Jeff Halpern is one of the few undrafted players to play in the NHL and have a 20 goal season let alone captain an NHL team. Halpern played college hockey with Princeton University from 1995 to 1999. He was signed by the Washington Capitals in 1999 and played his first season in the NHL in 1999-2000. He spent the next five seasons playing for the Caps until the lockout in which he left to play in Switzerland.
When the NHL returned in 2005-2006, Jeff Halpern returned to Washington and was named captain on September 25, 2005. The following offseason, Halpern became a free agent, electing to play with the Stars by signing a 4-year contract in Dallas. Midway through the 2008 season, Halpern was involved in a blockbuster trade that saw All-Star Brad Richards and Johan Holmquist go to Dallas in exchange for Jeff Halpern, Mike Smith, Jussi Jokinen and a fourth-round draft pick from 2009. The trade must have provoked Halpern, as he would go on to score 19 points in the next 18 games with the Tampa Bay Lightning.
The 2010 trade deadline day would see Jeff Halpern traded to the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for Teddy Purcell and a third round draft pick in 2010. Jeff Halpern signed with the Montreal Canadiens in early September 2010.
Halpern plays a polished guy role with a lot of offensive flair. Halpern is in his mid-thirties and his best seasons are behind him. He possesses a valuable forehand shot in center position and uses it to his advantage, matchups are one of Halpern’s loaves and his skill makes him the most valuable to his team. Halpern bases his game in large part on his strong sense of hockey and being in the right place at the right time since speed is not his specialty.
Jeff Halpern’s strengths include his offensive bottom-six potential, high hockey IQ, dominance in matchups, and his calm, cool, collective veteran presence. Halpern excels on the penalty kick. Some of his faults include his slow speed and sometimes passive proficiency level from him.
Jeff Halpern is Jewish and actually missed a game in 2006 to observe Yom Kippur. Halpern captained the 2008 USA team at the World Championships.