Dylan McIlrath

Dylan McIlrath
McIlrath with the Grand Rapids Griffins in 2017
Born	(1992-04-20) April 20, 1992 (age 32) Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Height	6 ft 5 in (196 cm)
Weight	236 lb (107 kg; 16 st 12 lb)
Position	Defence
Shoots	Right
NHL team (P) Cur. team Former teams	Washington Capitals Hershey Bears  (AHL) New York Rangers Florida Panthers Detroit Red Wings
NHL draft	10th overall, 2010 New York Rangers
Playing career	2011–present

Dylan McIlrath (born April 20, 1992) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman and captain of the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League (AHL) while under contract for the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League (NHL). He played junior ice hockey for the Moose Jaw Warriors of the Western Hockey League (WHL) and was drafted by the New York Rangers, 10th overall at the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. ^{[1] [2]} McIlrath is of majority Scottish descent.

Playing career

Junior

McIlrath was drafted 46th overall by the Moose Jaw Warriors in the 2007 Bantam Draft of the Western Hockey League (WHL). He started his WHL career with the Warriors during the 2008–09 season, playing in 53 games and scoring one goal. In 2009–10, McIlrath improved, along with the Warriors as a whole, and scored seven goals while playing in 65 games. He attracted notice from professional scouts due to his NHL draft eligibility, and was selected to play for Team Orr at the 2010 CHL Top Prospects Game. The highlight of this game for McIlrath was a convincing victory in a fight against Team Cherry's Alex Petrovic. During the Warriors' seven-game playoff series against the eventual WHL champions, the Calgary Hitmen, McIlrath played every game and recorded an assist.

McIlrath with the Moose Jaw Warriors.

Professional

On March 17, 2011, McIlrath signed his first National Hockey League (NHL) contract with the New York Rangers, the team that drafted him 10th overall in 2010. ^[3] He played two regular season games at the end of the 2010–11 season with the Rangers' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Connecticut Whale, in which he did not register a point but accumulated seven penalty minutes. After Moose Jaw was eliminated from the WHL playoffs at the end of the 2011–12 season, McIlrath once again joined the Whale. ^[4] After Connecticut was eliminated from the AHL playoffs, McIlrath was added to the New York Rangers' roster for the 2012 Stanley Cup playoffs. ^[5]

After spending the 2012–13 season in Connecticut, McIlrath was again added to the Rangers' playoff roster. ^[6] On December 11, 2013, he was recalled to the Rangers for the first time during the NHL regular season. ^[7] He made his NHL debut on December 12, against the Columbus Blue Jackets. ^[8]

After a strong pre-season showing, McIlrath was named to the full 23-man roster on October 2, 2015,^{[ citation needed ]} and on December 15, scored his first NHL goal. ^[9] McIlrath played a total of 34 games for the Rangers in the 2015–16 season, recording two goals and two assists, also accumulating 64 penalty minutes. His most notable fight of the season was on Valentine's Day against Philadelphia Flyers forward Wayne Simmonds, who had punched and concussed Rangers' captain Ryan McDonagh in an earlier (February 6, 2016) game between the two teams. ^[10]

McIlrath had a poor training camp in 2016 and spent the early part of the 2016–17 season as a reserve defenceman, only making one appearance with the team before he was placed on waivers on October 27. ^[11] He was reassigned to play four games in the AHL with the Hartford Wolf Pack before he was traded by the Rangers to the Florida Panthers in exchange for Steven Kampfer and a conditional seventh-round pick on November 8, 2016. ^[12] After five games with the Panthers, and stints in the AHL with affiliate, the Springfield Thunderbirds, Mcllrath was traded for the second time within the season by the Panthers to the Detroit Red Wings along with a conditional third-round pick in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft in exchange for Thomas Vanek on March 1, 2017. ^{[13] [14]} He was assigned to the Red Wings' AHL affiliate, the Grand Rapids Griffins. ^[15] McIlrath recorded four assists in 21 games with the Griffins during the regular season. During the 2017 Calder Cup playoffs, he recorded five assists, and a team-best plus-10 rating in 19 playoff games, and helped lead the Griffins to the Calder Cup.

On June 29, 2017, the Red Wings signed McIlrath to a two-year contract extension. ^[16] On March 24, 2019, the Red Wings recalled McIlrath from the Griffins. Prior to being recalled, he recorded one goal and eights assists in 49 games, and ranked first on the team in penalty minutes (94) and third in plus-minus (12). ^[17] During the 2018–19 season, McIlrath appeared in seven games for the Red Wings. Following the completion of the Red Wings' season, he was reassigned to the Griffins. ^[18] On May 9, the Red Wings signed McIlrath to a two-year contract extension. ^[19] On January 12, 2021, the Red Wings assigned McIlrath to the Griffins. ^[20]

McIlrath with the Calder Cup in 2023.

On July 28, 2021, McIlrath signed as a free agent to a two-year, two-way contract with the Washington Capitals. ^[21]

On July 2, 2023, McIlrath signed a two-year, two-way contract extension with the Capitals. ^[22]

Personal life

McIlrath is Scottish Canadian. ^[23] As a junior, Mcllrath was influenced to model his play after Shea Weber of the Nashville Predators. ^[24]

Career statistics

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2008–09	Moose Jaw Warriors	WHL		53	1	3	4	102		—	—	—	—	—
2009–10	Moose Jaw Warriors	WHL		65	7	17	24	169		7	0	1	1	21
2010–11	Moose Jaw Warriors	WHL		57	5	18	23	129		—	—	—	—	—
2010–11	Connecticut Whale	AHL		2	0	0	0	7		—	—	—	—	—
2011–12	Moose Jaw Warriors	WHL		52	3	20	23	127		14	0	6	6	12
2011–12	Connecticut Whale	AHL		—	—	—	—	—		5	0	0	0	9
2012–13	Connecticut Whale	AHL		45	0	5	5	125		—	—	—	—	—
2013–14	Hartford Wolf Pack	AHL		62	6	11	17	165		—	—	—	—	—
2013–14	New York Rangers	NHL		2	0	0	0	7		—	—	—	—	—
2014–15	Hartford Wolf Pack	AHL		73	6	11	17	165		15	0	2	2	23
2014–15	New York Rangers	NHL		1	0	0	0	9		—	—	—	—	—
2015–16	New York Rangers	NHL		34	2	2	4	64		1	0	0	0	0
2016–17	New York Rangers	NHL		1	0	0	0	4		—	—	—	—	—
2016–17	Hartford Wolf Pack	AHL		4	0	0	0	11		—	—	—	—	—
2016–17	Florida Panthers	NHL		5	1	0	1	10		—	—	—	—	—
2016–17	Springfield Thunderbirds	AHL		18	1	3	4	28		—	—	—	—	—
2016–17	Grand Rapids Griffins	AHL		21	0	4	4	42		19	0	5	5	25
2017–18	Grand Rapids Griffins	AHL		76	7	10	17	119		5	0	0	0	4
2018–19	Grand Rapids Griffins	AHL		51	1	9	10	98		4	0	0	0	10
2018–19	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		7	0	0	0	4		—	—	—	—	—
2019–20	Grand Rapids Griffins	AHL		44	0	8	8	73		—	—	—	—	—
2019–20	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		16	0	0	0	23		—	—	—	—	—
2020–21	Grand Rapids Griffins	AHL		29	2	6	8	70		—	—	—	—	—
2021–22	Hershey Bears	AHL		74	4	6	10	99		3	1	0	1	4
2022–23	Hershey Bears	AHL		60	0	13	13	102		20	1	1	2	44
2022–23	Washington Capitals	NHL		6	0	1	1	7		—	—	—	—	—
2023–24	Hershey Bears	AHL		58	3	6	9	100
2023–24	Washington Capitals	NHL		3	0	1	1	5		4	0	0	0	10
AHL totals				570	30	92	122	1369		71	2	8	10	119
NHL totals				75	3	4	7	133		5	0	0	0	10

Awards and honours

Award	Year	Ref
WHL
CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game	2010	[25]
AHL
Calder Cup champion	2017, 2023	[26] [27]

References

1. DeLessio, Joe (June 28, 2010). "Meet Dylan McIlrath, the Rangers first round pick". New York Magazine. Retrieved June 28, 2010.
2. Salerno, Mike (September 8, 2010). "Relax New York Rangers Fans, You're Going to Love Dylan McIlrath". Bleacher Report. Retrieved September 8, 2010.
3. "Seven WHL players selected in 1st round of 2010 NHL draft". Western Hockey League. June 25, 2010. Retrieved June 23, 2023.
4. "Connecticut Whale Transaction History". Connecticut Whale. April 30, 2012. Archived from the original on April 20, 2012. Retrieved April 30, 2012.
5. Gourlie, M. (May 15, 2012). "McIlrath added to Rangers playoff roster". Moose Jaw Times-Herald. Archived from the original on October 22, 2013. Retrieved May 16, 2012.
6. "Rangers call up 10 players from Whale". New York Rangers. April 28, 2013. Retrieved April 29, 2013.
7. "Dylan McIlrath Gets The Call, Joins The Rangers". Archived from the original on December 14, 2013. Retrieved December 12, 2013.
8. "Dylan McIlrath". National Hockey League . Retrieved December 15, 2013.
9. "Rangers win 4-2 to end Oilers' 6-game winning streak". ESPN. December 15, 2015. Retrieved February 25, 2024.
10. Cole, Mike (February 15, 2016). "Wayne Simmonds, Dylan McIlrath Have Spirited Fight After Pregame Chat (Video)". NESN.com. Retrieved October 28, 2016.
11. "Dylan McIlrath waived by New York Rangers". Newsday. October 17, 2016. Retrieved October 28, 2016.
12. "Florida Panthers Acquire Dylan McIlrath from New York Rangers". National Hockey League . November 8, 2016. Retrieved November 8, 2016.
13. "Panthers acquire Vanek from Red Wings". The Sports Network. March 1, 2017. Retrieved March 1, 2017.
14. Kujawa, Kyle (March 1, 2017). "Red Wings acquire pick and defenseman for Vanek". Detroit Red Wings. Retrieved March 1, 2017.
15. Kujawa, Kyle (March 1, 2017). "Red Wings assign Mcilrath to Griffins". Detroit Red Wings. Retrieved March 1, 2017.
16. Kujawa, Kyle (June 29, 2017). "Lashoff and Mcilrath signed to two-year contract extensions". Detroit Red Wings. Retrieved June 29, 2017.
17. Kujawa, Kyle (March 24, 2019). "Red Wings swap Sulak for McIlrath". Detroit Red Wings. Retrieved March 24, 2019.
18. Kujawa, Kyle (April 7, 2019). "Red Wings assign nine players". NHL.com. Retrieved April 7, 2019.
19. Kujawa, Kyle (May 9, 2019). "Red Wings sign McIlrath to two-year extension". NHL.com. Retrieved May 9, 2019.
20. "Detroit Assigns 11 to Grand Rapids". griffinshockey.com. January 12, 2021. Archived from the original on September 29, 2022. Retrieved January 12, 2021.
21. "Capitals Re-sign Lucas Johansen, Sign Irwin, McIlrath and Shepard". Washington Capitals . July 28, 2021. Retrieved July 28, 2021.
22. "Caps re-sign D McIlrath to 2-year, 2-way contract". ESPN.com. July 2, 2023. Retrieved May 22, 2024.
23. "Dylan McIlrath". National Hockey League . Retrieved December 15, 2013.
24. Neate, Sager (June 21, 2010). "NHL prospect profile: Dylan McIlrath". Yahoo! Sports. Retrieved November 9, 2016.
25. "CHL Announces Rosters for the 2010 Home Hardware CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game". Windsor Spitfires. December 20, 2009. Retrieved June 29, 2017.
26. Wakiji, Dana (June 13, 2017). "Grand Rapids Griffins win Calder Cup at home". Detroit Red Wings . Retrieved June 13, 2017.
27. "Sweeter by the dozen: Hershey wins 12th Calder Cup". American Hockey League. June 21, 2023. Retrieved June 21, 2023.

External links

• Biographical information and career statistics from NHL.com , or  Eliteprospects.com , or  Hockey-Reference.com , or  The Internet Hockey Database

Awards and achievements
Preceded by Chris Kreider	New York Rangers first round draft pick 2010	Succeeded by J. T. Miller