Name: Al Anthony Iafrate Position: Defense Shoots: Left Height: 6'3" Weight: 235 lbs Born: 3/21/66 in Dearborn, Michigan Drafted: 1984 by Toronto; 1st round, 4th overall Sweater Number: 43

Al Iafrate is about to describe his medical history. He is about to use medical terms like "bone graft" and "meniscus" and "articular cartilage." The tread is decidedly worn on Iafrate's knees, the result of a half-dozen different surgeries.

When Iafrate was healthy, he was one of the best two-way defensemen in the league. He combined the undisputed hardest shot in the league with great speed and a 6-foot-3, 235-pound frame. That is a rare combination of talents, and he used it to score more than 20 goals in three of his first nine seasons.

Then he started to blow tires. He didn't play at all in 1994-95 and 1995-96 because of knee and back problems, and he played just 59 regular-season games the past two years with the San Jose Sharks. Al is also one of the league's most interesting personalities. Iafrate is the Harley Davidson of the NHL. He was dubbed "The Wild Thing" during his days with the Washington Capitals, a nickname that Iafrate never quite understood. "I think it's just because I had a motorcycle or something," Iafrate said. "I think I'm pretty mellow." He also may be the only NHL player who partly selected a number because a NASCAR driver used it. He wears No. 43. We all know who that is, don't we? "I like NASCAR, but I follow drag racing a little more than NASCAR," he said. "I have motorcycles, but I don't really ride them anymore since I've had back surgery."

With a 105 mph shot that might impress Richard Petty, Iafrate is undefeated at the hardest-shot competition at the NHL All-Star Game. "If you look at the fence at my house where I grew up, it's pretty bowed," the Detroit native said. "I just used to always like to shoot pucks. My sister would stand there when I'd shoot tennis balls at her. I think the combination of my size and speed approaching the puck when I hit it, that's part of it."

Iafrate was picked by Nashville in the recent expansion draft but became a free agent on July 1. The Hurricanes announced his signing July 14, one day after the Hurricanes signed center Ron Francis. For his career, Iafrate played 799 games and recorded 153 goals and 463 points. But Iafrate's 13-year career hampered by chronic knee injuries came to an end much sooner than the Hurricanes expected. At age 32, Al announced his retirement, but may try to make another comeback.

Whatever happens, we wish the best of luck to Iafrate and thank him for all that he has contributed to the Sharks.

Career Stats

Year	Team	GP	G	A	PTS	PIM	+/-	Shots	PCT	Playoff year	GP	G	A	PTS	PIM
1984-85	TOR	68	5	16	21	51	-19	88	5.7	1984-85	-	-	-	-	-
1985-86	TOR	65	8	25	33	40	-10	94	8.5	1985-86	10	0	3	3	4
1986-87	TOR	80	9	21	30	55	-18	132	6.8	1986-87	13	1	3	4	11
1987-88	TOR	77	22	30	52	80	-21	169	13.0	1987-88	6	3	4	7	6
1988-89	TOR	65	13	20	33	72	3	105	12.4	1988-89	-	-	-	-	-
1989-90	TOR	75	21	42	63	135	-4	153	13.7	1989-90	-	-	-	-	-
1990-91	TOR/WASH	72	9	23	32	237	-16	106	8.5	1990-91	-	-	-	-	-
1991-92	WASH	78	17	34	51	180	1	151	11.3	1991-92	7	4	2	6	14
1992-93	WASH	81	25	41	66	169	15	289	8.7	1992-93	6	6	0	6	4
1993-94	WASH/BOS	79	15	43	58	163	16	299	5.0	1993-94	13	3	1	4	6
1994-95	Did not play
1995-96	Did not play
1996-97	SJ	38	6	9	15	91	-10	91	6.6	1996-97	-	-	-	-	-
1997-98	SJ	21	2	7	9	28	-1	37	5.4	1997-98	6	1	0	1	10
Totals	ALL	799	152	311	463	1301	-64	1714	8.9	ALL	71	19	16	35	77