Wyatt Kaiser

{{Infobox ice hockey player

| name = Wyatt Kaiser

| image =

| image_size =

| caption =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2002|7|31}}

| birth_place = Andover, Minnesota, U.S.

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 0

| weight_lb = 172

| position = Defense

| shoots = Left

| league = NHL

| team = Chicago Blackhawks

| prospect_team =

| prospect_league = AHL

| ntl_team =

| draft = 81st overall

| draft_year = 2020

| draft_team = Chicago Blackhawks

| career_start = 2023

}}

Wyatt Kaiser (born July 31, 2002) is an American professional ice hockey defenseman for the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League (NHL). Kaiser was drafted 81st overall by the Blackhawks in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft.

Playing career

Kaiser, as a Minnesota native, played high school hockey with Andover Huskies in the Minnesota State High School League (USHS). In his final high school year, he joined the Dubuque Fighting Saints of the United States Hockey League (USHL) for parts of the 2019–20 season, having committed to a collegiate career with Minnesota Duluth in the National Collegiate Hockey Conference.

Before joining the Bulldogs as a freshman in the 2020–21 season, Kaiser was selected in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, in the third-round, 81st overall, by the Chicago Blackhawks.{{cite web| url = https://www.secondcityhockey.com/2020-nhl-draft-third-round-chicago-blackhawks-select-defenseman-wyatt-kaiser-number-81-pick-video/ | title = Blackhawks select Wyatt Kaiser with No.81 pick | publisher = secondcityhockey.com | date = October 7, 2020 | accessdate = October 7, 2020}}

In his first season with Minnesota-Duluth, Kaiser was leading the blueline in scoring with 10 assists through 28 games before the season was halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, Kaiser was selected to the NCHC All-Rookie Team.{{cite web| url = https://www.uscho.com/2021/03/09/nchc-announces-all-rookie-team-all-conference-teams-for-2020-21-college-hockey-season/ | title = NCHC announces All-Rookie team, All-Conference teams for 2020-21 | publisher = USCHO.com | date = March 9, 2021 | accessdate = March 9, 2021}}

Following his junior season with the Bulldogs in 2022–23, Kaiser opted to conclude his collegiate career by signing a three-year, entry-level contract with the Chicago Blackhawks on March 15, 2023.{{cite web| url = https://www.nhl.com/blackhawks/news/release-blackhawks-sign-kaiser-to-entry-level-contract/c-342222038 | title = Blackhawks sign defenseman Wyatt Kaiser to entry-level contract | publisher = Chicago Blackhawks | date = March 15, 2023 | accessdate = March 15, 2023}} Reporting directly to the rebuilding Blackhawks roster, Kaiser made his professional and NHL debut in a 4–2 defeat to the Arizona Coyotes on March 18, 2023.{{cite web| url = https://www.espn.com/nhl/recap/_/gameId/401459684 | title = Coyotes beat Blackhawks 4-2, push points streak to 8 games | publisher = ESPN | date = March 18, 2023 | accessdate = March 18, 2023}} He registered his first NHL point, an assist on a goal to Tyler Johnson, in a 4–1 defeat to the Dallas Stars on March 28, 2023.{{cite web| url = https://www.foxsports.com/nhl/dallas-stars-vs-chicago-blackhawks-mar-28-2023-game-boxscore-39650 | title = Dallas vs. Chicago Boxscore | publisher = Fox Sports | date = March 28, 2023 | accessdate = March 28, 2023}} He completed the {{NHL Year|2022}} season, posting 3 assists through 9 regular season games with Chicago.

International play

Kaiser represented the United States at the 2022 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, where he recorded an assist in the opening round-robin game before the tournament was cancelled due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. He later returned for the revised tournament and posted 2 goals and 3 points as Team USA finished out of medal contention in 5th place.{{cite web| url = https://teamusa.usahockey.com/news_article/show/1236103 | title = Team USA drops quarterfinal matchup to Czechia 4-2 | publisher = USA Hockey | date = August 17, 2022 | accessdate = April 23, 2023}}

Personal life

Kaiser's younger sister, Madison, plays collegiate hockey at the University of Minnesota.{{cite web| url = https://www.eliteprospects.com/player/627892/madison-kaiser | title = Madison Kaiser player profile | publisher = eliteprospects.com | date = April 13, 2023 | accessdate = April 13, 2023}} Kaiser’s grandfather, Blane Comstock, was a member of the 1976 Olympic hockey team as a goaltender. Comstock was an All-American at what is now Bemidji State University.

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="100" bgcolor="#ffffff" |

! colspan="5" | Regular season

! rowspan="100" bgcolor="#ffffff" |

! colspan="5" | Playoffs

bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! Season

! Team

! League

! GP

! G

! A

! Pts

! PIM

! GP

! G

! A

! Pts

! PIM

2017–18

| Andover High School

| USHS

| 22

| 3

| 10

| 13

| 14

| 3

| 1

| 2

| 3

| 0

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2018–19

| Andover High School

| USHS

| 25

| 9

| 20

| 29

| 28

| 3

| 1

| 2

| 3

| 0

2019–20

| Andover High School

| USHS

| 25

| 9

| 25

| 34

| 26

| 6

| 2

| 7

| 9

| 8

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2019–20

| Dubuque Fighting Saints

| USHL

| 11

| 0

| 3

| 6

| —

2020–21

| U. of Minnesota-Duluth

| NCHC

| 28

| 0

| 10

| 26

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2021–22

| U. of Minnesota-Duluth

| NCHC

| 34

| 2

| 17

| 19

| 46

| —

2022–23

| U. of Minnesota-Duluth

| NCHC

| 35

| 5

| 18

| 23

| 48

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2022–23

| Chicago Blackhawks

| NHL

| 9

| 0

| 3

| 4

| —

2023–24

| Chicago Blackhawks

| NHL

| 32

| 0

| 7

| 22

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2023–24

| Rockford IceHogs

| AHL

| 37

| 4

| 14

| 18

| 46

| 4

| 0

| 2

| 0

2024–25

| Chicago Blackhawks

| NHL

| 57

| 4

| 8

| 14

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2024–25

| Rockford IceHogs

| AHL

| 17

| 0

| 3

| 7

| —

bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! colspan="3" |NHL totals

! 98

! 4

! 14

! 18

! 40

! —

=International=

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

bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! Year

! Team

! Event

! Result

! rowspan="98" bgcolor="#ffffff"|

! GP

! G

! A

! Pts

! PIM

2019

| United States

| HG18

| 6th

| 4

| 0

| 2

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2022

| United States

| WJC

| 5th

| 5

| 2

| 1

| 3

| 2

bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! colspan="4" | Junior totals

! 9

! 2

! 1

! 3

! 4

Awards and honors

class="wikitable"

! Award

! Year

ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! colspan="3" |College

NCHC All-Rookie Team

| 2021

NCHC Honorable Mention All-Star Team

| 2021

All-NCHC Second Team

| 2023

| {{cite web|url=https://nchchockey.com/news/2023/3/8/mens-ice-hockey-nchc-reveals-2022-23-all-conference-teams.aspx |title=NCHC Reveals 2022-23 All-Conference Teams |work=NCHC |date=March 8, 2023 |accessdate=March 14, 2023}}

References

External links

{{Ice hockey stats}}

Category:2002 births

Category:Living people

Category:Chicago Blackhawks draft picks

Category:Chicago Blackhawks players

Category:Dubuque Fighting Saints players

Category:Ice hockey players from Minnesota

Category:Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs men's ice hockey players

Category:Rockford IceHogs (AHL) players

Category:21st-century American sportsmen