Joey Hishon

Joey Hishon
Hishon with the San Antonio Rampage in 2015
Born	(1991-10-20) October 20, 1991 (age 33) Stratford, Ontario, Canada
Height	5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
Weight	170 lb (77 kg; 12 st 2 lb)
Position	Centre
Shot	Left
Played for	Colorado Avalanche Jokerit Luleå HF
NHL draft	17th overall, 2010 Colorado Avalanche
Playing career	2013–2018

Joey Hishon (born October 20, 1991) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Colorado Avalanche. Hishon was drafted by the Avalanche in the first-round 17th overall in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. ^[1] With his career hampered by a long-term concussion, Hishon played within the Avalanche organization for four seasons and a combined total of only sixteen games before spending two years abroad in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) and Swedish Hockey League (SHL) to complete his playing career.

Playing career

Junior

Hishon began his minor hockey career with the Stratford Minor Hockey Association, graduating in 2006-07 from the Stratford AA Midget Warriors of the Ontario Minor Hockey Association before he was selected 8th overall in the first round of the 2007 Ontario Hockey League draft by the Owen Sound Attack. In his first season with the Attack in 2007–08, Joey impressively finished second on the team with 47 points in 63 games as the youngest on the team. In the 2008–09 he returned Owen Sound to the Playoffs leading the team in scoring with 37 goals, 44 assists for 81 points. Selected to play in the OHL All-Star Classic for the Western Team he was also voted at season's end as the Best Playmaker and Best Stickhandler in the OHL's Western Conference by the league's coaches. ^[2]

Hishon was limited to just 36 games in an injury plagued 2009–10 season. Despite missing two months due to a broken foot and MCL sprain he still managed to put better than point per game numbers with 40 and was awarded the Attack's Harold Sutherland Cup for top draft prospect, eligible for the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. ^[3] With a fallen ranking of 55th by the NHL's Central Scouting Final grades, Hishon was surprisingly taken in the first round, 17th overall, by the Colorado Avalanche. ^[4] He was the first Stratford minor hockey league player to be picked in the first round since Craig Hartsburg in 1979. ^[5]

Hishon with Lake Erie Monsters (2013).

Hishon was instrumental in helping the Attack to the J. Ross Robertson Cup as OHL Champions. During the course of the 2010-11 OHL season, on March 13, 2011, Hishon was signed to a three-year entry-level contract with the Avalanche. ^[6]

During the 2011 Memorial Cup, Hishon was struck by an illegal elbow blow to the head by Kootenay Ice defenceman (and Buffalo Sabres prospect) Brayden McNabb, which left Hishon with a concussion; Hishon missed the rest of the Memorial Cup and the entire 2011–12 hockey season with post-concussion syndrome. ^{[7] [8]} In part due to this hit, Hockey Canada redefined the rules to make clearer a zero-tolerance policy for head hits. ^[9]

Professional

Colorado Avalanche

Hishon's recovery extended into the following 2012–13 season, before he was belatedly cleared for non-contact practice with the Avalanche's AHL affiliate, the Lake Erie Monsters, to begin the new year. ^[10] Hishon was finally scheduled to make his long-awaited professional debut with the Monsters against the Toronto Marlies on March 19, 2013. It marked a return from his concussion just two months shy of two years. ^[11] In his fifth game, Hishon scored his first professional goal in a multi-point effort against the Chicago Wolves on March 29, 2013. ^[12] However, on April 12, in his ninth game and on his first shift against the Hamilton Bulldogs, Hishon's season was ended after he suffered a second concussion received in a hit from behind by Joey Tenute. With an early prognosis of a less severe concussion than previously endured, it was anticipated Hishon would recover in time to prepare for the following season. ^[13]

Hishon played for the majority of the 2013–14 season scoring 10 goals and 24 points despite missing 26 games due to injury. ^[14] He was an emergency call-up during the first round of the 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs, debuting in Game Four against the Minnesota Wild. ^[15] At the end of the season, the Avalanche gave him a qualifying offer of $900,000, ^[16] and he was reportedly signed to a one-year two-way contract paying $850,000 in the NHL. ^[17]

In the 2014–15 season, Hishon again played primarily for the Lake Erie Monsters in the AHL, playing 53 games and scoring 16 goals and 36 points. In March 2015, Hishon was called up to the Colorado Avalanche. ^[18] He scored his first NHL goal on April 7, 2015, against goaltender Pekka Rinne of the Nashville Predators. ^[19] In the summer of 2015, Hishon signed a one-year two-way contract paying $890,000 in the NHL. ^[20] In the 2015–16 campaign, he made 62 appearances for Colorado's AHL affiliate, the San Antonio Rampage, unable to earn a recall to the NHL for the duration of the season.

Europe

On May 2, 2016, as an impending restricted free agent with the Avalanche, Hishon opted to embark on a European career, signing two-year deal with Finnish club, Jokerit, who compete in the Kontinental Hockey League. ^{[21] [22]} In the 2016-17 season, Hishon struggled to adapt with Jokerit in the KHL, contributing while playing through injury with just 3 goals and 9 points in 48 games.

In the off-season, Hishon was mutually released from the remaining year of his contract with Jokerit and subsequently signed a one-year deal with Swedish top-tier club, Luleå HF of the Swedish Hockey League on June 14, 2017. ^[23] In the 2017–18 season, Hishon was unable to perform to his full capabilities through injury in recording 2 goals and 4 points in 22 regular season games.

As a free agent, Hishon opted to end his professional career, opting to return to the junior ranks as a scouting and skills development coach with former club, the Owen Sound Attack of the OHL, on July 20, 2018. ^[24]

International play

Hishon made his international debut at the 2008 World U-17 Hockey Challenge. He scored 5 points in 6 games to help Team Ontario to a gold medal. In 2009, he was selected to represent Team Canada at the IIHF World U18 Championships and was the team's leading scorer with 5 goals and 10 points in a fourth-placed finish. ^[25]

During the 2010–11 season, Hishon was invited to take part in Canada's National Junior Team selection camp for the 2011 World Junior Championships in Buffalo, New York, before he was included among the first cuts of the camp. ^{[26] [27]}

Career statistics

Hishon with the Owen Sound Attack in 2009

Regular season and playoffs

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2006–07	Stratford Warriors AA	Midget		50	44	42	86	114		—	—	—	—	—
2007–08	Owen Sound Attack	OHL		63	20	27	47	38		—	—	—	—	—
2008–09	Owen Sound Attack	OHL		65	37	44	81	34		4	4	3	7	6
2009–10	Owen Sound Attack	OHL		36	16	24	40	26		—	—	—	—	—
2010–11	Owen Sound Attack	OHL		50	37	50	87	64		22	5	19	24	32
2012–13	Lake Erie Monsters	AHL		9	1	5	6	2		—	—	—	—	—
2013–14	Lake Erie Monsters	AHL		50	10	14	24	16		—	—	—	—	—
2013–14	Colorado Avalanche	NHL		—	—	—	—	—		3	0	1	1	2
2014–15	Lake Erie Monsters	AHL		53	16	20	36	34		—	—	—	—	—
2014–15	Colorado Avalanche	NHL		13	1	1	2	0		—	—	—	—	—
2015–16	San Antonio Rampage	AHL		62	14	29	43	62		—	—	—	—	—
2016–17	Jokerit	KHL		48	3	6	9	68		1	0	0	0	2
2017–18	Luleå HF	SHL		22	2	2	4	20		3	0	2	2	0
AHL totals				174	41	68	109	114		—	—	—	—	—
NHL totals				13	1	1	2	0		3	0	1	1	2

International

Year	Team	Event	Result		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2008	Canada Ontario	U17			6	2	3	5	14
2009	Canada	WJC18	4th		6	5	5	10	0
Junior totals					12	7	8	15	14

References

1. "2010 NHL Entry Draft". National Hockey League . Retrieved 2010-06-26.
2. "Hishon has friends in high places". Colorado Avalanche. 2010-06-27. Retrieved 2010-06-28.
3. "Wilson to lead ship". Owen Sound Sun Times. 2010-06-08. Retrieved 2010-06-28.^{[ permanent dead link ‍]}
4. Dater, Adrian (2010-06-25). "Hishon shocked to go to Avalanche at No. 17". Denver Post . Retrieved 2010-06-28.
5. Mike Savage (2010-06-28). "Hishon realizes a dream". Stratford Beacon Herald. Retrieved 2010-06-28.^{[ permanent dead link ‍]}
6. "Avalanche signs Hishon". Colorado Avalanche. 2011-03-13. Retrieved 2011-03-13.
7. Pyette, Ryan (2011-09-14). "Concussions stall NHL hopes | Hockey | Sports | London Free Press". lfpress.com. Archived from the original on 2012-04-02. Retrieved 15 September 2011.
8. Dater, Adrian (2012-03-16). "Avs Mailbag: Is Joey Hishon any closer to returning for Avalanche?". denverpost.com. Retrieved 2 April 2012.
9. Odland, Kristen (2011-05-28). "Hockey Canada adopts zero tolerance rule for head shots". nationalpost.com. Retrieved 15 September 2011.
10. "Joey Hishon update and other news". Denver Post. 2012-12-20. Retrieved 2012-12-20.
11. "Hishon scheduled to return to ice". StratfordBeaconHerald.com. 2013-03-18. Retrieved 2013-03-18.
12. "Monsters fall in Chicago 5-2". Lake Erie Monsters. 2013-03-29. Retrieved 2013-03-29.^{[ permanent dead link ‍]}
13. "Joey Hishon improving after latest concussion with Lake Erie Monsters". Denver Post. 2013-04-20. Retrieved 2013-04-20.
14. Janke, Kinsey (2014-10-24). "Joey Hishon eager to return to NHL after debut with Colorado Avalanche - NHL.com - AHL Update". nhl.com. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
15. Dater, Adrian (2014-04-23). "NHL dream to become reality for Avs call-up Joey Hishon - The Denver Post". denverpost.com. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
16. Dater, Adrian (2014-06-20). "Joey Hishon given qualifying offer by Colorado Avalanche". blogs.denverpost.com. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
17. Chambers, Mike (2014-07-22). "Stefan Elliott, Karl Stollery, Joey Hishon and Paul Carey were given qualifying offers by the Avalanche". blogs.denverpost.com. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
18. "Alex Tanguay, Joey Hishon to play in milestone games for Avs". www.denverpost.com. 2015-03-04. Retrieved 2015-10-13.
19. "Joey Hishon's first NHL goal sends Colorado to win". www.denverpost.com. 2015-04-07. Retrieved 2015-10-13.
20. "Joey Hishon signs one-year contract with Colorado Avalanche". www.denverpost.com. 2015-07-27. Retrieved 2015-10-13.
21. "Hishon confirmed to play with Jokerit". Jokerit (in Finnish). 2016-05-04. Archived from the original on 2016-05-04. Retrieved 2016-05-04.
22. nurun.com (2016-05-04). "Hishon headed to Finland". Beacon Herald. Retrieved 2016-05-04.^{[ permanent dead link ‍]}
23. "Center ready for Lulea Hockey" (in Swedish). Luleå HF. 2017-06-14. Retrieved 2017-06-14.
24. "Attack announce Joey Hishon to join scouting and skill development staff". Owen Sound Attack. 2018-07-20. Retrieved 2018-07-20.
25. "Owen Sound's Hishon has proven his toughness". NHL. 2010-03-05. Retrieved 2010-06-28.
26. "Hockey Canada Selection Camp: Team Profile". Hockey Canada. 2010-12-04. Archived from the original on 2015-03-23. Retrieved 2010-12-04.
27. "Hishon takes cut in stride". Stratford Beacon Herald. 2010-12-16. Archived from the original on 2011-07-16. Retrieved 2011-03-13.

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 Matt Duchene	Colorado Avalanche first round draft pick 2010	Succeeded by Gabriel Landeskog