Casey Wellman Explained

Birth Date:18 October 1987
Birth Place:Castro Valley, California, U.S.
Height Ft:6
Height In:1
Weight Lb:185
Position:Center
Shoots:Right
League:Liiga
Team:Oulun Kärpät
Former Teams:Minnesota Wild
Washington Capitals
Spartak Moscow
Frölunda HC
HC Sochi
SC Rapperswil-Jona Lakers
Kunlun Red Star
Draft:Undrafted
Career Start:2010

Casey Jay Wellman (born October 18, 1987) is an American professional ice hockey center currently playing with Oulun Kärpät of the Finnish Liiga.

Playing career

As a youth, Wellman played in the 2001 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with the San Jose Junior Sharks minor ice hockey team.[1]

A native of Brentwood, California, while in high school, Wellman played hockey at Cranbrook Kingswood School in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, winning state titles in 2004 and 2006. He then attended the University of Massachusetts Amherst for two years where he played on the UMass Minutemen ice hockey team. He was signed to a two-year entry-level contract on March 16, 2010, as a college free-agent.[2]

On February 3, 2012, Wellman was traded to the New York Rangers for center Erik Christensen and a conditional 7th round draft pick in 2013.[3] He spent the remainder of the 2011–12 season with the Whale, but after Connecticut was eliminated from the AHL playoffs, Wellman was added to the Rangers' playoff roster.[4]

On July 20, 2012, Wellman was traded to the Florida Panthers in exchange for a 2014 5th round draft pick. He started the 2012–13 season with AHL affiliate, the San Antonio Rampage before he was traded by the Panthers to the Washington Capitals in exchange for forward Zach Hamill on January 31, 2013.[5]

Wellman was called up to the Capitals on December 17, 2013.[6] He was reassigned to the AHL Hershey Bears on December 23, 2013.[7] He was recalled a second time to the Washington Capitals on January 24, 2014 in time to play with the Capitals as they faced Montreal. Wellman scored a goal off of an assist from Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin in the second period and helped the team end a seven-game losing streak.[8] [9]

On June 4, 2015, HC Spartak Moscow of the KHL announced that it has signed Wellman.[10] He saw the ice in 40 games, tallying eight goals and eight assists for Spartak. Upon the conclusion of the 2015–16 season, Wellman moved on to Sweden, penning a one-year deal with SHL side Frölunda HC on May 30, 2016.[11]

After two seasons in the National League with Swiss club, SC Rapperswil-Jona Lakers, Wellman returned to the KHL in signing a one-year contract with Chinese based, HC Kunlun Red Star, on September 16, 2020.[12] With Kunlun later stationed in Russia for the duration of the 2020–21 season due to logistics surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, Wellman contributed with 13 points through 31 regular season games.

Wellman left the KHL as a free agent and was signed to a two-year contract with Finnish club, Oulun Kärpät of the Liiga, on May 28, 2021.[13]

Family

Wellman is the son of former Giants infielder Brad Wellman.[14]

Career statistics

Team League GP GP G A Pts PIM
2006–07Cedar Rapids RoughRidersUSHL50613193061230
2007–08Cedar Rapids RoughRidersUSHL592223453031124
2008–09University of Mass-AmherstHE3911223332
2009–10University of Mass-AmherstHE3623224538
2009–10Minnesota WildNHL121340
2010–11Minnesota WildNHL151124
2010–11Houston AerosAHL42142135142465116
2011–12Houston AerosAHL2614122621
2011–12Minnesota WildNHL142570
2011–12Connecticut WhaleAHL319132210945910
2012–13San Antonio RampageAHL377162314
2012–13Hershey BearsAHL3392130453032
2013–14Hershey BearsAHL5818193712
2013–14Washington CapitalsNHL132130
2014–15Hershey BearsAHL7325295428103368
2015–16HC Spartak MoscowKHL40881620
2016–17Frölunda HCSHL4514193321497166
2017–18HC SochiKHL471021316
2018–19SC Rapperswil-Jona LakersNL391792610
2019–20SC Rapperswil-Jona LakersNL24913222
2020–21Kunlun Red StarKHL31581314
NHL totals54610164

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Pee-Wee players who have reached NHL or WHA. 2018. Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament. 2019-02-15. March 6, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190306085544/https://www.publicationsports.com/ressources/files/439/Joueurs_Pro.pdf. dead.
  2. Web site: Wild signs Wellman, recalls Falk . . 2010-03-16 . 2010-09-01.
  3. News: Rangers trade Christensen, Draft Pick to Wild for Wellman. The Sports Network. 2012-02-03 . 2012-02-03.
  4. Web site: McIlrath added to Rangers playoff roster. Gourlie, M.. Moose Jaw Times-Herald. May 15, 2012. 2012-05-16. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20131022101435/http://www.mjtimes.sk.ca/Sports/Hockey/2012-05-15/article-2980222/McIlrath-added-to-Rangers-playoff-roster/1. October 22, 2013. mdy-all.
  5. Web site: Capitals Acquire Casey Wellman from Florida . . 2013-01-31 . 2013-01-31.
  6. http://capitalstoday.monumentalnetwork.com/2013/12/17/capitals-recall-center-casey-wellman-from-hershey Capitals Recall Center Casey Wellman from Hershey
  7. Web site: Capitals re-assign center Casey Wellman to Hershey . capitalstoday.com . 2013-12-23 . 2013-12-13.
  8. Web site: Capitals recall Wellman . pennlive.com . 2014-01-25 . 2014-01-25.
  9. Web site: Ovechkin scores as Caps top Habs 5-0 . metro news.ca . 2014-01-26 . 2014-01-26 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140130031637/http://metronews.ca/sports/921456/ovechkin-scores-as-caps-top-habs-5-0/ . January 30, 2014 . dead .
  10. Web site: Casey Wellman signs with HC Spartak Moscow of KHL. June 4, 2015. June 4, 2015. The Score. Mcwilliam. Bryan.
  11. Web site: Wellman till Frölunda. Frölunda Indians. 2016-05-30.
  12. Web site: Wellman, Kristo, Shinkaruk sign one-year contracts with Kunlun . . . September 16, 2020 . September 16, 2020 . Russian.
  13. Web site: Casey Wellman and Troy Bourke confirmed to Karpat . . May 28, 2021 . May 28, 2021 . Finnish.
  14. News: Brentwood native Casey Wellman expected to make NHL debut tonight for Minnesota Wild . . 2010-03-20 . 2010-03-30.