Matt Hunwick
Encyclopedia
Matthew Hunwick is an American
professional ice hockey
defenseman
currently playing for the Colorado Avalanche
of the National Hockey League
.
based Honeybaked Hockey Program, before he was selected to the USA Hockey National Team Development Program
in Ann Arbor, Michigan
. After two seasons with the USDP, and showing potential as a two-way puck-moving defenseman he was recruited to play collegiate hockey with the University of Michigan
in the CCHA
.
In his freshman season of 2003–04, Hunwick finished third among team defenseman in scoring with 15 points in 41 games and was named to the CCHA All-Rookie Team as the Wolverines progressed to the North-East regional finals. Hunwick was then selected at the conclusion of the season by the Boston Bruins
, in the seventh round, 224th overall, of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft
.
As a sophomore in the 2004–05 season he scored his first career hat-trick, in a 8-3 victory over Bowling Green State
on December 10, and was honored as the NCAA National Offensive player of the week. Hunwick increased his points total to 25 in 40 games with the Wolverines to be named to the CCHA Second All-Star Team. Hunwick received the same Second All-Star accolade while serving as an alternate captain in 2005–06, when he recorded a personal best 11 goals and 30 points in 41 games to finish second among Wolverines D-men.
Returning as a senior to the Michigan Wolverines in the 2006–07 season, Hunwick took over as team captain. He was apart of a formidable blueline partnership alongside Jack Johnson, while recording a career high 21 assists and posting 27 points in 41 games. Awarded the Wolverines’ Vic Heyliger
Trophy as the team’s most outstanding defenseman for a third consecutive season, Hunwick was named to the CCHA First All-Star Team, West Second All-American Team and given the honour as the CCHA's best defensive defenseman.
affiliate, the Providence Bruins
to begin the 2007–08
season. After spending a month with Providence, Hunwick was recalled by Boston and played his first NHL regular season game in a 2-1 victory over the Buffalo Sabres
on November 10, 2007. In his third recall to the Bruins, Hunwick recored his first NHL point, an assist in a 2-1 defeat of the Toronto Maple Leafs
on December 9, 2007. He finished his first professional season, primarily with Providence scoring 23 points in 55 games while totaling 13 games in the NHL from four separate recalls.
In the following 2008–09 season, Hunwick was again initially re-assigned to the AHL but after only 2 games was recalled and remained with the Bruins for the majority of the campaign. He scored his first career goal against Vesa Toskala
in a 3-2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs on November 17, 2008. His goal sparked a 6 game scoring streak which tied Hall of Fame defenseman, Ray Bourque
, as a club record for rookie defenseman. On January 10, 2009, in a game against the Carolina Hurricanes
, Hunwick got into his first NHL fight, one-punching to knock down Justin Williams
. Establishing a puck-moving role among the Bruins defense corps, Hunwick amassed a career high 21 assists and 27 points in 53 regular season games. Hunwick made his post-season debut with the Bruins in game one of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals against the Montreal Canadiens
on April 16, 2009. However on April 18, 2009, at a team meeting before game two against the Canadiens, Hunwick complained of abdominal pain. After consultation with the team doctor, it was determined that he needed medical treatment and Hunwick was taken to the hospital via ambulance. He underwent emergency surgery for a ruptured spleen
, and was ruled out for the remainder of the playoffs.
Hunwick opted out of salary arbitration and re-signed to a two-year contract with the Bruins on July 20, 2009. Recovered from his splenectomy
, Hunwick played his first full NHL season in 2009–10, playing in a career high 76 games. Despite matching his 6 goals from the previous year, Hunwick regressed offensively and struggled to recapture his form throughout the year to be occasionally relegated as a reserve defenseman. He recorded an assist as his first career post-season point in game one of a series Quarterfinals victory against the Buffalo Sabres. Succumbing to the Philadelphia Flyers
in the Eastern Conference Semi-finals, Hunwick finished to appear in all 13 playoff games for 6 assists.
In the 2010–11 season, with the Bruins in need to reduce roster salary, Hunwick was traded to the Colorado Avalanche
in exchange for Colby Cohen
on November 29, 2010. On November 30, 2010, Hunwick made his debut for the Avalanche in a 3-2 overtime defeat.
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...
defenseman
Defenceman (ice hockey)
Defence in ice hockey is a player position whose primary responsibility is to prevent the opposing team from scoring...
currently playing for 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...
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...
.
Amateur
Hunwick first played amateur junior in the DetroitDetroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
based Honeybaked Hockey Program, before he was selected to the USA Hockey National Team Development Program
USA Hockey National Team Development Program
The National Team Development Program was started in 1996 by USA Hockey as a way to identify elite ice hockey players in the country under the age of 18, and centralize their training. There are two teams in the program, an Under-17 squad and an Under-18 squad. The teams are both based in Ann...
in Ann Arbor, Michigan
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Ann Arbor is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Washtenaw County. The 2010 census places the population at 113,934, making it the sixth largest city in Michigan. The Ann Arbor Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 344,791 as of 2010...
. After two seasons with the USDP, and showing potential as a two-way puck-moving defenseman he was recruited to play collegiate hockey with the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
in the CCHA
Central Collegiate Hockey Association
The Central Collegiate Hockey Association is a NCAA Men's Division I Ice Hockey college athletic conference that operates mostly in Michigan and Ohio, although it also has members in Alaska and Indiana. It participates in the NCAA's Division I as a hockey-only conference. It holds its championship...
.
In his freshman season of 2003–04, Hunwick finished third among team defenseman in scoring with 15 points in 41 games and was named to the CCHA All-Rookie Team as the Wolverines progressed to the North-East regional finals. Hunwick was then selected at the conclusion of the season by 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...
, in the seventh round, 224th overall, of 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...
.
As a sophomore in the 2004–05 season he scored his first career hat-trick, in a 8-3 victory over Bowling Green State
Bowling Green State University
Bowling Green State University, often referred to as Bowling Green or BGSU, is a public, coeducational research university located in Bowling Green, Ohio, United States. The institution was granted a charter in 1910 by the State of Ohio as part of the Lowry Bill, which also established Kent State...
on December 10, and was honored as the NCAA National Offensive player of the week. Hunwick increased his points total to 25 in 40 games with the Wolverines to be named to the CCHA Second All-Star Team. Hunwick received the same Second All-Star accolade while serving as an alternate captain in 2005–06, when he recorded a personal best 11 goals and 30 points in 41 games to finish second among Wolverines D-men.
Returning as a senior to the Michigan Wolverines in the 2006–07 season, Hunwick took over as team captain. He was apart of a formidable blueline partnership alongside Jack Johnson, while recording a career high 21 assists and posting 27 points in 41 games. Awarded the Wolverines’ Vic Heyliger
Vic Heyliger
Victor Heyliger was a National Hockey League center and the head coach of the University of Michigan ice hockey team....
Trophy as the team’s most outstanding defenseman for a third consecutive season, Hunwick was named to the CCHA First All-Star Team, West Second All-American Team and given the honour as the CCHA's best defensive defenseman.
Professional
Following completion of his collegiate career, Hunwick was then signed by the Boston Bruins to a two-year entry level contract on June 26, 2007. Attending his first Bruins training camp, Hunwick was among the final cuts and assigned to American Hockey LeagueAmerican Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
affiliate, the Providence Bruins
Providence Bruins
The Providence Bruins are an ice hockey team in the American Hockey League, and are the primary development team for the NHL's Boston Bruins. They play in Providence, Rhode Island at the Dunkin' Donuts Center.-History:...
to begin the 2007–08
2007-08 NHL season
The 2007–08 NHL season was the 91st season of operation of the National Hockey League . It began on September 29, 2007, with the regular season ending April 6, 2008...
season. After spending a month with Providence, Hunwick was recalled by Boston and played his first NHL regular season game in a 2-1 victory over the Buffalo Sabres
Buffalo Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League .-Founding and early success: 1970-71—1980-81:...
on November 10, 2007. In his third recall to the Bruins, Hunwick recored his first NHL point, an assist in a 2-1 defeat of 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...
on December 9, 2007. He finished his first professional season, primarily with Providence scoring 23 points in 55 games while totaling 13 games in the NHL from four separate recalls.
In the following 2008–09 season, Hunwick was again initially re-assigned to the AHL but after only 2 games was recalled and remained with the Bruins for the majority of the campaign. He scored his first career goal against Vesa Toskala
Vesa Toskala
Vesa Tapani Toskala is a professional ice hockey goaltender, currently playing for Ilves.-Early career:Toskala was selected by San Jose in the 1995 NHL Entry Draft . The Sharks also took fellow Finn Miikka Kiprusoff in the fifth round...
in a 3-2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs on November 17, 2008. His goal sparked a 6 game scoring streak which tied Hall of Fame defenseman, Ray Bourque
Ray Bourque
Raymond Jean "Ray" Bourque is a former Canadian professional ice hockey player. He currently holds records for most goals, assists and points by a defenceman in the National Hockey League . Bourque has become near-synonymous with the Boston Bruins franchise, for which he played 21 seasons and...
, as a club record for rookie defenseman. On January 10, 2009, in a game against the Carolina Hurricanes
Carolina Hurricanes
The Carolina Hurricanes are a professional ice hockey team based in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League , and play their home games at the 18,680-seat RBC Center...
, Hunwick got into his first NHL fight, one-punching to knock down Justin Williams
Justin Williams
Justin Williams is a Canadian professional ice hockey right winger who currently plays for the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League...
. Establishing a puck-moving role among the Bruins defense corps, Hunwick amassed a career high 21 assists and 27 points in 53 regular season games. Hunwick made his post-season debut with the Bruins in game one of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals against the Montreal Canadiens
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...
on April 16, 2009. However on April 18, 2009, at a team meeting before game two against the Canadiens, Hunwick complained of abdominal pain. After consultation with the team doctor, it was determined that he needed medical treatment and Hunwick was taken to the hospital via ambulance. He underwent emergency surgery for a ruptured spleen
Ruptured spleen
Rupture of the capsule of the spleen, an organ in the upper left part of the abdomen, is a situation that requires immediate medical attention. The rupture of a normal spleen can be caused by trauma, such as a car accident.-Function In the Body:...
, and was ruled out for the remainder of the playoffs.
Hunwick opted out of salary arbitration and re-signed to a two-year contract with the Bruins on July 20, 2009. Recovered from his splenectomy
Splenectomy
A splenectomy is a surgical procedure that partially or completely removes the spleen.-Indications:The spleen, similar in structure to a large lymph node, acts as a blood filter. Current knowledge of its purpose includes the removal of old red blood cells and platelets, and the detection and fight...
, Hunwick played his first full NHL season in 2009–10, playing in a career high 76 games. Despite matching his 6 goals from the previous year, Hunwick regressed offensively and struggled to recapture his form throughout the year to be occasionally relegated as a reserve defenseman. He recorded an assist as his first career post-season point in game one of a series Quarterfinals victory against the Buffalo Sabres. Succumbing to the Philadelphia Flyers
Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
in the Eastern Conference Semi-finals, Hunwick finished to appear in all 13 playoff games for 6 assists.
In the 2010–11 season, with the Bruins in need to reduce roster salary, Hunwick was traded to 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...
in exchange for Colby Cohen
Colby Cohen
Colby Cohen is an American professional ice hockey defenseman currently playing for the Providence Bruins of the American Hockey League as a prospect for the Boston Bruins.-Amateur:...
on November 29, 2010. On November 30, 2010, Hunwick made his debut for the Avalanche in a 3-2 overtime defeat.
Regular season and playoffs
| 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 | ||
| 2001–02 | U.S. National Development Team USA Hockey National Team Development Program The National Team Development Program was started in 1996 by USA Hockey as a way to identify elite ice hockey players in the country under the age of 18, and centralize their training. There are two teams in the program, an Under-17 squad and an Under-18 squad. The teams are both based in Ann... |
USDP USA Hockey National Team Development Program The National Team Development Program was started in 1996 by USA Hockey as a way to identify elite ice hockey players in the country under the age of 18, and centralize their training. There are two teams in the program, an Under-17 squad and an Under-18 squad. The teams are both based in Ann... |
43 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 36 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2002–03 | U.S. National Development Team | USDP | 48 | 8 | 18 | 26 | 63 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2003–04 | University of Michigan University of Michigan The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan... |
CCHA Central Collegiate Hockey Association The Central Collegiate Hockey Association is a NCAA Men's Division I Ice Hockey college athletic conference that operates mostly in Michigan and Ohio, although it also has members in Alaska and Indiana. It participates in the NCAA's Division I as a hockey-only conference. It holds its championship... |
41 | 1 | 14 | 15 | 62 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2004–05 | University of Michigan | CCHA | 40 | 6 | 19 | 25 | 60 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2005–06 | University of Michigan | CCHA | 41 | 11 | 19 | 30 | 70 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2006–07 | University of Michigan | CCHA | 41 | 6 | 21 | 27 | 64 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2007–08 2007–08 AHL season The 2007–08 AHL season is the 72nd season of the American Hockey League. Twenty-nine teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Chicago Wolves won their second Calder Cup, defeating the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in the Calder Cup Final.-Team changes:... |
Providence Bruins Providence Bruins The Providence Bruins are an ice hockey team in the American Hockey League, and are the primary development team for the NHL's Boston Bruins. They play in Providence, Rhode Island at the Dunkin' Donuts Center.-History:... |
AHL American Hockey League The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League... |
55 | 2 | 21 | 23 | 40 | 10 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 8 | ||
| 2007–08 | 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 | 13 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2008–09 2008–09 AHL season The 2008–09 AHL season is the 73rd season of the American Hockey League. 29 teams each played 80 games in the regular season, which ran from October 8 until April 12.-Team and NHL affiliation changes:... |
Providence Bruins | AHL | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 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 | NHL | 53 | 6 | 21 | 27 | 31 | 1 | 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 | 76 | 6 | 8 | 14 | 32 | 13 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 2 | ||
| 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 | 22 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 9 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2010–11 | 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... |
NHL | 51 | 0 | 10 | 10 | 16 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| NHL totals | 215 | 13 | 42 | 55 | 92 | 14 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 2 | ||||
International
| Year | Team | Comp | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 2003 IIHF World U18 Championships -Final standings: and are relegated to Division I for the 2004 IIHF World U18 Championships.- Table :- Table :- Table :- Table :- Table :- Table :-External links:*... |
United States | WJC18 IIHF World U18 Championships The IIHF World U18 Championship is an annual event organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation for national under-18 ice hockey teams from around the world. The tournament is usually played in April and is organized according to a system similar to Ice Hockey World Championships and World... |
6 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 6 |
| 2004 2004 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships The 2004 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships was held between December 26, 2003 and January 5, 2004 in Helsinki and Hämeenlinna, Finland... |
United States | WJC World Junior Ice Hockey Championships The International Ice Hockey Federation World Under 20 Championship is an annual event organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation for national under-20 ice hockey teams from around the world... |
6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2005 2005 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships The 2005 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships was held between December 25, 2004, and January 4, 2005, at the Ralph Engelstad Arena in Grand Forks, North Dakota, and at the Ralph Engelstad Arena in Thief River Falls, Minnesota, United States... |
United States | WJC | 7 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0 |
| Junior int'l totals | 19 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 6 | ||
Awards and honours
| Award | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| College College hockey College hockey refers to ice hockey played between colleges with their teams composed of enrolled students. College hockey is played in Canada and the United States, though leagues outside of North America exist.... |
||
| CCHA Central Collegiate Hockey Association The Central Collegiate Hockey Association is a NCAA Men's Division I Ice Hockey college athletic conference that operates mostly in Michigan and Ohio, although it also has members in Alaska and Indiana. It participates in the NCAA's Division I as a hockey-only conference. It holds its championship... All-Rookie Team |
2003–04 | |
| CCHA Second All-Star Team | 2004–05, 2005–06 | |
| CCHA First All-Star Team | 2006–07 | |
| CCHA Best Defensive Defenseman | 2006–07 | |
| NCAA West Second All-American Team | 2006–07 | |