Eric Boguniecki

Born:	May 6, 1975	Draft:	1993 Blues, 193rd Overall
Hometown:	New Haven, Connecticut	Position:	Centre
Known For:	3x AHL All-Star Game	Shoots:	Right
National Team:	United States	Current Status:	Retired

Eric Boguniecki (born May 6, 1975) is a former American ice hockey player, having played his final year in the NHL with the New York Islanders during the 2006-2007 season. Drafted 193rd overall by St. Louis Blues in the 1993 NHL Entry Draft, Boguniecki experienced early success in the minor leagues, adapting from the NCAA style to become a consistent point producer in the American Hockey League (AHL), International Hockey League (IHL), and the ECHL. In 1999, six years after he was drafted, he signed with the Florida Panthers but only appeared in four games, registering no points and two penalty minutes. He was traded back to the Blues for forward Andrej Podkonicky.

Boguniecki’s first two seasons back with the Blues was spent primarily with their minor-league affiliate, playing in just nine games with St. Louis during that span. He registered his first point in the NHL during the 2001-02 season, an assist, and later won the AHL MVP award while leading the league in goals with 38. The following season, Boguniecki got his shot in the NHL, playing in 80 games and registering 22 goals and 49 points. Unfortunately, injuries limited him to 27 games the following season, and the NHL lock-out in 2004 led him to play the year in the AHL and Switzerland.

Boguniecki appeared in nine games with the Blues during the 2005-06 season before he was dealt to the Pittsburgh Penguins for defenseman Steve Poapst. He got a shot in the lineup, playing 38 games with the Penguins, but by then his offensive production had dropped off significantly. Opting not to re-sign Boguniecki, he agreed to terms on a contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets for the 2006-07, however he would never dress for Columbus. After six games with the Syracuse Crunch, he was traded to the Islanders for defenseman Ryan Caldwell. After playing in just 11 games with the Islanders, he pursued his career in Europe, playing in the Deutsch Hockey League (DEL) for ERC Ingolstadt. After one season in the AHL and one more in the ECHL, Boguniecki retired from the sport.