Harry Zolnierczyk

Harrison Zolnierczyk (born September 1, 1987) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey left winger. Zolnierczyk was never drafted into the National Hockey League (NHL) but played for the Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins, New York Islanders, Anaheim Ducks and Nashville Predators.

Harry Zolnierczyk
Zolnierczyk with the Pittsburgh Penguins in December 2013
Born (1987-09-01) September 1, 1987
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Height 5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
Weight 180 lb (82 kg; 12 st 12 lb)
Position Wing
Shot Left
Played for Philadelphia Flyers
Pittsburgh Penguins
New York Islanders
Anaheim Ducks
Nashville Predators
NHL Draft Undrafted
Playing career 2010–2019

Playing career

As a youth, Zolnierczyk played in the 2001 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with the Mississauga Senators minor ice hockey team.[1]

Prior to turning professional, Zolnierczyk played junior A for the Alberni Valley Bulldogs of the BCHL from 2005–2007 before attending Brown University where he played four ice hockey seasons with the Brown Bears, which competes in NCAA's Division I in the ECAC Hockey conference. In his senior season with Brown, Zolnierczyk was named team captain, replacing graduating captain Aaron Volpatti.[2] After scoring 31 points, including a career-high 16 goals, Zolnierczyk was named Ivy League Player of the Year.[3]

On March 8, 2011, Zolnierczyk signed a one-year, $900,000 entry-level contract with the Philadelphia Flyers to take effect at the outset of the 2011–12 season.[4][5] Less than a week later, he signed an amateur tryout contract with the Flyers' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Adirondack Phantoms.[6] In sixteen games with the Phantoms, Zolnierczyk finished the 2010–11 season with three goals, two assists, and 37 penalty in minutes.

After being cut by the Flyers on October 4, 2011, following his first NHL training camp and pre-season, Zolnierczyk was assigned to the Phantoms to begin his first full professional ice hockey season.[7] On October 18, 2011, the Flyers re-called Zolnierczyk to replace injured forward Andreas Nödl in a game against the Ottawa Senators.[8] In the first game of his NHL career, he scored his first NHL goal with 45 seconds remaining in the third period against Senators' goaltender Craig Anderson.[9] On March 3, 2013, the league suspended him for four games for charging Mike Lundin during the game.[10]

Zolnierczyk celebrates a win with Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby

On April 1, 2013, Zolnierczyk was traded to the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for enforcer Jay Rosehill.[11] Two months later on June 24, 2013, the Ducks traded him to the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for defenceman Alex Grant.[12] On July 12, 2013, the Penguins signed him to a one-year, two-way contract, worth $550,000.[13]

On July 1, 2014, Zolnierczyk left the Penguins and agreed to a one-year two-way free agent contract with the New York Islanders.[14] He was assigned to their AHL affiliate, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, after clearing waivers.[15] Later on in the Islanders' 2014–15 season, he was recalled to the team along with Colin McDonald after injuries sidelined forwards Michael Grabner and Cal Clutterbuck,[16] but was returned to the Sound Tigers after two games.[17]

On July 3, 2015, Zolnierczyk signed as a free agent to a one-year, two-way contract with the Anaheim Ducks.[18]

On July 1, 2016, having concluded his contract with the Ducks, Zolnierczyk agreed to a one-year, two-way deal with his fifth NHL club, the Nashville Predators.[19] Zolnierczyk split the 2016–17 season evenly between the Predators and Milwaukee Admirals of the AHL. Adding a physical presence to the fourth line of the Predators, Zolnierczyk appeared in 24 games for 2 goals and 4 points. He made his post-season debut in featuring in 11 games for 3 points as the Predators made it to the Stanley Cup finals.[20]

As a free agent in the off-season, the Florida Panthers signed Zolnierczyk to a professional try-out contract to attend training camp on August 31, 2017.[21] Despite initial reports of being a contract, Zolnierczyk was released from his try-out following the conclusion of training camp and the pre-season on October 1, 2017. Two days later, Zolnierczyk was announced to have returned to the Nashville Predators in re-signing to a one-year, two-way contract for the 2017–18 season.[22]

Having played two seasons within the Predators organization, Zolnierczyk as a free agent again acquainted with the Florida Panthers, securing a one-year AHL contract with affiliate, the Springfield Thunderbirds, on July 12, 2018.[23]

As a free agent and having left the Thunderbirds, Zolnierczyk agreed to a one-year AHL contract with the Hartford Wolf Pack, affiliate to the New York Rangers, on July 1, 2019.[24] Zolnierczyk failed to report for training camp with the Wolf Pack, opting to end his professional career prior to the 2019–20 season.

Personal life

On June 6, 2017, it was announced that Zolnierczyk would participate in the Foxboro Summer Pro League, at the Foxboro Sports Center in Foxboro, Massachusetts, as the captain for Team Pop Tops.[25][26] On August 23, 2017, at the Foxboro Sports Center, Zolnierczyk led his team to a 10-9 championship final win, he won an award for classiest played called the "Dennis Cutler Sportsmanship Award" after giving game-used sticks to two local teenagers who had supported the team.

Career statistics
Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2005–06 Alberni Valley Bulldogs BCHL 539132240 613410
2006–07 Alberni Valley Bulldogs BCHL 4720183885 532510
2007–08 Brown University ECAC 160332 —————
2008–09 Brown University ECAC 3111230 —————
2009–10 Brown University ECAC 3713203378 —————
2010–11 Brown University ECAC 30161531128 —————
2010–11 Adirondack Phantoms AHL 1632537 —————
2011–12 Philadelphia Flyers NHL 3733635 —————
2011–12 Adirondack Phantoms AHL 398132137 —————
2012–13 Adirondack Phantoms AHL 52981754 —————
2012–13 Philadelphia Flyers NHL 701136 —————
2012–13 Norfolk Admirals AHL 920214 —————
2013–14 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins AHL 5718183675 17371010
2013–14 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 1320212 —————
2014–15 Bridgeport Sound Tigers AHL 6018264478 —————
2014–15 New York Islanders NHL 20000 —————
2015–16 San Diego Gulls AHL 2463931 40000
2015–16 Anaheim Ducks NHL 10000 —————
2016–17 Milwaukee Admirals AHL 246101620 —————
2016–17 Nashville Predators NHL 2422410 111230
2017–18 Milwaukee Admirals AHL 7321214262 —————
2018–19 Springfield Thunderbirds AHL 7215365138 —————
NHL totals 84761393 111230

Awards and honours
Award Year
College
ECAC Hockey All-Academic Team2009
Ivy League Player of the Year2011

References
  1. "Pee-Wee players who have reached NHL or WHA" (PDF). Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament. 2018. Retrieved 2019-02-15.
  2. "Zolnierczyk named 2010–2011 men's hockey captain; Brownschidle, MacLellan, & Russell named assistant captains". Brown Bears. April 22, 2010. Retrieved October 19, 2011.
  3. McCoy, Ethan (March 4, 2011). "Zolnierczyk '11 named men's hockey Ivy League Player of the Year". The Brown Daily Herald. Retrieved October 19, 2011.
  4. "Around the NHL: Flyers sign Brown captain". Fox News Channel. March 8, 2011. Retrieved October 19, 2011.
  5. "Harry Zolnierczyk". CapGeek. Archived from the original on October 15, 2011. Retrieved October 19, 2011.
  6. "Zolnierczyk Signs ATO with Phantoms". Adirondack Phantoms. March 14, 2011. Archived from the original on April 24, 2013. Retrieved October 19, 2011.
  7. Carchidi, Sam (October 5, 2011). "Flyers send Schenn to minors, waive role players". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved October 19, 2011.
  8. Panaccio, Tim (October 18, 2011). "Flyers' call up Zolnierczyk to debut; Bob to start". Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia. Archived from the original on January 20, 2013. Retrieved October 19, 2011.
  9. Nicks, Erin (October 18, 2011). "Flyers rout struggling Senators 7–2". National Hockey League. Retrieved October 19, 2011.
  10. "Flyers' Zolnierczyk suspended four games". National Hockey League. March 3, 2013. Archived from the original on March 5, 2013. Retrieved February 10, 2015.
  11. SanFilippo, Anthony (April 1, 2013). "Harry Z traded for Rosehill". National Hockey League. Retrieved April 1, 2013.
  12. "Ducks acquire Alex Grant from Penguins". National Hockey League. June 24, 2013. Retrieved June 24, 2013.
  13. "Penguins re-sign forward Zolnierczyk". National Hockey League. July 12, 2013. Retrieved February 10, 2015.
  14. "Islanders sign three to two-way deals". National Hockey League. July 1, 2014. Retrieved July 1, 2014.
  15. "October Transactions". National Hockey League. October 23, 2014. Retrieved February 10, 2015.
  16. "Islanders hang on for 3–2 win over Sabres". USA Today. February 8, 2015. Retrieved February 10, 2015.
  17. "Transaction History". Bridgeport Sound Tigers. Retrieved February 22, 2015.
  18. "Ducks sign Zolnierczyk to one-year deal". Anaheim Ducks. 2015-07-03. Retrieved 2015-07-03.
  19. "Predators pad depth on opening day of free agency". The Tennessean. 2016-07-01. Retrieved 2016-07-01.
  20. "Playoffs worth the wait for Harry Zolnierczyk". Nashville Predators. 2017-04-20. Retrieved 2017-04-20.
  21. "Florida Panthers announce PTO for Harry Zolnierczyk". Florida Panthers. 2017-08-31. Retrieved 2017-08-31.
  22. "Preds sign Harry Zolnierczyk". Nashville Predators. 2017-10-03. Retrieved 2017-10-04.
  23. "Thunderbirds sign Harry Zolnierczyk to one-year AHL contract". Springfield Thunderbirds. 2018-07-12. Retrieved 2018-07-12.
  24. "Wolf Pack ink LoVerde, McCollum and Zolnierczyk". American Hockey League. July 1, 2019. Retrieved July 1, 2019.
  25. "Summer Pro League rosters". foxborosportscenter.com. 2017-06-06. Retrieved 2017-06-06.
  26. "When you realised FPL is about to begin". Instagram. 2017-06-06. Retrieved 2017-06-06.
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