Career

Carkner played major-junior for the Peterborough Petes, an Ontario Hockey League team based in Peterborough, Ontario. He played 184 games for that club, amassing 130 points (0.71 points per game) and 322 penalty minutes. He would also play for team Canada in the 1986 World Junior Hockey Championships, where he won a silver medal.

In the 1984 NHL Entry Draft, Carkner was chosen 14th overall by the New York Rangers. In that draft, the NHL Central Scouting bureau ranked him as the 17th best prospect, while the Hockey News ranked him 11th.

He would play one season with the Rangers, sharing time between them and the New Haven Nighthawks, their AHL affiliate. Before the start of the 1987-88 season, he was traded to the Quebec Nordiques with Jeff Jackson for John Ogrodnick and David Shaw.

Carkner would play the entire 1987-88 season for Quebec, getting 27 points and 159 penalty minutes in 63 games. Once again, before the start of the next season, he was traded to the Philadelphia Flyers for Greg Smith and a draft pick.

With the Flyers, Carkner would play 5 seasons, getting 376 games, 132 points (0.35 points per game), and 867 penalty minutes. In 1989, the Flyers named him an alternate captain. He was later traded to the Detroit Red Wings for Yves Racine and a draft pick. After playing two years in Detroit, he signed as a free agent for the Florida Panthers on a two year, 1.2 million dollar deal. He would finish his NHL career in Florida.

In total, Carkner played 858 games in the NHL, amassing 230 points (0,27 points per game) and 1588 penalty minutes.

Playing style

Carkner was a fearless, tough defensive defenseman. He got over 100 penalty minutes 8 times in his NHL career.

Personal

Carkner's father, Robert Carkner, was a major junior hockey player in his youth.

He is a third cousin of current NHL defenceman Matt Carkner.

He is also active with the hockey club ShinnyUSA

Awards and honours

• Max Kaminsky Trophy (1985-86)

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1980-81	Winchester Hawks	OHA-B		2	0	0	0	0		—	—	—	—	—
1981-82	Smith Falls Settlers	OHA-C
1982-83	Brockville Braves	CJHL		47	8	32	40	94		—	—	—	—	—
1983-84	Peterborough Petes	OHL		66	4	21	25	91		8	0	6	6	13
1984-85	Peterborough Petes	OHL		64	14	47	61	125		17	2	10	12	11
1985-86	Peterborough Petes	OHL		54	12	32	44	106		16	1	7	8	17
1986-87	New York Rangers	NHL		52	2	13	15	118		1	0	0	0	0
1986-87	New Haven Nighthawks	AHL		12	2	6	8	56		3	1	0	1	0
1987-88	Quebec Nordiques	NHL		63	3	24	27	159		—	—	—	—	—
1988-89	Philadelphia Flyers	NHL		78	11	32	43	149		19	1	5	6	28
1989-90	Philadelphia Flyers	NHL		63	4	18	22	169		—	—	—	—	—
1990-91	Philadelphia Flyers	NHL		79	7	25	32	204		—	—	—	—	—
1991-92	Philadelphia Flyers	NHL		73	4	12	16	195		—	—	—	—	—
1992-93	Philadelphia Flyers	NHL		83	3	16	19	150		—	—	—	—	—
1993-94	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		68	1	6	7	130		7	0	0	0	4
1994-95	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		20	1	2	3	21		—	—	—	—	—
1995-96	Florida Panthers	NHL		73	3	10	13	80		22	0	4	4	10
1996-97	Florida Panthers	NHL		70	0	14	14	96		5	0	0	0	6
1997-98	Florida Panthers	NHL		74	1	7	8	63		—	—	—	—	—
1998-99	Florida Panthers	NHL		62	2	9	11	54		—	—	—	—	—
NHL totals				858	42	188	230	1588		54	1	9	10	48
OHL totals				184	30	100	130	322		41	3	23	26	41

International

Year	Team	Event		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1986	Canada	WJC		7	0	4	4	0
1993	Canada	WC		8	0	0	0	0
Junior int'l totals				7	0	4	4	0
Senior int'l totals				8	0	0	0	0

[ Source: Wikipedia ]