June 29, 1968
Theoren Fleury born in Oxbow, Saskatchewan (the Fleurys later move to Russell, Manitoba).
1969
Sheldon Kennedy is born in Brandon, Manitoba. His parents eventually settle the family on a farm in Elkhorn, Manitoba, three hour west of Winnipeg.
March 21, 1981
At a tournament in Portage La Prairie Theo’s right arm is cut open by a skate. He misses a whole year of competitive hockey.
July 1981
Theo meets Graham James for the first time at three-week Andy Murray Hockey School camp in Brandon, Manitoba. Graham takes an instant interest in the young Fleury. Theo is flattered by the attention.
Summer 1982
Graham James invites Theo to vacation with him and two other players in North Dakota. On that trip, James assaults Theo for the first time in a motel room.
1983
Theo, who is only in Grade 9, is drafted by the Winnipeg Warriors of the WHL. Graham James is the coach.
April 1984
Graham James, who has acquired the rights to Sheldon Kennedy to play for the WHL’s Winnipeg Warriors, invites Kennedy to a tournament in Winnipeg. Over the next several days James sexually assaults Kennedy.
1985
Theo Fleury gets drunk or the first time with Sheldon Kennedy.
A suspicious Moose Jaw Warriors General Manager Barry Trapp makes Graham James quit as head coach. James tries to pressure Fleury to quit the team. Fleury stays with Moose Jaw.
Summer 1985
Graham James tries to bribe Fleury and Kennedy to go with him to Winnipeg by taking them on a trip to Disneyland. James assaults both boys on the trip.
Theo is dating Shannon Griffin a high school student in Moose Jaw.
Fall 1985
Graham James is hired as head coach of the Winnipeg South Blues of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League. Even though it was a step down, James convinced Sheldon Kennedy and his parents to leave the Warriors and follow him back to Winnipeg.
1986
Graham James hired by the Swift Current Broncos of the WHL. James trades to get Sheldon Kennedy on the team.
1987
Fleury is a member of Team Canada at the World Junior Championships in Piestany, Czechoslovakia.
Fleury is picked 166th in the NHL draft by Cliff Fletcher and the Calgary Flames.
November 18, 1987
Shannon and Theo have a baby boy, Josh.
1988
Theo Fleury tries cocaine for the first time after winning first round playoff series with Salt Lake.
New Year's Eve 1989
Theo Fleury is called up by the Flames.
Fleury helps Calgary win the Stanley Cup against Montreal in game six at the Forum.
1991
Overtime game six in first round playoffs against Edmonton, Fleury scores incredible goal on one leg after stealing the puck and breaking away on Fuhr. Calgary lost game seven. Fleury went on a cocaine and booze binge for five days.
Spring 1991
Fleury plays for Canada at World Championships in Turku, Finland. Canada wins silver.
January 2, 1992
Calgary GM Risebrough trades Doug Gilmour, Jamie Macoun, Ric Nattress, Rick Wamsley and prospect Kent Manderville to Toronto bringing an end to the glory years in Calgary.
1994
Common-law relationship with Shannon ends.
Fleury plays for Finnish team Tappara during 94-95 NHL lockout year.
Fall 1994
Sheldon Kennedy is traded to the Calgary Flames.
December 1994
Graham James calls Fleury and asks him to become partners in bringing WHL team to Calgary (Calgary Hitmen). Fleury invests $125,000. Sheldon Kennedy also invests $1,000 in the team.
Fall 1995
Fleury diagnosed with Crohn’s disease, a disorder that causes inflammation in the digestive tract.
1996
Sheldon Kennedy breaks down in the dressing room before a game in Edmonton.
Spring 1996
After losing four games straight to the Chicago Blackhawks in the first round of the playoffs Kennedy reveals to some of his Calgary Flames teammates that Graham had sexually assaulted him.
Late summer 1996
Sheldon Kennedy contacts the Calgary police to formally charge Graham James with sexual abuse. Word soon leaks to the media that Graham is being investigated.
August to September 1996
Fleury plays for team Canada at World Cup of Hockey. Right before the final against the US, Fleury learns that Graham is being investigated for sexual abuse.
September 1996
Calgary Hitmen fire Graham James.
September 7, 1996
Calgary Sun sports columnist Eric Francis writes a supportive column on Graham James.
January 2, 1997
Graham James appears in Calgary court and pleads guilty to 300 counts of abuse against Sheldon Kennedy and 50 against another player.
May 26, 1997
Theo Fleury and wife Veronica have a baby, Beaux Destan Fleury.
June 1997
Calgary Flames buy Calgary Hitmen from Fleury et al. for $1.2 million.
October 1997
After coming out in the Agreed Statement of Facts at Graham James trial, Theo Fleury admits in an interview with the Toronto Star’s Rosie DiManno he was the unnamed third person in the car with James and Kennedy on the way back from Disneyland in 1985, but he denies that Kennedy masturbated James in the front seat.
February 1998
Fleury plays for Canada at Nagano Olympics. Canada finishes fourth in the tourney.
March 28, 1998
Calgary in LA. Fleury and nine other players fly to Vegas the night before, party and gamble all night then return to LA the next morning in time for the pre-game skate. Calgary beats LA that night 5-2.
Fall 1998
Fleury returns to Japan, this time Tokyo, to play two pre-season games against San Jose, promoting hockey. Fleury parties hard and frequents the strip clubs.
1999
After game in San Jose, Fleury almost ODs on crystal meth.
February 28, 1999
Calgary trades Fleury to Colorado.
March 15, 1999
Fleury and Veronica have a daughter, Tatym.
July 1999
Free agent Fleury signs for $21 million U.S. with the New York Rangers.
Fleury buys a $1.6 million home in Greenwich, Connecticut.
February 2000
NHL wants Fleury to sign up for substance abuse program. He would have to take regular drug tests and go to into rehab at the end of the season.
May 31, 2000
NY Rangers owners hire Glen ‘Slats’ Sather as their new president and GM.
Summer 2000
Fleury enters the Cottonwood treatment facility near Tuscon, Arizona.
September 21, 2000
Fleury drops $36,000 in one night at the Gold Club strip bar in Atlanta.
Fall 2000
Fleury is failing urine tests for the drug program. NHL is warning him.
February 2001
After 13 dirty urine tests, NHL puts Fleury into substance abuse program in California. His season is over.
Summer 2001
Fleury buys a home in New Mexico.
Wayne Gretzky calls Fleury to invite him to be a member of the 2002 Team Canada at Salt Lake City Olympics.
December 28, 2001
Fleury in scuffle with San Jose Sharks mascot after being ejected from the game.
2002
Marriage with Veronica on the rocks, Fleury starts seeing Drea.
Fleury gambling at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Connecticut.
February 2002
Fleury wins Olympic gold with Team Canada at Salt Lake City Olympics.
April 4, 2002
Fleury openly argues with Rangers coach Ronny Low over being relegated to the second line to make room for Pavel Bure on the first line.
Rangers miss the playoffs and Fleury goes on a three-week, $250,000 binge including cocaine and girls.
Spring 2002
Fleury hooks up with Stephanie at club in Albuquerque. He is still seeing Drea in New York.
May 2002
Sather tells Fleury’s agent, who wants to renegotiate a new contract, that “I can’t afford to have Theo play, even for nothing.”
Summer 2002
Fleury goes back into to treatment.
Fleury signs with the Chicago Blackhawks.
Fall 2002
Fleury is being drug tested three times a week.
October 1, 2002
Fleury hits the cocaine again in Chicago.
October 3, 2002
Once the coke and booze were gone, Fleury returns home to find Stephanie, Sutter and his agent. He is suspended for 25 days without pay, costing him $1.2 million.
December 6, 2002
Fleury is back in the Hawks lineup.
December 31, 2002
Fleury falls off the wagon in St Louis on New Years Eve.
January 2003
Fleury ends up getting drunk in a strip bar in Columbus.
February 2003
Fleury put on waivers and benched a couple of games.
April 2003
In St Louis, Fleury goes to Larry Flynt’s strip joint, does cocaine.
April 4, 2003
Fleury plays his last NHL game in Chicago, gets hit in the cheekbone with a puck and has operation.
April 20, 2003
Fleury leaves Steph at the house and goes out looking for cocaine. When he comes back he finds she has ripped up an expensive painting in anger. Fleury then starts tearing up the house. Steph calls 911. Fleury flees into the desert. The police catch up to him and arrest him.
May 6, 2003
Fleury is suspended for six months, in order to play again he has to enter treatment. He decides against it, ending his NHL career.
Summer 2003
Fleury stays in New Mexico goes hard on the coke and booze, contemplates suicide with a gun.
July 2003
Fleury drives back to Calgary with five 8-balls of Coke in the car.
January 2005
Fleury approached to play for the Horse Lake Thunder a triple A men’s team in northern Alberta, the NHL tries to stop it saying he still has a year left on his Chicago contract, but Fleury appeals and wins.
February 2005
Fleury meets his wife Jenn after a playoff game.
September 18, 2005
Fleury’s first day of sobriety.
October 13, 2005
Theo and Jenn move to Belfast, Fleury plays with the Belfast Giants of the Elite Ice Hockey League.
July 8, 2006
Fleury put in Stage 4 NHL substance abuse and behavioral health program – he is permanently suspended unless he complies.
August 2006
Theo and Jenn are married.
September 7, 2008
Theo and Jenn have a baby girl – Skylah Mary Anne Fleury.
September 2009
Theo Fleury, clean and sober for four years, gets tryout contract with the Calgary Flames.
September 28, 2009
After being released by the Calgary Flames from his tryout contract, Fleury announces he is retiring from hockey.
