Brandon Yip

{{Infobox ice hockey player

| caption =

| alt =

| name = Brandon Yip

| image = Brandon Yip.png

| image_size = 230px

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1985|4|25}}

| birth_place = Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 1

| weight_lb = 195

| position = Right Wing

| shoots = Right

| league = KHL

| team =Kunlun Red Star

| former_teams = Colorado Avalanche
Nashville Predators
Phoenix Coyotes
Adler Mannheim
Düsseldorfer EG
Jukurit

| ntl_team = China

| draft = 239th overall

| draft_year = 2004

| draft_team = Colorado Avalanche

| career_start = 2009

}}

Brandon Michael Harry Yip ({{lang-zh|t=葉勁光|p=Yè Jìnguāng|j=Jip6 Ging6 Gwong1}}; born April 25, 1985) is a Chinese-Canadian professional ice hockey right wing who is currently playing with HC Kunlun Red Star of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). He has previously played in the National Hockey League for the Colorado Avalanche, Nashville Predators, and the Phoenix Coyotes. He is of 3/4 Chinese and 1/4 Irish descent.{{cite news | newspaper = Denver Post | url = http://www.denverpost.com/avalanche/ci_13320191 | title = Rookie Yip looking to make impression, big club | date =September 12, 2009 | access-date = November 2, 2009 | first=Terry | last=Frei}}

Playing career

The Avalanche drafted Yip in the 8th round, 239th overall in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft. He played junior hockey with the Coquitlam Express of the BCHL before enrolling to play collegiate hockey with Boston University of the Hockey East. In his freshman year in 2005–06, Yip scored 31 points in 39 games and was named Hockey East rookie of the year.{{cite web|url=http://www.uscho.com/news/college-hockey/id,12364/BUBCDominateHockeyEastAwards.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130111121712/http://www.uscho.com/news/college-hockey/id,12364/BUBCDominateHockeyEastAwards.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 11, 2013|title=BC, BU dominate Hockey East awards|publisher=USCHO.com|date=March 16, 2006|access-date=April 30, 2010}} In his junior year with the Terriers in 2007–08, Yip served an indefinite suspension for breaking team rules before returning to finish with 23 points in 37 games.{{cite web | url = http://www.uscho.com/news/college-hockey/id,14804/BUSuspendsFourIndefinitely | archive-url = https://archive.today/20120915080514/http://www.uscho.com/news/college-hockey/id,14804/BUSuspendsFourIndefinitely | url-status = dead | archive-date = September 15, 2012 | title = BU suspends four indefinitely | publisher = USCHO.com | date = December 6, 2007 | access-date = July 24, 2010 }} After winning the NCAA Men's Ice Hockey Championship with the Terriers in his senior year in 2008–09, Yip graduated from Boston University with high honors with a B.S. in criminal justice.{{cite web|url=http://www.bclocalnews.com/error/?c=y&errorURL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bclocalnews.com%2Ftri_city_maple_ridge%2Fmapleridgenews%2Fsports%2F51520012.html|title=Yip signs with NHL's Avalanche|website=bclocalnews.com|date=July 22, 2009|access-date=April 30, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120314153601/http://www.bclocalnews.com/error/?c=y&errorURL=http:%2F%2Fwww.bclocalnews.com%2Ftri_city_maple_ridge%2Fmapleridgenews%2Fsports%2F51520012.html|archive-date=March 14, 2012|url-status=dead}}

On July 22, 2009, Yip signed a one-year entry-level contract with the Avalanche.{{cite web |url=http://avalanche.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=451173|title=Avalanche signs Brandon Yip | publisher =Colorado Avalanche | date = July 22, 2009 | access-date = April 30, 2010}} Before his first pro season in 2009–10, Yip suffered a broken hand in a pre-season game that sidelined him for the first two months of the year.{{cite web | url = http://www.asiaxpress.com/Articles/2010/mar/brandon-yip/1.html | title = FacetoFace with Colorado Avalanche rookie Brandon Yip | website = asiaxpress.com | access-date =April 4, 2010 | date = March 11, 2010 | author = Joe Nguyen }} He made his professional debut with the Avalanche's American Hockey League affiliate, the Lake Erie Monsters, for a six-game stint. Colorado recalled him on December 19, 2009, to make his NHL debut in a 5-2 home win against the Columbus Blue Jackets.{{cite news |url=http://www.denverpost.com/headlines/ci_14030078|title=Yip receives his dream call | newspaper =Denver Post | date = December 19, 2009 | access-date = December 20, 2009 | first=Adrian | last=Dater}} Yip scored his first goal three days later against Jonas Hiller of the Anaheim Ducks.{{cite web |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/recap?gid=2009122217|title=Getzlaf lifts Ducks to late win over Avalanche | publisher =Yahoo.com | date = December 22, 2009 | access-date = December 30, 2009}} In his first 22 games he scored 11 goals before suffering a separated shoulder against the Detroit Red Wings on March 1, 2010.{{cite news | url = http://www.denverpost.com/avalanche/ci_14861033 |title = Avalanche looks for Yip to regain his scoring touch | newspaper = Denver Post | author = Terry Frei | date = April 11, 2010 | access-date = July 7, 2010 }} Yip ended his 2009-10 campaign leading all rookies in goals per game average. After finishing second on the Avalanche in playoff scoring with four points against the San Jose Sharks in the conference quarterfinals, Yip was re-signed to a two-year contract on July 7, 2010.{{cite news | url = http://www.denverpost.com/avalanche/ci_15459248 | title = Avalanche give Yip two-year, $1.45 million deal | newspaper = Denver Post | date = July 7, 2010 | access-date = July 7, 2010 }} On November 6, 2010, he registered a Gordie Howe hat trick during a 5-0 victory over the Dallas Stars.

During the 2011–12 season, after ten scoreless games with the Avalanche, Yip was placed on waivers and claimed by the Nashville Predators on January 19, 2012.{{cite web | url = http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=385510 | title = Predators claim Yip off waivers | publisher = The Sports Network | date = January 19, 2012 | access-date = January 19, 2012 | archive-date = January 22, 2012 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120122024311/http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=385510 | url-status = dead }} On January 24, he had his debut for the Predators in a 3-1 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks.{{cite web | url = http://predators.nhl.com/club/recap.htm?id=2011020729 | title = Predators 3, Blackhawks 1 | publisher = Nashville Predators | date = January 24, 2012 | access-date = January 24, 2012 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120501084522/http://predators.nhl.com/club/recap.htm?id=2011020729 | archive-date = May 1, 2012 }} Yip established a role on the Predators lower checking lines, scoring 3 goals, including two in two games against his former club Colorado, and 7 points in 25 games.

The Predators re-signed Yip to a one-year contract on June 21, 2012.{{cite web| url = http://predators.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=635424 | title = Preds sign Brandon Yip to one-year contract | publisher = Nashville Predators | date = June 21, 2012 | access-date = June 21, 2012}} In the lockout shortened 2012–13 season, Yip transitioned quickly to contribute 5 points in his first ten games of the campaign before finishing with 8 points in 34 games. He missed the final eight games of the year due to injury.{{citation needed|date=February 2014}}

On July 19, 2013, Yip was signed as a free agent by the Phoenix Coyotes to a one-year, two-way contract.{{Cite web| url = https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=428000 | title = Coyotes ink Yip to one-year, two-way deal | publisher = The Sports Network | date = July 19, 2013 | access-date = July 19, 2013}} After attending the Coyotes training camp, Yip failed to make the opening night roster and was assigned to the AHL for the first time since 2009 with affiliate, the Portland Pirates. In the early stages of the 2013–14 season, Yip was recalled to Phoenix to appear in 2 games before he was reassigned to the Pirates for the remainder of the campaign.

Unsigned into the off-season, Yip accepted an invitation to attend the Anaheim Ducks 2014 training camp on a professional try-out contract on September 18, 2014.{{cite web| url = http://ducks.nhl.com/v2/ext/2014ducks_trainingcamp_roster.pdf | title = Anaheim Ducks 2014-15 training camp roster | publisher = Anaheim Ducks | date = September 18, 2014 | access-date = September 18, 2014}} Yip failed to earn an NHL contract with the Ducks, however, was reassigned and signed with AHL affiliate, the Norfolk Admirals to begin the 2014–15 season. Yip produced 12 points in 31 games with the Admirals before he was loaned to play in the ECHL for the first time in his career with the Utah Grizzlies on January 15, 2015.

After seven games with the Grizzlies, Yip sought a release from his contract with Norfolk, and on February 6, 2015, it was announced that Yip had signed his first contract abroad with German club Adler Mannheim for the rest of the DEL season.{{Cite web | url = http://www.adler-mannheim.de/topstories.php?d%5Bnr%5D=4488 | title = Eagles take Brandon Yip under contract | publisher = Adler Mannheim | date = February 6, 2015 | access-date = February 6, 2015 | language = German | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150208001709/http://www.adler-mannheim.de/topstories.php?d%5Bnr%5D=4488 | archive-date = February 8, 2015 | url-status = dead }} On October 20, 2016, he inked a deal with another German side, putting pen to paper on a contract for the remainder of the 2016–17 campaign with Düsseldorfer EG.{{Cite web | url = http://www.deg-eishockey.de/aktuelles/news.html?article=865 | publisher = Düsseldorfer EG | title = DEG announce signing of former NHL player Brandon Yip | date = October 20, 2016 | access-date = October 20, 2016 | language = German | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20161021001325/http://www.deg-eishockey.de/aktuelles/news.html?article=865 | archive-date = October 21, 2016 | url-status = dead }}

As a free agent, with the ambition to follow his Chinese origins and represent at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Yip left Germany and signed a contract with Chinese club, HC Kunlun Red Star of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) on June 5, 2017.{{cite web | url = http://hcredstar.ru/en/news/vtoroy-sezon-ne-za-gorami-kontury-novoy-komandy/ | title = A new season on the horizon, a new team taking shape | publisher = HC Kunlun Red Star | date = June 5, 2017 | access-date = June 5, 2017 | archive-date = November 12, 2020 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20201112043044/http://hcredstar.ru/en/news/vtoroy-sezon-ne-za-gorami-kontury-novoy-komandy/ | url-status = dead }}

As team captain in two of his three seasons with Kunlun, Yip was left un-signed leading into the pandemic affected 2020–21 season. On January 9, 2021, he was belatedly signed to join Finnish club, Mikkelin Jukurit of the Liiga, for the remainder of the season.{{cite web| url = https://jukurit.fi/jukuritvahvistuu/ | title = Welcome Brandon Yip to Jukurit | publisher = Mikkelin Jukurit | date = January 9, 2021 | access-date = January 9, 2021 | language = Finnish}} He made 15 regular season appearances, recording 2 goals and 6 points, in his short tenure in the Liiga.

As a free agent heading into an Olympic year with ambitions to appear with the Chinese national team, Yip returned to his former club, Kunlun Red Star of the KHL, on a one-year deal on July 26, 2021.{{cite web| url = https://twitter.com/KRSchina/status/1419683686258257924 | title = True Leader Brandon Yip returns to Kunlun | publisher = Twitter | author = HC Kunlun Red Star | date = July 26, 2021 | accessdate = July 26, 2021 }}

International play

Due to his tenure in China, Yip was formally called up to represent the China men's national ice hockey team for the 2022 Winter Olympics on January 28, 2022.{{Cite web|url=https://sports.yahoo.com/china-olympic-hockey-hopes-rest-142423897.html|title=China's Olympic hockey hopes rest on North American talent|website=sports.yahoo.com|access-date=February 8, 2022|archive-date=June 29, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220629232147/https://sports.yahoo.com/china-olympic-hockey-hopes-rest-142423897.html|url-status=dead}}

Career statistics

=Regular season and playoffs=

border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" style="text-align:center; width:60em"
bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! colspan="3" bgcolor="#ffffff" \| ! rowspan="99" bgcolor="#ffffff" \| ! colspan="5" \| Regular season ! rowspan="99" bgcolor="#ffffff" \| ! colspan="5" \| Playoffs
bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! Season ! Team ! League ! GP ! G ! A ! Pts ! PIM ! GP ! G ! A ! Pts ! PIM
2001–02	Ridge Meadows Flames	PJHL	4	1	1	2	4	—	—	—	—	—
style="background:#f0f0f0;" \| 2002–03	Ridge Meadows Flames	PJHL	38	25	37	62	71	—	—	—	—	—
2003–04	Coquitlam Express	BCHL	56	31	38	69	87	4	1	2	3	14
style="background:#f0f0f0;" \| 2004–05	Coquitlam Express	BCHL	43	20	42	62	92	7	6	1	7	12
2005–06	Boston University	HE	39	9	22	31	59	—	—	—	—	—
style="background:#f0f0f0;" \| 2006–07	Boston University	HE	18	5	6	11	29	—	—	—	—	—
2007–08	Boston University	HE	37	11	12	23	28	—	—	—	—	—
style="background:#f0f0f0;" \| 2008–09	Boston University	HE	45	20	23	43	118	—	—	—	—	—
2009–10	Lake Erie Monsters	AHL	6	2	0	2	4	—	—	—	—	—
style="background:#f0f0f0;" \| 2009–10	Colorado Avalanche	NHL	32	11	8	19	22	6	2	2	4	6
2010–11	Colorado Avalanche	NHL	71	12	10	22	54	—	—	—	—	—
style="background:#f0f0f0;" \| 2011–12	Colorado Avalanche	NHL	10	0	0	0	8	—	—	—	—	—
2011–12	Nashville Predators	NHL	25	3	4	7	20	10	1	1	2	6
style="background:#f0f0f0;" \| 2012–13	Nashville Predators	NHL	34	3	5	8	26	—	—	—	—	—
2013–14	Portland Pirates	AHL	66	14	20	34	87	—	—	—	—	—
style="background:#f0f0f0;" \| 2013–14	Phoenix Coyotes	NHL	2	0	0	0	0	—	—	—	—	—
2014–15	Norfolk Admirals	AHL	31	3	9	12	8	—	—	—	—	—
style="background:#f0f0f0;" \| 2014–15	Utah Grizzlies	ECHL	7	1	3	4	2	—	—	—	—	—
2014–15	Adler Mannheim	DEL	6	1	1	2	2	14	0	4	4	38
style="background:#f0f0f0;" \| 2015–16	Adler Mannheim	DEL	44	10	6	16	134	3	0	0	0	2
2016–17	Düsseldorfer EG	DEL	41	11	8	19	118	—	—	—	—	—
style="background:#f0f0f0;" \| 2017–18	Kunlun Red Star	KHL	48	9	9	18	44	—	—	—	—	—
2018–19	Kunlun Red Star	KHL	62	21	15	36	89	—	—	—	—	—
style="background:#f0f0f0;" \| 2019–20	Kunlun Red Star	KHL	50	15	16	31	51	—	—	—	—	—
2020–21	Jukurit	Liiga	15	2	4	6	49	—	—	—	—	—
style="background:#f0f0f0;" \| 2021–22	Kunlun Red Star	KHL	46	13	14	27	27	—	—	—	—	—
2022–23	Kunlun Red Star	KHL	59	21	21	42	57	—	—	—	—	—
style="background:#f0f0f0;" \| 2023–24	Kunlun Red Star	KHL	67	13	16	29	89	—	—	—	—	—
2024–25	Kunlun Red Star	KHL	8	0	2	2	4	—	—	—	—	—
bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! colspan="3" \| NHL totals ! 174 ! 29 ! 27 ! 56 ! 130 ! 16 ! 3 ! 3 ! 6 ! 12
bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! colspan="3" \| KHL totals ! 340 ! 92 ! 93 ! 185 ! 361 ! — ! — ! — ! — ! —