Playing career

Rolston is considered a utility forward, as he can play as a center, left wing and right wing competently. The 6'2', 214 pound forward is best known for his highly regarded two-way ability.

Rolston was drafted in the 1991 NHL Entry Draft by the New Jersey Devils as their second pick in the first round. Prior to his NHL career, Rolston played for Lake Superior State University (where as a freshman he scored the game-winning goal and earned Most Outstanding Player honors in the National Championship game, which his team won), then the Albany River Rats of the AHL. He has played for the New Jersey Devils, the Minnesota Wild, the Colorado Avalanche and the Boston Bruins. Rolston was one of four players who was traded from Colorado in the 2000 deal that sent the Bruins' Ray Bourque to the Avalanche. He scored a then career high 62 points, including nine shorthanded goals in 2001-02 with the Bruins. During his career, he has scored a total of 33 shorthanded goals.

Rolston signed with the Minnesota Wild as an unrestricted free agent on July 8, 2004, though his debut with the Wild didn't take place until the 2005-06 season due to the 2004-05 NHL lockout. Rolston often quarterbacked the Minnesota Wild's powerplay (a task normally given to a defenseman) due to his booming shot from the point and strong two-way ability. During the season, he was an on-ice leader and was one of the Wild's top scorers, scoring a new career high of 79 points. He was named as team captain for the Minnesota Wild for February, October, November 2006 and January 2007. During 2006-07, Rolston scored three goals (one on a penalty shot and two in overtime shootouts), using a slapshot from the slot. He was selected for the 2006-07 NHL Western Conference All-Star Team. During the game, Rolston scored two goals and added two assists. Rolston's shot is also known for making Anaheim Ducks goaltender Jean-Sébastien Giguère duck for cover during a game in the 2007-2008 NHL season when Rolston fired a slapshot from the right wing aiming for the top left corner of the net. Giguere visibly ducked to avoid being hit in the mask, resulting in a goal for Rolston. In a similar event during the 2006-2007 NHL season, Rolston fired a slapshot on Vancouver Canucks goaltender Roberto Luongo. The shot hit Luongo in the mask, and though unhurt, Luongo was visiby dazed for minutes, lying on the ice until the team's trainer confirmed he was okay to continue the game. Rolston would later score on a penalty shot using his slapshot in the same game against Luongo.

On June 29, 2008, Rolston's negotiating rights were traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning in return for a conditional draft pick in 2009 or 2010. After failing to agree to a contract with the Lightning, Rolston became a free agent the next day on July 1, 2008, and signed a four-year deal worth $20 million to return to the New Jersey Devils.

Rolston was traded to the New York Islanders for Trent Hunter. In reaction to the trade, Rolston was quoted by The Star Ledger as saying "It's been a bit of a rough ride in Jersey, I'm actually happy to go to a place that wants me. I just want to start new. I'm actually really happy about the change. I saw it coming. There was no blindside here. It was something we discussed from the end of the season and into the summer." Rolston had been waived by the Devils during the 2010-11 NHL season, and was then entering the final year of the four-year deal he signed in 2008.

After a poor performance on the Islanders where he only scored 9 points, Rolston was traded from the New York Islanders back to the Boston Bruins along with Mike Mottau in exchange for Yannick Riendeau and Marc Cantin.

After seventeen seasons and 1,256 career NHL games, Rolston announced his retirement from the NHL on April 30, 2013.

Slap Shot Notoriety

Rolston's frequent use of the slap shot became a specific subject of notoriety during his tenure with the Minnesota Wild. While Rolston was known for having an above average slap shot early in his career, his use of it in unorthodox situations such as penalty shots and shootouts garnered league-wide attention and resulted in Sports Illustrated ranking his shot #8 of all-time in March 2013 (after Rolston's retirement) The advent of his rather frequent use of the shot began with a rather particular event while Jacques Lemaire was the Head Coach of the Wild. Lemaire mentioned to Rolston during practice that he had a dream the night before that Brian used a slap shot in a shootout and scored. The very next day in a game against the Vancouver Canucks, Rolston was granted a penalty shot. Rolston used a slap shot, beating goaltender Roberto Luongo. It was after this event that Rolston began to use the slap shot regularly in rather unorthodox situations, such as shoot outs and breakaways.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1991-92	Lake Superior State Lakers	CCHA		41	18	28	46	16		—	—	—	—	—
1992-93	Lake Superior State Lakers	CCHA		39	33	31	64	20		—	—	—	—	—
1993-94	Albany River Rats	AHL		17	5	5	10	8		5	1	2	3	0
1994-95	Albany River Rats	AHL		18	9	11	20	10		—	—	—	—	—
1994-95	New Jersey Devils	NHL		40	7	11	18	17		6	2	1	3	4
1995-96	New Jersey Devils	NHL		58	13	11	24	8		—	—	—	—	—
1996-97	New Jersey Devils	NHL		81	18	27	45	20		10	4	1	5	6
1997-98	New Jersey Devils	NHL		76	16	14	30	16		6	1	0	1	2
1998-99	New Jersey Devils	NHL		82	24	33	57	14		7	1	0	1	2
1999-00	New Jersey Devils	NHL		11	3	1	4	0		—	—	—	—	—
1999-00	Colorado Avalanche	NHL		50	8	10	18	12		—	—	—	—	—
1999-00	Boston Bruins	NHL		16	5	4	9	6		—	—	—	—	—
2000-01	Boston Bruins	NHL		77	19	39	58	28		—	—	—	—	—
2001-02	Boston Bruins	NHL		82	31	31	62	30		6	4	1	5	0
2002-03	Boston Bruins	NHL		81	27	32	59	32		5	0	2	2	0
2003-04	Boston Bruins	NHL		82	19	29	48	40		7	1	0	1	8
2005-06	Minnesota Wild	NHL		81	34	45	79	48		—	—	—	—	—
2006-07	Minnesota Wild	NHL		78	31	33	64	46		5	1	1	2	4
2007-08	Minnesota Wild	NHL		81	31	28	59	53		6	2	4	6	8
2008-09	New Jersey Devils	NHL		64	15	17	32	30		7	1	1	2	4
2009-10	New Jersey Devils	NHL		80	20	17	37	22		5	2	1	3	0
2010-11	New Jersey Devils	NHL		65	14	20	34	34		—	—	—	—	—
2011-12	New York Islanders	NHL		49	4	5	9	6		—	—	—	—	—
2011-12	Boston Bruins	NHL		21	3	12	15	8		7	1	2	3	0
NHL totals				1256	342	419	761	472		77	20	14	34	38

International

Medal record
Representing United States
Ice hockey
Winter Olympics
	2002 Salt Lake City
World Championships
	1996 Vienna
World Junior Championships
	1992 Kaufbeuren

Year	Team	Event	Result		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1991	United States	WJC	4th		8	1	5	6	0
1992	United States	WJC	03 !		7	3	3	6	2
1993	United States	WJC	4th		7	6	2	8	2
1994	United States	OG	8th		8	7	0	7	8
1996	United States	WC	03 !		8	3	4	7	4
1996	United States	WCH	01 !		1	0	0	0	0
2002	United States	OG	02 !		6	0	3	3	0
2004	United States	WCH	4th		2	0	0	0	0
2006	United States	OG	8th		6	3	1	4	4
Junior totals					22	10	10	20	4
Senior totals					31	13	8	21	16

Awards and honors

Award	Year
College
CCHA All-Tournament Team	1992
All-NCAA All-Tournament Team	1992
All-CCHA First Team	1993
AHCA West Second-Team All-American	1993
CCHA All-Tournament Team	1993
All-NCAA All-Tournament Team	1993
NHL
All-Star Game	2007
Stanley Cup (New Jersey Devils)	1995

[ Source: Wikipedia ]