A. J. Thelen
Encyclopedia
A. J. Thelen is an American
professional ice hockey
defenceman who plays for the Kalamazoo Wings
of the ECHL
and was a prospect
for the Minnesota Wild
of the National Hockey League
(NHL).
in 2002–03, Thelen joined Michigan State University
to play college hockey
. After his freshman season in 2003–04, he was drafted in the first round, 12th overall, in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft
by the Minnesota Wild
. Following his sophomore season with Michigan State, however, he was dismissed by the league for rules infractions.
Accordingly, he joined the major junior Western Hockey League
(WHL) with the Prince Albert Raiders
. Upon completing his first season in the WHL, Thelen was assigned by the Wild to their American Hockey League
(AHL) affiliate, the Houston Aeros
, where he made his professional debut, playing in one game. The next season, in 2006–07, after missing some time due to a knee sprain, Thelen was traded by the Raiders to the Vancouver Giants
, in exchange for defenseman John Flatters and prospect Nathan Deck, where he captured the 2007 Memorial Cup
championship with the Giants as tournament hosts.
Unsigned by the Wild out of major junior, Thelen turned pro in the ECHL
with the Texas Wildcatters
, tallying 35 points in his rookie season.
In 2008–09
, Thelen joined the Florida Everblades
. During the 2009-10 ECHL season, Thelen was named to the ECHL All-Star Team and took part in the skills competition. Thelen won the Hardest Shot Competition with a shot of 101.9 mph. On February 13, 2010, Thelen would suffer another concussion, the third of his career. He attempted to come back a week later, but ended up sitting out the rest of the season due to post-concussion syndrome.
On September 17, 2010, Thelen signed with the Kalamazoo Wings, the ECHL affiliate of the NHL's New York Islanders
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
defenceman who plays for the Kalamazoo Wings
Kalamazoo Wings
The Kalamazoo Wings, nicknamed the K-Wings, are a mid-level professional ice hockey team in Kalamazoo, Michigan. A member of the ECHL's Eastern Conference, North Division, they play in the 5,113-seat Wings Stadium....
of the ECHL
ECHL
The ECHL is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Princeton, New Jersey with teams scattered across the United States...
and was a prospect
Prospect (sports)
In sports, a prospect is any player whose rights are owned by a professional team, but who has yet to play a game for the team, or isn't established with the team yet. Prospects can sometimes be assigned to farm teams...
for the Minnesota Wild
Minnesota Wild
The Minnesota Wild are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League ....
of the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
(NHL).
Playing career
After playing for the U.S. National Under-18 Development ProgramUSA Hockey
USA Hockey is recognized by the International Olympic Committee and the United States Olympic Committee as the governing body for amateur ice hockey in the United States and is a member of the International Ice Hockey Federation. The organization is based in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and has...
in 2002–03, Thelen joined Michigan State University
Michigan State University
Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...
to play college hockey
College hockey
College hockey refers to ice hockey played between colleges with their teams composed of enrolled students. College hockey is played in Canada and the United States, though leagues outside of North America exist....
. After his freshman season in 2003–04, he was drafted in the first round, 12th overall, in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft
2004 NHL Entry Draft
The 2004 NHL Entry Draft was held on June 26 at the RBC Center in Raleigh, North Carolina. It is especially notable because it was the last NHL event to take place before the beginning of the lockout which canceled all the games scheduled for the 2004–05 NHL season.- Selections by round :Listed...
by the Minnesota Wild
Minnesota Wild
The Minnesota Wild are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League ....
. Following his sophomore season with Michigan State, however, he was dismissed by the league for rules infractions.
Accordingly, he joined the major junior Western Hockey League
Western Hockey League
The Western Hockey League is a major junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitute the Canadian Hockey League as the highest level of junior hockey in Canada...
(WHL) with the Prince Albert Raiders
Prince Albert Raiders
The Prince Albert Raiders are a major junior ice hockey team in the Western Hockey League. The Raiders play in the East Division of the Eastern Conference. They are based in the Saskatchewan city of Prince Albert...
. Upon completing his first season in the WHL, Thelen was assigned by the Wild to their American Hockey League
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
(AHL) affiliate, the Houston Aeros
Houston Aeros
The Houston Aeros are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. The team plays in Houston, Texas, at the Toyota Center. They are the AHL affiliate of the NHL's Minnesota Wild.- History :...
, where he made his professional debut, playing in one game. The next season, in 2006–07, after missing some time due to a knee sprain, Thelen was traded by the Raiders to the Vancouver Giants
Vancouver Giants
The Vancouver Giants are a major junior ice hockey team playing in the Western Hockey League . Inaugurated in 2001–02, the Giants have won one President's Cup in 2006 and one Memorial Cup in 2007 in their ten-season history...
, in exchange for defenseman John Flatters and prospect Nathan Deck, where he captured the 2007 Memorial Cup
2007 Memorial Cup
The 2007 MasterCard Memorial Cup was played in May 2007 in Vancouver, British Columbia, at the Pacific Coliseum. The tournament was competed between the WHL champion Medicine Hat Tigers, the OHL champion Plymouth Whalers, the QMJHL champion Lewiston Maineiacs, and the host team and tournament...
championship with the Giants as tournament hosts.
Unsigned by the Wild out of major junior, Thelen turned pro in the ECHL
ECHL
The ECHL is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Princeton, New Jersey with teams scattered across the United States...
with the Texas Wildcatters
Texas Wildcatters
The Texas Wildcatters, who took their name from Texas wildcatters, were an ECHL team based in Beaumont, Texas. They played their home games at the Ford Arena. They were the affiliate of the Florida Panthers in 2004–2005. The team played in Huntington, West Virginia and were known as the Huntington...
, tallying 35 points in his rookie season.
In 2008–09
2008–09 ECHL season
The 2008-09 ECHL season was the 21st of the ECHL. The league welcomed one new franchise, the Ontario Reign, which will relocate from Beaumont, Texas and will play at the Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario, CA. Two teams, the Columbia Inferno and the Myrtle Beach Thunderboltz, will voluntary...
, Thelen joined the Florida Everblades
Florida Everblades
The Florida Everblades are an ECHL ice hockey team playing in the Southeast Division. The team is based in Estero, Florida and plays at Germain Arena . The team has existed since 1998...
. During the 2009-10 ECHL season, Thelen was named to the ECHL All-Star Team and took part in the skills competition. Thelen won the Hardest Shot Competition with a shot of 101.9 mph. On February 13, 2010, Thelen would suffer another concussion, the third of his career. He attempted to come back a week later, but ended up sitting out the rest of the season due to post-concussion syndrome.
On September 17, 2010, Thelen signed with the Kalamazoo Wings, the ECHL affiliate of the NHL's New York Islanders
New York Islanders
The New York Islanders are a professional ice hockey team based in Uniondale, New York. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
Awards
- 2003-04: CCHA Best Offensive Defenseman
- 2006-07: CHLCanadian Hockey LeagueThe Canadian Hockey League is an umbrella organization that represents the three Canadian-based major junior ice hockey leagues for players 16 to 20 years of age. The CHL was founded in 1975 as the Canadian Major Junior Hockey League, and is composed of its three member leagues, the Western Hockey...
Memorial CupMemorial CupThe Memorial Cup is a junior ice hockey club championship trophy awarded annually to the Canadian Hockey League champion. It is awarded following a four-team, round robin tournament between a host team and the champions of the CHL's three member leagues: the Ontario Hockey League , Quebec Major...
Champion
Career statistics
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season Season (sports) In an organized sports league, a season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session. For example, in Major League Baseball, one season lasts approximately from April 1 through October 1; in Association football, it is generally from August until May In an... |
Team | League | GP | G Goal (ice hockey) In ice hockey, a goal is scored when the puck completely crosses the goal line between the two goal posts and below the goal crossbar. A goal awards one point to the team attacking the goal scored upon, regardless of which team the player who actually deflected the puck into the goal belongs to... |
A Assist (ice hockey) In ice hockey, an assist is attributed to up to two players of the scoring team who shot, passed or deflected the puck towards the scoring teammate, or touched it in any other way which enabled the goal, meaning that they were "assisting" in the goal. There can be a maximum of two assists per goal... |
Pts Point (ice hockey) Point in ice hockey has three official meanings:* A point is awarded to a player for each goal scored or assist earned. The total number of goals plus assists equals total points. In some European leagues, a goal counts as two points, and an assist counts as one... |
PIM Penalty (ice hockey) A penalty in ice hockey is a punishment for inappropriate behavior. Most penalties are enforced by detaining the offending player within a penalty box for a set number of minutes, during which, the player can not participate in play. The offending team usually may not replace the player on the ice,... |
GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 2002–03 | USNTDP USA Hockey USA Hockey is recognized by the International Olympic Committee and the United States Olympic Committee as the governing body for amateur ice hockey in the United States and is a member of the International Ice Hockey Federation. The organization is based in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and has... |
NAHL | 44 | 2 | 7 | 9 | 72 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2003–04 | Michigan State University Michigan State University Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,... |
CCHA | 42 | 11 | 18 | 29 | 50 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2004–05 | Michigan State University | CCHA | 33 | 0 | 11 | 11 | 48 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2005–06 2005-06 WHL season The 2005–06 WHL season was the 40th season for the Western Hockey League. Twenty teams completed a 72 game schedule. The Vancouver Giants won the President's Cup.-League notes:... |
Prince Albert Raiders Prince Albert Raiders The Prince Albert Raiders are a major junior ice hockey team in the Western Hockey League. The Raiders play in the East Division of the Eastern Conference. They are based in the Saskatchewan city of Prince Albert... |
WHL Western Hockey League The Western Hockey League is a major junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitute the Canadian Hockey League as the highest level of junior hockey in Canada... |
72 | 13 | 23 | 36 | 79 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2005–06 | Houston Aeros Houston Aeros The Houston Aeros are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. The team plays in Houston, Texas, at the Toyota Center. They are the AHL affiliate of the NHL's Minnesota Wild.- History :... |
AHL American Hockey League The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League... |
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2006–07 2006-07 WHL season The 2006–07 WHL season was the 41st season for the Western Hockey League. Twenty-one teams completed a 72 game season. The Everett Silvertips won the Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy, after having the best record in the WHL during the regular season. The Medicine Hat Tigers won the President's Cup,... |
Prince Albert Raiders | WHL | 23 | 4 | 8 | 12 | 53 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2006–07 | Vancouver Giants Vancouver Giants The Vancouver Giants are a major junior ice hockey team playing in the Western Hockey League . Inaugurated in 2001–02, the Giants have won one President's Cup in 2006 and one Memorial Cup in 2007 in their ten-season history... |
WHL | 30 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 35 | 22 | 1 | 7 | 8 | 18 | ||
| 2007–08 2007-08 ECHL season The 2007–08 ECHL season was the 20th season of the ECHL.Two teams suspended operations at the end of the 2006–07 season, the Long Beach Ice Dogs and the Toledo Storm... |
Texas Wildcatters Texas Wildcatters The Texas Wildcatters, who took their name from Texas wildcatters, were an ECHL team based in Beaumont, Texas. They played their home games at the Ford Arena. They were the affiliate of the Florida Panthers in 2004–2005. The team played in Huntington, West Virginia and were known as the Huntington... |
ECHL ECHL The ECHL is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Princeton, New Jersey with teams scattered across the United States... |
63 | 7 | 28 | 35 | 70 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||
| 2008–09 | Florida Everblades Florida Everblades The Florida Everblades are an ECHL ice hockey team playing in the Southeast Division. The team is based in Estero, Florida and plays at Germain Arena . The team has existed since 1998... |
ECHL | 34 | 3 | 14 | 17 | 27 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 14 | ||
| 2009–10 | Florida Everblades | ECHL | 48 | 8 | 18 | 26 | 52 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2009–10 | Rochester Americans Rochester Americans The Rochester Americans are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League, and a top affiliate of the Buffalo Sabres. The team plays its home games in Rochester, New York, at the Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial... |
AHL | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2010–11 | Kalamazoo Wings Kalamazoo Wings The Kalamazoo Wings, nicknamed the K-Wings, are a mid-level professional ice hockey team in Kalamazoo, Michigan. A member of the ECHL's Eastern Conference, North Division, they play in the 5,113-seat Wings Stadium.... |
ECHL | 65 | 6 | 23 | 29 | 32 | 19 | 4 | 8 | 12 | 12 | ||
| AHL totals | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||