Thomas Wingels (born April 12, 1988) is an American former professional ice hockey forward and current player development coach for the San Jose Sharks. He played most of his career in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the San Jose Sharks, the Ottawa Senators, the Chicago Blackhawks and the Boston Bruins and retired after two seasons in the National League (NL) with Genève-Servette HC.

Tommy Wingels
Wingels with the San Jose Sharks in 2016
Born (1988-04-12) April 12, 1988 (age 36)
Evanston, Illinois, U.S.
Height 6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight 208 lb (94 kg; 14 st 12 lb)
Position Center
Shot Right
Played for San Jose Sharks
Kouvola KooKoo
Ottawa Senators
Chicago Blackhawks
Boston Bruins
Genève-Servette HC
National team  United States
NHL Draft 177th overall, 2008
San Jose Sharks
Playing career 2010–2020

Playing career edit

As a youth, Wingels played in the 2002 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with the Chicago Young Americans minor ice hockey team.[1]

Wingels played three seasons with the Miami Redhawks of the National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC). After his freshman season, he was drafted by the San Jose Sharks as the 177th pick in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft. He made his NHL debut on October 8, 2010, in San Jose's 2010–11 season opener wearing jersey number 57. Wingels scored his first career NHL goal in front of his hometown crowd in Chicago on January 15, 2012, against Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Corey Crawford.[2] During the 2012–13 NHL lockout, Wingels would play in Finland for KooKoo.[citation needed]

On January 24, 2017, in the midst of his seventh season with the Sharks and having contributed 8 points in 37 games, Wingels was traded to the Ottawa Senators in exchange for Buddy Robinson, Zack Stortini and a seventh-round pick in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft.[citation needed]

On July 1, 2017, having left the Senators as a free agent, Wingels signed a one-year contract with the Chicago Blackhawks.[3] On February 26, 2018, Wingels was traded to the Boston Bruins in exchange for a conditional fifth-round pick in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft.[4]

On August 15, 2018, after eight seasons in the NHL, Wingels signed a two-year optional, CHF 1.5 million contract with Swiss club Genève-Servette HC of the National League (NL).[5] He broke his jaw in the first regular season game with Genève-Servette, forcing him to sit out the first two months of the 2018–19 season.[6] Wingels only appeared in 19 regular season games (18 points) with multiple injuries throughout the season. He missed the first two games of the 2019 NL playoffs before appearing in game 3 of the 1/4 final against SC Bern, scoring one goal and tallying an assist. In that game, Wingels was also guilty of a boarding against SCB's Jan Muršak which resulted in a two-game suspension and a fine of CHF 4,000. Wingels made his return to the lineup for game 6, scoring a goal with 46 seconds to go in the game to come back to 1-2, before Daniel Winnik scored the tying goal for Geneva with 29 seconds left. The game went into overtime and Mark Arcobello scored the game-winning goal for Bern after 117 minutes, in the third OT, establishing a record for the longest game ever played in the National League. Wingels only played 2 playoffs games, putting up 3 points. On April 8, 2019, Wingels agreed to a two-year contract extension with Geneva worth CHF 1.6 million. Despite a valid contract for the 2020/21 season, Wingels was released by Servette on June 5, 2020.[7]

On June 11, 2020, Wingels' last professional team, Genève-Servette HC, announced that he decided to retire from professional hockey.[8][9]

Personal life edit

Wingels graduated from Miami University in 2011 with a degree in accounting while playing in the American Hockey League (AHL).[10] Wingels married his wife Molly Wingels (née Meyer) in 2014 and the two have one daughter together.[11][12]

Wingels is a member of the Advisory Board for You Can Play, a campaign dedicated to fighting homophobia in sports.[13] He has also appeared in a video supporting the campaign.[14] He was a close friend of Brendan Burke, whose death was the catalyst for the formation of the organization. Wingels was the Sharks' nominee for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy in 2012, primarily for his work with You Can Play. He marched in the Chicago Pride Parade with the Chicago Gay Hockey Association on June 24, 2012.[15][16]

On May 2, 2013, Wingels' work with You Can Play led him to be nominated for the NHL's King Clancy Memorial Trophy, an award given to player who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and who has made a significant humanitarian contribution to his community.[17]

On August 11, 2022 the San Jose Sharks announced Wingels' would join as a player development coach. [18]

Career statistics edit

Regular season and playoffs edit

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2004–05 Team Illinois 18U AAA MWEHL 15 7 5 12 15
2005–06 Team Illinois 18U AAA T1EHL 22 15 5 20 36
2006–07 Cedar Rapids RoughRiders USHL 47 10 18 28 52 6 3 0 3 6
2007–08 Miami RedHawks CCHA 42 15 14 29 22
2008–09 Miami RedHawks CCHA 41 11 17 28 66
2009–10 Miami RedHawks CCHA 44 17 25 42 49
2010–11 San Jose Sharks NHL 5 0 0 0 0
2010–11 Worcester Sharks AHL 69 17 13 30 69
2011–12 San Jose Sharks NHL 33 3 6 9 18 5 0 1 1 7
2011–12 Worcester Sharks AHL 29 13 8 21 28
2012–13 KooKoo Mestis 18 8 14 22 33
2012–13 San Jose Sharks NHL 42 5 8 13 26 11 0 2 2 6
2013–14 San Jose Sharks NHL 77 16 22 38 35 7 0 3 3 4
2014–15 San Jose Sharks NHL 75 15 21 36 40
2015–16 San Jose Sharks NHL 68 7 11 18 63 22 2 0 2 21
2016–17 San Jose Sharks NHL 37 5 3 8 15
2016–17 Ottawa Senators NHL 36 2 2 4 12 9 0 0 0 4
2017–18 Chicago Blackhawks NHL 57 7 5 12 43
2017–18 Boston Bruins NHL 18 2 3 5 2 4 0 0 0 0
2018–19 Genève–Servette HC NL 19 11 7 18 10 2 2 1 3 0
2019–20 Genève–Servette HC NL 43 16 23 39 41
NHL totals 448 62 81 143 254 58 2 6 8 42
NL totals 62 27 30 57 51 2 2 1 3 0

International edit

Year Team Event Result GP G A Pts PIM
2014 United States WC 6th 7 0 0 0 6
Senior totals 7 0 0 0 6

Awards and honors edit

Award Year
College
NCAA All-Tournament Team 2009 [19]
All-CCHA Second Team 2009–10

References edit

  1. ^ "Pee-Wee players who have reached NHL or WHA" (PDF). Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament. 2018. Retrieved February 15, 2019.
  2. ^ "Sharks vs. Blackhawks – 01/15/2012 – San Jose Sharks". sharks.nhl.com. January 15, 2012. Retrieved April 23, 2012.
  3. ^ "Blackhawks sign Berube, Oesterle and Wingels". CBS Chicago. July 1, 2017. Retrieved July 1, 2017.
  4. ^ "Bruins Acquire Tommy Wingels From Blackhawks". NHL.com. February 26, 2018. Retrieved February 26, 2018.
  5. ^ "Le GSHC tient ses deux attaquants étrangers". www.gshc.ch (in Swiss French). August 15, 2018. Retrieved August 22, 2018.
  6. ^ "Tommy Wingels out for at least four weeks". www.swisshockeynews.ch. September 21, 2018. Retrieved September 30, 2018.
  7. ^ "Tommy Wingels devrait quitter Genève". planetehockey.com. June 5, 2020. Retrieved June 5, 2020.
  8. ^ "Omark débarque, Wingels prend sa retraite". gshc.ch. June 11, 2020. Retrieved June 11, 2020.
  9. ^ "GSHC's Tommy Wingels hangs up his skates". swisshockeynews.ch. June 11, 2020. Retrieved June 11, 2020.
  10. ^ High, Alison (July 20, 2011). "Development Camp Update: Tommy Wingels". Retrieved January 15, 2015.
  11. ^ Rutherford, Jeremy (May 17, 2016). "Sharks forward finds St. Louis to be ideal foe". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved October 2, 2018.
  12. ^ "Tommy Wingels and his daughter have the most adorable pre-game ritual in the NHL". bardown.com. October 15, 2017. Retrieved October 2, 2018.
  13. ^ "Staff and Board". You Can Play Project. Retrieved June 22, 2012.
  14. ^ "Tommy Wingels, San Jose Sharks". You Can Play Project. Retrieved June 22, 2012.
  15. ^ Kurz, Kevin. "Wingels to march in Chicago Pride Parade". CSN Bay Area. Retrieved June 22, 2012.
  16. ^ Jim Buzinski (March 11, 2013). "NHL's Tommy Wingels: An Out Player Is Coming Soon". Outsports.
  17. ^ "Wingels Nominated for King Clancy Memorial Trophy". sharks.nhl.com. May 2, 2013. Retrieved May 31, 2013.
  18. ^ "Sharks Announce Additional Hockey Operations Staff". sharks.nhl.com. August 11, 2022. Retrieved August 11, 2022.
  19. ^ "NCAA Frozen Four Records" (PDF). NCAA. Retrieved June 19, 2013.

External links edit

Awards and achievements
Preceded by CCHA Best Defensive Forward
2009–10
Succeeded by