Blake Wheeler
Encyclopedia
Blake James Wheeler is an American
professional ice hockey
right winger
currently playing for the Winnipeg Jets
of the National Hockey League
(NHL). He was drafted by the Phoenix Coyotes
in the first round, fifth overall, in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft
.
his freshman year through his junior year. There, during his junior year, Wheeler had his breakout season, putting up a state-high 45 goals and 55 assists in 2003–04. He led his team to a Class A State Hockey Championship that season, and scored a hat trick in the final game.
Wheeler opted to forego his senior year to play in the United States Hockey League
(USHL) with the Green Bay Gamblers
. After playing one season with the Gamblers, Wheeler attended the University of Minnesota
. In 2005–06, his freshman year with the Minnesota Golden Gophers
, he recorded 23 points in 39 games, playing alongside future Boston Bruins teammate Phil Kessel
. Wheeler is praised for his deceptive speed with his large body frame, and his ability to stick handle at such high speeds.
In the 2007 WCHA
Final Five tournament, Wheeler recorded a hat trick in a 4–2 win in the semifinal game against the University of Wisconsin–Madison
. In the championship game, Wheeler scored the game winning goal in a 3–2 overtime win against the North Dakota Fighting Sioux
. The play was featured on ESPN
's SportsCenter
and quickly gained notoriety for its similarity to the game-winning goal in the 1979 NCAA Championship Game, scored by Minnesota's Neal Broten
, also against North Dakota. Wheeler was named the tournament MVP.
Early in the 2007–08 season, following injuries to Ryan Stoa
and Mike Howe, Wheeler was named an alternate captain for the Golden Gophers and recorded 35 points in 44 games. At the end of the season, four years after he was drafted, Wheeler had yet to come to a contract agreement with the Coyotes. Given the option, Wheeler elected to become an unrestricted free agent despite a maximum entry-level contract offer from the club.
. On October 7, the Bruins made their final cuts for the 2008-09 season
and Wheeler remained with the NHL club. Two days later, on October 9, Wheeler scored his first NHL goal, in his NHL debut, against goaltender Peter Budaj
of the Colorado Avalanche
. Wheeler then collected his first NHL hat trick the next month on November 6, against the Toronto Maple Leafs
. Being named to the 2009 NHL YoungStars Game
to represent the rookies, he earned Game MVP honors after a four-goal effort to beat the sophomores 9–5.
After being hit by a puck in practice during the 2009 preseason, Blake added a visor to his helmet.
for Boris Valabik
and Rich Peverley
. On July 18, 2011, Wheeler signed a two-year, $5.1 million dollar deal with the renamed Winnipeg Jets
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
right winger
Winger (ice hockey)
Winger, in the game of hockey, is a forward position of a player whose primary zone of play on the ice is along the outer playing area. They typically work by flanking the centre forward. Originally the name was given to forward players who went up and down the sides of the rink...
currently playing for the Winnipeg Jets
Winnipeg Jets
The Winnipeg Jets were a professional ice hockey team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. They began play in the World Hockey Association in 1972, moving to the National Hockey League in 1979 following the collapse of the WHA...
of the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
(NHL). He was drafted by the Phoenix Coyotes
Phoenix Coyotes
The Phoenix Coyotes are a professional ice hockey team based in Glendale, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They play their home games at Jobing.com Arena....
in the first round, fifth overall, in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft
2004 NHL Entry Draft
The 2004 NHL Entry Draft was held on June 26 at the RBC Center in Raleigh, North Carolina. It is especially notable because it was the last NHL event to take place before the beginning of the lockout which canceled all the games scheduled for the 2004–05 NHL season.- Selections by round :Listed...
.
Early career
Wheeler attended Breck SchoolBreck School
Breck School is an independent college-preparatory preK–12 school in Golden Valley, Minnesota, a suburb of Minneapolis. It was founded in 1886 and is affiliated with the Episcopal Church...
his freshman year through his junior year. There, during his junior year, Wheeler had his breakout season, putting up a state-high 45 goals and 55 assists in 2003–04. He led his team to a Class A State Hockey Championship that season, and scored a hat trick in the final game.
Wheeler opted to forego his senior year to play in the United States Hockey League
United States Hockey League
The United States Hockey League is the top junior ice hockey league in the United States. The USHL has 16 member teams located in the Midwestern United States, consisting of players who are 20 years of age and younger...
(USHL) with the Green Bay Gamblers
Green Bay Gamblers
The Green Bay Gamblers are a Tier 1 junior ice hockey team in the East Division of the United States Hockey League. They play in Green Bay, Wisconsin, at the Resch Center.-History:...
. After playing one season with the Gamblers, Wheeler attended the University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
. In 2005–06, his freshman year with the Minnesota Golden Gophers
Minnesota Golden Gophers
The Minnesota Golden Gophers are the college sports team for the University of Minnesota. The university fields both men's and women's teams in basketball, cross country, gymnastics, golf, ice hockey, swimming, tennis, and track and field. Men's-specific sports include baseball, football, and...
, he recorded 23 points in 39 games, playing alongside future Boston Bruins teammate Phil Kessel
Phil Kessel
Philip Joseph Kessel, Jr. is an American professional ice hockey forward, and an alternate captain for the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League . Kessel is a product of USA Hockey's National Development Team and became that program's all-time leader for goals and points in his final...
. Wheeler is praised for his deceptive speed with his large body frame, and his ability to stick handle at such high speeds.
In the 2007 WCHA
Western Collegiate Hockey Association
The Western Collegiate Hockey Association is a college athletic conference which operates over a wide area of the Midwestern and Western United States. It participates in the NCAA's Division I as an ice hockey-only conference....
Final Five tournament, Wheeler recorded a hat trick in a 4–2 win in the semifinal game against the University of Wisconsin–Madison
University of Wisconsin–Madison
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1848, UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. It became a land-grant institution in 1866...
. In the championship game, Wheeler scored the game winning goal in a 3–2 overtime win against the North Dakota Fighting Sioux
North Dakota Fighting Sioux
The North Dakota Fighting Sioux are the athletic teams of the University of North Dakota , which is located in the city of Grand Forks, North Dakota, in the United States. The logo is a Native American figure. The logo was designed by Bennett Brien, a local artist and UND graduate of Ojibwa...
. The play was featured on ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
's SportsCenter
SportsCenter
SportsCenter is a daily sports news television show, and the flagship program of American cable network ESPN since the network launched on September 7, 1979. Originally broadcast only daily, SportsCenter is now shown up to twelve times a day, replaying the day's scores and highlights from major...
and quickly gained notoriety for its similarity to the game-winning goal in the 1979 NCAA Championship Game, scored by Minnesota's Neal Broten
Neal Broten
Neal LaMoy Broten is a retired American professional ice hockey player who played on the gold medal-winning "Miracle on Ice" hockey team in 1980, and in 1,099 NHL regular season games from 1981 – 1997 with the Minnesota North Stars, Dallas Stars, New Jersey Devils and Los Angeles Kings...
, also against North Dakota. Wheeler was named the tournament MVP.
Early in the 2007–08 season, following injuries to Ryan Stoa
Ryan Stoa
Ryan James Stoa is an American professional ice hockey Left wing currently playing for the Lake Erie Monsters of the AHL while under contract to the Colorado Avalanche in the National Hockey League.-Amateur:...
and Mike Howe, Wheeler was named an alternate captain for the Golden Gophers and recorded 35 points in 44 games. At the end of the season, four years after he was drafted, Wheeler had yet to come to a contract agreement with the Coyotes. Given the option, Wheeler elected to become an unrestricted free agent despite a maximum entry-level contract offer from the club.
Boston Bruins
On July 1, 2008, Wheeler signed an entry-level contract with the Boston BruinsBoston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the...
. On October 7, the Bruins made their final cuts for the 2008-09 season
2008–09 NHL season
The 2008–09 NHL season was the 92nd season of operation of the National Hockey League . It was the first season since prior to the 2004–05 lockout in which every team played each other at least once during the season, following three seasons where teams only played against two divisions in the...
and Wheeler remained with the NHL club. Two days later, on October 9, Wheeler scored his first NHL goal, in his NHL debut, against goaltender Peter Budaj
Peter Budaj
Peter Budaj is a Slovak professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:...
of the Colorado Avalanche
Colorado Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver, Colorado, United States. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Avalanche have won the Stanley Cup twice, in 1995–96 and 2000–01. The franchise...
. Wheeler then collected his first NHL hat trick the next month on November 6, against the Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
. Being named to the 2009 NHL YoungStars Game
NHL YoungStars Game
The NHL YoungStars Game started in 2002, to replace the Heroes of Hockey Old-Timers game during the All-Star Weekend activities. The first four games were played as separate games to the actual All-Star Game, but starting in 2008, it was changed to become part of the NHL Super Skills Competition,...
to represent the rookies, he earned Game MVP honors after a four-goal effort to beat the sophomores 9–5.
After being hit by a puck in practice during the 2009 preseason, Blake added a visor to his helmet.
Atlanta Thrashers/Winnipeg Jets
On February 18, 2011, Wheeler, along with Mark Stuart, was traded by Boston to the Atlanta ThrashersAtlanta Thrashers
The Atlanta Thrashers were a professional ice hockey team based in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Atlanta was granted a franchise in the National Hockey League on June 25, 1997, and became the league's 28th franchise when it began play in the 1999–2000 NHL season...
for Boris Valabik
Boris Valabik
Boris Valábik is a Slovak professional ice hockey defenceman currently playing in the Pittsburgh Penguins organization.-Playing career:Valabik was drafted 10th overall in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft by the Atlanta Thrashers...
and Rich Peverley
Rich Peverley
Rich Peverley is a professional ice hockey player currently with the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League. Peverley spent four years with the St. Lawrence University hockey team, before he turned pro, and played three years for several teams in both the ECHL and American Hockey League...
. On July 18, 2011, Wheeler signed a two-year, $5.1 million dollar deal with the renamed Winnipeg Jets
Winnipeg Jets
The Winnipeg Jets were a professional ice hockey team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. They began play in the World Hockey Association in 1972, moving to the National Hockey League in 1979 following the collapse of the WHA...
.
Awards
- Played in the NHL YoungStars GameNHL YoungStars GameThe NHL YoungStars Game started in 2002, to replace the Heroes of Hockey Old-Timers game during the All-Star Weekend activities. The first four games were played as separate games to the actual All-Star Game, but starting in 2008, it was changed to become part of the NHL Super Skills Competition,...
in 2009. - Named NHL YoungStars MVP in 2009.
- Named Tournament M.V.P of WCHA Final Five in 2007.
Career statistics
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season Season (sports) In an organized sports league, a season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session. For example, in Major League Baseball, one season lasts approximately from April 1 through October 1; in Association football, it is generally from August until May In an... |
Team | League | GP | G Goal (ice hockey) In ice hockey, a goal is scored when the puck completely crosses the goal line between the two goal posts and below the goal crossbar. A goal awards one point to the team attacking the goal scored upon, regardless of which team the player who actually deflected the puck into the goal belongs to... |
A Assist (ice hockey) In ice hockey, an assist is attributed to up to two players of the scoring team who shot, passed or deflected the puck towards the scoring teammate, or touched it in any other way which enabled the goal, meaning that they were "assisting" in the goal. There can be a maximum of two assists per goal... |
Pts Point (ice hockey) Point in ice hockey has three official meanings:* A point is awarded to a player for each goal scored or assist earned. The total number of goals plus assists equals total points. In some European leagues, a goal counts as two points, and an assist counts as one... |
PIM Penalty (ice hockey) A penalty in ice hockey is a punishment for inappropriate behavior. Most penalties are enforced by detaining the offending player within a penalty box for a set number of minutes, during which, the player can not participate in play. The offending team usually may not replace the player on the ice,... |
GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 2004–05 | Green Bay Gamblers Green Bay Gamblers The Green Bay Gamblers are a Tier 1 junior ice hockey team in the East Division of the United States Hockey League. They play in Green Bay, Wisconsin, at the Resch Center.-History:... |
USHL | 58 | 19 | 28 | 47 | 43 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2005–06 | University of Minnesota Minnesota Golden Gophers men's ice hockey The Minnesota Golden Gophers men's ice hockey team is the college ice hockey team at the Twin Cities campus of the University of Minnesota. They are members of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association and compete in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I ice hockey... |
NCAA | 39 | 9 | 14 | 23 | 41 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2006–07 | University of Minnesota | NCAA | 44 | 18 | 20 | 38 | 42 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2007–08 | University of Minnesota | NCAA | 44 | 15 | 20 | 35 | 72 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2008–09 2008–09 NHL season The 2008–09 NHL season was the 92nd season of operation of the National Hockey League . It was the first season since prior to the 2004–05 lockout in which every team played each other at least once during the season, following three seasons where teams only played against two divisions in the... |
Boston Bruins Boston Bruins The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the... |
NHL National Hockey League The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States... |
81 | 21 | 24 | 45 | 46 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2009–10 2009–10 NHL season The 2009–10 NHL season was the 93rd season of operation of the National Hockey League , and the 100th season since the founding of the predecessor National Hockey Association . It ran from October 1, 2009, including four games in Europe on October 2 and 3—until April 11, 2010, with the 2010... |
Boston Bruins | NHL | 82 | 18 | 20 | 38 | 53 | 13 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 6 | ||
| 2010–11 2010–11 NHL season The 2010–11 NHL season was the 94th season of operation of the National Hockey League . It was the fourth consecutive season that opened in Europe with NHL Premiere . A record three events were scheduled, all in previous NHL Premiere cities: Helsinki, Finland; Stockholm, Sweden; and Prague, Czech... |
Boston Bruins | NHL | 58 | 11 | 16 | 27 | 32 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2010–11 | Atlanta Thrashers Atlanta Thrashers The Atlanta Thrashers were a professional ice hockey team based in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Atlanta was granted a franchise in the National Hockey League on June 25, 1997, and became the league's 28th franchise when it began play in the 1999–2000 NHL season... |
NHL | 23 | 7 | 10 | 17 | 14 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| NHL totals | 244 | 57 | 70 | 127 | 145 | 21 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 6 | ||||
External links
- Wheeler's 2007 Final Five game winning goal at YouTubeYouTubeYouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....