Damphousse was drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs 6th overall in the 1986 NHL Entry Draft after a standout junior hockey career with the Laval Voisins/Titan. In 1991 he was named MVP of the NHL All Star Game, being one of only four players (at that time) to ever score 4 goals in a single All-Star matchup.[2] Damphousse spent five seasons in Toronto before being traded to the Edmonton Oilers in 1991 in a deal which sent future Hall of Famers Grant Fuhr and Glenn Anderson to Toronto. Oilers' general manager Glen Sather said of Damphousse at that time that among French-Canadian players, only Mario Lemieux was more skilled offensively. On August 27, 1992, Damphousse was dealt to his hometown team, the Montreal Canadiens, in exchange for Shayne Corson. His success with Montreal was immediate, as he recorded 97 points during the regular season and helped the team win the Stanley Cup in 1993. He spent six more seasons in Montreal before being traded to the San Jose Sharks during the 1998–99 season. He signed with the Colorado Avalanche on August 19, 2004, but he never played for them, as the 2004–05 NHL season was canceled due to the 2004–05 NHL lockout. Damphousse was a member of the National Hockey League Players' Association (NHLPA) executive committee, serving as vice president under Trevor Linden. Damphousse announced his retirement on September 7, 2005. He currently lives in Montreal and serves as a hockey analyst with the French-language television network RDS.
