Alex Friesen Explained

Team:Fischtown Pinguins
League:DEL
Former Teams:Vancouver Canucks
Leksands IF
Position:Centre
Height Ft:5
Height In:10
Weight Lb:186
Shoots:Left
Birth Date:30 January 1991
Birth Place:St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada
Draft:172nd overall
Draft Year:2010
Draft Team:Vancouver Canucks
Career Start:2013

Alex Friesen (born January 30, 1991) is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward currently playing for the Fischtown Pinguins in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL). He was selected by the Vancouver Canucks in the 6th round (172nd overall) in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.

Playing career

Friesen played his junior ice hockey career with the Niagara Ice Dogs of the Ontario Hockey League. He scored his first pro goal on February 1, 2013, against the Milwaukee Admirals while playing with the Chicago Wolves. He was a member of the Utica Comets team that made it to the Calder Cup Finals in 2015, they lost to the Manchester Monarchs in 5 games.

On June 22, 2015, Friesen signed a two-year contract extension worth $575,000.[1] During the 2015–16 season, Friesen made his NHL debut on February 15, 2016, with the Canucks in a 5-2 loss to the Minnesota Wild.[2]

On July 2, 2016, having left the Canucks as a free agent, Friesen agreed to a one-year, two-way contract with the St. Louis Blues.[3] In his return to the Chicago Wolves in the 2016–17 season, Friesen's offensive production dropped in registering just 3 goals and 12 points in 76 games.

As an impending free agent, Friesen opted to pursue a European career, agreeing to an initial one-year deal with Leksands IF of the HockeyAllsvenskan on June 6, 2017.[4] In his debut season in Sweden in 2017–18, Friesen adapted his offensive game in scoring 44 points in 52 games with Leksands.

At the conclusion of his contract, Friesen left as a free agent and agreed to a two-year contract with German outfit, Fischtown Pinguins of the DEL, on June 29, 2018.[5]

Career statistics

Team League GP GPG A Pts PIM
2007–08Niagara Ice DogsOHL46 5 9 14 2610 0 2 2 6
2008–09Niagara Ice DogsOHL64 11 22 33 9412 3 7 10 25
2009–10Niagara Ice DogsOHL60 23 37 60 9414 2 8 10 19
2010–11Niagara Ice DogsOHL60 26 40 66 6114 2 8 10 19
2011–12Niagara Ice DogsOHL62 26 45 71 10620 8 14 22 18
2012–13Chicago Wolves42 1 4 5 22
2012–13Kalamazoo Wings10 0 4 42
2013–14Utica CometsAHL 54 6 14 20 32
2014–15Utica CometsAHL 60 10 20 30 5723 4 6 10 12
2015–16Utica CometsAHL65 14 17 31 754 1 1 2 2
2015–161 0 0 0 0
2016–17Chicago WolvesAHL76 3 9 12 4710 1 3 4 8
2017–18Leksands IF52 15 29 44 3611 12335
2018–19Fischtown PinguinsDEL50 10 20 30 1053 1 2 3 2
2019–20Fischtown PinguinsDEL507253238
2020–21Fischtown PinguinsDEL28717242030110
2021–22Fischtown PinguinsDEL46717246652132
2022–23Fischtown PinguinsDEL561721382881128
2023–24Fischtown PinguinsDEL5282230851433615
AHL totals297 34 64 98 23337 6 10 16 22
NHL totals1 0 0 0 0

Notes and References

  1. News: Canucks re-sign Ronalds Kenins, Alex Friesen . . 2015-06-22 . 2015-11-29.
  2. News: Home ice misery continues as Canucks fall to Wild . . 2016-02-15 . 2016-02-15.
  3. Web site: Blues add depth, agree to terms with 9 players . . 2016-07-01 . 2016-07-01.
  4. Web site: Alex Friesen strengthen's Leksands IF . . 2017-06-06 . 2017-06-06 . Swedish.
  5. Web site: Former NHL forward Friesen signs with Pinguins . . 2018-06-29 . 2018-06-29 . German.