Vinni Lettieri

Last updated
Vinni Lettieri
Vinni Lettieri.jpg
Lettieri with the Hartford Wolf Pack in 2020
Born (1995-02-06) February 6, 1995 (age 29)
Excelsior, Minnesota, U.S.
Height 5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
Weight 195 lb (88 kg; 13 st 13 lb)
Position Center
Shoots Right
NHL team
Former teams
Boston Bruins
New York Rangers
Anaheim Ducks
Minnesota Wild
National teamFlag of the United States.svg  United States
NHL draft Undrafted
Playing career 2017present

Vinni Lettieri (born February 6, 1995) is an American professional ice hockey center for the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League (NHL).

Contents

Playing career

After playing two seasons with the Lincoln Stars in the USHL, Lettieri committed to the University of Minnesota. [1] He played for the Minnesota Golden Gophers for four seasons and helped them win the Big Ten regular season title in four straight seasons.

Professional

New York Rangers

On March 27, 2017, Lettieri signed a two-year entry-level contract as a free agent with the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League (NHL). [2] He was invited to the Rangers training camp before the 2017–18 season but was cut and sent to the Hartford Wolf Pack before the final roster was made. [3] On December 29, 2017, Lettieri made his NHL debut in a 3–2 loss to the Detroit Red Wings, in which he scored his first NHL goal. [4] He was recalled multiple times in January and February before finally being assigned back to the AHL on February 26 after playing in a total of 19 NHL games that season. [5]

Lettieri spent the 2018–19 season rotating between the NHL and AHL getting called up for longer stints in the second half of the season. He finished the season with one goal and two assists. His lone goal came on a one-timer shot on March 25, 2019, against the Pittsburgh Penguins for his first career goal at Madison Square Garden. [6]

Anaheim Ducks

After four seasons within the Rangers organization, Lettieri left as a free agent and signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Anaheim Ducks on October 10, 2020. [7] On July 13, 2021, Lettieri was signed to a one-year, two-way contract extension by the Ducks. [8]

Boston Bruins

On July 13, 2022, Lettieri was signed to a one-year, two-way contract by the Boston Bruins. [9]

After impressive play for the Bruins AHL affiliate the Providence Bruins, Lettieri was named an AHL All-Star, representing the Atlantic Division. [10] Later, Lettieri was called up to the NHL squad on January 26, 2023. However, he suffered an injury just one day later, causing him to be placed on IR. [11] Once healed, Lettieri was then placed on waivers without having played a game for the Bruins, where he cleared. [12] Towards the end of the 2022-23 season, with the Bruins comfortable in the standings, Lettieri was once again called up in order to rest key players. He played one game for the NHL squad before being sent back down. [13]

Minnesota Wild

As a free agent from the Bruins, Lettieri returned to his home state in agreeing to a two-year, two-way contract with the Minnesota Wild on July 1, 2023. [14]

Lettieri did not make the Wild's opening night roster to start the 2023-24 season, but he was called up shortly thereafter on October 23, 2023, and would play his first game in a Wild uniform the next night. Lettieri would score his first goal and point as a member of the Wild on November 7, 2023, in a 4-2 win over the New York Islanders. It was also his first goal at the NHL level since January 26, 2022, when he was still a member of the Ducks. Lettieri notched another goal and an assist before being sent back down to the AHL. After four games in the minors in which he score four points, Lettieri would be called back up to the NHL, where he would spend the rest of the season. Lettieri would score a goal in his first game back with Minnesota. For the rest of the season, Lettieri would serve as a depth forward for a mediocre Wild team. After a brief stint on the IL for almost all of January, Lettieri would be serviceable to the Wild, not providing wowing offense but also not being a liability. He would finish the season with five goals and four assists in 46 games.

Second Stint with the Bruins

On June 29, 2024, on the second day of the 2024 NHL entry draft, Lettieri was traded back to the Bruins alongside the 110th pick in the draft for Jakub Lauko and the 122th pick. [15]

Personal life

Lettieri's grandfather, Lou Nanne, played, coached and was the general manager of the Minnesota North Stars. [16] His father, Tino, played professional soccer, while his uncle Marty Nanne was drafted 161st overall by the Chicago Blackhawks in the 1986 NHL Entry Draft and played in the International Hockey League (IHL) for three seasons. His cousins are also ice hockey players – Tyler Nanne was drafted 142nd overall by the New York Rangers in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft, while Louis Nanne was drafted 188th overall by the Minnesota Wild in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft. [1]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season TeamLeagueGP G A Pts PIM GPGAPtsPIM
2010–11 Minnetonka High School MSHSL 251522371222132
2011–12Minnetonka High SchoolMSHSL252236582431120
2011–12 Lincoln Stars USHL 154481470110
2012–13 Lincoln StarsUSHL612828563551230
2013–14 University of Minnesota B1G 372688
2014–15 University of MinnesotaB1G37931214
2015–16 University of MinnesotaB1G377192618
2016–17 University of MinnesotaB1G3819183736
2016–17 Hartford Wolf Pack AHL 90114
2017–18 Hartford Wolf PackAHL5523133631
2017–18 New York Rangers NHL 191450
2018–19 New York RangersNHL2712314
2018–19 Hartford Wolf PackAHL4823254822
2019–20 Hartford Wolf PackAHL6125224746
2020–21 Anaheim Ducks NHL50000
2020–21 San Diego Gulls AHL221412261231234
2021–22 San Diego GullsAHL24814228
2021–22 Anaheim DucksNHL3155106
2022–23 Providence Bruins AHL482326493441016
2022–23 Boston Bruins NHL10000
2023–24 Iowa Wild AHL104484
2023–24 Minnesota Wild NHL4654924
NHL totals12912152744

International

YearTeamEventResultGPGAPtsPIM
2012 United States IH18 7th42246
2022 United States WC 4th100004
Junior totals42246
Senior totals100004

Awards and honors

AwardYear
USHL
USHL/NHL Top Prospects Game 2013
All-Rookie Team2013
College
B1G Honorable Mention All-Star Team 2017
B1G Sportsmanship Award2017

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References

  1. 1 2 "VINNI LETTIERI". gophersports.com. Retrieved April 30, 2018.
  2. "Rangers Agree to Terms With Forward Vinni Lettieri". NHL.com. March 27, 2017. Retrieved December 30, 2017.
  3. "Rangers Reduce Training Camp Roster by Seven". NHL.com. September 28, 2017. Retrieved April 30, 2018.
  4. Calamia, Matt (December 30, 2017). "Lettieri Scores in Debut but Rangers Lose in Shootout to Detroit". NHL.com. Retrieved December 30, 2017.
  5. "VINNI LETTIERI RETURNS TO WOLF PACK". hartfordwolfpack.com. February 26, 2018. Retrieved April 30, 2018.
  6. Murphy, Mike (May 12, 2019). "2019 Report Card: Vinni Lettieri". Blueshirt Banter. Retrieved February 6, 2020.
  7. "Ducks sign De Leo, Welinski, Poturalski and Lettieri to contracts". Anaheim Ducks. October 10, 2020. Retrieved October 10, 2020.
  8. "Ducks Sign Carrick Brothers, Lettieri to Contract Extensions". NHL.com. July 13, 2021. Retrieved October 5, 2021.
  9. "Bruins Sign Five Players On Opening Day Of Free Agency". NHL.com. July 13, 2022. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  10. https://www.providencebruins.com/news/detail/bussi-and-lettieri-named-to-atlantic-division-all-star-team
  11. https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/hockey/news/bruins-vinni-lettieri-promoted-suffers-injury/
  12. https://www.prohockeyrumors.com/2023/02/jordie-benn-and-vinni-lettieri-placed-on-waivers.html
  13. "Vinni Lettieri returned to AHL". CBS Sports . April 13, 2023. Retrieved April 13, 2023.
  14. "Minnesota Wild signs forwards Vinni Lettieri and Jake Lucchini". Minnesota Wild. July 1, 2023. Retrieved July 1, 2023.
  15. Russo, Michael; Shinzawa, Fluto. "Wild trade Vinni Lettieri and pick to Bruins for Jakub Lauko". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2024-06-30.
  16. Brooks, Larry (December 28, 2017). "Kreider's replacement gives Rangers an instinct they've craved". New York Post. Retrieved December 30, 2017.