Traded to Jets with Randy Cunneyworth and Dave McLlwain by Pittsburgh Penguins for Jim Kyte, Andrew McBain and Randy Gilhen, June 17, 1989. Traded to Washington Capitals for Jim Hrivnak and Washington's 2nd round choice in 1993 Entry Draft, March 22, 1993.
The Jets acquired goaltender Rick Tabaracci during the summer of 1989 and he spent parts of four seasons in the Jets' organization before being traded to the Washington Capitals in March 1993. He went on to spend time with several different organizations and he played in a career-high 62 games in 1996-1997 with the Calgary Flames and Tampa Bay Lightning. He wound up his playing career after the 2000-2001 season after having seen his last NHL action with the Colorado Avalanche the previous season. With the Jets, he was the surprise starter ahead of Bob Essensa in the 1992 playoffs and performed well in a losing cause. Though he never played for the Dallas Stars, they called him up during the 2000-2001 season when Ed Belfour walked out on the team for a brief period in a dispute with coach Ken Hitchcock. While a member of the Flames in 1995-1996, he was at the center of a nasty incident at the end of a loss to the Jets when Teemu Selanne put a shot high and hard off his mask as time expired. Since the outcome of the game was already decided, he took great exception to Selanne's apparent cheap shot and nearly triggered a brawl. He was originally drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1987 and he made his NHL debut with them during the 1988-1989 season.
