John Mitchell (ice hockey, born 1985)

For other people with the same name, see John Mitchell.
For the Dundee Stars player, see John Mitchell (ice hockey, born 1986).
John Mitchell

Mitchell with the Colorado Avalanche in November 2014
Born (1985-01-22) January 22, 1985
Oakville, Ontario, Canada
Height 6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight 205 lb (93 kg; 14 st 9 lb)
Position Centre
Shoots Left
NHL team
Former teams		 Colorado Avalanche
Toronto Maple Leafs
New York Rangers
NHL Draft 158th overall, 2003
Toronto Maple Leafs
Playing career 2005–present

John Mitchell (born January 22, 1985) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre currently playing for the Colorado Avalanche of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted in the fifth round, 158th overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft.

Playing career

Mitchell grew up in Waterloo, Ontario, playing minor hockey for the Waterloo Wolves of the Alliance Pavilion League. In the 2000–01 season, Mitchell led his Waterloo Wolves Bantams to a solid season and was selected in the first round (19th overall) of the 2001 OHL Priority Selection by the Plymouth Whalers. Mitchell was selected in the first round, 19th overall, of the 2001 OHL Priority Selection Draft by the Plymouth Whalers. He served as captain of the Whalers in his final season with the team.

He was drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs and played for their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate Toronto Marlies for three seasons. He began the 2008–09 NHL season with the Toronto Maple Leafs of the NHL. On November 1, 2008, he scored his first two career goals against Stephen Valiquette of the New York Rangers in a 5–2 win.[1] He was also selected as the game's first star.

Mitchell with the Colorado Avalanche in December 2013

On February 28, 2011, Mitchell was traded from the Toronto Maple Leafs to the New York Rangers in exchange for a seventh round draft pick in 2012.[2] After starting the 2011–12 season with the Rangers AHL affiliate Connecticut Whale, Mitchell was called up to the Rangers for a game on November 25, 2011, in which he registered his first point for the Rangers by assisting on a goal by Brian Boyle.[3] [4]

On July 1, 2012, Mitchell signed a two-year contract as a free agent with the Colorado Avalanche.[5] In the lockout shortened 2012–13 season, Mitchell scored a goal on his first shift in his Avalanche debut in their season opener against the Minnesota Wild on January 19, 2013.[6] On January 31, Mitchell tied a career high in scoring two goals and adding an assist in a 6-3 victory over the Calgary Flames. Whilst short of team success, he showed his versatility in a checking and offensive role in scoring 10 goals and 20 points in 47 games.

In the following 2013–14 season, Mitchell scored his 100th career point in recording 2 assists in a 3-2 shootout victory over the Minnesota Wild on November 30, 2013.[7] He later appeared in his 300th career game on December 14, also against the Wild. On March 14, 2014, he was rewarded for his play in signing to a three-year contract extension through the 2016–17 season to remain with the Avalanche.[8] After suffering a concussion, approaching the playoffs, Mitchell was sidelined for the remainder of the campaign. He recorded a career high 21 assists and 32 points in 75 games.

Leading into the final year of his contract with the Avalanche, Mitchell was injured during training camp with a hip flexor issue, ruling him out of the beginning of the 2016–17 season. He missed the first 5 games of the year before he returned to health and was included in the lineup on October 28, 2016, in a 1-0 defeat to the Winnipeg Jets.[9] After four scoreless games centering the fourth-line under the direction of new head coach, Jared Bednar, Mitchell was surprisingly placed on waivers by the Avalanche on November 4, 2016.[10]

Career statistics

Mitchell with the New York Rangers in 2012
Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2000–01 Waterloo Wolves MHAO 42 38 34 72 26 — — — — —
2001–02 Plymouth Whalers OHL 62 9 9 18 23 6 1 0 1 4
2002–03 Plymouth Whalers OHL 68 18 37 55 31 18 2 10 12 8
2003–04 Plymouth Whalers OHL 65 28 54 82 45 9 6 6 12 6
2004–05 Plymouth Whalers OHL 63 25 50 75 59 4 1 1 2 0
2004–05 St. John's Maple Leafs AHL 2 0 0 0 0 — — — — —
2005–06 Toronto Marlies AHL 51 5 12 17 22 2 0 0 0 0
2006–07 Toronto Marlies AHL 73 16 20 36 46 — — — — —
2007–08 Toronto Marlies AHL 79 20 31 51 56 19 8 4 12 12
2008–09 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 76 12 17 29 33 — — — — —
2009–10 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 60 6 17 23 31 — — — — —
2010–11 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 23 2 1 3 12 — — — — —
2010–11 Toronto Marlies AHL 10 1 4 5 2 — — — — —
2010–11 Connecticut Whale AHL 14 7 5 12 10 6 3 3 6 0
2011–12 Connecticut Whale AHL 17 7 7 14 20 — — — — —
2011–12 New York Rangers NHL 63 5 11 16 8 18 0 1 1 2
2012–13 Colorado Avalanche NHL 47 10 10 20 18 — — — — —
2013–14 Colorado Avalanche NHL 75 11 21 32 36 — — — — —
2014–15 Colorado Avalanche NHL 68 11 15 26 32 — — — — —
2015–16 Colorado Avalanche NHL 71 10 11 21 52 — — — — —
NHL totals 483 67 103 170 222 18 0 1 1 2

References

  1. ↑ Zwolinski, Mark (2008-11-02). "Leaf barrage sinks Rangers". Toronto Star. Retrieved 2002-11-02.
  2. ↑ "Maple Leafs trade Mitchell to Rangers for seventh round pick". The Sports Network. 2011-02-28. Retrieved 2011-02-28.
  3. ↑ "Rangers 6, Capitals 3". Yahoo!. Retrieved 2011-11-25.
  4. ↑ Winters, B. "Rangers Vs. Capitals: New York Rangers Get Much Needed 6-3 Win Over Washington". Blueshirt Banter. Retrieved 2011-11-25.
  5. ↑ "Colorado sign John Mitchell, ex-Rangers center, to $2.2 million deal". Denver Post. 2012-07-01. Retrieved 2012-07-01.
  6. ↑ "Wild 4, Avalanche 2". CBS Sports. 2013-01-19. Retrieved 2013-01-21.
  7. ↑ "O'Reilly nails shootout goal as Avs outlast Wild". CBS Sports. 2013-11-30. Retrieved 2013-11-30.
  8. ↑ Avalanche, Colorado. "Avalanche Signs Mitchell to Three-Year Extension". Retrieved 14 March 2014.
  9. ↑ "John Mitchell returns to Avalanche lineup". Denver Post. 2016-10-28. Retrieved 2016-10-28.
  10. ↑ "Avalanche places center John Mitchell on waivers". Denver Post. 2016-11-04. Retrieved 2016-11-04.
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