Steven Santini

Steven Santini
Born	(1995-03-07) March 7, 1995 (age 29) Bronxville, New York, U.S.
Height	6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Weight	207 lb (94 kg; 14 st 11 lb)
Position	Defense
Shoots	Right
NHL team Former teams	Tampa Bay Lightning New Jersey Devils Nashville Predators St. Louis Blues
National team	United States
NHL draft	42nd overall, 2013 New Jersey Devils
Playing career	2016–present

Steven Michael Santini (born March 7, 1995) is an American professional ice hockey defenseman who is currently playing for the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League (NHL). He has also played for the New Jersey Devils and the Nashville Predators. He played for the Boston College Eagles men's ice hockey team of the NCAA Hockey East conference. Santini was selected by the New Jersey Devils in the 2nd round (42nd overall) of the 2013 NHL Entry Draft. ^[1]

Playing career

Amateur

Santini spent his first two years of high school at John F. Kennedy Catholic High School in Somers, New York before moving to Ann Arbor, Michigan to participate in the USA Hockey National Team Development Program. ^[2]

As a youth, Santini played in the 2008 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with the New York Rangers minor ice hockey team. ^[3]

Santini was rated as a top prospect who had been projected as a first round selection of the 2013 NHL Entry Draft. ^[4] He trained with the USA Hockey National Team Development Program team from 2011 to 2013, ^[5] and won a Silver Medal with Team USA at the 2013 IIHF World U18 Championships ^[6] where he was named the tournament's best defenseman. ^[7]

In his first season at Boston College, Santini earned his role as a top-4 defensemen with the Eagles, garnering a reputation as a hard-hitting, shut-down defenseman, while also producing 3 goals and 11 points on the season. He was named to Hockey East's All-Rookie team. ^[8] He also played at the 2014 World Juniors for the United States.

Santini started his sophomore campaign paired with freshman Noah Hanifin as the top-2 defenseman for the Eagles, however, he only played in four games to start the season before being shut down due to a wrist injury. He underwent surgery, missed 16 games and returned to the lineup after the New Year's break. ^{[9] [10]}

He scored one goal and assisted on 19 as a junior, while helping the BC Eagles to a Frozen Four appearance where they fell short to Quinnipiac. ^[11]

Professional

He signed a three-year entry-level deal with the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League on April 9, 2016. ^[12] He played his first NHL game later that night against the Toronto Maple Leafs. ^[13]

Santini scored his first NHL point in his 2016–17 NHL debut, during a 3-0 win over the Boston Bruins on January 2, 2017. ^[14] He scored his first NHL goal on January 12, 2017, against the Edmonton Oilers, due to a puck deflecting off his elbow. The Devils ended up losing in overtime 3–2. ^[15]

As a restricted free agent, Santini signed a three-year, $4.25 million contract with the Devils on August 14, 2018. ^[16]

On June 22, 2019, Santini was traded by the Devils along with prospect Jeremy Davies and draft picks to the Nashville Predators in exchange for P. K. Subban. ^[17] In the following 2019–20 season, Santini struggled to make an impression with the Predators, appearing in just 2 games over the course of the season while playing the majority of the campaign in the AHL with affiliate, the Milwaukee Admirals.

On October 7, 2020, Santini was placed on unconditional waivers by the Predators for the purpose to buyout the remaining year of his contract. ^[18] On October 10, Santini signed as a free agent to a one-year, two-way contract with the St. Louis Blues. ^[19]

Following three seasons within the Blues organization, Santini left as a free agent and was signed to a one-year, two-way contract with the Los Angeles Kings on July 1, 2023. ^[20] In the 2023–24 season, Santini played exclusively with the Kings AHL affiliate, the Ontario Reign, placing second on the team in scoring from the blueline with 5 goals and 20 points through 64 regular season games.

Leaving the Kings at the conclusion of his contract, Santini was signed to a one-year, two-way contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning on July 1, 2024. ^[21]

Personal life

Santini's grandfather, Bob, coached hockey at Mount Saint Michael Academy in the Bronx and founded the Catholic High School Hockey League which became part of New York's Catholic High School Athletic Association. Santini's father, Steve, played college hockey at Maine and his uncle, Rob, played at Iona. Steve and Rob later opened Brewster Ice Arena in Brewster, New York where Santini grew up playing hockey. Santini's three sisters also attended John F. Kennedy Catholic High School. ^[22]

Santini is Catholic and his decision to attend Boston College was based in part on its being a Jesuit institution. ^[2]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2009–10	Brewster Bulldogs	EmJHL		17	1	5	6	42		—	—	—	—	—
2010–11	New York Apple Core	EJHL		44	3	14	17	26		5	0	1	1	0
2011–12	U.S. National Development Team	USHL		36	1	4	5	41		2	0	1	1	0
2012–13	U.S. National Development Team	USHL		25	0	5	5	6		—	—	—	—	—
2013–14	Boston College	HE		35	3	8	11	52		—	—	—	—	—
2014–15	Boston College	HE		22	1	4	5	20		—	—	—	—	—
2015–16	Boston College	HE		41	1	18	19	50		—	—	—	—	—
2015–16	New Jersey Devils	NHL		1	0	0	0	2		—	—	—	—	—
2016–17	New Jersey Devils	NHL		38	2	5	7	14		—	—	—	—	—
2016–17	Albany Devils	AHL		20	0	2	2	35		4	0	2	2	0
2017–18	New Jersey Devils	NHL		36	2	8	10	21		—	—	—	—	—
2017–18	Binghamton Devils	AHL		27	3	3	6	8		—	—	—	—	—
2018–19	New Jersey Devils	NHL		39	1	3	4	16		—	—	—	—	—
2018–19	Binghamton Devils	AHL		3	0	0	0	0		—	—	—	—	—
2019–20	Milwaukee Admirals	AHL		54	2	10	12	39		—	—	—	—	—
2019–20	Nashville Predators	NHL		2	0	0	0	2		—	—	—	—	—
2020–21	Utica Comets	AHL		5	1	1	2	4		—	—	—	—	—
2020–21	St. Louis Blues	NHL		3	0	1	1	0		2	0	0	0	0
2021–22	Springfield Thunderbirds	AHL		66	2	16	18	24		18	1	4	5	24
2021–22	St. Louis Blues	NHL		—	—	—	—	—		1	0	0	0	0
2022–23	Springfield Thunderbirds	AHL		64	2	8	10	32		2	0	0	0	0
2022–23	St. Louis Blues	NHL		4	0	1	1	2		—	—	—	—	—
2023–24	Ontario Reign	AHL		64	5	15	20	24		8	0	0	0	2
NHL totals				123	5	18	23	57		3	0	0	0	0

International

Year	Team	Event	Result		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2012	United States	U17			5	1	0	1	16
2013	United States	U18			7	0	0	0	0
2014	United States	WJC	5th		5	1	0	1	4
2016	United States	WC	4th		10	0	0	0	2
Junior totals					17	2	0	2	20
Senior totals					10	0	0	0	2

Awards and honours

Award	Year
College
All-Hockey East Rookie Team	2013–14	[23]
Hockey East Best Defensive Defenseman	2015–16	[24]
International
IIHF World U18 Championship Best Defenseman	2013	[25]

References

1. "Steven Santini: 2013 NHL Draft Player Profile #39". Last Word On Sports. May 20, 2013. Retrieved May 20, 2013.
2. Pietrafesa, Dan (January 3, 2018). "Catholic Faith, Family Guide Santini to National Hockey League". Catholic New York. Retrieved November 5, 2020.
3. "Pee-Wee players who have reached NHL or WHA" (PDF). Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament. 2018. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 6, 2019. Retrieved January 5, 2019.
4. New York Hockey Journal: Prospect Pulse: Santini a package deal Archived July 10, 2013, at the Wayback Machine
5. Steven Santini – The Next Ones: NHL 2013 Draft Prospect Profile
6. USA Under-18 hockey team has to settle for silver medal - MaxWire National Blog - MaxPreps Archived February 1, 2014, at the Wayback Machine
7. U.S. Men's National Under-18 Team Falls to Canada, 3-2 - Junior Hockey News
8. "2014 Hockey East award winners". Hockey East. March 24, 2014. Retrieved March 24, 2014.
9. "BC's Santini out for remainder of season". collegehockeynews.com. October 28, 2014. Retrieved February 3, 2017.
10. "Steve Santini - 2015-16 Men's Hockey" . Retrieved April 9, 2016.
11. "Devils sign former BC Eagles Santini, Wood to entry-level contracts". SNY. Retrieved April 9, 2016.
12. "Devils sign Boston College defenseman Santini". ESPN . April 9, 2016. Retrieved April 9, 2016.
13. Chere, Rich (April 9, 2016). "No NCAA title for Steve Santini and Miles Wood, but they'll make their NHL debuts". NJ.com. Retrieved February 22, 2017.
14. Szkolar, Adrian (January 2, 2017). "Mahopac native Santini picks up first NHL point as Devils top Bruins". The Journal News. Retrieved August 14, 2018.
15. Gross, Andrew (January 13, 2017). "Mahopac native Steven Santini's 1st NHL goal will be 'funny' memory". The Journal News. Retrieved August 14, 2018.
16. "Santini signs three-year contract with Devils". NHL.com. August 14, 2018. Retrieved August 14, 2018.
17. "Predators trade Subban to Devils". TSN. June 22, 2019. Retrieved June 23, 2019.
18. "Predators trade Bonino to Wild, place Turris and Santini on waivers for buyout". The Sports Network. October 7, 2020. Retrieved October 7, 2020.
19. "Blue sign Santini to one-year, two-way deal". St. Louis Blues. October 10, 2020. Retrieved October 10, 2020.
20. "Kings sign four players to NHL contracts". Los Angeles Kings. July 1, 2023. Retrieved July 1, 2023.
21. "Lightning sign four skaters to one-year, two-way contracts". Tampa Bay Lightning. July 1, 2024. Retrieved July 1, 2024.
22. Pietrafesa, Dan (January 3, 2018). "Passion for Hockey Runs in the Family". Catholic New York. Retrieved November 5, 2020.
23. LEAGUE ANNOUNCES PRO AMBITIONS ALL-ROOKIE TEAM
24. "HE present Award winners". Hockey East. March 28, 2016. Retrieved March 28, 2016.
25. U.S. falls to Canada, 3-2, in Gold-Medal Game at 2013 IIHF U-18 Men's World Championship

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 Mike Paliotta	Hockey East Best Defensive Defenseman 2015–16	Succeeded by Dennis Gilbert