Josh Jacobs (ice hockey)

Last updated

Josh Jacobs
Josh Jacobs (ice hockey).jpg
Jacobs with the Chicago Wolves in 2021
Born (1996-02-15) February 15, 1996 (age 29)
Shelby Township, Michigan, U.S.
Height 6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Weight 223 lb (101 kg; 15 st 13 lb)
Position Defense
Shoots Right
AHL team
Former teams
Laval Rocket
New Jersey Devils
NHL draft 41st overall, 2014
New Jersey Devils
Playing career 2016present

Joshua Jacobs (born February 15, 1996) is an American professional ice hockey defenseman for the Laval Rocket of the American Hockey League (AHL). He was selected in the second round, 41st overall, by the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League (NHL) in the 2014 NHL entry draft.

Contents

Playing career

A Michigan native, Jacobs originally played for the Detroit Honeybaked U16 program of the Tier 1 Elite Hockey League (T1EHL) before being selected in the 2012 Ontario Hockey League (OHL) Priority selection draft, 72nd overall, by the Sarnia Sting. [1]

Initially opting to continue his development in the United States Hockey League (USHL), he joined the Indiana Ice for the 2012–13 season and later committed to play collegiate hockey with Michigan State of the Big Ten Conference. [2] In his second USHL season with Indiana, he contributed 23 points in 56 games to help the team claim the Clark Cup. [3] Thereafter, Jacobs was drafted by the New Jersey Devils in the second round, 41st overall, of the 2014 NHL entry draft. [4]

During his freshman season with the Spartans in 2014–15, Jacobs registered nine assists across 35 games, earning a selection to the Conference All-Rookie Team. [5] Despite this, he would choose to conclude his collegiate tenure and instead continue development through the major junior ranks, signing with the Sting in June 2015. [6]

In his solitary OHL season for 2015–16, Jacobs scored four goals and 24 total points in 67 games played. He likewise added five assists in the Sting’s seven-game opening series defeat over the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. Upon the Sting's eventual elimination, he signed a three-year, entry-level contract with New Jersey on April 9, 2016. [7] He immediately joined the Devils' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Albany Devils, on an amateur tryout (ATO) basis for the remainder of the season. [8]

Entering the final year of his entry-level contract for the 2018–19 campaign, Jacobs received his first NHL recall by the injury-riddled Devils on March 21, 2019. [9] That same day, he would make his NHL debut in a 5-1 defeat to the Boston Bruins at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey [10] before returning to the AHL ranks with Binghamton. [11]

Following six seasons within the Devils organization, Jacobs was signed as a free agent to a one-year, two-way contract with the Carolina Hurricanes on August 4, 2021. [12] After attending the Hurricanes' main training camp, he was assigned to AHL affiliate, the Chicago Wolves, for the duration of the 2021–22 season. Utilized in a regular defensive role, Jacobs recorded four goals and 15 points through 51 regular season games. In the ensuing postseason, Jacobs posted two points through 18 games to help the Wolves capture the Calder Cup. [13]

Again finding himself a free agent in July 2022, he was signed to a one-year, two-way contract with the Colorado Avalanche for the 2022–23 season. [14] Assigned to the AHL's Colorado Eagles for the duration of his contract with the Avalanche, Jacobs posted four goals and 10 points through 43 regular season games in the AHL. He then added a goal and four points in seven playoff appearances as the Eagles reached the Divisional semifinals.

On July 1, 2023, Jacobs agreed to a one-year, two-way contract to join Western Conference rival, the St. Louis Blues. [15] However, he would ultimately not feature within the Blues organization, missing the entirety of the 2023–24 season through injury. [16]

In July 2024, having left the Blues as a free agent, Jacobs signed a one-year AHL contract with the Montreal Canadiens' affiliate Laval Rocket. [17] Six months later, he would suffer a knee-injury in a game versus the Abbotsford Canucks on January 4, 2025 which required surgery, effectively ending his season outright. [18] Despite this setback, Jacobs agreed to a one-year extension to remain with the Rocket on July, 5, 2025. [19]

Career statistics

Regular season Playoffs
Season TeamLeagueGP G A Pts PIM GPGAPtsPIM
2012–13 Indiana Ice USHL 482131552
2013–14 Indiana IceUSHL565182346123252
2014–15 Michigan State B1G 3509926
2015–16 Sarnia Sting OHL 67420243870556
2015–16 Albany Devils AHL 10000
2016–17 Albany DevilsAHL490993240000
2016–17 Adirondack Thunder ECHL 10000
2017–18 Binghamton Devils AHL551151633
2018–19 Binghamton DevilsAHL693101342
2018–19 New Jersey Devils NHL 10000
2019–20 Binghamton DevilsAHL545101520
2019–20 New Jersey DevilsNHL20002
2020–21 Binghamton DevilsAHL190338
2021–22 Chicago Wolves AHL5141115241811212
2022–23 Colorado Eagles AHL4346101871340
2024–25 Laval Rocket AHL2614514
NHL totals30002

Awards and honors

AwardYear
USHL
USHL/NHL Top Prospects Game 2013 [20]
All-Star Game 2014 [21]
Clark Cup champion2014 [22]
College
B1G All-Freshman Team 2015 [5]
AHL
Calder Cup champion 2022 [23]

References

  1. "Draft Central". Sarnia Sting. April 6, 2012. Retrieved February 14, 2025 via CHL.ca.
  2. Kennedy, Ryan (February 25, 2014). "NHL Prospect Hot List: Future Spartan Josh Jacobs". The Hockey News . Retrieved February 14, 2025.
  3. Caples, Michael (May 20, 2014). "Six Michigan natives capture USHL's Clark Cup". MiHockey.com. Retrieved February 14, 2025.
  4. Fischer, John (June 28, 2014). "NJ Devils select Josh Jacobs in second round of 2014 Draft". SB Nation . Retrieved March 20, 2019.
  5. 1 2 "Spartans Honored at Annual Hockey Awards Program". Michigan State Athletics. April 20, 2015. Retrieved July 13, 2024.
  6. "Jacobs signs with Sarnia Sting". Sarnia Sting. June 1, 2015. Retrieved March 20, 2019 via CHL.ca.
  7. Sweetland, Josh (September 14, 2016). "164 OHL Players Invited to 2016 NHL Training Camps". Ontario Hockey League. Retrieved February 14, 2025 via CHL.ca.
  8. Dougherty, Pete (May 2, 2016). "A-Devils release defenseman from amateur contract". Times Union . Retrieved February 14, 2025.
  9. @NJDevils (March 21, 2019). "New Jersey has recalled Josh Jacobs" (Tweet). Retrieved March 21, 2019 via Twitter.
  10. MSG Networks (March 22, 2019). Josh Jacobs' Dreams Come True (video). Retrieved August 1, 2024 via YouTube.
  11. "New Jersey Devils Transactions 2019". ESPN.com. Retrieved February 14, 2025.
  12. "Canes Agree to Terms With Josh Jacobs". Carolina Hurricanes. August 4, 2021. Retrieved August 4, 2021 via NHL.com.
  13. Malone, Mark (June 26, 2022). "Local roundup: Hill wins invitational; Sting alumni hoist Calder Cup". Sarnia Observer . Retrieved February 14, 2025.
  14. "Avalanche signs Josh Jacobs and Spencer Smallman". Colorado Avalanche. July 13, 2022. Retrieved July 13, 2022 via NHL.com.
  15. "Blues sign MacEachern, three others to contracts". St. Louis Blues. July 1, 2023. Retrieved July 1, 2023 via NHL.com.
  16. Korac, Lou (September 21, 2023). "(9-21-23) BLUES CAMP NOTEBOOK". The Hockey News . Retrieved July 22, 2024.
  17. "Rocket puts six players under contract". Laval Rocket. July 1, 2024. Retrieved July 1, 2024.
  18. @RocketLaval (January 18, 2025). "Le défenseur Josh Jacobs a subi une blessure au genou gauche qui mettra fin à sa saison. Il a subi une opération le 16 janvier dernier. La blessure est survenue lors du match du 4 janvier contre les Canucks d'Abbotsford.

    Defenseman Josh Jacobs suffered a season-ending (left) knee injury. He underwent surgery on January 16. The injury occurred on January 4 against the Abbotsford Canucks"
    (Tweet) via Twitter.
  19. "Rocket signs Simoneau and three others". Laval Rocket. July 5, 2025. Retrieved July 5, 2025.
  20. "U.S. Names Prospects Game Roster". CollegeHockeyInc.com. August 26, 2013. Retrieved August 5, 2024.[ permanent dead link ]
  21. "21 Commits Named USHL All-Stars". CollegeHockeyInc.com. February 21, 2014. Archived from the original on July 13, 2024. Retrieved July 13, 2024.
  22. Kennedy, Ryan (May 22, 2014). "Indiana wins championship, then ceases operations as a franchise". The Hockey News . Retrieved July 13, 2024.
  23. "Chicago is Calder City again". American Hockey League. June 25, 2022. Archived from the original on June 26, 2022. Retrieved June 25, 2022 via TheAHL.com.