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Christopher Kunitz (born September 26, 1979) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey winger who played in the National Hockey League (NHL). He played for the Anaheim Ducks (where he won his first Stanley Cup in 2007), Atlanta Thrashers, the Pittsburgh Penguins (where he won his second, third and fourth Stanley Cup in 2009, 2016 and 2017), Tampa Bay Lightning and Chicago Blackhawks.
Internationally, Kunitz won a gold medal with Team Canada at the 2014 Winter Olympics.
In the 2006–07 NHL season, Kunitz improved to 25 goals and 60 points. He went on to help the Ducks advance through the playoffs, past the Minnesota Wild, Vancouver Canucks, and Detroit Red Wings, en route to a Finals victory against the Ottawa Senators to capture both his and the franchise's first Stanley Cup championship. Kunitz had been injured during the semi-finals against the Red Wings, but returned late in the Stanley Cup Finals against Ottawa to help clinch the championship in game five.
The next season, in 2007–08, Kunitz was named one of the team's alternate captains, his first time with the Ducks and his professional career. In regards to Kunitz' new position, Ducks head coach Randy Carlyle explained, "Rob Niedermayer was an alternate last year and did a fine job, and we thought it was important to involve our younger players in the leadership role. Chris Kunitz fit that role."." Kunitz's production dipped to 50 points that season.
On November 6, 2010, Kunitz played his 400th career game and recorded a goal in that game against the Phoenix Coyotes. On March 15, 2016, he played his 800th career game and recorded a goal against the New York Islanders. In the 2016 Playoffs, he recorded 4 goals and 8 assists for 12 points, as the Penguins went to defeat the San Jose Sharks in six games in 2016. It would be Kunitz's third Stanley Cup of his career, his second with the Pens. Since 2010, he has been a regular member of the Penguins' top lines with Evgeni Malkin and/or Sidney Crosby. On May 25, 2017, Kunitz sent the Penguins to the Stanley Cup Finals with a double overtime game winner in game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals versus the Ottawa Senators. This would later become Kunitz's last career playoff goal. He became the oldest player to score a game 7 playoff series winning goal at the age of 37. The Penguins faced off against the Nashville Predators in the 2017 Finals, defeating them in six games to successfully defend the Stanley Cup, with Kunitz assisting on the series-winning goal. This marked Kunitz's fourth Stanley Cup of his career, and his third as a member of the Penguins.
On July 30, 2019, Kunitz announced his retirement from professional hockey after 15 seasons. He joined the Blackhawks' organization as a player development adviser as well as the coaching staff of their American League affiliate, the Rockford IceHogs.
Kunitz married Chicago-native Maureen Pfeiffer in July 2008. The couple reside with their three children in Chicago. Kunitz and his family lived in the Bridgeville area of Pittsburgh during his tenure with the Penguins.
Kunitz earned a degree in marketing and business from Ferris State University.
| 1996–97 | Yorkton Mallers AAA | SMHL | 64 | 38 | 38 | 76 | 233 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1997–98 | Melville Millionaires | SJHL | 60 | 30 | 27 | 57 | 151 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1998–99 | Melville Millionaires | SJHL | 63 | 57 | 32 | 89 | 222 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 19 |
| 1999–2000 | Ferris State Bulldogs | CCHA | 38 | 20 | 9 | 29 | 70 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2000–01 | Ferris State Bulldogs | CCHA | 37 | 16 | 13 | 29 | 81 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2001–02 | Ferris State Bulldogs | CCHA | 35 | 28 | 10 | 38 | 68 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2002–03 | Ferris State Bulldogs | CCHA | 42 | 35 | 44 | 79 | 56 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2003–04 | Anaheim Ducks | NHL | 21 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2003–04 | Cincinnati Mighty Ducks | AHL | 59 | 19 | 25 | 44 | 101 | 9 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 24 |
| 2004–05 | Cincinnati Mighty Ducks | AHL | 54 | 22 | 17 | 39 | 71 | 12 | 1 | 7 | 8 | 20 |
| 2005–06 | Atlanta Thrashers | NHL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2005–06 | Mighty Ducks of Anaheim | NHL | 67 | 19 | 22 | 41 | 69 | 16 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 8 |
| 2005–06 | Portland Pirates | AHL | 5 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2006–07 | Anaheim Ducks | NHL | 81 | 25 | 35 | 60 | 81 | 13 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 19 |
| 2007–08 | Anaheim Ducks | NHL | 82 | 21 | 29 | 50 | 80 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 8 |
| 2008–09 | Anaheim Ducks | NHL | 62 | 16 | 19 | 35 | 55 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2008–09 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 20 | 7 | 11 | 18 | 16 | 24 | 1 | 13 | 14 | 19 |
| 2009–10 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 50 | 13 | 19 | 32 | 39 | 13 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 8 |
| 2010–11 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 66 | 23 | 25 | 48 | 47 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 |
| 2011–12 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 82 | 26 | 35 | 61 | 49 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 |
| Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 48 | 22 | 30 | 52 | 39 | 15 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 6 | |
| Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 78 | 35 | 33 | 68 | 66 | 13 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 16 | |
| Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 74 | 17 | 23 | 40 | 56 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 8 | |
| Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 80 | 17 | 23 | 40 | 41 | 24 | 4 | 8 | 12 | 15 | |
| Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 71 | 9 | 20 | 29 | 36 | 20 | 2 | 9 | 11 | 27 | |
| Tampa Bay Lightning | NHL | 82 | 13 | 16 | 29 | 35 | 17 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 16 | |
| 2018–19 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 56 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 23 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2008 | Canada | WC | 9 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 4 | |
| 2014 | Canada | OG | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | |
| All-CCHA First Team | 2001–02 | |
| All-CCHA First Team | 2002–03 | |
| AHCA West First-Team All-American | 2002–03 | |
| CCHA All-Tournament Team | 2003 | |
| Stanley Cup champion | 2007, 2009, 2016, 2017 | |
| First All-Star Team | 2013 |
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