Sean Sullivan (ice hockey)
{{Short description|American-German ice hockey player (born 1984)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox ice hockey player
| name = Sean Sullivan
| image =
| image_size = 230px
| caption =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1984|3|29|mf=y}}
| birth_place = Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 0
| weight_lb = 190
| position = Defense
| shoots = Left
| prospect_league =
| prospect_team =
| draft = 272nd overall
| draft_year = 2003
| draft_team = Phoenix Coyotes
| career_start = 2007
| career_end =2020
|played_for=San Antonio Rampage
Worcester Sharks
Lake Erie Monsters
Modo Hockey
Iserlohn Roosters
Hamburg Freezers
Straubing Tigers
ERC Ingolstadt}}
Sean Sullivan (born March 29, 1984) is an American former professional ice hockey defenseman. He most notably played in the American Hockey League (AHL) and the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL). Sullivan holds dual citizenship in the US and Germany.{{Cite web|title = Deutsche Staatsbürgerschaft für Sean Sullivan von Iserlohn Roosters|url = http://www.sport1.de/eishockey/del/2015/02/deutsche-staatsbuergerschaft-fuer-sean-sullivan-von-iserlohn-roosters|website = Sport1.de|access-date = 2016-02-15|language = de-DE|last = Sport1.de}}
Playing career
A Boston native, Sullivan attended St. Sebastian's School in Needham, before he was recruited to play collegiate hockey with Boston University of the Hockey East. In his tenure at St. Sebastian's, Sullivan co-captained the team, and was an All-League selection in both seasons. In 2003, he led all New England prep defensemen in scoring with 39 points in 2003 to also earn a position in the All-New England Team.{{cite web| url = http://www.hockeysfuture.com/prospects/sean_sullivan/ | title = Sean Sullivan player profile | publisher = HockeysFuture.com | date = 2010-05-06 | accessdate = 2010-05-06}}
File:Sean Sullivan AHL.jpg in 2010.]]
Primarily a defensive defenseman in his early years with the Terriers, Sullivan was drafted by the Phoenix Coyotes in the 9th round (272nd overall) of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft. After capturing the HE championship in his Junior year, Sullivan captained the Terriers in his senior year in 2006–07 season and led the team from the blueline to be selected as the Best defensive defenseman in the Hockey East. He was then signed to his first professional two-year entry-level contract with the Phoenix Coyotes on March 27, 2007.{{cite web| url = http://coyotes.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=429584 | title = Coyotes' sign Sean Sullivan to multi-year contract | website = Phoenix Coyotes | date = 2007-03-27 | accessdate = 2010-07-06}}
In his third season in 2008–09 with the Coyotes' AHL affiliate, the San Antonio Rampage, Sullivan developed his offensive instincts and led the team amongst defenseman in scoring with 32 points in 65 games. He was consequently re-signed to a one-year extension with the Coyotes on July 20, 2009.{{cite web| url = http://coyotes.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=451006 | title = Coyotes re-sign Spina, Hoggan and Sullivan | website = Phoenix Coyotes | date = 2009-07-20 | accessdate = 2009-07-20}} Sullivan familiarly started the 2009–10 campaign with the Rampage. In his first 8 games of the season, Sullivan scored 10 points to be awarded the AHL player of the week award and subsequently received his first recall by the Coyotes on October 23 in backup of the injured Zbyněk Michálek.{{cite web| url = http://coyotes.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=503359 | title = Desert Dog Blog: Maloney explains Sullivan move | website = Phoenix Coyotes | date = 2009-10-24 | accessdate = 2009-10-24}} Sullivan was later returned to San Antonio without making his debut to lead the defense in scoring for a second consecutive season with 49 points and earn a place in the 2010 AHL All-Star Game.{{cite web| url = http://coyotes.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=512797 | title = Sullivan named to AHL All-Star Game | website = Phoenix Coyotes | date = 2009-12-30 | accessdate = 2009-12-30}}
On July 12, 2010, Sullivan was signed as an unrestricted free agent by the San Jose Sharks to a one-year contract.{{cite magazine| url = http://forecaster.thehockeynews.com/hockeynews/hockey/player.cgi?3917&showAllMoves=1 | title = Player Bio - Sean Sullivan | magazine = The Hockey News | date = 2010-07-12 | accessdate = 2010-07-12}} He was then assigned to the Sharks affiliate, the Worcester Sharks. In his second season within the Sharks organization on January 26, 2012, he was traded to the Florida Panthers in exchange for Tim Kennedy. He was immediately assigned to the AHL, which marked a return to the San Antonio Rampage.{{cite web| url = https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=386150| title =Panthers Send Kennedy to Sharks for Sullivan| publisher = The Sports Network | date = 2012-01-26 | accessdate = 2012-01-26}}
On July 10, 2012, Sullivan signed a one-year contract with the Colorado Avalanche as a free agent.{{cite web| url = http://avalanche.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=637920 | title = Avalanche signs six players | publisher = Colorado Avalanche | date = 2012-07-13 | accessdate = 2012-07-13}} With the impending lockout coming to affect, Sullivan was assigned directly to the Avalanche's AHL affiliate, the Lake Erie Monsters. Sullivan's 2012–13 season was limited to just 34 games, due to broken jaw suffered mid-season. He returned to health and upon the conclusion of the Monsters campaign he was recalled to the Avalanche, however did not feature in a game.{{cite news| url = http://www.denverpost.com/avalanche/ci_23088240/avalanche-add-tomas-vincour-lineup-vs-blues-st | newspaper = Denver Post | title = Avalanche add Vincour to lineup in St. Louis | date = 2013-04-23 | accessdate = 2013-04-23}}
With the conclusion of his contract expiring, Sullivan signed his first European contract in Sweden, on a one-year deal with Modo Hockey of the Swedish Hockey League on June 7, 2013.{{cite web| url = http://modohockey.se/artikel/38128/ | title = American to Modo Hockey | website = Modo Hockey | date = 2013-06-07 | accessdate = 2013-06-07 | language = Swedish}} In the 2013–14 season, Sullivan failed to solidify a position among the defenseman of Modo and after 10 games he was mutually released from his contract after opting to join the Straubing Tigers of the German DEL on October 13, 2013.{{Cite web| url = http://www.straubing-tigers.de/aktuelles/article/straubing-tigers-verpflichten-verteidiger-sean-sullivan.html | title = Tigers commit to defender Sullivan | publisher = Straubing Tigers | date = 2013-10-13 | accessdate = 2013-10-13 | language = German}} Sullivan instantly regained his scoring touch with the Tigers, and despite failing to qualify for the post-season, contributed with 4 goals and 27 points in 40 games.
After a single season with the Iserlohn Roosters, Sullivan joined his third DEL club in three campaigns, in agreeing to a three-year deal with the Hamburg Freezers on June 17, 2015.{{cite web| url = http://www.hamburg-freezers.de/index.php?link=http://www.hamburg-freezers.de/html/news_07089562-3336-48d3-8962-ec3daaf4ada2.html | title = Sean Sullivan switches to the Hamburg Freezers | website = Hamburg Freezers | date = 2015-06-17 | accessdate = 2015-06-17 | language = German}} He became a free agent after the club folded in May 2016.{{Cite web|url=http://ddexpress.info/former-nhler-schuberts-last-ditch-effort-to-save-hamburg-freezers-fails-del-team-folds/|title=Former NHLer Schubert's last-ditch effort to save Hamburg Freezers fails, DEL team folds|date=2016-05-26|website=ddexpress.info {{!}} the world's sports|language=en-US|access-date=2016-05-28}}
In October 2016, he returned to old stomping grounds, signing a try-out deal with the Straubing Tigers.{{Cite web|url=https://www.telekomeishockey.de/news/17-oktober-2016/4534|title=Straubing Tigers statten Sean Sullivan mit Probevertrag aus|website=www.telekomeishockey.de|access-date=2016-10-20}} On November 29, 2016, he saw his contract extended until the end of the 2016–17 season.{{Cite news|url=http://eishockey-magazin.de/sean-sullivan-bleibt-bis-saisonende-in-straubing/archives/88760|title=Sean Sullivan bleibt bis Saisonende in Straubing|access-date=2016-11-29}} Sullivan left the Tigers after his contract had expired and signed with fellow DEL team ERC Ingolstadt in April 2017.{{Cite web|url=https://www.erc-ingolstadt.de/profis/newsdetail?id=4627|title=VERTEIDIGER SULLIVAN KOMMT ZUM ERC|last=|first=|date=|website=|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2017-04-13}}
On November 6, 2020, Sullivan announced his retirement from professional hockey.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=2020-11-06|title=REIMER UND SULLIVAN BEENDEN KARRIERE|url=https://www.erc-ingolstadt.de/profis/newsdetail?id=6252|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2021-01-18|website=ERC Ingolstadt|language=German}}
Career statistics
| 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 | South Boston High School | HSMA | ||||||||||
| style="background:#f0f0f0;"
| 2000–01 | St. Sebastian's School | HS Prep | ||||||||||
| 2001–02 | St. Sebastian's School | HS Prep | 31 | 3 | 11 | 14 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — |
| style="background:#f0f0f0;"
| 2002–03 | St. Sebastian's School | HS Prep | 41 | 9 | 30 | 39 | 59 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2003–04 | Boston University | HE | 36 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 14 | — | — | — | — | — |
| style="background:#f0f0f0;"
| 2004–05 | Boston University | HE | 41 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2005–06 | Boston University | HE | 40 | 3 | 14 | 17 | 32 | — | — | — | — | — |
| style="background:#f0f0f0;"
| 2006–07 | Boston University | HE | 38 | 3 | 12 | 15 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2006–07 | San Antonio Rampage | AHL | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| style="background:#f0f0f0;"
| 2007–08 | Arizona Sundogs | CHL | 22 | 9 | 16 | 25 | 19 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2007–08 | San Antonio Rampage | AHL | 34 | 0 | 8 | 8 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| style="background:#f0f0f0;"
| 2008–09 | San Antonio Rampage | AHL | 65 | 9 | 23 | 32 | 24 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2009–10 | San Antonio Rampage | AHL | 77 | 12 | 37 | 49 | 32 | — | — | — | — | — |
| style="background:#f0f0f0;"
| 2010–11 | Worcester Sharks | AHL | 73 | 12 | 23 | 35 | 46 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2011–12 | Worcester Sharks | AHL | 32 | 5 | 19 | 24 | 7 | — | — | — | — | — |
| style="background:#f0f0f0;"
| 2011–12 | San Antonio Rampage | AHL | 29 | 1 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2012–13 | Lake Erie Monsters | AHL | 34 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 13 | — | — | — | — | — |
| style="background:#f0f0f0;"
| 2013–14 | Modo Hockey | SHL | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2013–14 | Straubing Tigers | DEL | 40 | 4 | 23 | 27 | 26 | — | — | — | — | — |
| style="background:#f0f0f0;"
| 2014–15 | Iserlohn Roosters | DEL | 44 | 4 | 24 | 28 | 8 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 4 |
| 2015–16 | Hamburg Freezers | DEL | 50 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 49 | — | — | — | — | — |
| style="background:#f0f0f0;"
| 2016–17 | Straubing Tigers | DEL | 42 | 2 | 19 | 21 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 2017–18 | ERC Ingolstadt | DEL | 52 | 3 | 21 | 24 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| style="background:#f0f0f0;"
| 2018–19 | ERC Ingolstadt | DEL | 41 | 6 | 5 | 11 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 14 |
| 2019–20 | ERC Ingolstadt | DEL | 50 | 2 | 14 | 16 | 16 | — | — | — | — | — |
| bgcolor="#e0e0e0"
! colspan="3" | AHL totals ! 350 ! 40 ! 124 ! 164 ! 144 ! 4 ! 0 ! 0 ! 0 ! 4 | ||||||||||||
| bgcolor="#e0e0e0"
! colspan="3" | DEL totals ! 319 ! 26 ! 111 ! 137 ! 117 ! 17 ! 6 ! 4 ! 10 ! 18 |
Awards and honors
| class="wikitable"
! Award ! Year ! |
| ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#e0e0e0"
| colspan="3" | USHS |
| All-League
| 2002, 2003 | |
| All-New England Team
| 2003 |
| ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#e0e0e0"
| colspan="3" | College |
| HE Best Defensive Defenseman
| 2007 | |
| All-Hockey East First Team
| 2006–07 |
| AHCA East Second-Team All-American
| 2006–07 | |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{icehockeystats}}
{{s-start}}
{{s-ach}}
{{succession box | before = Peter Harrold| title = Hockey East Best Defensive Defenseman| years = 2006–07| after = Joe Charlebois}}
{{s-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sullivan, Sean}}
Category:American men's ice hockey defensemen
Category:Arizona Sundogs players
Category:Boston University Terriers men's ice hockey players
Category:Hamburg Freezers players
Category:Ice hockey people from Boston
Category:ERC Ingolstadt players
Category:Iserlohn Roosters players
Category:Lake Erie Monsters players
Category:Arizona Coyotes draft picks
Category:San Antonio Rampage players
Category:Straubing Tigers players