Chad Billins

{{Infobox ice hockey player

| alt =

| image = Billins (8442877827).jpg

| caption =

| image_size = 230px

| team = HV71

| league = SHL

| former_teams = Calgary Flames
CSKA Moscow
Luleå HF
Linköpings HC
Adler Mannheim
Brynäs IF

| prospect_team =

| prospect_league =

| position = Defense

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1989|05|26}}

| birth_place = Marysville, Michigan, U.S.

| height_ft = 5

| height_in = 10

| weight_lb = 174

| shoots = Left

| ntl_team = USA

| draft = Undrafted

| career_start = 2012

| career_end =

}}

Chad Billins (born May 26, 1989) is an American professional ice hockey defenseman currently under contract with HV71 of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL). An undrafted player, Billins played four seasons of college hockey with the Ferris State Bulldogs that culminated in his serving as co-captain of the team that reached the first Frozen Four appearance in school history in 2012. He turned professional in 2012 with the Grand Rapids Griffins of the American Hockey League (AHL) and was a member of their Calder Cup championship team. Billins made his NHL debut in 2013 as a member of the Calgary Flames.

Playing career

Billins played two seasons of junior hockey, first in the North American Hockey League (NAHL) with the Alpena IceDiggers in 2006–07, then the Waterloo Black Hawks of the United States Hockey League (USHL). He then moved to the college ranks, joining the Ferris State Bulldogs of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA). Billins played four seasons with Ferris State, culminating with his senior year in 2011–12 when he co-captained the Bulldogs to the first appearance in the Frozen Four in school history.{{cite news |last=Wallner |first=Peter J. |url=http://www.mlive.com/smallcolleges/grandrapids/index.ssf/2013/11/former_ferris_state_grand_rapi.html |title=Former Ferris State, Grand Rapids Griffins defenseman Chad Billins reaches NHL for first time |publisher=Michigan Live |date=2013-11-05 |access-date=2013-11-05}}

An undrafted player, Billins turned professional in 2012 and signed an American Hockey League (AHL) contract with the Grand Rapids Griffins for the 2012–13 season.{{cite news |last=Cruickshank |first=Scott |url=https://calgaryherald.com/sports/Flames+notes+Billins+fresh+2013+Calder/8925496/story.html |title=Flames notes: Billins fresh off 2013 Calder Cup win |work=Calgary Herald |date=2013-09-17 |access-date=2013-11-05}} He appeared in 76 games with the Griffins, and his 10 goals were three more than the highest single-season total he reached with Ferris State.{{cite web |last=Peterson |first=Torie |url=http://flames.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=689562 |title=Numerology: Chad Billins |publisher=Calgary Flames Hockey Club |date=2013-11-01 |access-date=2013-11-05}} He was selected to play for the Western Conference AHL All-Star Team at the 2013 AHL All-Star Game.{{cite web |url=http://griffinshockey.com/news/releases/?article_id=2351 |title=Griffins possess All-Star Trio |publisher=Grand Rapids Griffins Hockey Club |date=2013-01-02 |access-date=2013-01-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304001551/http://griffinshockey.com/news/releases/?article_id=2351 |archive-date=March 4, 2016 |url-status=dead }} He appeared in an additional 24 playoff games as the Griffins won the Calder Cup championship.

File:Chad Billins (2) (26430797848).jpg in 2013.]]

His play with the Griffins earned Billins an NHL contract with the Calgary Flames as the team signed him to a two-way deal.{{cite news |url=http://www.thetimesherald.com/article/20130705/SPORTS/307050022/Billins-agrees-two-way-deal-Calgary-Flames |title=Billins agrees to two-way deal with Calgary Flames |work=The Times-Herald |location=Port Huron, MI |date=2013-07-05 |access-date=2013-11-05}} He was assigned to Calgary's AHL affiliate, the Abbotsford Heat to start the season. Billins was leading the Heat with five goals when he earned his first NHL recall on November 1, 2013.{{cite news |last=Gilbertson |first=Wes |url=http://www.calgarysun.com/2013/11/04/rookie-flames-defenceman-chad-billins-gets-the-call |title=Rookie Flames defenceman Chad Billins gets 'the call' |work=Calgary Herald |date=2013-11-05 |access-date=2013-11-05 |page=S3 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131113064055/http://www.calgarysun.com/2013/11/04/rookie-flames-defenceman-chad-billins-gets-the-call |archive-date=November 13, 2013 |url-status=dead }} He made his NHL debut on November 5, and scored his first point by assisting on a Jiří Hudler goal in a 5–1 loss to the Minnesota Wild.{{cite news |url=https://www.espn.com/nhl/recap?gameId=400484466 |title=Parise, Harding lead Wild past Flames, 5–1 |publisher=ESPN |date=2013-11-05 |access-date=2013-11-05}}

On June 30, 2014, it was announced that Billins had signed a contract with Russian club, CSKA Moscow for the following 2014–15 season. Despite his signing, he was tendered a qualifying offer by the Flames to retain his NHL rights.{{cite web | url = http://www.calgarysun.com/2014/06/30/galiardi--byron-among-players-sent-packing-by-calgary-flames | title = Galiardi, Bryon among players sent packing by Calgary Flames | publisher = Calgary Sun | date = 2014-06-30 | access-date = 2014-06-30 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150706065520/http://www.calgarysun.com/2014/06/30/galiardi--byron-among-players-sent-packing-by-calgary-flames | archive-date = July 6, 2015 | url-status = dead | df = mdy-all }} Billins played in just 21 games with CSKA for 6 points before opting to move to the Swedish Hockey League for the remainder of the season with Luleå HF on December 20, 2014.

Billins joined his third club in under a year, signing a two-year contract with fellow SHL club, Linköpings HC on June 12, 2015.

As a free agent on July 1, 2016, Billins returned to the NHL, securing a one-year, two-way contract with the Vancouver Canucks.{{cite web| url = http://canucks.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=888168 | title = Canucks sign Chaput, Rendulic and Billins | publisher = Vancouver Canucks | date = 2016-07-01 | access-date = 2016-07-01}} In the 2016–17 season, Billins was assigned to AHL affiliate, the Utica Comets for the duration of the campaign. Unable to make a return to the NHL, Billins appeared in 72 games compiling 3 goals and 20 points.

As an impending free agent, Billins opted to resume his European career, returning to former club, Linköpings HC of the SHL, on a two-year contract on April 19, 2017.{{cite web| url = http://www.lhc.eu/artikel/dp8haj1p5-30c01/chad-billins-atervander-till-linkoping-hockey-club | title = Chad Billins returns to LHC | publisher = Linköpings HC | date = 2017-04-19 | access-date = 2017-04-19 | language = Swedish}}

After his contract in Sweden, Billins continued his European career in Germany, agreeing to a two-year deal with reigning Champions, Adler Mannheim of the DEL, on May 3, 2019.{{cite web| url = https://www.adler-mannheim.de/aktuelles/adler-nehmen-billins-und-jaervinen-unter-vertrag/ | title = Eagles sign Billins and Jarvinen | publisher = Adler Mannheim | date = 2019-05-03 | access-date = 2019-05-03 | language = German}}

After one season with Adler Mannheim, Billins opted to end his contract and return to Sweden by agreeing to a one-year deal with Brynäs IF of the SHL on December 22, 2020.{{cite web| url = https://www.brynas.se/article/5fa3akj02-1ekad/valkommen-till-brynas-if-chad-billins-backen-skriver-kontrakt-resten-av-sasongen | title = Welcomes to Brynas IF Chad Billins | publisher = Brynäs IF | date = December 22, 2020 | access-date = December 22, 2020 | language = Swedish}}

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

2005–06

| Little Caesars 18U AAA

| MWEHL

| 22

| 1

| 4

| 5

| 18

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2005–06

| Alpena IceDiggers

| NAHL

| 1

| 0

| —

2006–07

| Alpena IceDiggers

| NAHL

| 61

| 7

| 18

| 25

| 98

| 0

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2007–08

| Waterloo Black Hawks

| USHL

| 60

| 10

| 26

| 36

| 81

| 11

| 5

| 4

| 9

| 0

2008–09

| Ferris State Bulldogs

| CCHA

| 27

| 2

| 9

| 11

| 38

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2009–10

| Ferris State Bulldogs

| CCHA

| 40

| 3

| 8

| 11

| 26

| —

2010–11

| Ferris State Bulldogs

| CCHA

| 39

| 5

| 11

| 16

| 20

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2011–12

| Ferris State Bulldogs

| CCHA

| 43

| 7

| 22

| 29

| 24

| —

2012–13

| Grand Rapids Griffins

| AHL

| 76

| 10

| 27

| 37

| 40

| 24

| 2

| 12

| 14

| 12

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2013–14

| Abbotsford Heat

| AHL

| 65

| 10

| 32

| 42

| 40

| 4

| 0

| 2

2013–14

| Calgary Flames

| NHL

| 10

| 0

| 3

| 0

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2014–15

| CSKA Moscow

| KHL

| 21

| 2

| 4

| 6

| 8

| —

2014–15

| Luleå HF

| SHL

| 23

| 1

| 5

| 6

| 4

| 9

| 1

| 2

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2015–16

| Linköpings HC

| SHL

| 50

| 7

| 24

| 31

| 14

| 6

| 2

| 4

2016–17

| Utica Comets

| AHL

| 72

| 3

| 17

| 20

| 16

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2017–18

| Linköpings HC

| SHL

| 50

| 4

| 19

| 23

| 20

| 7

| 3

| 4

| 7

| 0

2018–19

| Linköpings HC

| SHL

| 52

| 3

| 18

| 21

| 18

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2019–20

| Adler Mannheim

| DEL

| 36

| 2

| 8

| 10

| 16

| —

2020–21

| Brynäs IF

| SHL

| 26

| 2

| 8

| 10

| 12

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2021–22

| HV71

| Allsv

| 52

| 8

| 35

| 43

| 14

| 15

| 6

| 7

| 13

| 6

2022–23

| HV71

| SHL

| 49

| 3

| 7

| 10

| 12

| —

bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! colspan="3" | NHL totals

! 10

! 0

! 3

! 0

! —

bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! colspan="3" | SHL totals

! 250

! 20

! 81

! 101

! 80

! 22

! 6

! 7

! 13

! 6

=International=

border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" ID="Table3" style="text-align:center; width:40em"

ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! Year

! Team

! Event

! Result

! rowspan="99" bgcolor="#ffffff" |

! GP

! G

! A

! Pts

! PIM

2018

| United States

| OG

| 7th

| 5

| 0

bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! colspan="4" | Senior totals

! 5

! 0

Awards and honors

class="wikitable"

! Award

! Year

ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

| colspan="3" | College

All-CCHA First Team

| 2011–12

| [http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20120307/SPORTS07/203070438/1004/sports10/MSU-defenseman-Torey-Krug-named-to-All-CCHA-first-team All-CCHA First Team - The Detroit News]

AHCA West Second-Team All-American

| 2011–12

NCAA All-Tournament Team

| 2012

| {{cite news|title=NCAA Frozen Four Records|url=http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/frozen_4/2009/f4recs.pdf|publisher=NCAA.org|access-date=2013-06-19}}

ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

| colspan="3" | AHL

All-Star Game

| 2013

Calder Cup (Grand Rapids Griffins)

| 2013