Scott Gomez grew up in Anchorage, Alaska, playing for East High School and the Alaska All-Stars. In the 1998 NHL Entry Draft, he was selected with the 27th pick of the first round by the New Jersey Devils. At the time, he was playing for the Tri-City Americans of the WHL, and had just been named to the WHL’s All-Rookie Team. In the season after he was drafted, he justified the Devils’ decision by scoring 108 points in 58 games for the Americans. This earned him a spot on the WHL West First All-Star Team.
After this impressive WHL performance, Gomez was brought to New Jersey for the 1999-2000 NHL season, making him the first native Alaskan to play in the NHL. In his rookie NHL season he had 51 assists and 70 points for the Devils. For his efforts, he was awarded the Calder Trophy as the league’s top rookie and played in the NHL All-Star Game. Gomez scored 10 points in the 2000 NHL playoffs as the Devils won their second Stanley Cup.
In his sophomore season, Gomez totaled 63 points. The Devils again made their way to the Stanley Cup Finals, but were defeated by the Colorado Avalanche in seven games. In the 2001-02 season, Gomez’s numbers dropped, as he scored just 10 goals and 48 points. The Devils bowed out of the playoffs in the first round that season, losing to the Carolina Hurricanes. Gomez did not play a game in that series due to injury.
The 2002-03 NHL season was an improvement for Gomez and the Devils. Gomez tallied 55 points and again helped the Devils win the Stanley Cup, this time scoring 12 points during the playoffs. The 2003-04 season was an even better year for Gomez, as he scored 70 points, the most since his rookie year. He also tied for the NHL lead in assists, with 56. However, the Devils lost in the playoffs to the Philadelphia Flyers.
During the NHL lockout that forced the cancellation of the 2004-05 season, Gomez returned to his hometown Anchorage and played for the Alaska Aces of the ECHL. Throughout the season “Scotty” was the face of the Alaska franchise, and the ECHL; he led the ECHL in scoring and won league Most Valuable Player honors. Gomez’s season ended early when he was seriously injured by Bakersfield Condors enforcer Ashlee Langdone, who checked him into an open bench door during game 4 of the Pacific Division Semifinals. Gomez sustained a broken pelvis from the incident.
Despite the lockout, Gomez returned to form in 2005-2006 and set career highs in goals scored and points, tallying a total of 84 points. The Devils rallied to finish the season on an 11 game winning streak, clinching the division title in the last game. Gomez finished the 2006 Stanley Cup Playoffs with five goals and four assists in nine games. During the 2006-07 NHL season he led the Devils to the second round of the playoffs and totalled 60 points.
Gomez scored the final goal ever at Continental Airlines Arena on May 5, 2007. On July 1, 2007, Gomez signed a $51.5 million, seven-year contract with the New York Rangers. On the same day, the Rangers signed Chris Drury, who also wears the number 23. To settle who would wear number 23 while playing for the Rangers, a puck was flipped, with Drury winning and earning the right to continue wearing number 23, while Gomez changed his number to 19.
On February 1, 2008, in a game against his former club, the Devils, Gomez recorded his 500th career point by assisting on a Chris Drury goal. On October 1, 2008 Scott Gomez and the New York Rangers won the Victoria Cup by beating Metallurg Magnitogorsk by the score of 4-3.
On June 30, 2009, Gomez was traded to the Montreal Canadiens. With the Canadiens, Gomez wore the number 91 for the 2009-2010 season (reverse 19) as his former two numbers are retired by the Montreal Canadiens organization. For the start of the 2010-11 season, Gomez decided to switch his number from 91 to 11 because he wore it during his childhood.
Due to the 2012-13 NHL lockout, Gomez followed his previous steps and opted a return to the Alaska Aces of the ECHL. Initially on a training basis only with the Aces, Gomez signed to play in 2012-13 season, posting 13 points in 11 games.
On January 23, 2013, Gomez signed a 1 year $700,000 contract with the San Jose Sharks. Playing in 39 games for the Sharks, Gomez recorded two goals and 13 assists.
On July 31, 2013, Gomez signed a one-year contract with the Florida Panthers. Playing in 46 games for the Panthers, Gomez scored just two goals to go with 10 assists.
Scott is currently attending the New Jersey Devils’ training camp for the 2014-15 season on an unsigned tryout basis.
As sited on Wikipedia.com