Alexander Sulzer | |||
---|---|---|---|
Born | Kaufbeuren, West Germany | May 30, 1984||
Height | 6 ft 1 in (185 cm) | ||
Weight | 198 lb (90 kg; 14 st 2 lb) | ||
Position | Defence | ||
Shot | Left | ||
Played for | Hamburg Freezers Düsseldorfer EG Nashville Predators Florida Panthers Vancouver Canucks ERC Ingolstadt Buffalo Sabres Kölner Haie | ||
National team | Germany | ||
NHL Draft | 92nd overall, 2003 Nashville Predators | ||
Playing career | 2000–2019 |
Alexander Sulzer (born May 30, 1984) is a German former professional ice hockey defenceman who played in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL) and National Hockey League (NHL).
Born in Kaufbeuren, West Germany, Sulzer went through the youth system of the local ESV Kaufbeuren (ESVK). He first received ice time with the men's team in the third-tier Oberliga in 2000–01 as a sixteen-year-old. Two years later, in 2002–03, he split time between ESVK's team in the second-tier 2. Bundesliga and the Hamburg Freezers of the premiere Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL) under Förderlizenz. In the subsequent off-season, Sulzer was selected by the Nashville Predators in the third round of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft, 92nd overall.
Following his draft, Sulzer remained in the higher-profile DEL, transferring to the DEG Metro Stars. He spent four seasons with the Metro Stars, recording a DEL career-high 18 points (three goals and 15 assists) over 48 games in 2005–06. He also helped the team reach the playoff finals that year, recording 9 points over 13 post-season games.
On June 1, 2007, he signed a two-year contract with the Predators. Moving to North America, to begin playing within the Predators organization, he was assigned to the team's American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Milwaukee Admirals, for the 2007–08 season. He recorded 32 points over 61 games as a rookie in the AHL. The following season, he improved to 34 points over 48 games with Milwaukee, while also earning his first NHL call-up, appearing in two games for the Predators. Sulzer became a more regular addition to the Predators' lineup in 2009–10, dressing for 20 NHL games, while also recording 30 points over 36 games in between call-ups.
Sulzer scored his first NHL goal on January 23, 2011 against Devan Dubnyk of the Edmonton Oilers. The following month, on February 25, he was traded to the Florida Panthers in exchange for a conditional draft pick. [1] Splitting the season between the Predators and Panthers, he recorded 5 points over 40 games.
During the off-season, Sulzer became an unrestricted free agent. On July 7, 2011, he signed with the Vancouver Canucks. [2] He made the team out of training camp, but was a healthy scratch for the first three weeks of the season before dressing for his first game as a Canuck on October 26, 2011. [3] On NHL trade deadline day, Sulzer was dealt to the Buffalo Sabres, along with forward Cody Hodgson, in exchange for defenseman Marc-Andre Gragnani and forward Zack Kassian. [4]
On May 21, 2012, the Buffalo Sabres re-signed Sulzer to a one-year contract extension worth $725,000. [5] In explaining the extension to media gathered at First Niagara Center, GM Darcy Regier said, "(Sulzer) played very well with Christian (Ehrhoff). And I think the other thing you really notice out there is his composure; his ability to not only break up plays defensively, but to make plays offensively with the patience that he showed. We were pleasantly surprised with his play, and that moved us toward getting him signed." [6]
For the 2013–14 season, Sulzer spent 25 games with the Sabres and 10 games (mostly at the beginning of the season) with the Rochester Americans of the American Hockey League. He sustained a concussion on March 13 and missed the remainder of the season.
Sulzer signed a five-year contract with Kölner Haie on May 1, 2014. [7]
At the conclusion of his contract in Cologne, Sulzer opted to leave as a free agent and return to former club, Düsseldorfer EG, then known as the Metro Stars, signing a one-year contract on May 9, 2019. [8] Prior to the 2019–20 season, Sulzer was diagnosed with a tumour in the vicinity of his cervical spine. The benign tumour was completely removed during an operation in August 2019, and he effectively ended his 19 year professional career, announcing his retirement on September 4, 2020. [9]
Sulzer has played for the German national team in the 2005 and 2006 World Championships, and at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, as well as the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.
Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
2000–01 | ESV Kaufbeuren | DEU U20 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2000–01 | ESV Kaufbeuren | DEU.3 | 38 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 20 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | ||
2001–02 | ESV Kaufbeuren | DEU U20 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2001–02 | ESV Kaufbeuren | DEU.3 | 18 | 1 | 9 | 10 | 14 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2002–03 | ESV Kaufbeuren | DEU.2 | 26 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 38 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2002–03 | Hamburg Freezers | DEL | 18 | 4 | 9 | 13 | 18 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | ||
2003–04 | DEG Metro Stars | DEL | 46 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 51 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | ||
2004–05 | DEG Metro Stars | DEL | 45 | 5 | 6 | 11 | 68 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2004–05 | Füchse Duisburg | DEU.2 | — | — | — | — | — | 7 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 6 | ||
2005–06 | DEG Metro Stars | DEL | 48 | 3 | 15 | 18 | 82 | 13 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 22 | ||
2006–07 | DEG Metro Stars | DEL | 44 | 4 | 11 | 15 | 82 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 20 | ||
2007–08 | Milwaukee Admirals | AHL | 61 | 7 | 25 | 32 | 47 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2008–09 | Milwaukee Admirals | AHL | 48 | 8 | 26 | 34 | 36 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2008–09 | Nashville Predators | NHL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2009–10 | Milwaukee Admirals | AHL | 36 | 7 | 23 | 30 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 2 | ||
2009–10 | Nashville Predators | NHL | 20 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2010–11 | Nashville Predators | NHL | 31 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 14 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2010–11 | Florida Panthers | NHL | 9 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2011–12 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 12 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2011–12 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 15 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2012–13 | ERC Ingolstadt | DEL | 21 | 2 | 14 | 16 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2012–13 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 17 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2013–14 | Rochester Americans | AHL | 10 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2013–14 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 25 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2014–15 | Kölner Haie | DEL | 44 | 6 | 20 | 26 | 36 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2015–16 | Kölner Haie | DEL | 30 | 3 | 13 | 16 | 18 | 15 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 | ||
2016–17 | Kölner Haie | DEL | 39 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 12 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
2017–18 | Kölner Haie | DEL | 32 | 0 | 8 | 8 | 18 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||
2018–19 | Kölner Haie | DEL | 26 | 1 | 9 | 10 | 16 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
DEL totals | 393 | 30 | 102 | 132 | 409 | 58 | 6 | 10 | 16 | 70 | ||||
AHL totals | 155 | 24 | 79 | 103 | 101 | 7 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 2 | ||||
NHL totals | 131 | 7 | 15 | 22 | 44 | — | — | — | — | — |
Year | Team | Event | Result | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2003 | Germany | WJC | 9th | 6 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 14 | |
2004 | Germany | WJC D1 | 12th | 5 | 2 | 7 | 9 | 12 | |
2005 | Germany | WC | 15th | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | |
2006 | Germany | OG | 10th | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
2006 | Germany | WC D1 | 17th | 5 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 2 | |
2007 | Germany | WC | 9th | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | |
2010 | Germany | OG | 11th | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | |
2010 | Germany | WC | 4th | 9 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | |
Junior totals | 11 | 2 | 9 | 11 | 26 | ||||
Senior totals | 32 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 20 |
David A. Legwand is an American former professional ice hockey forward who played 16 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL). He was the first player ever drafted by the Nashville Predators, with whom he spent 12 full seasons and set several franchise records. He finished the final three seasons of his career split between the Predators, Detroit Red Wings, Ottawa Senators and Buffalo Sabres.
Derek Leonard Roy is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Buffalo Sabres, Dallas Stars, Vancouver Canucks, St. Louis Blues, Nashville Predators and the Edmonton Oilers. He was originally drafted in the second round, 32nd overall, by the Buffalo Sabres in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft.
Christian Ehrhoff is a German professional ice hockey defenceman for Krefeld Pinguine of the German DEL2. In 2018, he won silver at the Winter Olympics. He played more than 800 games in the National Hockey League (NHL) and more than 300 in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL) in Germany. He is known primarily as an offensive defenceman with strong skating and shooting abilities.
Alexander Lawrence Henry is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman who most recently played for the Dutch team HYS The Hague from The Hague. He played 177 games in the NHL with the Edmonton Oilers, Washington Capitals, Minnesota Wild and Montreal Canadiens.
Norman Milley is a Canadian former professional ice hockey right winger who played in the National Hockey League with the Buffalo Sabres and Tampa Bay Lightning before moving to the Deutsche Eishockey Liga to play out his career.
Michel Ouellet is a Canadian former professional ice hockey right winger who played in the National Hockey League (NHL). Ouellet was selected by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 4th round of the 2000 NHL Entry Draft.
Marc-André Gragnani is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman currently an unrestricted free agent. He most recently played with Djurgårdens IF then of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL). He spent four-and-a-half seasons playing for the Buffalo Sabres of the National Hockey League and their American Hockey League affiliate, the Portland Pirates. He also played half a season with Vancouver before signing with Carolina as a free agent. On July 3, 2015, Gragnani signed a one-year, two-way contract with the New Jersey Devils for whom he appeared four times.
Steve Bernier is a Canadian former professional ice hockey right winger. Selected in the first round, 16th overall, in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft by the San Jose Sharks, Bernier would play for the Sharks, Buffalo Sabres, Vancouver Canucks, Florida Panthers, New Jersey Devils and the New York Islanders during his time in the NHL.
Mark Mancari is a Canadian former professional ice hockey right winger. Mancari was drafted by the Buffalo Sabres in the seventh round of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft.
Philip Gogulla is a German professional ice hockey forward who is currently playing with Düsseldorfer EG of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL).
Colin Stuart is an American former professional ice hockey winger. He played with the Atlanta Thrashers and Buffalo Sabres in the National Hockey League. He is the older brother of Mark Stuart and Mike Stuart, and is the son of Mayo Clinic physician Michael Stuart.
Cody Douglas Hodgson is a Canadian professional ice hockey centreman who is currently on a professional tryout with the Milwaukee Admirals of the American Hockey League.
Ryan Michael Stewart Jones is a Canadian former professional ice hockey right winger. He was drafted in the fourth round, 111th overall, by the Minnesota Wild in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft and played for the Nashville Predators and Edmonton Oilers in the National Hockey League (NHL). He played out the remainder of his professional career with Kölner Haie of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL).
Zack Adam Kassian is a Canadian professional ice hockey winger who is currently playing for HC Sparta Praha in the Czech Extraliga. During his junior career, he won a Memorial Cup with the Windsor Spitfires in 2010. Selected 13th overall in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, he began his career within the Buffalo Sabres organization before being traded to the Vancouver Canucks in 2012. He played parts of four seasons with the Canucks before they traded him to the Montreal Canadiens in 2015. Kassian never played for the Canadiens, however, as he was suspended for substance abuse issues, and was traded to the Edmonton Oilers several months later. After seven seasons in Edmonton, Kassian was traded to the Arizona Coyotes, spending one season there before retiring during the 2023–24 NHL season.
Luke Adam is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre who is currently playing with the Straubing Tigers of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL). He previously played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Buffalo Sabres and Columbus Blue Jackets. Adam was drafted by Buffalo in the second round, 44th overall, in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft.
Matthew Irwin is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenseman for the Abbotsford Canucks in the American Hockey League (AHL) while under contract to the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League (NHL). Irwin has previously played in the NHL for the Washington Capitals San Jose Sharks, Boston Bruins, Nashville Predators, Anaheim Ducks and Buffalo Sabres.
Maxwell Reinhart is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He played in the NHL for the Calgary Flames.
Alex Biega is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman. Biega was selected by the Buffalo Sabres in the 5th round of the 2006 NHL Entry Draft and played the majority of his career with the Vancouver Canucks.
Nicholas Baptiste is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward who is currently playing for Tappara in the Liiga. Baptiste was drafted by the Buffalo Sabres in the third round of the 2013 NHL Entry Draft.
Timothy Robert Schaller is an American professional ice hockey forward who is currently an unrestricted free agent. He most recently played for the Milwaukee Admirals of the American Hockey League (AHL). He has previously played for the Buffalo Sabres, Boston Bruins and Vancouver Canucks in the National Hockey League (NHL).