Blake Speers Explained

Blake Speers
Birth Date:2 January 1997
Birth Place:Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada
Height Ft:5
Height In:11
Weight Lbs:185
Position:Centre
Shoots:Right
League:EIHL
Team:Belfast Giants
Former Teams:New Jersey Devils
Arizona Coyotes
Albany Devils
Binghamton Devils
Tucson Roadrunners
Västerås IK
Draft:67th overall
Draft Year:2015
Draft Team:New Jersey Devils
Career Start:2016

Blake Speers (born January 2, 1997) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre who is currently playing with Belfast Giants in the UK's Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL).

Speers was most recently with Västerås IK in the HockeyAllsvenskan (Allsv), and has formerly played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the New Jersey Devils and the Arizona Coyotes.

Playing career

Speers began his major junior career playing with the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds in the Ontario Hockey League before he was drafted in the 3rd round, 67th overall, by the New Jersey Devils in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft.[1] On September 21, 2016, Speers signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Devils.[2] On October 11, 2016, it was announced that Speers had made the Devils opening night roster for the 2016–17 season.[3] He made his NHL debut on October 13, 2016 in a 2–1 overtime defeat against the Florida Panthers.[4] After three scoreless games with the Devils, Speers was returned for his final junior eligible season with the Greyhounds on October 24, 2016.

On December 16, 2019, Speers was traded to the Arizona Coyotes as a part of a trade that sent Taylor Hall to the Devils.[5] After recording 4 goals and 9 points in 32 games with their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Tucson Roadrunners, in addition to one assist in 10 AHL games before the trade, Speers signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Coyotes in August 2020.[6]

As a free agent from the Coyotes following the season, Speers left North America to pursue a European career in agreeing to a one-year deal with Swedish second tier club, Västerås IK of the HockeyAllsvenskan, on August 1, 2022.[7]

In February 2024, Speers signed with Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL) side Belfast Giants for the remainder of the season.[8]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular seasonPlayoffs
SeasonTeamLeagueGPGAPtsPIMGPGAPtsPIM
2013–14Sault Ste. Marie GreyhoundsOHL62 19 21 40 129 0 3 3 0
2014–15Sault Ste. Marie GreyhoundsOHL57 24 43 67 1214 3 6 9 4
2015–16Sault Ste. Marie GreyhoundsOHL68 26 48 74 4212 6 4 10 8
2016–17New Jersey DevilsNHL3 0 0 0 0
2016–17Sault Ste. Marie GreyhoundsOHL30 15 19 34 1611 1 7 8 12
2016–17Albany DevilsAHL2 0 0 0 2
2017–18Binghamton DevilsAHL62 12 7 19 26
2018–19Binghamton DevilsAHL43 3 5 8 24
2019–20Binghamton DevilsAHL10 0 1 1 4
2019–20Tucson RoadrunnersAHL32 4 5 9 20
2020–21Tucson RoadrunnersAHL4 0 0 0 2
2021–22Tucson RoadrunnersAHL52 2 3 5 23
2021–22Arizona CoyotesNHL2 0 0 0 2
2022–23Västerås IKAllsv.38 4 10 14 197 0 2 2 6
2023–24Belfast GiantsEIHL15 4 7 11 64 2 0 2 0
NHL totals5 0 0 0 2

International

YearTeamEventResultGPGAPtsPIM
2014Canada OntarioU175th51346
2017CanadaWJC71232
Junior totals122578

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Devils select Blake Speers in third round. NHL.com. October 14, 2016. June 27, 2015.
  2. Web site: Devils sign prospects Blake Speers, Colton White. NHL.com. October 14, 2016. September 21, 2016.
  3. Web site: Devils announce 2016-17 Opening Night roster. NHL.com. October 14, 2016. October 14, 2016.
  4. Web site: Devils Post-Game 10/13/16. njdevilspr.com. October 18, 2016. October 14, 2016.
  5. Web site: Coyotes Acquire Hall From New Jersey . NHL.com . December 22, 2019 . December 16, 2019.
  6. Web site: Coyotes Sign Blake Speers To One-Year Contract . . June 20, 2024 . August 23, 2020.
  7. Web site: NHL experienced center Blake Speers joins Västerås IK . . August 1, 2022 . August 1, 2022 . Swedish.
  8. Web site: Giants announce signing of former NHL forward Blake Speers . www.belfastgiants.com . February 1, 2024.