Paul Postma

Last updated

Paul Postma
Paul Postma Boston Bruins 2017.jpg
Postma with the Bruins in October 2017
Born (1989-02-22) February 22, 1989 (age 35)
Red Deer, Alberta, Canada
Height 6 ft 3 in (191 cm)
Weight 195 lb (88 kg; 13 st 13 lb)
Position Defence
Shoots Right
ICEHL team
Former teams
EC KAC
Atlanta Thrashers
Winnipeg Jets
Boston Bruins
Ak Bars Kazan
Metallurg Magnitogorsk
HC Lugano
NHL Draft 205th overall, 2007
Atlanta Thrashers
Playing career 2009present

Paul Edward Postma (born February 22, 1989) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who is currently playing for EC KAC of the ICE Hockey League (ICEHL). He was drafted 205th overall in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft by the Atlanta Thrashers. During his major junior career with the Swift Current Broncos and Calgary Hitmen of the Western Hockey League (WHL), Postma won the WHL Plus-Minus Award and was a WHL East First Team All-Star in 2009.

Contents

Playing career

Postma has played major junior in the WHL for the Swift Current Broncos and Calgary Hitmen. After a 24-point season in 2006–07, he was drafted in the 7th round, 205th overall, by the Atlanta Thrashers in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft. The next season, he was traded to the Calgary Hitmen, where he recorded 14 goals and 42 points. In 2008–09, Postma emerged with a 23-goal, 84-point campaign, first among league defencemen, setting team records for single-season goals (surpassed Kenton Smith's 19 goals in 1998–99) [1] and points (tied with Matt Kinch) by a defenceman. [2]

Postma with the Winnipeg Jets in 2013. Paul Postma - Winnipeg Jets.jpg
Postma with the Winnipeg Jets in 2013.

He earned WHL East First Team All-Star honours, along with teammates Brandon Kozun and Brett Sonne and a nomination for the Bill Hunter Memorial Trophy as the league's top defenceman, opposite Jonathon Blum of the Vancouver Giants. [3] With a league-high +67 plus-minus rating, he won the WHL Plus-Minus Award. During the second round of the subsequent 2009 playoffs, Postma was signed to a three-year, entry-level contract by the Thrashers. [4] He finished the 2009 playoffs with 13 points in 18 games, as the Hitmen were defeated in the finals by the Kelowna Rockets.

While playing for the Winnipeg Jets, Postma scored his first NHL goal on February 1, 2013, against Anders Lindbäck of the Tampa Bay Lightning. [5] In 2013–14, Postma missed most of the season due to injury, including a blood clot that had him sidelined for 47 games. Postma played a total of 42 games for the Jets during the 2014–15 season, but was sidelined in March, due to a lower-body injury. [6]

On July 10, 2015, Postma signed a two-year, $1,775,000 contract extension with the Jets. [7]

After spending his first eight professional seasons with the Thrashers/Jets franchise, Postma left as a free agent in agreeing to terms with the Boston Bruins on a one-year, $775,000 contract on July 1, 2017. [8] He split the 2017–18 season between Boston and AHL affiliate, the Providence Bruins.

As a free agent from the Bruins, Postma opted to halt his North American career, agreeing to a one-year contract with Russian champions, Ak Bars Kazan of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL), on August 15, 2018. [9] In the 2018–19 season, Postma regained his scoring touch in the KHL, posting 8 goals and 28 points through 57 regular season games.

On May 1, 2019, Postma left Ak Bars as a free agent to sign a one-year contract with Russian outfit, Metallurg Magnitogorsk. [10] He made just 10 appearances with Magnitogorsk to open the 2019–20 season before opting to leave the KHL on October 6, 2019. Moving to continue his career in Switzerland, after a successful tryout, Postma joined HC Lugano of the National League (NL) on a one-year deal on November 6, 2019.

On December 8, 2020, Postma belatedly joined Austrian club, EC KAC of the ICEHL, as a free agent on an initial one-year contract. [11]

Personal life

Postma attended Gateway Christian School and Notre Dame High School in Red Deer, Alberta. He is the son of John and Janet Postma and has three sisters; Alissa, Jamie-Lea and Sharlene. Alissa is married to former NHL defenceman Noah Welch. [12] [13] while his other sister, Sharlene is married to American ice hockey player Rhett Rakhshani.

Paul married Brooke Sutter, daughter of Brent Sutter during the summer of 2023.

Records

Career statistics

Regular season Playoffs
Season TeamLeagueGP G A Pts PIM GPGAPtsPIM
2004–05 Swift Current Broncos WHL 40000
2005–06 Swift Current BroncosWHL582911640000
2006–07 Swift Current BroncosWHL70519244260110
2007–08 Swift Current BroncosWHL20002
2007–08 Calgary Hitmen WHL66142842301664104
2008–09 Calgary HitmenWHL702361842818581310
2009–10 Chicago Wolves AHL 631514292470220
2010–11 Chicago WolvesAHL6912334520
2010–11 Atlanta Thrashers NHL 10000
2011–12 St. John's IceCaps AHL561331443215191014
2011–12 Winnipeg Jets NHL30000
2012–13 St. John's IceCapsAHL277111816
2012–13 Winnipeg JetsNHL344596
2013–14 Winnipeg JetsNHL201238
2013–14 St. John's IceCapsAHL41564
2014–15 Winnipeg JetsNHL4224616
2015–16 Winnipeg JetsNHL262024
2015–16 Manitoba Moose AHL71232
2016–17 Winnipeg JetsNHL651131415
2017–18 Boston Bruins NHL140112
2017–18 Providence Bruins AHL13189440330
2018–19 Ak Bars Kazan KHL 57820281242130
2019–20 Metallurg Magnitogorsk KHL100222
2019–20 HC Lugano NL 202796
2020–21 EC KAC ICEHL 20814222
2021–22 EC KACICEHL3512172926938116
2022–23 EC KACICEHL451020302791230
AHL totals23950104154102261141514
NHL totals20510253549

Awards and honours

AwardYear
WHL
East First All-Star Team 2009 [3]
WHL Plus-Minus Award 2009
CHL Second All-Star Team2009
AHL
All-Star Game 2011, 2012
First All-Star Team2012 [14]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ian White (ice hockey)</span> Canadian ice hockey player (born 1984)

Ian White is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman who played over 500 games in the National Hockey League. In a career spanning parts of nine seasons, White suited up for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Calgary Flames, Carolina Hurricanes, San Jose Sharks and Detroit Red Wings. White was originally selected in the sixth round, 191st overall in the 2002 NHL Draft. He returned to professional hockey in 2022 with the Columbus River Dragons of the Federal Prospects Hockey League. On October 26, 2022, White was traded to the Motor City Rockers of the Federal Prospects Hockey League. On January 23, 2023, White was signed to a standard player contract with the Norfolk Admirals the ECHL. He was released on November 14, 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Garnett</span> Canadian ice hockey player (born 1982)

Michael Garnett is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender who last played for Nottingham Panthers of the Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL). Garnett previously played for the National Hockey League's Atlanta Thrashers, who drafted him in the 3rd round of the 2001 NHL Entry Draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brad McCrimmon</span> Canadian ice hockey player and coach (1959–2011)

Byron Brad McCrimmon was a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman and coach. He played over 1,200 games in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Boston Bruins, Philadelphia Flyers, Calgary Flames, Detroit Red Wings, Hartford Whalers and Phoenix Coyotes between 1979 and 1997. He achieved his greatest success in Calgary, where he was named a second team All-Star in 1987–88, played in the 1988 NHL All-Star Game and won the Plus-Minus Award with a league leading total of +48. In 1989, he helped the Flames win their only Stanley Cup championship. His career plus-minus of +444 is the 10th highest total in NHL history, and the highest among players not inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tim Stapleton</span> American ice hockey player (born 1982)

Timothy Gabriel Stapleton is an American former professional ice hockey center. He played in the National Hockey League with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Atlanta Thrashers and Winnipeg Jets between 2008 and 2012. In 2011, Stapleton scored the last goal in Thrashers' history. He is the First Player of Filipino descent to play a game in the National Hockey League.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Johnny Boychuk</span> Canadian ice hockey player (born 1984)

John Paul Boychuk is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman. Drafted 61st overall in 2002 by the Colorado Avalanche, he played for the Colorado Avalanche, the Boston Bruins and New York Islanders of the National Hockey League (NHL). In 2011, he was a part of the Bruins' Stanley Cup championship team. He was traded to the Islanders prior to the 2014–15 season, where he would announce retirement after six seasons with the team.

Matt Kinch is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman playing in Germany for the EV Ravensburg of the 2nd Bundesliga. He played major junior in the Western Hockey League (WHL) before also playing pro in the American Hockey League (AHL), ECHL, Austrian Hockey League, Swiss Nationalliga A and Deutsche Eishockey Liga.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">TJ Galiardi</span> Canadian-born American ice hockey player

Terry Joseph Galiardi is a Canadian-born American former professional ice hockey forward. He most notably played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Colorado Avalanche, San Jose Sharks, Calgary Flames and Winnipeg Jets.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brett Sonne</span> Canadian ice hockey player

Brett Sonne is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre. He is a former prospect of the St. Louis Blues organization, having been selected by the Blues in the third round, 85th overall, in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft. He is the 2009 recipient of the Four Broncos Memorial Trophy as WHL player of the year. Sonne was a member of the gold medal winning Canadian team at the 2009 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alexander Urbom</span> Swedish ice hockey player

Alexander Urbom is a professional Swedish ice hockey defenceman. He is currently playing with EC Red Bull Salzburg of the ICE Hockey League (ICEHL).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brandon Kozun</span> American-Canadian ice hockey player

Brandon Scott Kozun is an American-born Canadian professional ice hockey player who is currently playing with ERC Ingolstadt in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL). He was a drafted in the sixth round, 179th overall, in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft by the Los Angeles Kings. He scored his first NHL career goal on February 20, 2015, against the Carolina Hurricanes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roman Horák (ice hockey, born 1991)</span> Czech ice hockey player (born 1991)

Roman Horák is a Czech ice hockey player currently playing for HC Sparta Praha of the Czech Extraliga (ELH). He previously played nine games in the Czech Extraliga with HC České Budějovice before coming to North America to play two WHL seasons with the Chilliwack Bruins. He was selected by the New York Rangers in the fifth round, 127th overall, of the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, and joined the Calgary Flames organization via trade in 2011. In 2014, he was traded by the Flames for a brief stint with the Edmonton Oilers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Egor Yakovlev</span> Russian ice hockey player

Egor Konstantinovich Yakovlev is a Russian professional ice hockey defenceman for Metallurg Magnitogorsk of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). He previously played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the New Jersey Devils.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eric O'Dell</span> Canadian ice hockey player (born 1990)

Eric O'Dell is a Canadian professional ice hockey player. He is currently playing with HC Dynamo Moscow of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). O'Dell was originally selected by the Anaheim Ducks in the second round of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft and has played in the National Hockey League with the Winnipeg Jets.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mikhail Fisenko</span> Russian ice hockey player (born 1990)

Mikhail Fisenko is a Russian professional ice hockey centre. He is currently playing for HC Lada Togliatti of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Edward Pasquale</span> Canadian ice hockey player (born 1990)

Edward Robert Nito Pasquale is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who is currently playing for Barys Astana in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). He has formerly played with the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League (NHL). Pasquale was selected by the Atlanta Thrashers in the fourth round of the 2009 NHL Entry Draft.

Artyom Zagidulin is a Russian professional ice hockey goaltender who is currently playing with HC Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL).

Igor Shvyrev is a Russian professional ice hockey forward who is currently playing for HC Yugra of the Supreme Hockey League (VHL). He was selected in the fifth round, 125th overall, by the Colorado Avalanche in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft.

Kodie Curran is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman currently playing with Dinamo Minsk of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL).

Vladislav Vitalevich Yeryomenko is a Belarusian professional ice hockey defenceman currently playing for Metallurg Magnitogorsk of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL).

Andrei Aleksandrovich Chibisov is a Russian professional ice hockey player for Traktor Chelyabinsk of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL).

References

  1. "Postma claims spot in Hitmen history". Calgary Herald. Archived from the original on 2020-05-31. Retrieved 2009-03-26.
  2. "A look at the 2008-09 WHL Award Finalists". Western Hockey League. 2008-03-26. Archived from the original on March 29, 2009. Retrieved 2008-03-26.
  3. 1 2 "WHL Announces 2008-09 Conference All-Stars and Award Finalists". Western Hockey League. Archived from the original on March 26, 2009. Retrieved 2009-03-22.
  4. "Postma inks contract with Thrashers". CanWest News Services. 2009-04-11. Retrieved 2009-04-12.
  5. "Winnipeg - Tampa Bay Boxscore". National Hockey League. 2013-02-01. Retrieved 2013-02-01.
  6. "Byfuglien returns to practice for Jets, but Postma out with lower-body injury". nhl.com. March 16, 2015.
  7. "Jets agree to terms with Postma on two-year contract". nhl.com. July 10, 2015.
  8. "Bruins sign depth players Kenny Agostino, Paul Postma to one-year, one-way deals". CSNNE. 2017-07-01. Retrieved 2017-07-01.
  9. "Ak Bars agree contract with Paul Postma" (in Russian). Ak Bars Kazan. 2018-08-15. Retrieved 2018-08-15.
  10. "Paul Postma signs with Metallurg" (in Russian). Metallurg Magnitogorsk. 2019-05-01. Retrieved 2019-05-01.
  11. "EC KAC strengthens with Paul Postma signing" (in German). EC KAC. December 8, 2020. Retrieved December 8, 2020.
  12. Atchue, A.J. (March 24, 2011). "Postma has dedicated himself to both ends of ice". NHL.com. Retrieved May 30, 2018. his older sister, Alissa, will marry his current teammate and roommate, defenseman Noah Welch.
  13. Shinzawa, Fluto. "Olympics will be just fine without the NHL". edition.pagesuite.com. Retrieved May 30, 2018. Not only does Welch have his Brighton and Cambridge connections, he is married to Alissa Postma, sister of Bruin Paul Postma.
  14. "Paul Postma's AHL player profile". American Hockey League. 2013-04-15. Retrieved 2013-04-15.