Kevin Porter (ice hockey)

Last updated
Kevin Porter
Kevin Porter 2016-03-01.JPG
Porter with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2016
Born (1986-03-12) March 12, 1986 (age 37)
Northville, Michigan, U.S.
Height 6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight 195 lb (88 kg; 13 st 13 lb)
Position Center
Shot Left
Played for Phoenix Coyotes
Colorado Avalanche
Buffalo Sabres
Pittsburgh Penguins
NHL Draft 119th overall, 2004
Phoenix Coyotes
Playing career 20082020

Kevin M. Porter (born March 12, 1986) is an American former professional National Hockey League (NHL) center.

Contents

Playing career

Amateur

As a youth, Porter played in the 2000 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with a minor ice hockey team from Michigan. [1]

Porter was drafted in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft by the Phoenix Coyotes in the fourth round, 119th overall. Drafted after two seasons selected to the USA Hockey National Team Development Program in Ann Arbor, Michigan as a skilled undersized scorer, Porter was then recruited to the University of Michigan hockey program in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association. [2]

In his 2004–05 freshman season with the Wolverines, Porter scored 11 goals in 39 games to finish with 24 points, second among Wolverine rookies to fellow USNTDP product and Coyotes draft pick, Chad Kolarik. Establishing his scoring touch as a sophomore with 38 points in 39 games, Kevin returned as a junior to lead the Wolverines with 24 goals and place second among points with 58 to earn player of the Month award (November) and nomination to the CCHA Second All-Star Team. [3]

With the departure of prolific Michigan scorer T. J. Hensick, Porter returned to captain the Wolverines for his senior year in 2007–08. [4] For the fourth consecutive season Porter improved his season totals posting 33 goals and 63 points in 43 games to lead the U of M and place second only to Nathan Gerbe in the NCAA. He set an NCAA Tournament record with four goals in the East Regional Semi-Final against Niagara, as he captained the Wolverines to the Frozen four for the first time since 2003. [5] Named as the University of Michigan Male sports person of the Year, Porter's standout season was also awarded with selection to the CCHA First All-Star Team, CCHA Player of the Year and the NCAA West First All-American Team to culminate in winning the Hobey Baker Award as the top collegiate player in the NCAA. [6] [7]

Professional

Shortly after completing his collegiate career, on April 14, 2008, Porter signed a three-year entry level contract with the Coyotes. [8] He then joined the Coyotes affiliate, the San Antonio Rampage of the American Hockey League, for their first-round play-off run.

Porter at the 2013 AHL All-Star Game. Kevin Porter AHL.jpg
Porter at the 2013 AHL All-Star Game.

In the 2008–09 season, Porter made the Coyotes opening season roster and made his NHL debut in a 3–1 win against the Columbus Blue Jackets on October 11, 2008, picking up an assist, his first NHL point. [9] Porter scored his first career NHL goal on October 30, 2008, in a 4–1 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins. [10] At the turn of the year with a reduced role offensively, Porter was assigned by the Coyotes to the AHL for the majority of the remaining season and developed a scoring touch to lead the Rampage in Plus/minus (+7). He finished his first professional season with 5 goals for 10 points in 34 games with the Coyotes.[ citation needed ]

Porter was assigned to the Rampage to start the 2009–10 season. He was recalled by the Coyotes on numerous occasions but was limited to just 4 games. On March 3, 2010, while with the Rampage, Porter was traded by the Coyotes, along with Peter Mueller, to the Colorado Avalanche for forward Wojtek Wolski. [11] After skating in four games with Avalanche affiliate, the Lake Erie Monsters, Porter received his first recall to Colorado on March 11, 2010, [12] where he made his Avalanche debut in a 3–0 victory over the Florida Panthers. [13] Used in a checking line role, Porter scored his first goal in his 8th game with the Avalanche against his former team, the Coyotes, in a 6–2 loss on March 28, 2010. [14] He finished the season making his NHL post season debut in four games against the San Jose Sharks before re-signing with the Avalanche as a restricted free agent to a one-year contract on June 17, 2010. [15]

In the 2011–12 season on December 9, 2011, Porter was suspended for 4 games for a knee on knee hit with Vancouver Canucks forward David Booth. [16]

On July 5, 2012, Porter signed as a free agent to a two-year contract with the Buffalo Sabres. [17] With the 2012 NHL lockout in effect, Porter was assigned directly to affiliate, the Rochester Americans, and selected as team Captain. [18] During the 2012–13 season, Porter was leading the Americans in points when he was recalled by the Sabres on February 20, 2013.[ citation needed ]

On July 1, 2014, the Detroit Red Wings signed Porter to a one-year, two-way contract. [19] During the 2014–15 season, Porter recorded 16 goals and 23 assists in 76 games for the Grand Rapids Griffins.[ citation needed ]

Porter familiarly became a free agent after his season with the Red Wings and on July 1, 2015, the Pittsburgh Penguins signed Porter to a one-year, two-way contract. [20] In his first season with the Penguins, Porter made the opening night roster for the 2015–16 season. Playing on the fourth line and in a penalty-killing role, Porter appeared in 41 games for 3 assists, before his season ended on March 3, 2016, in suffering a broken ankle. With the Penguins going on to claim the Championship, Porter met the exact minimum games requirement for his name to appear on the Stanley Cup. On June 20, 2016, he was re-signed to a one-year contract extension with the Penguins. [21]

On July 1, 2017, Porter left the Penguins organization after two seasons to sign a free agent contract on a two-year, two-way deal to return to former club, the Buffalo Sabres. [22] Re-assigned to add a veteran presence in his second stint with the Rochester Americans, Porter captained the team in each season under contract with the Sabres.

On June 13, 2019, as an impending free agent from the Sabres, Porter opted to continue with the Rochester Americans, signing a one-year AHL contract for the 2019–20 season. [23]

International play

Medal record
Representing Flag of the United States.svg  United States
Ice hockey
World U18 Championships
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 2004 Minsk

A product of the USNTDP system, Porter made his international debut with the United States as a young 17-year-old in the 2003 World Under 18 Championships in Yaroslavl, Russia. [24] After posting 2 points in 6 games to finish out of the medals, in fourth place, Kevin returned in his final year with the Development Program to play in the succeeding 2004 World Under 18 Championships in Minsk, Belarus. In a prominent senior role, Kevin scored 2 goals and 6 assists to place second on the team with 8 points as USA went on to claim the Silver medal, losing 3–2 to Russia in the final on April 18, 2004. [25]

During a successful freshman year with the University of Michigan, Porter was added to the Team USA side hosting the 2005 World Junior Championships in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Porter amassed 3 goals and 5 points in 7 games. He scored in the Bronze medal game against the Czech Republic, however again missed the medals and finished fourth. [26] [27] Porter was selected to his fourth junior tournament as a sophomore with Team USA at the 2006 World Junior Championships in Vancouver, Canada. As captain of the United States squad, he led the team to a second consecutive fourth-place finish, compiling 6 points in 7 games to be named as Team USA's best forward by his teammates. [28]

Coaching career

On October 21, 2020, Porter was named to the USA Hockey National Team Development Program coaching staff. [29] He was later added as an assistant coach to J.D. Forrest with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the AHL on January 11, 2021. [30]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season TeamLeagueGP G A Pts PIM GPGAPtsPIM
2002–03 U.S. NTDP U17 USDP19911208
2002–03U.S. NTDP U18USDP131232
2002–03U.S. NTDP U18 NAHL 401992817
2003–04U.S. NTDP U18NAHL1138114
2003–04U.S. NTDP U18USDP445212626
2004–05 University of Michigan CCHA 3911132451
2005–06 University of MichiganCCHA3917213830
2006–07 University of MichiganCCHA4124345816
2007–08 University of MichiganCCHA4333306318
2007–08 San Antonio Rampage AHL 70440
2008–09 Phoenix Coyotes NHL 3455104
2008–09 San Antonio RampageAHL4213223514
2009–10 San Antonio RampageAHL5215254031
2009–10 Phoenix CoyotesNHL40000
2009–10 Lake Erie Monsters AHL41012
2009–10 Colorado Avalanche NHL16213040000
2010–11 Colorado AvalancheNHL7414112527
2011–12 Colorado AvalancheNHL3543717
2012–13 Rochester Americans AHL4815294438
2012–13 Buffalo Sabres NHL3145910
2013–14 Buffalo SabresNHL120112
2013–14 Rochester AmericansAHL501917362450330
2014–15 Grand Rapids Griffins AHL76162339251613414
2015–16 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL410330
2015–16 Wilkes–Barre/Scranton Penguins AHL165494
2016–17 Wilkes–Barre/Scranton PenguinsAHL691135465050662
2016–17 Pittsburgh PenguinsNHL20000
2017–18 Rochester AmericansAHL661725422031450
2018–19 Rochester AmericansAHL581029393731127
2019–20 Rochester AmericansAHL477162330
AHL totals528129255354275393212423
NHL totals2492929586040000

International

YearTeamEventResultGPGAPtsPIM
2003 United States WJC18 4th602230
2004 United StatesWJC18Silver medal icon.svg62684
2005 United States WJC 4th73256
2006 United StatesWJC4th72462
Junior totals267142142

Awards and honors

AwardYear
College
All-CCHA Second Team 2006–07 [31]
CCHA All-Tournament Team 2007 [32]
All-CCHA First Team 2007–08 [31]
All-CCHA Player of the Year 2007–08 [33]
AHCA West First-Team All-American 2007–08
Hobey Baker Award 2007–08 [7]
AHL
All-Star Game 2013
NHL
Stanley Cup champion 2016 [34]

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References

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  2. "Kolarik, Porter to join Wolverines program next season". Michigan Wolverines. 2003-11-20. Archived from the original on 2012-06-09. Retrieved 2010-12-27.
  3. "Michigan's Kevin Porter named RBC Financial Group Player of the Month". Central Collegiate Hockey Association. 2007-12-04. Archived from the original on 2011-07-08. Retrieved 2010-09-08.
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  7. 1 2 "Kevin Porter wins Hobey Baker Award". Michigan Daily . 2008-04-10. Retrieved 2008-05-10.
  8. "Coyotes sign 2008 Hobey Baker winner Kevin Porter". Phoenix Coyotes . 2008-04-14. Retrieved 2008-05-10.
  9. "Newcomers contribute in opener". Phoenix Coyotes . 2008-10-11. Retrieved 2010-03-11.
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  29. @USAHockeyNTDP (October 21, 2020). "TNEWS: Mike Leone promoted to assistant coach, Greg Mauldin and Kevin Porter named to NTDP staff Congrats to all! 👏 More info → bit.ly/3maJnQM" (Tweet) via Twitter.
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  34. "Penguins win Stanley Cup, defeat Sharks in Game 6". National Hockey League . 2016-06-12. Retrieved 2016-06-12.
Awards and achievements
Preceded by Winner of the Hobey Baker Award
2007–08
Succeeded by
Preceded by CCHA Player of the Year
2007–08
Succeeded by
Preceded by Perani Cup Champion
2007–08
Succeeded by