Joey Hishon

Joey Hishon
Hishon skating as part of the Owen Sound Attack
Born October 20, 1991
Stratford, ON, CAN
Height 5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
Weight 170 lb (77 kg; 12 st 2 lb)
Position Centre
Shoots Left
NHL team Colorado Avalanche
NHL Draft 17th overall, 2010
Colorado Avalanche
Playing career 2013–present

Joey Hishon (born October 20, 1991) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre who is currently playing with the Colorado Avalanche of the National Hockey League (NHL). Hishon was drafted by the Avalanche in the first-round 17th overall in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft;[1]

Playing career

Hishon began his minor hockey career with the Stratford Minor Hockey Association, graduating in 2006-07 from the Stratford AA Midget Warriors of the Ontario Minor Hockey Association before he was selected 8th overall in the first round of the 2007 Ontario Hockey League draft by the Owen Sound Attack. In his first season with the Attack in 2007–08, Joey impressively finished second on the team with 47 points in 63 games as the youngest on the team. In the 2008–09 he returned Owen Sound to the Playoffs leading the team in scoring with 37 goals, 44 assists for 81 points. Selected to play in the OHL All-Star Classic for the Western Team he was also voted at season's end as the Best Playmaker and Best Stickhandler in the OHL’s Western Conference by the league’s coaches.[2]

Hishon was limited to just 36 games in an injury plagued 2009–10 season. Despite missing two months due to a broken foot and MCL sprain he still managed to put better than point per game numbers with 40 and was awarded the Attack's Harold Sutherland Cup for top draft prospect, eligible for the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.[3] With a fallen ranking of 55th by the NHL's Central Scouting Final grades, Hishon was surprisingly taken in the first round, 17th overall, by the Colorado Avalanche.[4] He was the first Stratford minor hockey league player to be picked in the first round since Craig Hartsburg in 1979.[5]

Hishon with Lake Erie Monsters (2013).

Hishon was instrumental in helping the Attack to the J. Ross Robertson Cup as OHL Champions. During the course of the 2010-11 OHL season, on March 13, 2011, Hishon was signed to a three-year entry level contract with the Avalanche.[6]

During the 2011 Memorial Cup, Hishon was struck by illegal elbow to the head by Kootenay Ice defenceman (and Buffalo Sabres prospect) Brayden McNabb, which left Hishon with a concussion; Hishon missed the rest of the Memorial Cup and the entire 2011–12 hockey season with post-concussion syndrome.[7][8] In part due to this hit, Hockey Canada redefined the rules to make clearer a zero-tolerance policy for head hits.[9]

Hishon's recovery extended into to the following 2012–13 season, before he was belatedly cleared for non-contact practice with the Avalanche's AHL affiliate, the Lake Erie Monsters, to begin the new year.[10] Hishon was finally scheduled to make his long-awaited professional debut with the Monsters against the Toronto Marlies on March 19, 2013. It marked a return from his concussion just two months shy of two years.[11] In his fifth game, Hishon scored his first professional goal in a multi-point effort against the Chicago Wolves on March 29, 2013.[12] However, on April 12, in his ninth game and on his first shift against the Hamilton Bulldogs, Hishon's season was ended after he suffered a second concussion received in a hit from behind by Joey Tenute. With an early prognosis of a less severe concussion than previously endured, it is anticipated Hishon will recover to undergo summer training in preparation for the following season.[13]

Hishon played for the majority of the 2013-14 season scoring 10 goals and 24 points despite missing 26 games due to injury.[14] He was an emergency call-up during the first round of the 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs, debuting in Game Four against the Minnesota Wild.[15] At the end of the season, the Avalanche gave him a qualifying offer of $900,000,[16] and he was reportedly signed to a one-year two-way contract.[17]

International play

Hishon made his international debut at the 2008 World U-17 Hockey Challenge. He scored 5 points in 6 games to help Team Ontario to a gold medal. In 2009 he was selected to represent Team Canada at the IIHF World U18 Championships and was the team's leading scorer with 5 goals and 10 points in a fourth placed finish.[18]

During the 2010–11 season, Hishon was invited to take part in Canada’s National Junior Team selection camp for the 2011 World Junior Championships in Buffalo, New York, before he was included among the first cuts of the camp.[19][20]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2006–07Stratford Warriors Midget AAOMHA50444286114—————
2007–08Owen Sound AttackOHL6320274738—————
2008–09Owen Sound AttackOHL653744813444376
2009–10Owen Sound AttackOHL3616244026—————
2010–11Owen Sound AttackOHL5037508764225192432
2012–13Lake Erie MonstersAHL91562—————
2013–14Lake Erie MonstersAHL5010142416—————
2013–14Colorado AvalancheNHL—————30112
2014–15Lake Erie MonstersAHL5316203634—————
2014–15Colorado AvalancheNHL131120—————
NHL totals 13 1 1 2 0 3 0 1 1 2

International

Year Team Event Result GP G A Pts PIM
2008 Canada WHC17 1st 6 2 3 5 14
2009 Canada WJC18 4th 6 5 5 10 0
Junior totals 12 7 8 15 14

References

  1. ↑ "2010 NHL Entry Draft". National Hockey League. Retrieved 2010-06-26.
  2. ↑ "Hishon has friends in high places". Colorado Avalanche. 2010-06-27. Retrieved 2010-06-28.
  3. ↑ "Wilson to lead ship". Owen Sound Sun Times. 2010-06-08. Retrieved 2010-06-28.
  4. ↑ Dater, Adrian (2010-06-25). "Hishon shocked to go to Avalanche at No. 17". Denver Post. Retrieved 2010-06-28.
  5. ↑ Mike Savage (2010-06-28). "Hishon realizes a dream". Stratford Beacon Herald. Retrieved 2010-06-28.
  6. ↑ "Avalanche signs Hishon". Colorado Avalanche. 2011-03-13. Retrieved 2011-03-13.
  7. ↑ Pyette, Ryan (2011-09-14). "Concussions stall NHL hopes | Hockey | Sports | London Free Press". lfpress.com. Retrieved 15 September 2011.
  8. ↑ Dater, Adrian (2012-03-16). "Avs Mailbag: Is Joey Hishon any closer to returning for Avalanche?". denverpost.com. Retrieved 2 April 2012.
  9. ↑ Odland, Kristen (2011-05-28). "Hockey Canada adopts zero tolerance rule for head shots". nationalpost.com. Retrieved 15 September 2011.
  10. ↑ "Joey Hishon update and other news". Denver Post. 2012-12-20. Retrieved 2012-12-20.
  11. ↑ "Hishon scheduled to return to ice". StratfordBeaconHerald.com. 2013-03-18. Retrieved 2013-03-18.
  12. ↑ "Monsters fall in Chicago 5-2". Lake Erie Monsters. 2013-03-29. Retrieved 2013-03-29.
  13. ↑ "Joey Hishon improving after latest concussion with Lake Erie Monsters". Denver Post. 2013-04-20. Retrieved 2013-04-20.
  14. ↑ Janke, Kinsey (2014-10-24). "Joey Hishon eager to return to NHL after debut with Colorado Avalanche - NHL.com - AHL Update". nhl.com. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  15. ↑ Dater, Adrian (2014-04-23). "NHL dream to become reality for Avs call-up Joey Hishon - The Denver Post". denverpost.com. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  16. ↑ Dater, Adrian (2014-06-20). "Joey Hishon given qualifying offer by Colorado Avalanche". blogs.denverpost.com. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  17. ↑ Chambers, Mike (2014-07-22). "Stefan Elliott, Karl Stollery, Joey Hishon and Paul Carey were given qualifying offers by the Avalanche". blogs.denverpost.com. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  18. ↑ "Owen Sound's Hishon has proven his toughness". NHL. 2010-03-05. Retrieved 2010-06-28.
  19. ↑ "Hockey Canada Selection Camp: Team Profile". Hockey Canada. 2010-12-04. Retrieved 2010-12-04.
  20. ↑ "Hishon takes cut in stride". Stratford Beacon Herald. 2010-12-16. Retrieved 2011-03-13.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Joey Hishon.
Preceded by
Matt Duchene		 Colorado Avalanche first round draft pick
2010 		Succeeded by
Gabriel Landeskog