Kyle Bruce
Encyclopedia
Kyle Bruce is a Canadian
professional ice hockey
player, currently playing for the Braehead Clan
of the Elite Ice Hockey League
.
icing for the Kamloops Blazers
. Bruce would ice in just one game before his move to the Prince Albert Raiders
, also of the WHL. In 8 regular season games in the 1999-00 season, Bruce would score three points but would begin to establish his physical style with 13 penalty minutes. His efforts helped the Raiders into the post-season, where Bruce himself played twice although failed to score.
His performances during the season persuaded the Raiders to make Bruce a regular player for the 2000-01 season, and he would feature in 68 games, scoring 16 points but totalling almost 200 penalty minutes, further establishing his reputation as an enforcer. It was this reputation that persuaded the NHL Florida Panthers
to draft Bruce in the eighth round of the 2001 NHL Entry Draft
, pick number 231 overall and one round before future Manchester Phoenix
team-mate Grant Jacobsen
. Despite the draft, Bruce failed to sign a full time contract with the Panthers and returned to the Raiders. During his career, Bruce has also been invited to attend a training camp with the Vancouver Canucks
, although unfortunately failed to win a contract.
Although Bruce had been disappointed by the Panthers, he would work hard in Prince Albert and continued to clock up the penalty minutes, as well as helping out with a handful of points. In the following two seasons, he would total well over 300 penalty minutes as well as scoring 30 points. For the start of the 2003-04 season, Bruce would again move to another WHL organisation, this time the Vancouver Giants
. His best season in terms of production would follow - 34 regular season points followed by 2 in 11 play off games, his first in the post-season.
For 2004-05 Bruce would again move, although this time to the senior ECHL
, generally regarded as the third-tier of North American hockey. Bruce would play on 23 occasions for the Columbia Inferno
, scoring 10 points and totalling 53 penalty minutes. A move into college hockey would pre-empt the start of the 2004-05 term, with Bruce returning to his home province to play for the University of British Columbia
at Canadian Interuniversity Sport
level. The step down in standard meant that Bruce's point production dramatically increased to almost a point per game - in two seasons and 40 games he managed 37 points and 80 penalty minutes. Bruce combined his time at the rink with studying for a BA in Classical Studies.
Mid way through the 2006-07 season, Bruce decided to abandon his studies and sign for the Idaho Steelheads
of the ECHL
. His presence towards the end of the season and into the playoffs helped boost Idaho towards their second Kelly Cup
win. For 2007-08 Bruce moved to the Central Hockey League
and signed for the Wichita Thunder
. Here, his physical style would once again come to the fore, and in 61 games Bruce totalled 247 penalty minutes, helping him to win the local 'Glass Rattler of The Year' award.
It was this physical style and presence that persuaded Manchester Phoenix
head coach Tony Hand
to successfully chase Bruce's signature in the summer of 2008 and bring him to the EIHL, the highest standard of ice hockey in the United Kingdom
. This was Bruce's first taste of hockey outside of his native North America.
For the 2009/10 season, Bruce returned to the Wichita Thunder, playing 17 games and recording 3 points and 41 penalty minutes.
Bruce joined the newly formed, Glasgow
based Braehead Clan
in the British
Elite Ice Hockey League
for the 2010/11 season. He was named as an Alternate Captain by coach Bruce Richardson
and scored 38 points in 43 games, as well as 104 penalty minutes, throughout the season. Bruce re-signed for the Clan for the 2011/12 season.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
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...
player, currently playing for the Braehead Clan
Braehead Clan
Braehead Clan are a Scottish professional ice hockey team. They were formed in 2010 as the UK Elite Ice Hockey League expanded into the Glasgow and West of Scotland market, and are based at the 4,000 capacity Braehead Arena in Renfrewshire, around two miles outside the Glasgow City limits...
of the Elite Ice Hockey League
Elite Ice Hockey League
Several competitions fall under the jurisdiction of the Elite League. In 2006–07, the EIHL ran a total of four competitions: the league, playoffs, Challenge Cup and Knockout Cup. The league consists of a single division, each team playing three home games and three away games against the other...
.
Playing Career
Bruce began his career in the Western Hockey LeagueWestern Hockey League
The Western Hockey League is a major junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitute the Canadian Hockey League as the highest level of junior hockey in Canada...
icing for the Kamloops Blazers
Kamloops Blazers
The Kamloops Blazers are a junior ice hockey team in the Western Hockey League based out of Kamloops, British Columbia. They play their home games at Interior Savings Centre.-History:...
. Bruce would ice in just one game before his move to the Prince Albert Raiders
Prince Albert Raiders
The Prince Albert Raiders are a major junior ice hockey team in the Western Hockey League. The Raiders play in the East Division of the Eastern Conference. They are based in the Saskatchewan city of Prince Albert...
, also of the WHL. In 8 regular season games in the 1999-00 season, Bruce would score three points but would begin to establish his physical style with 13 penalty minutes. His efforts helped the Raiders into the post-season, where Bruce himself played twice although failed to score.
His performances during the season persuaded the Raiders to make Bruce a regular player for the 2000-01 season, and he would feature in 68 games, scoring 16 points but totalling almost 200 penalty minutes, further establishing his reputation as an enforcer. It was this reputation that persuaded the NHL Florida Panthers
Florida Panthers
The Florida Panthers are a professional ice hockey team based in Sunrise, Florida, in the Miami metropolitan area. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . They play their games at the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise and are the...
to draft Bruce in the eighth round of the 2001 NHL Entry Draft
2001 NHL Entry Draft
The 2001 NHL Entry Draft was held on June 23–24, 2001 at the National Car Rental Center in Sunrise, Florida.-Round one:-Round two:-Round three:-Round four:-Round five:-Round six:-Round seven:-Round eight:-Round nine:...
, pick number 231 overall and one round before future Manchester Phoenix
Manchester Phoenix
Manchester Phoenix are a professional ice hockey team from Altrincham, Greater Manchester, England. The club was formed in 2003 as a result of the efforts of supporters group Friends of Manchester Ice Hockey to bring top-level ice hockey back to Manchester after Manchester Storm folded in...
team-mate Grant Jacobsen
Grant Jacobsen
Grant Jacobsen is a Canadian professional ice hockey player, currently playing for the Texas Brahmas in the CHL. Jacobsen began his career at junior level icing for the Regina Pats, playing at Western Hockey League level...
. Despite the draft, Bruce failed to sign a full time contract with the Panthers and returned to the Raiders. During his career, Bruce has also been invited to attend a training camp with the Vancouver Canucks
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,...
, although unfortunately failed to win a contract.
Although Bruce had been disappointed by the Panthers, he would work hard in Prince Albert and continued to clock up the penalty minutes, as well as helping out with a handful of points. In the following two seasons, he would total well over 300 penalty minutes as well as scoring 30 points. For the start of the 2003-04 season, Bruce would again move to another WHL organisation, this time the Vancouver Giants
Vancouver Giants
The Vancouver Giants are a major junior ice hockey team playing in the Western Hockey League . Inaugurated in 2001–02, the Giants have won one President's Cup in 2006 and one Memorial Cup in 2007 in their ten-season history...
. His best season in terms of production would follow - 34 regular season points followed by 2 in 11 play off games, his first in the post-season.
For 2004-05 Bruce would again move, although this time to the senior ECHL
ECHL
The ECHL is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Princeton, New Jersey with teams scattered across the United States...
, generally regarded as the third-tier of North American hockey. Bruce would play on 23 occasions for the Columbia Inferno
Columbia Inferno
The Columbia Inferno are an ECHL team based in Columbia, South Carolina. The team is currently on voluntary suspension awaiting construction of a new arena in suburban Lexington County. They played their home games at the Carolina Coliseum. They planned on playing in a new arena during the...
, scoring 10 points and totalling 53 penalty minutes. A move into college hockey would pre-empt the start of the 2004-05 term, with Bruce returning to his home province to play for the University of British Columbia
University of British Columbia
The University of British Columbia is a public research university. UBC’s two main campuses are situated in Vancouver and in Kelowna in the Okanagan Valley...
at Canadian Interuniversity Sport
Canadian Interuniversity Sport
Canadian Interuniversity Sport is the national governing body of university sport in Canada, comprising the majority of degree granting universities in the country. Its equivalent body for organized sports at colleges in Canada is The Canadian Colleges Athletic Association...
level. The step down in standard meant that Bruce's point production dramatically increased to almost a point per game - in two seasons and 40 games he managed 37 points and 80 penalty minutes. Bruce combined his time at the rink with studying for a BA in Classical Studies.
Mid way through the 2006-07 season, Bruce decided to abandon his studies and sign for the Idaho Steelheads
Idaho Steelheads
The Idaho Steelheads are an American professional minor league ice hockey team based in Boise, Idaho. The team began playing in 1997 and has been a member of the ECHL since 2003....
of the ECHL
ECHL
The ECHL is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Princeton, New Jersey with teams scattered across the United States...
. His presence towards the end of the season and into the playoffs helped boost Idaho towards their second Kelly Cup
Kelly Cup
The Patrick J. Kelly Cup goes to the play-off champion of the ECHL. The Kelly Cup has been awarded to teams since 1997. Prior to 1997, the playoff winner was awarded the Riley Cup. The current cup is named after Patrick J. Kelly, the league's first commissioner. The cup is loaned to the winning...
win. For 2007-08 Bruce moved to the Central Hockey League
Central Hockey League
The Central Hockey League is a mid-level professional hockey league, owned by Global Entertainment Corporation. Its current champions are the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs, which defeated the Colorado Eagles four games to three in the 2011 playoffs....
and signed for the Wichita Thunder
Wichita Thunder
The Wichita Thunder are a minor league hockey team based in Wichita, Kansas. The team plays in the Central Hockey League. From 1992 until January 2010 the Thunder played in the Britt Brown Arena located in the northern Wichita suburb of Park City...
. Here, his physical style would once again come to the fore, and in 61 games Bruce totalled 247 penalty minutes, helping him to win the local 'Glass Rattler of The Year' award.
It was this physical style and presence that persuaded Manchester Phoenix
Manchester Phoenix
Manchester Phoenix are a professional ice hockey team from Altrincham, Greater Manchester, England. The club was formed in 2003 as a result of the efforts of supporters group Friends of Manchester Ice Hockey to bring top-level ice hockey back to Manchester after Manchester Storm folded in...
head coach Tony Hand
Tony Hand
Tony Hand MBE is a Scottish ice hockey player who became the first British-raised player to be drafted by an NHL team when he was picked by the Edmonton Oilers in 1986. He is currently player-coach of the Manchester Phoenix...
to successfully chase Bruce's signature in the summer of 2008 and bring him to the EIHL, the highest standard of ice hockey in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. This was Bruce's first taste of hockey outside of his native North America.
For the 2009/10 season, Bruce returned to the Wichita Thunder, playing 17 games and recording 3 points and 41 penalty minutes.
Bruce joined the newly formed, Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
based Braehead Clan
Braehead Clan
Braehead Clan are a Scottish professional ice hockey team. They were formed in 2010 as the UK Elite Ice Hockey League expanded into the Glasgow and West of Scotland market, and are based at the 4,000 capacity Braehead Arena in Renfrewshire, around two miles outside the Glasgow City limits...
in the British
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
Elite Ice Hockey League
Elite Ice Hockey League
Several competitions fall under the jurisdiction of the Elite League. In 2006–07, the EIHL ran a total of four competitions: the league, playoffs, Challenge Cup and Knockout Cup. The league consists of a single division, each team playing three home games and three away games against the other...
for the 2010/11 season. He was named as an Alternate Captain by coach Bruce Richardson
Bruce Richardson
Bruce Richardson is a former professional ice hockey player best known for his time playing for Braehead Clan and the Nottingham Panthers in the British Elite Ice Hockey League and for the Hershey Bears in the American Hockey League...
and scored 38 points in 43 games, as well as 104 penalty minutes, throughout the season. Bruce re-signed for the Clan for the 2011/12 season.
Career Stats
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1999-00 | Kamloops Blazers Kamloops Blazers The Kamloops Blazers are a junior ice hockey team in the Western Hockey League based out of Kamloops, British Columbia. They play their home games at Interior Savings Centre.-History:... |
WHL Western Hockey League The Western Hockey League is a major junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitute the Canadian Hockey League as the highest level of junior hockey in Canada... |
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1999-00 | Prince Albert Raiders Prince Albert Raiders The Prince Albert Raiders are a major junior ice hockey team in the Western Hockey League. The Raiders play in the East Division of the Eastern Conference. They are based in the Saskatchewan city of Prince Albert... |
WHL | 8 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 13 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||
| 2000-01 | Prince Albert Raiders | WHL | 68 | 8 | 8 | 16 | 193 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2001-02 | Prince Albert Raiders | WHL | 70 | 7 | 8 | 15 | 189 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2002-03 | Prince Albert Raiders | WHL | 53 | 4 | 11 | 15 | 135 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2003-04 | Vancouver Giants Vancouver Giants The Vancouver Giants are a major junior ice hockey team playing in the Western Hockey League . Inaugurated in 2001–02, the Giants have won one President's Cup in 2006 and one Memorial Cup in 2007 in their ten-season history... |
WHL | 70 | 15 | 19 | 34 | 128 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 12 | ||
| 2004-05 | Columbia Inferno Columbia Inferno The Columbia Inferno are an ECHL team based in Columbia, South Carolina. The team is currently on voluntary suspension awaiting construction of a new arena in suburban Lexington County. They played their home games at the Carolina Coliseum. They planned on playing in a new arena during the... |
ECHL ECHL The ECHL is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Princeton, New Jersey with teams scattered across the United States... |
23 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 53 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2004-05 | U. British Columbia UBC Thunderbirds The UBC Thunderbirds are the athletic teams that represent the University of British Columbia in the University Endowment Lands just outside the city limits of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. They are one of the most successful teams in the CIS, though a few of their teams are members of the U.S... |
CIS Canadian Interuniversity Sport Canadian Interuniversity Sport is the national governing body of university sport in Canada, comprising the majority of degree granting universities in the country. Its equivalent body for organized sports at colleges in Canada is The Canadian Colleges Athletic Association... |
16 | 10 | 10 | 20 | 20 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2005-06 | U. British Columbia | CIS | 24 | 7 | 10 | 17 | 60 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2006-07 | Idaho Steelheads Idaho Steelheads The Idaho Steelheads are an American professional minor league ice hockey team based in Boise, Idaho. The team began playing in 1997 and has been a member of the ECHL since 2003.... |
ECHL | 7 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 11 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | ||
| 2007-08 2007–08 CHL season The 2007–08 CHL season was the 16th season of the Central Hockey League .- Final Standings :Note: GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; OTL = Overtime loss; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; Pts = Points;... |
Wichita Thunder Wichita Thunder The Wichita Thunder are a minor league hockey team based in Wichita, Kansas. The team plays in the Central Hockey League. From 1992 until January 2010 the Thunder played in the Britt Brown Arena located in the northern Wichita suburb of Park City... |
CHL Central Hockey League The Central Hockey League is a mid-level professional hockey league, owned by Global Entertainment Corporation. Its current champions are the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs, which defeated the Colorado Eagles four games to three in the 2011 playoffs.... |
61 | 13 | 13 | 26 | 247 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2008-09 2008–09 EIHL season The 2008–09 EIHL season was the sixth season of the Elite Ice Hockey League. It began in September 2008 and ran through to April 2009. The ten clubs in the League competed for 4 different competitions: the Elite League, the Play-Offs, the Challenge Cup, and the Knockout Cup. The winners of... |
Manchester Phoenix Manchester Phoenix Manchester Phoenix are a professional ice hockey team from Altrincham, Greater Manchester, England. The club was formed in 2003 as a result of the efforts of supporters group Friends of Manchester Ice Hockey to bring top-level ice hockey back to Manchester after Manchester Storm folded in... |
EIHL | 58 | 13 | 27 | 40 | 179 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | ||
| 2009-10 2009–10 CHL season The 2009–10 CHL season was the 18th season of the Central Hockey League . The season run from October 16, 2009 until March 20, 2010, followed with the Ray Miron President's Cup playoffs.... |
Wichita Thunder | CHL | 17 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 41 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2010-11 2010-11 EIHL season The 2010-11 Elite Ice Hockey League season started on August 25, 2010, with the annual Charity Shield match between Coventry Blaze and Belfast Giants. The League proper started on September 4. Two new teams joined for the 2010-11 season- the Braehead Clan and the Dundee Stars... |
Braehead Clan Braehead Clan Braehead Clan are a Scottish professional ice hockey team. They were formed in 2010 as the UK Elite Ice Hockey League expanded into the Glasgow and West of Scotland market, and are based at the 4,000 capacity Braehead Arena in Renfrewshire, around two miles outside the Glasgow City limits... |
EIHL | 43 | 14 | 24 | 38 | 104 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | ||
External links
- Kyle Bruce Personal Profile, Manchester Phoenix Official Website
- Bruce The Final Piece In The Phoenix Roster, Manchester Phoenix Official Website, 15/08/08