Cody Almond

{{Infobox ice hockey player

| name = Cody Almond

| image = Cody Almond 2015.jpg

| image_size = 230px

| caption =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1989|7|24}}

| birth_place = Calgary, Alberta, Canada

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 2

| weight_lb = 199

| position = Centre

| shoots = Left

| league = NL

| team = Lausanne HC

| former_teams = Minnesota Wild
Genève-Servette HC

| ntl_team = SUI

| draft = 140th overall

| draft_year = 2007

| draft_team = Minnesota Wild

| career_start = 2009

| career_end = 2024

}}

Cody Almond (born July 24, 1989) is a Canadian-born Swiss former professional ice hockey centre who last played for Lausanne HC of the National League (NL). He previously played for the Minnesota Wild in the National Hockey League (NHL).

Playing career

Almond was originally selected by the Minnesota Wild in the fifth round, 140th overall in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft from the Kelowna Rockets of the Western Hockey League. He made his NHL debut on February 12, 2010 against the Atlanta Thrashers,{{cite web |url=http://espn.go.com/nhl/recap?gameId=300212030 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100220021103/http://espn.go.com/nhl/recap?gameId=300212030 |url-status=dead |archive-date=February 20, 2010 |title=Thrashers finally solve Wild in regulation after Bergfors backs Hedberg |publisher=ESPN |date=2010-02-12 |accessdate=2010-04-27}} and scored his first goal on April 4, 2010 against the Vancouver Canucks.{{cite web |url=http://espn.go.com/nhl/recap?gameId=300404022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100410184626/http://espn.go.com/nhl/recap?gameId=300404022 |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 10, 2010 |title=Canucks survive in OT after blowing late two-goal lead, clinch division title |publisher=ESPN |date=2010-04-04 |accessdate=2010-04-27}}

Almond started the 2010–11 season with Minnesota's AHL affiliate, the Houston Aeros, but was recalled to the NHL on November 4, 2010.{{cite web| url = http://wild.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=542589 | title = Wild recall Almond | publisher = Minnesota Wild | date = 2010-11-04 | accessdate = 2010-11-04}}

On June 20, 2012, Almond left the Wild organization for Europe and was signed to a three-year contract with HC Genève-Servette of the Swiss National League A.{{cite web| url = http://www.gshc.ch/Mop/Site/main.php?module=custom:news&selected=6311 | title = Cody Almond - The Mystery Man unveiled | publisher = Genève-Servette HC | date = 2012-06-20 | accessdate = 2012-06-20}}

In his second season with Genève-Servette in 2013–14, Almond broke out offensively whilst still providing a physical two-way game in contributing with 18 goals and 34 points in 44 games. Approaching the final year of his contract he re-signed to a five-year contract extension with Genève-Servette on June 23, 2014.{{cite web| url = http://www.gshc.ch/fr/News/Almond-un-Aigle-pour-cinq-ans-de-plus.html | title = Almond an Eagle for five more years | language = French | publisher = Genève-Servette HC | date = 2014-06-23 | accessdate = 2014-06-23}}

Only two weeks after in signing his extension, Almond was granted a release from the Eagles, after earning a one-year, $550,000 contract to return with the Wild on July 8, 2014.{{cite web| url = http://www.startribune.com/sports/blogs/266203921.html | title = Wild signs center Cody Almond | publisher = Minnesota Star Tribune | date = 2014-07-08 | accessdate = 2014-07-08}} Almond was unable to make the Wild's opening night roster for the 2014–15 season, and was assigned to AHL affiliate, the Iowa Wild. After just five games, going scoreless, and recovering from an injury, Almond opted to leave Minnesota and return to Switzerland on his initial five-year agreement made with Genève-Servette HC on December 1, 2014.{{cite web| url = http://www.gshc.ch/News/Cody-Almond-de-retour-au-GSHC.html | title = Cody Almond back to GSHC | date = 2014-12-01 | accessdate = 2014-12-01 | language = French | publisher = Genève-Servette HC }}

In June 2018, Almond opted out of his contract with Genève-Servette HC to sign a three-year deal worth CHF 1.6 million (+ bonuses and additional costs) with Lausanne HC for the 2019/20 season. Almond should have joined Lausanne in the summer of 2018, but both clubs failed to find an agreement, forcing Almond to stay in Geneva through the 2018/19 season.

During his tenure with Servette, Almond was largely criticized for his inconsistency and his lack of physical condition as he failed to play a single full season over 7 years in Geneva. He eventually played 213 regular season games with Geneva (139 points) and 35 playoffs games (20 points), before moving to Geneva's biggest rival, Lausanne HC.

On February 25, 2025, after not playing all season, Almond announced his retirement.{{cite web| url = https://thehockeynews.com/international/canadian-swiss-cody-almond-retires | title = Swiss-Canadian Cody Almond Retires | publisher = The Hockey News | date = 2025-02-25 | accessdate = 2025-02-25}}

Personal life

Almond received Swiss citizenship in 2012.{{Cite news|url=http://www.bernerzeitung.ch/sport/hockey/Das-Debuet-der-Doppelbuerger/story/18720055|title=Das Debüt der Doppelbürger| newspaper =Berner Zeitung|access-date=2016-03-14}} His maternal grandmother Martha is a native of Olten, Switzerland.{{Cite web|url=http://www.solothurnerzeitung.ch/sport/schweizerkreuz-statt-ahornblatt-und-stars-and-stripes-128671589|title=Schweizerkreuz statt Ahornblatt und Stars and Stripes|website=az Solothurner Zeitung|access-date=2016-03-14|archive-date=2020-07-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200718033227/https://www.solothurnerzeitung.ch/sport/schweizerkreuz-statt-ahornblatt-und-stars-and-stripes-128671589|url-status=dead}}