-stanley-cup-nhl-drink-day/14/ |title=25 most insane things people have ever done with the Stanley Cup |website=FanSided|last1=Belisle|first1=Bruin |date=May 30, 2018|access-date=July 15, 2024}}</ref>
==Career statistics== ===Regular season and playoffs=== {| border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" style="text-align:center; width:60em" |- bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! colspan="3" bgcolor="#ffffff"| ! rowspan="100" bgcolor="#ffffff"| ! colspan="5"|Regular season ! rowspan="100" bgcolor="#ffffff"| ! colspan="5"|Playoffs |- bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! Season ! Team ! League ! GP !! G !! A !! Pts !! PIM ! GP !! G !! A !! Pts !! PIM |- | 1984–85 | Laval Voisins | QMJHL | 66 || 7 || 5 || 12 || 31 | — || — || — || — || — |- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | 1985–86 | Laval Titan | QMJHL | 71 || 8 || 17 || 25 || 48 | 14 || 1 || 0 || 1 || 25 |- | 1986–87 | Laval Titan | QMJHL | 70 || 10 || 36 || 46 || 44 | 15 || 1 || 6 || 7 || 12 |- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | 1986–87 | Sherbrooke Canadiens | AHL | — || — || — || — || — | 1 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 |- | 1987–88 | Sherbrooke Canadiens | AHL | 79 || 3 || 24 || 27 || 73 | 6 || 2 || 3 || 5 || 4 |- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | 1988–89 | Sherbrooke Canadiens | AHL | 77 || 15 || 32 || 47 || 119 | 6 || 1 || 3 || 4 || 4 |- | 1989–90 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 68 || 3 || 10 || 13 || 61 | 6 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 2 |- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | 1990–91 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 63 || 5 || 18 || 23 || 30 | 11 || 1 || 0 || 1 || 6 |- | 1991–92 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 69 || 3 || 14 || 17 || 91 | 2 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 2 |- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | 1992–93 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 81 || 2 || 12 || 14 || 90 | 21 || 3 || 3 || 6 || 20 |- | 1993–94 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 84 || 2 || 9 || 11 || 79 | 18 || 0 || 3 || 3 || 16 |- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | 1994–95 | Quebec Nordiques | NHL | 48 || 2 || 11 || 13 || 17 | 6 || 0 || 2 || 2 || 2 |- | 1995–96 | Colorado Avalanche | NHL | 75 || 5 || 11 || 16 || 49 | 22 || 0 || 5 || 5 || 12 |- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | 1996–97 | Colorado Avalanche | NHL | 71 || 2 || 11 || 13 || 30 | 17 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 25 |- | 1997–98 | Colorado Avalanche | NHL | 81 || 0 || 10 || 10 || 48 | 7 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 4 |- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | 1998–99 | Colorado Avalanche | NHL | 76 || 2 || 18 || 20 || 48 | 19 || 0 || 1 || 1 || 12 |- | 1999–00 | New York Rangers | NHL | 82 || 2 || 10 || 12 || 43 | — || — || — || — || — |- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | 2000–01 | New York Rangers | NHL | 71 || 2 || 13 || 15 || 55 | — || — || — || — || — |- | 2001–02 | Hartford Wolf Pack | AHL | 15 || 0 || 5 || 5 || 11 | — || — || — || — || — |- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | 2001–02 | New York Rangers | NHL | 41 || 0 || 5 || 5 || 23 | — || — || — || — || — |- | 2002–03 | New York Rangers | NHL | 35 || 0 || 2 || 2 || 10 | — || — || — || — || — |- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | 2003–04 | SC Bern | NLA | 11 || 2 || 4 || 6 || 14 | 15 || 0 || 6 || 6 || 44 |- bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! colspan="3" | NHL totals ! 945 !! 30 !! 154 !! 184 !! 674 ! 129 !! 4 !! 14 !! 18 !! 101 |}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{icehockeystats|legends=10927}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lefebvre, Sylvain}} Category:1967 births Category:Living people Category:Canadian expatriate ice hockey players in Switzerland Category:Canadian ice hockey coaches Category:Canadian ice hockey defencemen Category:Colorado Avalanche coaches Category:Colorado Avalanche players Category:Canadian expatriate ice hockey players in the United States Category:Hamilton Bulldogs (AHL) coaches Category:Hartford Wolf Pack players Category:Ice hockey people from Estrie Category:Laval Rocket coaches Category:Laval Titan players Category:Laval Voisins players Category:Montreal Canadiens players Category:New York Rangers players Category:Quebec Nordiques players Category:20th-century Canadian sportsmen Category:SC Bern players Category:Sherbrooke Canadiens players Category:Stanley Cup champions Category:St. John's IceCaps coaches Category:Toronto Maple Leafs players Category:Undrafted National Hockey League players