James Wisniewski

{{Infobox ice hockey player

| name = James Wisniewski

| image = James Wisniewski 2013-11-01.JPG

| image_size = 230px

| caption = Wisniewski with the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2013

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1984|2|21}}

| birth_place = Canton, Michigan, U.S.

| height_ft = 5

| height_in = 11

| weight_lb = 203

| position = Defense

| shoots = Right

| played_for = Chicago Blackhawks
Anaheim Ducks
New York Islanders
Montreal Canadiens
Columbus Blue Jackets
Carolina Hurricanes
Admiral Vladivostok
Kassel Huskies

| ntl_team = USA

| draft = 156th overall

| draft_year = 2002

| draft_team = Chicago Blackhawks

| career_start = 2004

| career_end = 2018

}}

James Joseph Wisniewski (born February 21, 1984) is an American former professional ice hockey defenseman. He most recently played for the Kassel Huskies of the German DEL2. He has previously played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Chicago Blackhawks, Anaheim Ducks, New York Islanders, Montreal Canadiens, Columbus Blue Jackets, and Carolina Hurricanes.

Playing career

=Early years=

As a youth, Wisniewski played in the 1998 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with the Detroit Compuware minor ice hockey team.{{cite web|url=https://www.publicationsports.com/ressources/files/439/Joueurs_Pro.pdf|title=Pee-Wee players who have reached NHL or WHA|year=2018|website=Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament|access-date=2019-02-12|archive-date=2019-03-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190306085544/https://www.publicationsports.com/ressources/files/439/Joueurs_Pro.pdf|url-status=dead}}

Wisniewski started his junior ice hockey career with the Plymouth Whalers of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) in 2000. He improved every year significantly, and was drafted in the fifth round, 156th overall, by the Chicago Blackhawks in 2002.{{citation needed|date=February 2019}} At the start of the 2003–04 season, he was named captain of the Whalers. That year, he scored 17 goals, 11 on the power-play. He finished 24th in overall scoring with 70 points, third amongst defensemen and just six points short of the OHL lead, set by Kingston Frontenacs defenseman Bryan Rodney.{{citation needed|date=February 2019}} For his efforts, Wisniewski was awarded the OHL's 2004 Max Kaminsky Trophy as the most outstanding defenseman. He also took home the OHL's parent league, the Canadian Hockey League (CHL)'s, Defenseman of the Year award.{{cite web|url=http://www.chl.ca/CHLAwards/2004.html |title=Wisniewski is CHL defenceman of the year |publisher=CHL.com |date=2004-05-06 |access-date=2007-11-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927013121/http://www.chl.ca/CHLAwards/2004.html |archive-date=2007-09-27 |url-status=dead }} This recognition gained Wisniewski a contract with Chicago, and a jump to the American Hockey League (AHL)'s Norfolk Admirals, the Blackhawks' top minor league affiliate.{{citation needed|date=February 2019}}

Wisniewski was called up early to the Blackhawks in the 2006–07 season and stuck with the team. However, he tore his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) during the first period in a game against the Los Angeles Kings on March 5, 2007, and was placed on injured reserve, missing the rest of the season.{{citation needed|date=February 2019}}

=Anaheim Ducks=

On March 4, 2009, Wisniewski was traded by the Blackhawks, along with Finnish forward Petri Kontiola, to the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for Samuel Påhlsson and Logan Stephenson.{{cite web |url=http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=412429|title='Hawks get veteran center Pahlsson | publisher =nhl.com | date = 2009-03-04 | access-date = 2009-03-04}}

In the 2009–10 season, Wisniewski entrenched himself in the Ducks' defense corps and scored a career-high 30 points in 69 games. On March 17, 2010, in a game against former team, the Blackhawks, Wisniewski delivered a retaliation hit to Brent Seabrook, his former teammate and good friend, driving his head against the glass. Wisniewski received an eight-game suspension for the hit; the last player to receive a suspension of that length was former Duck Chris Pronger.{{cite web |url=https://www.espn.com/chicago/nhl/news/story?id=5005504|title=NHL suspends Wisniewski 8 games | publisher =ESPN | date = 2010-03-17 | access-date = 2010-05-10}}

File:Wisniewski Pratique Métro 2011.JPG]]

=Islanders and Canadiens=

On July 30, 2010, Wisniewski was traded by the Ducks to the New York Islanders for a conditional third-round pick in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft.{{cite web| url = http://islanders.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=535248 | title = Islanders acquire Wisniewski from Anaheim | publisher = New York Islanders | date = 2010-07-30 | access-date = 2010-07-30}}

At the beginning of the 2010–11 season, on October 12, 2010, Wisniewski was suspended for two games for making an obscene gesture towards Sean Avery.{{cite web| url = https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=337203 | title = Isles' Wisniewski suspended two games for an obscene gesture | publisher = The Sports Network | date = 2010-10-12 | access-date = 2010-10-13}}

On December 28, 2010, Wisniewski was traded to the Montreal Canadiens for second-round pick in the 2011 Draft and conditional fifth round pick in 2012.{{cite web| url = http://canadiens.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=547577 | title = Habs acquire James Wisniewski from the Islanders | publisher = Montreal Canadiens | date = 2010-12-28 | access-date = 2010-12-28}} He scored seven goals to go with 23 assists in 43 games with the Canadiens, as well as two assists in six playoff games.

=Columbus Blue Jackets=

File:James Wisniewski Blue Jackets.jpg

On June 29, 2011, Wisniewski's rights were traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for a conditional seventh-round draft pick in 2012; the pick would become a fifth-rounder if Columbus signed him.{{cite web | url = http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=370367 | title = Habs trade Wisniewski's rights to Blue Jackets for draft pick | publisher = The Sports Network | date = 2011-06-29 | access-date = 2011-06-29 | archive-date = 2011-07-02 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110702171022/http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=370367 | url-status = dead }} He subsequently signed a six-year, $33 million contract with the Blue Jackets on July 1, 2011.{{cite web|title=Defenseman Wisniewski inks six-year deal with Blue Jackets|url=https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=370560|work=The Sports Network|access-date=1 July 2011}}

On September 26, 2011, Wisniewski was suspended for the remainder of the pre-season and eight regular season games by the NHL for a hit to the head of Minnesota Wild forward Cal Clutterbuck on September 23 after the end of regulation.{{cite news | url = https://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/news;_ylt=Ar8BfeKR3lmrlbvZ5o9Eyv57vLYF?slug=ap-wild-staubitzsuspended | title = Wisniewski suspended on wild hit | work = Yahoo! Sports | date = 2011-09-26 | access-date = 2011-09-26 }}{{Dead link|date=March 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} In an injury-shortened 2011–12 season, Wisniewski appeared in 48 games with Columbus, scoring six goals along with 21 assists as the Blue Jackets finished well out of the playoff hunt.

Wisniewski would again suffer another season plagued by injuries in the lockout-shortened 2012–13 season, producing 14 points in 30 games with the Blue Jackets. However, in 2013–14, he scored seven goals and a career-high 51 point in 75 games, tied with the St. Louis Blues' Alex Pietrangelo for ninth in points among NHL defensemen, helping the Blue Jackets clinch their first playoff berth since 2009.{{cite web| url = http://www.nhl.com/ice/playerstats.htm?season=20132014&gameType=2&team=&position=D&country=&status=&viewName=summary | title = James Wisniewski player splits | publisher = National Hockey League | date = 2014-04-01 | access-date = 2014-04-01}}

=Second stint with the Ducks=

On March 2, 2015, Wisniewski was traded by the Blue Jackets to the Anaheim Ducks, along with a 2015 third-round pick, in exchange for Rene Bourque, William Karlsson and a 2015 second-round pick, marking the beginning of his second term with the Ducks.{{cite news| url = http://www.latimes.com/sports/sportsnow/la-sp-sn-ducks-james-wisniewski-trade-deadline-deals-20150302-story.html | title = Ducks acquire James Wisniewski, three others in deadline deals | newspaper = Los Angeles Times | date = 2015-03-02 | access-date = 2015-03-02}}

=Hurricanes and Lightning=

On June 27, 2015, the second day of the 2015 NHL Entry Draft, Wisniewski was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes In exchange for Anton Khudobin.{{cite web|url=http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=772552|title=Hurricanes acquire Wisniewski from Ducks|publisher=NHL|date=2015-06-27|access-date=2015-06-27}} In the 2015–16 season, in his first game with the Hurricanes on opening night, Wisniewski suffered a tear to his left ACL after playing in just 47 seconds, which effectively ended his season.{{cite web|url=http://www.cbssports.com/nhl/eye-on-hockey/25333197/hurricanes-james-wisniewski-played-just-47-seconds-before-tearing-acl|title=Hurricanes' James Wisniewski played just 47 seconds before tearing ACL|work=CBS Sports|date=2015-10-09|access-date=2016-03-25}} Wisniewski's brief shift with the Hurricanes would be his last, for in the off-season and nearing a return to full health, he was bought out from the final year of his contract on June 30, 2016.{{cite web| url = http://hurricanes.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=888006 | title = Hurricanes buyout James Wisniewski | publisher = Carolina Hurricanes | date = 2016-06-30 | access-date = 2016-06-30}}

On August 10, 2016, the Lightning signed Wisniewski to a professional tryout agreement. On October 2, 2016, as part of the Lightning's roster reduction, the Lightning announced that it had released Wisniewski from his tryout agreement.{{cite web |url=https://www.nhl.com/lightning/news/lightning-reduce-training-camp-roster-by-24/c-282317166|title=Lightning Reduce Training Camp Roster By 24|first=Lightning|last=Tampa Bay|work=Tampa Bay Lightning.com|date=October 2, 2016|access-date=October 2, 2016}}

=Abroad=

Wisniewski signed with Admiral Vladivostok of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) for the 2016–17 season and parted ways with the club in December 2016 after 16 games.{{Cite news|url=http://www.khl.ru/news/2016/12/23/333219.html|title=Лугин в "Локомотиве" и другие трансферы 23 декабря|access-date=2016-12-25}} He then headed to Switzerland to join HC Lugano for the Spengler Cup.{{Cite news|url=http://swisshockeynews.ch/index.php/shn/19-international/spengler-cup/8057-james-wisniewski-to-reinforce-hc-lugano-at-spengler-cup|title=James Wisniewski to reinforce HC Lugano at Spengler Cup|last=Wiesniewski|first=James|access-date=2016-12-25}} He helped the club get to the Spengler Cup final and was named to the tournament's all-star team.{{Cite web|url=https://www.spenglercup.ch/en/news/14th-triumph-team-canada|title=14th triumph for Team Canada {{!}} Spengler Cup|website=www.spenglercup.ch|access-date=2016-12-31|archive-date=2017-01-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170101003022/https://www.spenglercup.ch/en/news/14th-triumph-team-canada|url-status=dead}}

On January 26, 2017, Wisniewski signed a contract for a 25-game professional tryout with the Chicago Wolves of the AHL,{{Cite news|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/hockey/news/blues-james-wisniewski-signs-pto-with-ahl-chicago/|title=Blues' James Wisniewski: Signs PTO with AHL Chicago|work=CBSSports.com|access-date=2017-10-11|language=en}} affiliate to the St. Louis Blues, before moving back to Europe, signing with German DEL2 side Kassel Huskies on October 11, 2017.{{Cite news|url=http://www.kassel-huskies.com/2017/10/11/nhl-erfahrung-fuer-die-defensive-james-wisniewski-wird-ein-husky/|title=NHL-Erfahrung für die Defensive: James Wisniewski wird ein Husky!|access-date=2017-10-11|language=de-DE}}

Personal

Wisniewski attended Canton High School in Canton, Michigan.

Wisniewski and his wife Nicole have two daughters. Wisniewski started a clothing line called WizWear. According to Wisniewski, "I always like to dress nice and have my own style. We support the USO of Illinois, the families of fallen soldiers. I wanted to do something a little bit different to set up for a charity than a golf tournament or bowling event. It's something I can have a little bit of fun with also." Both of his grandfathers fought in World War II.{{cite news |url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/chi-25-blackhawks-wisniewski-chidec25,0,7973894.story|title=Blackhawks' James Wisniewski starts fashion line for charity | publisher =chicagotribune.com | date = 2008-12-25 | access-date = 2009-01-10 | first=Chris | last=Kuc}}

Wisniewski is the nephew of former NHL player and coach Billy Dea.{{cite news|url=https://montrealgazette.com/sports/Special+section+Hockey+Inside/4124317/story.html |title=Defenceman Wisniewski brings badly needed dose of power-play magic after loss of markov and gorges |newspaper=The Gazette |author=Pat Hickey |date=2011-01-18 |access-date=2011-02-05}}

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

1999–2000

| Detroit Compuware Ambassadors

| NAHL

| 50

| 5

| 11

| 16

| 67

| 5

| 0

| 3

| 4

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2000–01

| Plymouth Whalers

| OHL

| 53

| 6

| 23

| 29

| 72

| 19

| 3

| 10

| 13

| 34

2001–02

| Plymouth Whalers

| OHL

| 62

| 11

| 25

| 36

| 100

| 6

| 1

| 2

| 3

| 6

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2002–03

| Plymouth Whalers

| OHL

| 52

| 18

| 34

| 52

| 60

| 18

| 2

| 10

| 12

| 14

2003–04

| Plymouth Whalers

| OHL

| 50

| 17

| 53

| 70

| 63

| 9

| 3

| 7

| 10

| 8

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2004–05

| Norfolk Admirals

| AHL

| 66

| 7

| 18

| 25

| 110

| 5

| 1

| 3

| 4

| 2

2005–06

| Norfolk Admirals

| AHL

| 61

| 7

| 28

| 35

| 67

| 4

| 1

| 2

| 3

| 6

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2005–06

| Chicago Blackhawks

| NHL

| 19

| 2

| 5

| 7

| 36

| —

2006–07

| Norfolk Admirals

| AHL

| 10

| 0

| 6

| 8

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2006–07

| Chicago Blackhawks

| NHL

| 50

| 2

| 8

| 10

| 39

| —

2007–08

| Chicago Blackhawks

| NHL

| 68

| 7

| 19

| 26

| 103

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2008–09

| Rockford IceHogs

| AHL

| 2

| 3

| 1

| 4

| 0

| —

2008–09

| Chicago Blackhawks

| NHL

| 31

| 2

| 11

| 13

| 14

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2008–09

| Anaheim Ducks

| NHL

| 17

| 1

| 10

| 11

| 16

| 12

| 1

| 2

| 3

| 10

2009–10

| Anaheim Ducks

| NHL

| 69

| 3

| 27

| 30

| 56

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2010–11

| New York Islanders

| NHL

| 32

| 3

| 18

| 21

| 18

| —

2010–11

| Montreal Canadiens

| NHL

| 43

| 7

| 23

| 30

| 20

| 6

| 0

| 2

| 7

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2011–12

| Columbus Blue Jackets

| NHL

| 48

| 6

| 21

| 27

| 37

| —

2012–13

| Columbus Blue Jackets

| NHL

| 30

| 5

| 9

| 14

| 15

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2013–14

| Columbus Blue Jackets

| NHL

| 75

| 7

| 44

| 51

| 61

| 6

| 0

| 2

| 10

2014–15

| Columbus Blue Jackets

| NHL

| 56

| 8

| 21

| 29

| 34

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2014–15

| Anaheim Ducks

| NHL

| 13

| 0

| 5

| 10

| —

2015–16

| Carolina Hurricanes

| NHL

| 1

| 0

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2016–17

| Admiral Vladivostok

| KHL

| 16

| 1

| 3

| 4

| 39

| —

2016–17

| Chicago Wolves

| AHL

| 21

| 4

| 7

| 11

| 30

| 5

| 0

| 2

| 0

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2017–18

| Kassel Huskies

| DEL2

| 33

| 9

| 35

| 44

| 28

| —

bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! colspan="3" | NHL totals

! 552

! 53

! 221

! 274

! 459

! 24

! 1

! 6

! 7

! 27

=International=

{{MedalTableTop|WisniewskiIIHF2008.jpg|200px|Wisniewski at the 2008 IIHF World Championship|name = }}

{{MedalCountry | {{ih|USA}} }}

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

2002

| United States

| WJC18

| {{gold1}}

| 3

| 1

| 2

| 3

| 6

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2003

| United States

| WJC

| 4th

| 7

| 0

| 4

| 6

2004

| United States

| WJC

| {{gold1}}

| 6

| 2

| 3

| 5

| 4

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2008

| United States

| WC

| 6th

| 6

| 1

| 2

| 3

| 6

2018

| United States

| OG

| 7th

| 5

| 1

| 2

bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! colspan="4" | Junior totals

! 16

! 3

! 9

! 12

! 16

bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! colspan="4" | Senior totals

! 11

! 2

! 3

! 5

! 8

Awards and achievements

class="wikitable"

! Award

! Year

ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

| colspan="3" | OHL

First All-Rookie Team

| 2001

CHL Top Prospects Game

| 2002

First All-Star Team

| 2004

Max Kaminsky Trophy

| 2004

CHL First All-Star Team

| 2004

CHL Defenseman of the Year

| 2004

References

External links

{{Ice hockey stats|hockeydb= 55297| elite = 9407}}
{{Official website|http://www.jameswisniewski.com}}

Category:1984 births

Category:Living people

Category:Admiral Vladivostok players

Category:American men's ice hockey defensemen

Category:American people of Polish descent

Category:Anaheim Ducks players

Category:Carolina Hurricanes players

Category:Chicago Blackhawks draft picks

Category:Chicago Blackhawks players

Category:Chicago Wolves players

Category:Columbus Blue Jackets players

Category:Ice hockey players from Michigan

Category:Ice hockey players at the 2018 Winter Olympics

Category:Kassel Huskies players

Category:Montreal Canadiens players

Category:New York Islanders players

Category:Norfolk Admirals players

Category:Sportspeople from Canton, Michigan

Category:Ice hockey people from Wayne County, Michigan

Category:Plymouth Whalers players

Category:Olympic ice hockey players for the United States

Category:21st-century American sportsmen