Michael Sgarbossa

Last updated

Michael Sgarbossa
Sgarbossa Hershey.jpg
Sgarbossa with the Hershey Bears in 2019
Born (1992-07-25) July 25, 1992 (age 32)
Campbellville, Ontario, Canada
Height 6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight 190 lb (86 kg; 13 st 8 lb)
Position Centre
Shoots Left
NHL team (P)
Cur. team
Former teams
Washington Capitals
Hershey Bears  (AHL)
Colorado Avalanche
Anaheim Ducks
Florida Panthers
NHL draft Undrafted
Playing career 2012present

Michael Sgarbossa (born July 25, 1992) is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward currently playing for the Hershey Bears in the American Hockey League (AHL,) while under contract with the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League (NHL).

Contents

Playing career

As a youth, Sgarbossa played in the 2005 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with a minor ice hockey team from Halton, Ontario. [1]

He later played midget hockey with the Halton Hurricanes of the South-Central Triple A Hockey League before he was selected 54th overall in the 2008 OHL Priority Selection by the Barrie Colts. In his first Major junior season with the Colts he finished fourth in team scoring with 43 points in 67 games. Adapting to the OHL, Sgarbossa increased his scoring rate and was traded midway through the 2009–10 season, to the Saginaw Spirit.[ citation needed ]

Sgarbossa with the Lake Erie Monsters in 2013 Michael Sgarbossa 2013 (2) cropped.jpg
Sgarbossa with the Lake Erie Monsters in 2013

Sgarbossa was passed over in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft but was signed as a free agent by the San Jose Sharks to a three-year entry-level contract on September 21, 2010. [2] Sgarbossa was signed after appearing in the NHL YoungStars tournament for the Sharks, scoring 3 goals and 4 points in 2 contests. Sgarbossa was again on the move in the OHL the following 2010–11 season when he was traded by the Spirit to the Sudbury Wolves. He immediately made an impact with the Wolves to lead the team in scoring for the remainder of the campaign with 62 points in only 37 games.

During the 2011–12 season, whilst with the Wolves, Sgarbossa's NHL rights were traded by San Jose at the trade deadline on February 27, 2012, to the Colorado Avalanche, along with Jamie McGinn and Mike Connolly in exchange for Daniel Winnik, TJ Galiardi and a seventh round draft selection. [3] At the conclusion of the season, marking the end of his junior career, Sgarbossa became the first Sudbury Wolves player in 33 years, since Mike Foligno, to claim the Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy as the OHL's leading point scorer with 102 points. Finishing second in league MVP voting and earning a selection in the First All-Star team, Sgarbossa was given the accolade as Sudbury Professional Athlete of the year. [4] In his first professional season in 2012–13, Sgarbossa was directly assigned by the Avalanche to their AHL affiliate, the Lake Erie Monsters, due to the ongoing NHL lockout. He made his professional debut on opening night in a 2–1 victory over the Oklahoma City Barons on October 12, 2012. [5] Sgarbossa quickly established himself as one of the Avalanche's top prospects by immediately becoming an offensive leader for the Monsters. At the midpoint of the season, and leading the Monsters in scoring, tied for second amongst rookies in the AHL, he was selected alongside fellow Monsters rookie Andrew Agozzino to participate in the AHL All-Star Game. [6] Straight after contributing to a Western Conference All-Star victory, Sgarbossa received his first NHL recall to the Avalanche on January 29, 2013. [7] He made his NHL debut the next day for the Avalanche in a 3–0 road defeat against the Vancouver Canucks. [8] After six scoreless games with Colorado, Sgarbossa was returned to Lake Erie, to continue his season. On February 26, his ability to also play with an edge was evident as he was suspended by the AHL for one game after an slashing incident with Michael Liambas of the Milwaukee Admirals. [9]

In the 2014–15 season at the trade deadline, Sgarbossa was traded by the Avalanche to the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for Mat Clark on March 2, 2015. He was assigned to AHL affiliate the Norfolk Admirals. [10] Sgarbossa began the 2016–17 season within the AHL with the San Diego Gulls before he was recalled to the Ducks. He had appeared in a career high 9 games with 2 assists for the Ducks before he was dealt to the Florida Panthers in exchange for Logan Shaw on November 16, 2016. He was instantly re-assigned to the Panthers affiliate, the Springfield Thunderbirds. [11] Sgarbossa impressed with the Thunderbirds and was quickly recalled to the Panthers. Enjoying his longest stint in the NHL, Sgarbossa closed out the season in Florida, appearing in 29 games for 2 goals and 7 points.

Following the completion of the season with the Panthers, Sgarbossa was not tendered a qualifying offer as a restricted free agent. On July 1, 2017, Sgarbossa signed a one-year, one-way $650,000 deal with the Winnipeg Jets. [12] He was assigned to AHL affiliate, the Manitoba Moose, for the duration of the 2017–18 season, posting 40 points in 68 games. As a free agent from the Jets, Sgarbossa left to sign a one-year, two-way contract with reigning Stanley Cup champions, the Washington Capitals, on July 1, 2018. [13] In the following 2018–19 season, Sgarbossa led the Capitals' AHL affiliate, the Hershey Bears, with 30 goals and 65 points, which tied for ninth in the AHL and set personal AHL career highs in goals, assists and points. In the post-season he added 3 points in five playoff games.

On June 29, 2019, Sgarbossa agreed to a two-year, two-way $700,000 contract extension to remain with the Capitals. [14] After signing a two-year extension, Sgarbossa was called up from the AHL to the Capitals on November 20, 2019, where he played in two games registering zero points with an average 8:07 TOI per game. He was reassigned to Hershey on November 24, 2019. [15]

The American Hockey League announced Sgarbossa was selected to the 2020 AHL All-Star Classic alongside fellow Bears teammate, Matt Moulson. [16] This is his second All-Star selection, [17] his last came with the Lake Erie Monsters in 2013 where he put up 44 points in 57 GP.

On May 8, 2023, Sgarbossa signed a two year, two-way contract extension with the Capitals, placing him among the highest paid players in the AHL. [18] [19]

On February 5, 2024, the Capitals recalled Sgarbossa from the Bears to replace Evgeny Kuznetsov, who left the team to enter the NHLPA’s Player Assistance Program. [20]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season TeamLeagueGP G A Pts PIM GPGAPtsPIM
2007–08Halton Hurricanes AAA SCTA U16 61535110441
2008–09 Barrie Colts OHL 6710334343533610
2009–10 Barrie ColtsOHL197132014
2009–10 Saginaw Spirit OHL481319324960224
2010–11 Saginaw SpiritOHL267132024
2010–11 Sudbury Wolves OHL37293362538591416
2011–12 Sudbury WolvesOHL6647551026842136
2012–13 Lake Erie Monsters AHL 5719254471
2012–13 Colorado Avalanche NHL 60004
2013–14 Lake Erie MonstersAHL495152056
2014–15 Lake Erie MonstersAHL404192335
2014–15 Colorado AvalancheNHL301110
2014–15 Norfolk Admirals AHL20691529
2015–16 San Diego Gulls AHL621727444851452
2015–16 Anaheim Ducks NHL10000
2016–17 San Diego GullsAHL21010
2016–17 Anaheim DucksNHL90220
2016–17 Springfield Thunderbirds AHL14481216
2016–17 Florida Panthers NHL292579
2017–18 Manitoba Moose AHL6816244088923514
2018–19 Hershey Bears AHL753035659151238
2019–20 Hershey BearsAHL3913274016
2019–20 Washington Capitals NHL20000
2020–21 Washington CapitalsNHL50220
2020–21 Hershey BearsAHL1455108
2021–22 Hershey BearsAHL301011211031010
2021–22 Washington CapitalsNHL102240
2022–23 Hershey BearsAHL602137583841230
2023–24 Hershey BearsAHL447364324
2023–24 Washington CapitalsNHL254372
NHL totals908152325

International

YearTeamEventResultGPGAPtsPIM
2010 Canada U18 7th61124
Junior totals61124

Awards and honours

AwardYear
OHL
Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy 2012 [21]
OHL First Team All-Star2012 [22]
Sudbury Professional Athlete of the Year2012 [4]
AHL
All-Star Game 2013 [6]
Calder Cup 2023 [23]

References

  1. "Pee-Wee players who have reached NHL or WHA" (PDF). Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament. 2018. Retrieved February 16, 2019.
  2. "Sharks sign Sgarbossa, Anderson and Gogol". San Jose Sharks. September 21, 2010.
  3. "Avalanche acquire McGinn as well as prospects Connolly and Sgarbossa". Denver Post . February 27, 2012.
  4. 1 2 "Accolades Continue for Sgarbossa". Sudbury Wolves. June 14, 2012. Archived from the original on January 25, 2018. Retrieved June 14, 2012.
  5. "Monsters win big in opener". Lake Erie Monsters. October 12, 2012. Retrieved November 18, 2012.
  6. 1 2 "Agozzino, Sgarbossa named AHL All-Stars". Lake Erie Monsters. January 17, 2013. Retrieved January 17, 2013.
  7. "A closer look at Michael Sgarbossa". Colorado Avalanche. January 29, 2013. Retrieved January 29, 2013.
  8. "Mid-night call up for Sgarbossa". Colorado Avalanche. February 9, 2013. Retrieved February 9, 2013.
  9. "Lake Erie Monsters' Mike Sgarbossa suspended". The Plain Dealer . March 1, 2013. Retrieved March 1, 2013.
  10. "Ducks get Sgarbossa from Avs for Clark". American Hockey League. March 2, 2015. Retrieved March 2, 2015.
  11. "Florida Panthers acquire forward Michael Sgarbossa". Florida Panthers. November 16, 2016. Retrieved November 16, 2016.
  12. "Jets sign Michael Sgarbossa". Winnipeg Jets. July 1, 2017. Retrieved July 1, 2017.
  13. "Capitals sign Jayson Megna, Mike Sgarbossa". Washington Capitals. July 1, 2018. Retrieved July 1, 2018.
  14. "Capitals re-sign Mike Sgarbossa". Washington Capitals. June 29, 2019. Retrieved June 29, 2019.
  15. "Capitals Re-assign Mike Sgarbossa". NHL.com. November 24, 2019. Retrieved December 18, 2019.
  16. Pr, Ahl (January 3, 2020). "Rosters announced for 2020 AHL All-Star Classic". theahl.com. Retrieved January 3, 2020.
  17. theahl (January 17, 2013). "2013 All-Star rosters announced". theahl.com. Retrieved January 3, 2020.
  18. "Capitals Re-sign Michael Sgarbossa | Washington Capitals". May 8, 2023.
  19. "Capitals sign AHL standout, Michael Sgarbossa, to two-year extension". May 5, 2023.
  20. Silber, Sammi (February 6, 2024). "Why Carbery Recalled Sgarbossa Over Lapierre & Others To Fill Kuznetsov's Role For Capitals". The Hockey News Washington Capitals News, Analysis and More. Retrieved February 11, 2024.
  21. "OHL announces offensive award winners". Ontario Hockey League. April 15, 2012. Retrieved April 15, 2012.
  22. "2012 OHL All-Star Teams revealed". Ontario Hockey League. April 15, 2012. Retrieved April 15, 2012.
  23. "Sweeter by the dozen: Hershey wins 12th Calder Cup". American Hockey League. June 21, 2023. Retrieved June 21, 2023.