Bryan Little
Encyclopedia
Bryan Matthew Little (born November 12, 1987) is a Canadian
professional ice hockey
player currently playing for the Winnipeg Jets
of the National Hockey League
(NHL).
, Alberta
, he was raised in Cambridge, Ontario
. He grew up with his younger brother Shawn and his parents, Brenda and John.
Little played much of his minor hockey for the Cambridge Hawks of the Alliance Pavilion League until 2001-02 season.
He then played for the Cambridge Winter Hawks Jr.B hockey team at the age of 14, while he attended Southwood Secondary School
until age 15, when he moved on to the OHL Barrie Colts. Little was selected in the 3rd round (50th overall) in the 2003 OHL Draft after a standout season with the Winterhawks.
by the Thrashers. He won a gold medal with Team Canada at the 2007 World Junior Hockey Championship. He played Junior B for the Cambridge Winterhawks
. After four seasons playing for the Barrie Colts
of the Ontario Hockey League
(OHL), he joined the Thrashers' farm team, the Chicago Wolves
, for two games in the 2007 playoffs, recording no points or penalties. According to one local columnist, "He didn’t play much, and he was playing out of position, but the biggest thing was that he fit right in ... he played like he'd been there all season."
He signed a three-year NHL entry level contract with the Atlanta Thrashers and was committed to them up to the end of the 2009–10 NHL season
. He made the Thrashers out of training camp in 2007 and joined the team full time. He made his NHL debut on October 5, 2007, scoring in his first game, the first Thrasher ever to do so. Midway through the season, he was demoted to the Wolves, where he would go on to win the 2008 Calder Cup Championship. He would spend the entire 2008–09 NHL season
with the Thrashers, scoring 31 goals.
Little re-signed with the Atlanta Thrashers as a restricted free agent in August 2010. He signed a three year contract worth $7.15 million. He is now committed to them up until the end of the 2012–13 NHL season.Due to team relocation he now plays for the Winnipeg Jets
.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
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...
player currently playing for the Winnipeg Jets
Winnipeg Jets
The Winnipeg Jets were a professional ice hockey team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. They began play in the World Hockey Association in 1972, moving to the National Hockey League in 1979 following the collapse of the WHA...
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).
Early life
Although Little was born in EdmontonEdmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
, he was raised in Cambridge, Ontario
Cambridge, Ontario
Cambridge is a city located in Southern Ontario at the confluence of the Grand and Speed rivers in the Regional Municipality of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. It is an amalgamation of the City of Galt, the towns of Preston and Hespeler, and the hamlet of Blair.Galt covers the largest portion of...
. He grew up with his younger brother Shawn and his parents, Brenda and John.
Little played much of his minor hockey for the Cambridge Hawks of the Alliance Pavilion League until 2001-02 season.
He then played for the Cambridge Winter Hawks Jr.B hockey team at the age of 14, while he attended Southwood Secondary School
Southwood Secondary School
Southwood Secondary School is a high school in Cambridge, Ontario, Canada, for students in West Galt and North Dumfries.-History:Southwood was founded in 1962. Although it has one of the lower student enrollments in the region, that does not seem to affect performance...
until age 15, when he moved on to the OHL Barrie Colts. Little was selected in the 3rd round (50th overall) in the 2003 OHL Draft after a standout season with the Winterhawks.
Playing career
Little was selected first round, 12th overall, in the 2006 NHL Entry DraftNHL Entry Draft
The NHL Entry Draft is an annual meeting in which every franchise of the National Hockey League systematically select the rights to available amateur ice hockey players who meet draft eligibility requirements...
by the Thrashers. He won a gold medal with Team Canada at the 2007 World Junior Hockey Championship. He played Junior B for the Cambridge Winterhawks
Cambridge Winterhawks
The Cambridge Winterhawks are a Canadian junior ice hockey team based in Cambridge, Ontario, Canada. They play in the Mid-Western division of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League.-History:...
. After four seasons playing for the Barrie Colts
Barrie Colts
The Barrie Colts are a junior ice hockey team in Ontario Hockey League, based in Barrie, Ontario, Canada. There were two previous Barrie Colts team which played Junior A & B hockey in the Ontario Hockey Association, one from 1907 until 1910 and another from the 1920s to 1940s.-Original Colts:The...
of the Ontario Hockey League
Ontario Hockey League
The Ontario Hockey League is one of the three Major Junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League. The league is for players aged 15-20.The OHL also operates under the Ontario Hockey Federation of Hockey Canada....
(OHL), he joined the Thrashers' farm team, the Chicago Wolves
Chicago Wolves
The Chicago Wolves are a professional hockey team playing in the American Hockey League. They are the top affiliate of the Vancouver Canucks of the NHL. The Wolves play home games at the Allstate Arena in the Chicago suburb of Rosemont, Illinois...
, for two games in the 2007 playoffs, recording no points or penalties. According to one local columnist, "He didn’t play much, and he was playing out of position, but the biggest thing was that he fit right in ... he played like he'd been there all season."
He signed a three-year NHL entry level contract with the Atlanta Thrashers and was committed to them up to the end of the 2009–10 NHL season
2009–10 NHL season
The 2009–10 NHL season was the 93rd season of operation of the National Hockey League , and the 100th season since the founding of the predecessor National Hockey Association . It ran from October 1, 2009, including four games in Europe on October 2 and 3—until April 11, 2010, with the 2010...
. He made the Thrashers out of training camp in 2007 and joined the team full time. He made his NHL debut on October 5, 2007, scoring in his first game, the first Thrasher ever to do so. Midway through the season, he was demoted to the Wolves, where he would go on to win the 2008 Calder Cup Championship. He would spend the entire 2008–09 NHL season
2008–09 NHL season
The 2008–09 NHL season was the 92nd season of operation of the National Hockey League . It was the first season since prior to the 2004–05 lockout in which every team played each other at least once during the season, following three seasons where teams only played against two divisions in the...
with the Thrashers, scoring 31 goals.
Little re-signed with the Atlanta Thrashers as a restricted free agent in August 2010. He signed a three year contract worth $7.15 million. He is now committed to them up until the end of the 2012–13 NHL season.Due to team relocation he now plays for the Winnipeg Jets
Winnipeg Jets
The Winnipeg Jets were a professional ice hockey team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. They began play in the World Hockey Association in 1972, moving to the National Hockey League in 1979 following the collapse of the WHA...
.
Playing career
- Played for the Team Ontario in 2003–04 in the World Under-17 Hockey ChallengeWorld U-17 Hockey ChallengeThe World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, originally known as the Quebec Esso Cup, is an international ice hockey tournament held annually in Canada. The tournament does not operate during years in which the Canada Winter Games are held. As such, the World Under-17 Challenge is held three out of every...
in NewfoundlandNewfoundland and LabradorNewfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...
, winning a gold medal. - Played with CanadianCanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
National Under-18 Summer Team at the 2004 World Junior CupIIHF World U18 ChampionshipsThe IIHF World U18 Championship is an annual event organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation for national under-18 ice hockey teams from around the world. The tournament is usually played in April and is organized according to a system similar to Ice Hockey World Championships and World...
in BřeclavBreclavBřeclav is a town in the South Moravian Region, Czech Republic, approximately 55 km southeast of Brno. It is located at the border with Lower Austria on the Dyje River. The nearest large town on Austrian territory is Hohenau an der March...
, Czech RepublicCzech RepublicThe Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
. - Invited to the December 2005 Canadian World JuniorWorld Junior Ice Hockey ChampionshipsThe International Ice Hockey Federation World Under 20 Championship is an annual event organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation for national under-20 ice hockey teams from around the world...
hockey team selection camp. - Played in 2006 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...
-NHLNational Hockey LeagueThe 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...
Top Prospects Game. - Member of the gold-medal winning 2007 Canadian World Junior hockey team2007 World Junior Ice Hockey ChampionshipsThe 2007 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships was the 2007 edition of the World Junior Ice Hockey Championships and was held in Mora and Leksand, Sweden between December 26, 2006 and January 5, 2007. The venues were FM Mattsson Arena in Mora, and Ejendals Arena in Leksand...
. - Played 2 games in the 2007 Calder CupCalder CupThe Calder Cup is awarded annually to the playoff champion of the American Hockey League. The trophy is the world's second oldest continuous professional ice hockey championship, having first been awarded in 1937 following the 1936-37 AHL season, and continuously being awarded every year.The cup...
playoffs with the Chicago Wolves. - Won the Calder Cup with the 2007–08 Chicago Wolves.
Awards
- 2003–04 OHL Rookie of the Year
- 2003–04 OHL Eastern Conference Coach's Poll
- "Smartest Player" (3rd star).
- 2004–05 Barrie Colts team Alternate Captain.
- 2004–05 OHL Eastern Conference Coach's Poll
- "Smartest Player" (2nd star), "Hardest Worker" (2nd star), "Most Dangerous in the Goal Area" (2nd star).
- 2004–05 Eastern Conference OHLOntario Hockey LeagueThe Ontario Hockey League is one of the three Major Junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League. The league is for players aged 15-20.The OHL also operates under the Ontario Hockey Federation of Hockey Canada....
All-Star. - 2005–06 Barrie Colts team Captain.
- 2005–06 OHL Eastern Conference Coach's Poll
- "Hardest Worker", "Best Playmaker", "Most Dangerous in the Goal Area", "Best on Face-Offs", "Best Shot" (2nd star).
- 2005–06 Eastern Conference OHLOntario Hockey LeagueThe Ontario Hockey League is one of the three Major Junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League. The league is for players aged 15-20.The OHL also operates under the Ontario Hockey Federation of Hockey Canada....
All-Star. - 2006–07 Barrie Colts team Captain.
- 2006–07 OHL Eastern Conference Coach's Poll
- "Hardest Worker", "Best Playmaker" (2nd star), "Most Dangerous in the Goal Area" (3rd star), "Best Shot", "Hardest Shot" (3rd star), "Best on Face-Offs".
- 2006–07 OHLOntario Hockey LeagueThe Ontario Hockey League is one of the three Major Junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League. The league is for players aged 15-20.The OHL also operates under the Ontario Hockey Federation of Hockey Canada....
All-Star. - 2006–07 Set the Barrie ColtsBarrie ColtsThe Barrie Colts are a junior ice hockey team in Ontario Hockey League, based in Barrie, Ontario, Canada. There were two previous Barrie Colts team which played Junior A & B hockey in the Ontario Hockey Association, one from 1907 until 1910 and another from the 1920s to 1940s.-Original Colts:The...
current club record for most goals scored with the team. - 2006–07 Set the Barrie ColtsBarrie ColtsThe Barrie Colts are a junior ice hockey team in Ontario Hockey League, based in Barrie, Ontario, Canada. There were two previous Barrie Colts team which played Junior A & B hockey in the Ontario Hockey Association, one from 1907 until 1910 and another from the 1920s to 1940s.-Original Colts:The...
current club record for most points earned with the team. - 2010–11 Dan Snyder Memorial AwardDan Snyder Memorial AwardThe Dan Snyder Memorial Award was awarded each year to the player of the Atlanta Thrashers who best embodies perseverance, dedication and hard work without reward or recognition, so that his team and teammates might succeed....
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 | Cambridge Winterhawks Cambridge Winterhawks The Cambridge Winterhawks are a Canadian junior ice hockey team based in Cambridge, Ontario, Canada. They play in the Mid-Western division of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League.-History:... |
MWJBHL Midwestern Junior B Hockey League The Mid-Western Junior Hockey League was a junior ice hockey league in Ontario, Canada, sanctioned by the Ontario Hockey Association from 1973 until 2007. As of 2007, the league has become a division of the newly formed Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League... |
40 | 20 | 15 | 35 | 14 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2003–04 | Barrie Colts Barrie Colts The Barrie Colts are a junior ice hockey team in Ontario Hockey League, based in Barrie, Ontario, Canada. There were two previous Barrie Colts team which played Junior A & B hockey in the Ontario Hockey Association, one from 1907 until 1910 and another from the 1920s to 1940s.-Original Colts:The... |
OHL Ontario Hockey League The Ontario Hockey League is one of the three Major Junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League. The league is for players aged 15-20.The OHL also operates under the Ontario Hockey Federation of Hockey Canada.... |
64 | 34 | 24 | 58 | 18 | 12 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 7 | ||
| 2004–05 | Barrie Colts | OHL | 62 | 36 | 32 | 68 | 34 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 2 | ||
| 2005–06 | Barrie Colts | OHL | 64 | 42 | 67 | 109 | 99 | 14 | 8 | 15 | 23 | 19 | ||
| 2006–07 | Barrie Colts | OHL | 57 | 41 | 66 | 107 | 77 | 8 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 8 | ||
| 2006–07 2006–07 AHL season The 2006–07 AHL season was the 71st season of the American Hockey League. Twenty-seven teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Hamilton Bulldogs won their first Calder Cup, defeating the defending champions, the Hershey Bears in the finals.... |
Chicago Wolves Chicago Wolves The Chicago Wolves are a professional hockey team playing in the American Hockey League. They are the top affiliate of the Vancouver Canucks of the NHL. The Wolves play home games at the Allstate Arena in the Chicago suburb of Rosemont, Illinois... |
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... |
— | — | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2007–08 | Atlanta Thrashers Atlanta Thrashers The Atlanta Thrashers were a professional ice hockey team based in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Atlanta was granted a franchise in the National Hockey League on June 25, 1997, and became the league's 28th franchise when it began play in the 1999–2000 NHL season... |
NHL 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... |
48 | 6 | 10 | 16 | 18 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2007–08 2007–08 AHL season The 2007–08 AHL season is the 72nd season of the American Hockey League. Twenty-nine teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Chicago Wolves won their second Calder Cup, defeating the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in the Calder Cup Final.-Team changes:... |
Chicago Wolves | AHL | 34 | 9 | 16 | 25 | 10 | 24 | 8 | 4 | 12 | 10 | ||
| 2008–09 2008–09 NHL season The 2008–09 NHL season was the 92nd season of operation of the National Hockey League . It was the first season since prior to the 2004–05 lockout in which every team played each other at least once during the season, following three seasons where teams only played against two divisions in the... |
Atlanta Thrashers | NHL | 79 | 31 | 20 | 51 | 24 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2009–10 2009–10 NHL season The 2009–10 NHL season was the 93rd season of operation of the National Hockey League , and the 100th season since the founding of the predecessor National Hockey Association . It ran from October 1, 2009, including four games in Europe on October 2 and 3—until April 11, 2010, with the 2010... |
Atlanta Thrashers | NHL | 79 | 13 | 21 | 34 | 20 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2010–11 2010–11 NHL season The 2010–11 NHL season was the 94th season of operation of the National Hockey League . It was the fourth consecutive season that opened in Europe with NHL Premiere . A record three events were scheduled, all in previous NHL Premiere cities: Helsinki, Finland; Stockholm, Sweden; and Prague, Czech... |
Atlanta Thrashers | NHL | 76 | 18 | 30 | 48 | 33 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| OHL totals | 246 | 153 | 189 | 342 | 228 | 38 | 22 | 26 | 48 | 36 | ||||
| AHL totals | 34 | 9 | 16 | 25 | 10 | 26 | 8 | 4 | 12 | 10 | ||||
| NHL totals | 282 | 68 | 81 | 149 | 95 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||