From winning the Olympics’ gold medal with his country to having a cardiac arrest mid-game, Jay Bouwmeester has done it all inside the ice rink. In fact, just before his life-threatening scare, Jay won the Stanley Cup to achieve every young Canadian kid’s dream.
Furthermore, the 38 year old is widely regarded as an icon of the game, having been involved in the NHL for 18 years and counting. Additionally, only a few have achieved the level of success Bouwmeester has done with his country, Canada.
Jay Bouwmeester: Quick Facts
| Full Name | Jay Daniel Bouwmeester |
| Birth Date | September 27, 1983 |
| Birth Place | Edmonton, Alberta, Canada |
| Nick Name | Not available |
| Religion | Not available |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | White |
| Education | Not available |
| Horoscope | Cancer |
| Father’s Name | Dan Bouwmeester |
| Mother’s Name | Gena Bouwmeester |
| Siblings | Jill Bouwmeester |
| Age | 38 Years Old |
| Height | 6’4″ (1.93 m) |
| Weight | 215 lbs (98 kg) |
| Shoe Size | Not available |
| Hair Color | Blonde |
| Eye Color | Blue |
| Body Measurement | Not available |
| Build | Muscular |
| Married | Yes |
| Fiancee/Girlfriend | No |
| Spouse | Devon Cunningham Bouwmeester |
| Position | Defenceman |
| Profession | Ice Hockey Player |
| Net Worth | $50 million |
| Clubs | St. Louis Blues (Current); Florida Panthers, Calgary Flames (Former) |
| Jersey Number | 19 (St. Louis Blues) |
| Social Media | None |
| Merch | Autographed Items, Rookie Cards |
| Last Update | August, 2022 |
Jay Bouwmeester’s earnings & net worth
The majority of Bouwmeester’s eye-watering $50 million net worth as of 2022 came from his time spent playing in the NHL.
Furthermore, the fact that the 38-year-old has played in the league for more than 18 years and is still doing so should not be surprising given his enormous net worth.
Jay has also been making millions of dollars ever since he joined the NHL, which pays well. For clarification, the Canadian defender earned $1.1 million in his debut campaign with the Florida Panthers.
Since then, Bouwmeester has continually increased his income, earning his maximum yearly salary of $7 million in the 2009–10 season.
In actuality, Jay has made over $73 million throughout the course of his career, which further demonstrates how talented he is as a player.
However, we believe that the 36-year-old should give up the taxing activity and give some thought to his future and family in light of his recent heart attack during a game in February 2020. You may also like to know more about Ajay Thakur
Early Years and Family of Jay Bouwmeester
On September 27, 1989, in Edmonton, Alberta, Jay Daniel Bouwmeester was born to parents Dan and Gena Bouwmeester.
Alongside his sister Jill Bouwmeester, he grew up. Similar to Dan, who now coaches and teaches in Edmonton, Dan once played defense for the University of Alberta.
Moving on, Bouwmeester’s only goal in life has been to play ice hockey since he was a very young child.
In fact, according to his father, Jay started using hockey sticks when he was just a baby and picked up skating shortly after he could walk.
On the other hand, Boumeester had skills outside of ice hockey. In reality, throughout his undergraduate years, the Alberta native also participated in competitive baseball and soccer.
Jay further participated in basketball, volleyball, and track & field. You may also like to know about Jayden Odom
Career of Jay Bouwmeester
In the midget championship of 1997–1998 with the Edmonton South Side Athletic Club, Jay began his junior playing career. The two-time All-Star then assisted his team in hoisting the trophy.
The Medicine Hat Tigers made the Alberta native their first-round pick in the 1998 Western Hockey League (WHL) Bantam Draft. He remained with the Tigers for the following four years before making the switch to the NHL.
To put it mildly, his stint with the Medicine Hat Tigers was exceptional as he scored 53 and 61 points, respectively, in the 2000-01 and 2001-02 seasons while he was 17 and 18 years old.
Bouwmeester was further chosen for the WHL’s East All-Star team for the 2001–02 campaign.
Jay was predicted to be picked in the first round and as the first overall choice because he was one of the top young players.
Hockey Career
Bouwmeester went to the Florida Panthers in the third round despite not being selected with the first overall pick.
After that, Jay’s first season with the Panthers got off to a fantastic start as he participated in all 82 games, breaking the previous rookie record for the team.
As a result, the defenseman from Alberta was chosen for the 2003 NHL All-Rookie Team. Due to a lockout, Jay played in the American Hockey League (AHL) for the following two years.
Bouwmeester, however, demonstrated his prowess in the big league after the league started play in the 2005–06 season by recording five goals, 41 assists, and 46 points in 82 games—all of which were then career highs.
The Alberta native’s second season was even better because he participated in the NHL All-Star game for the first time. Additionally, he added 12 goals, 42 points, and 41 assists.
He remained with the Panthers for two more years after that until being traded to the Calgary Flames.
Nevertheless, in his final season with the Panthers in 2008–09, Bouwmeester managed to make his second and final All-Star appearance to date before being traded.
Jay eventually made 471 appearances for the Florida-based team, making 53 goals, 203 points, and 150 assists in that time.
The Canadian defenseman spent six incredibly successful seasons with the Florida Panthers in all.
Panthers
However, because a new contract could not be reached, Bouwmeester’s stint with the Panthers ended on a fairly sour note.
As a result, the Florida Panthers exchanged his negotiation rights for those of defenseman Jordan Leopold and a third-round draft selection with the Calgary Flames.
The Alberta-born defenseman’s contract stipulated that the Flames had four days to reach an agreement with him before he became a free agent.
Fortunately for the Calgary-based team, they were able to match his contract demands in a way that the Panthers were unable to.
As a result, the two-time All-Star signed a five-year, $33 million contract, guaranteeing himself a sizable payoff.
Following that, Bouwmeester stayed with the Flames for four years during which he made 486 straight appearances, breaking the record for the most consecutive games played by a defenseman.
He also concluded his tenure with the Flames with a 279-appearance total of 18 goals, 79 assists, and 97 points.
The Calgary-based team was unable to make the playoffs during his four years in charge, though. Jay came to the conclusion that in order to fulfill his aspiration of winning the Stanley Cup, he had to move on.
In order to make the NFL playoffs for the first time in his career, Bouwmeester signed with the team he is presently playing for, the St. Louis Blues.
And that is exactly what transpired, as the two-time All-Star made it to the playoffs in 2013 during his first full season with the team.
In their eight seasons together since then, the Blues and Jay have made the playoffs six times.
Retirement & Cardiac Arrest for Jay Bouwmeester
His happiness, however, was short-lived since just a few days later, on February 11, 2020, Bouwmeester suffered a heart arrest and passed out on the bench while playing a game against the Anaheim Ducks.
The 36-year-old defenseman has since made a full recovery, but his playing days appear to be finished owing to the potentially fatal injury.
On the other hand, Bouwmeester or his representatives have not provided any confirmation regarding this matter. Nevertheless, Jay has three children and a wife to care for, so we hope he makes the right choices.
Additionally, the NHL has been suspended till further notice owing to the recent global epidemic of the Corona Virus (COVID-19).
Therefore, we at Playersbio believe that this could be the 36-year-last old’s game.
If so, Bouwmeester would have had 1240 appearances with 88 goals, 336 assists, and 424 points by the end of his career.
In conclusion, in my opinion, the native of Alberta deserves to be included to the Hall of Fame.
Worldwide Career
When it comes to his international career, Bouwmeester’s journey has been at least as tumultuous as his club one. For clarification, the 36-year-old twice in his career in 2003 and 2004 claimed the World Championships.
In fact, Jay was chosen for the World Championships All-Star squad in 2003 and was considered the best defenseman in the competition.
At the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Bouwmeester also took home the Olympic gold medal.
The defenseman, who was born in Alberta, also won a silver medal at the 2008 World Championships and twice won the World Cup in 2004 and 2016.
In conclusion, Jay has been a consistent winner since the beginning of his international career.
If Bouwmeester does decide to leave the game, few players have accomplished what he has in his 18-year career.
Jay Bouwmeester quietly retires.
It is no secret that Jay has had some significant health problems. It appears that there will be one less of the most graceful skaters on the ice going forward.
After 17 seasons of ice hockey, the 37-year-old retires. He has played defense for groups during that time, including the Florida Panthers, Calgary Flames, and St. Louis Blues.
The accomplished NHL player won the Stanley Cup with the Blues only in 2018–19. After that, he also enjoyed great success on the global scene.
Jay concluded his competitive career in silence and has maintained his health ever since.
“Oh, right. To be very honest, I already knew I was finished when it happened.
Jay spoke, remembering the time he had a heart episode and slumped on the St. Louis Blues bench during a game in Anaheim.
It’s surreal that it’s been almost a year since it occurred. It appears to have occurred just yesterday to me.
Stats for Jay Bouwmeester’s career
| Regular Season | Playoffs | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Lge | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | +/- | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |
| 1998-20 | NHL Totals | NHL | 1240 | 88 | 336 | 424 | 635 | 75 | 0 | 13 | 13 | 50 | |
Jay Bouwmeester’s age, height, and state of health
Jay is currently 38 years old, which is fairly elderly for an NHL player. He was born in the year 1983.
The reason is that NHL players frequently collide with one another to force their opponents towards the ground or a glass wall.
Additionally, the 36-year-old is 6 feet 4 inches (1.93 meters) tall and 215 lb in weight (98 kg).
Bouwmeester has had an amazing 17-year career and has consistently been one of the league’s top defensemen thanks to his tall frame and muscular muscle.
How did Jay Bouwmeester fare?
Regrettably, Jay passed away on the bench of his team, the St. Louis Blues, on February 11, 2020, while they were playing the Anaheim Ducks.
The cause was a cardiac arrest or heart attack that happened during the game’s opening frame.
The player then had an implanted cardioverter-defibrillator operation that same month. His heart’s regular rhythm was restored by this anaesthetic procedure.
The 38-year-old has since made a full recovery, but his playing days appear to be finished for good.
Jay Bouwmeester: Spouse & Children
Regarding his private life, Jay is a devoted husband to Devon Cunningham.
Similar to this, the couple wed in 2011 at a stunning wedding in front of over 300 family members and friends.
The two lovers have also been blessed with three offspring. Their second kid, Carys Bouwmeester, was born in 2018, and their first child, Linna Bouwmeester, was born in 2012, not long after their wedding.
Unfortunately, the third child’s specifics are hidden from the media’s prying eyes. We speculate that the parents are trying to protect their small child from the fame and fortune of the paparazzi.
Using social media, Jay Bouwmeester
It appears that the NHL player is not currently active on any social media platforms.
FAQs about Jay Bouwmeester
Jay Bouwmeester is still a hockey player, right?
No, precisely 11 months after his heart attack on January 11, 2021, Jay Bouwmeester announced his official retirement from the NHL.
Has NHL star Jay Bouwmeester left the league?
Yes, the sportsman recently declared his intention to leave the National Hockey League in an interview with The Athletic. 11 months after his heart arrest, he finally retired.
The number of World Juniors Jay Bouwmeester participated in
The hockey player represented Canada in three junior world championships.
What’s Jay Bouwmeester up to these days?
Jay Bouwmeester has kept a low profile since since announcing his retirement in early 2021. The former NHL player appears to be spending time with his family, watching what he eats, and healing properly.