Chase Priskie Explained

Chase Priskie
Birth Date:19 March 1996
Birth Place:Pembroke Pines, Florida, U.S.
Height Ft:6
Height In:0
Weight Lb:185
Position:Defense
Shoots:Right
League:NHL
Team:Washington Capitals
Prospect Team:Hershey Bears
Prospect League:AHL
Former Teams:Florida Panthers
Draft:177th overall
Draft Team:Washington Capitals
Draft Year:2016
Career Start:2019

Chase Evans Priskie (born March 19, 1996) is an American professional ice hockey defenseman currently playing for the Hershey Bears in the American Hockey League (AHL) while under contract to the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League (NHL).

Priskie appeared in four NHL contests with the Florida Panthers. He is the first player exclusively born and raised in South Florida to play a game for the Panthers.

Playing career

Born in March 1996, Priskie was originally eligible to be drafted in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft, but was not chosen until two years later when he was selected near the end of the sixth round, 177th overall by the Washington Capitals, after playing at Quinnipiac University for the Bobcats.[1] In his first season, Priskie averaged top four minutes and finished third in points among team defensemen; he was ranked 126th overall according to NHL Central Scouting heading into the draft.[1] He would play three more seasons with Quinnipiac, finishing with over a point-per-game in his final season. During this time, he served as team captain from 2017 to 2019, when he graduated. In his final season, he was a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award and led all defensemen in the country in goals scored, but lost the prestigious award to Cale Makar.[2]

After his final year of college, Priskie was not signed by the Capitals and became a free agent in August 2019. On August 17, Priskie and the Carolina Hurricanes agreed to terms on a two-year, entry-level contract.[3] In his first professional season, Priskie did not make the Hurricanes' roster and was assigned to Carolina's minor league affiliate, the Charlotte Checkers. He appeared in 52 games with the Checkers, recording 31 points. On February 24, 2020, the NHL's trade deadline, Priskie was included in a package with Erik Haula, Eetu Luostarinen, and Lucas Wallmark when he was traded to the Florida Panthers in exchange for Vincent Trocheck.[4] He played the rest of the season in the AHL with Florida's affiliate, the Springfield Thunderbirds.

During the COVID-19 affected 2020–21 season, the Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning shared an AHL team, the Syracuse Crunch, where Priskie appeared in 15 games. As a restricted free agent, Priskie was re-signed by the Panthers to a $750,000 one-year, two-way contract on August 5, 2021.[5] The following season, the Checkers became Florida's affiliate, and Priskie began the season with them.[6] Priskie was called up to the Panthers three times by November 3, 2021, to serve as depth for Panthers defensive injuries, but did not appear in a game.[7] He made his NHL debut the following night against the Capitals due to an injury to Radko Gudas, playing on the bottom defensive pair next to Kevin Connauton.[8] He played 10:37 and recorded one shot on goal in a 5–4 overtime win.[9] In his debut, Priskie became the first Florida player to suit up for the Panthers. His accomplishment was celebrated with several billboards in the Sunrise, Florida, area.[10] Priskie was returned to the AHL on November 7.[11]

A free agent at the end of the season, Priskie signed a one-year contract with the Buffalo Sabres on July 13, 2022, the opening day of free agency.[12] On March 3, 2023, the Sabres traded Priskie to the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for Austin Strand.[13]

On July 5, 2023, Priskie signed a one-year, two-way contract in joining his draft club, the Washington Capitals, for the season.[14]

Personal life

Priskie was born in Pembroke Pines, the only child of parents Jeff Priskie and Lisa Evans, and is Jewish.[15] He grew up a fan of the Florida Panthers.[10] Priskie first attended a Panthers game when he was 27 days old on April 16, 1996.[16] While at Quinnipac, he majored in finance with a minor in computer science, graduating early in 2018. He completed a Master of Business Administration in 2019, also from Quinnipac.[17]

Career statistics

Team League GP GPG A Pts PIM
2014–15Salmon Arm SilverbacksBCHL576142018
2015–16Quinnipiac UniversityECAC43422262
2016–17Quinnipiac UniversityECAC387192616
2017–18Quinnipiac UniversityECAC3711142510
2018–19Quinnipiac UniversityECAC3617223923
2019–20Charlotte CheckersAHL566253122
2019–20Springfield ThunderbirdsAHL52242
2020–21Syracuse CrunchAHL153474
2021–22Charlotte CheckersAHL54823312670110
2021–22Florida PanthersNHL40002
2022–23Rochester AmericansAHL4245910
2022–23San Diego GullsAHL16761310
2023–24Hershey BearsAHL69826344020212146
NHL totals40002

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Goodwill . Sierra . Quinnipiac's Chase Priskie drafted to the Washington Capitals . Q30TV . November 5, 2021 . June 25, 2016.
  2. Web site: Chase Priskie - 2019 Hobey Baker Top 10 . Hobey Baker . November 5, 2021 . 2019.
  3. Web site: Canes Agree to Terms with Chase Priskie . Carolina Hurricanes . National Hockey League . November 5, 2021 . August 17, 2019.
  4. Web site: Panthers acquire Haula, Wallmark, Luostarinen, Priskie from Carolina . . February 24, 2020 . November 5, 2021.
  5. Web site: Florida Panthers Re-Sign Defenseman Chase Priskie . National Hockey League . August 5, 2021 . November 5, 2021.
  6. Web site: Florida Panthers Announce AHL Affiliation with Charlotte Checkers . . September 10, 2020 . November 5, 2021.
  7. Web site: Panthers' Chase Priskie: Promoted Wednesday . . November 3, 2021 . November 5, 2021.
  8. Web site: Cerullo . Chris . Capitals draft pick Chase Priskie set to make NHL debut against former team with Florida Panthers . Russian Machine Never Breaks . November 4, 2021 . November 5, 2021.
  9. Web site: Poupart . Alain . Ovechkin scores No. 740 in Capitals OT loss to Panthers . National Hockey League . November 4, 2021 . November 5, 2021.
  10. Web site: Richards . George . Chase Priskie first to make NHL debut with hometown Florida Panthers . Florida Hockey Now . November 4, 2021 . November 5, 2021.
  11. Web site: Niedzielski . Nicholas . Panthers Recall Lucas Carlsson, Assign Chase Priskie to Charlotte . Charlotte Checkers . November 7, 2021 . November 8, 2021.
  12. Web site: Jourdan . LaBarber . Sabres sign trio of defensemen to 1-year deals. NHL.com. Buffalo Sabres. July 13, 2022. July 13, 2022.
  13. Web site: Ducks Get Defenseman Priskie in Trade with Buffalo . NHL.com . March 3, 2023 . March 3, 2023.
  14. Web site: Capitals Sign Chase Priskie. NHL.com . July 5, 2023 . July 5, 2023.
  15. https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/washington-capitals/features/washington-capitals-andrew-cristall-chase-priskie-jewish-faith
  16. Web site: Richards . George . Born for this: Chase Priskie ready to be first local kid to play for Panthers . . March 26, 2020 . November 5, 2021.
  17. Web site: Born for this: Chase Priskie ready to be first local kid to play for Panthers . .
  18. Web site: It Bears repeating: Hershey wins Calder Cup again . . June 24, 2024 . June 24, 2024 .