Chris Wagner Explained

Chris Wagner
Birth Date:27 May 1991
Birth Place:Needham, Massachusetts, U.S.
Height Ft:5
Height In:0
Weight Lb:198
Position:Center
Shoots:Right
League:NHL
Team:Colorado Avalanche
Former Teams:Anaheim Ducks
New York Islanders
Boston Bruins
Draft:122nd overall
Draft Year:2010
Draft Team:Anaheim Ducks
Career Start:2012

Christopher Wagner (born May 27, 1991) is an American professional ice hockey forward currently playing for the Colorado Avalanche of the National Hockey League (NHL). Wagner was selected by the Anaheim Ducks in the fifth round (122nd overall) of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.

Playing career

Early career

As a youth, Wagner played in the 2004 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with the South Shore Kings. Attended and played hockey at Xaverian Brothers High School in Westwood, Massachusetts.[1]

Amateur

Wagner as a Massachusetts native played junior hockey in the Eastern Junior Hockey League with the South Shore Kings where he and his family lived. In his second season with the Kings in 2009–10 as an 18-year-old, Wagner matched an EJHL single-season scoring record with 83 points in only 44 games. He captained the team to the Southern Division Championship before committing to play collegiate hockey with the Colgate Raiders of the ECAC conference in the NCAA. Wagner's development promise gained notice and as a result was he was selected by the Anaheim Ducks in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.

In his freshman season with the Raiders in 2010–11, he led rookies in team scoring with nine goals and 28 points in 41 games. Wagner continued his upswing in potential the following season by leading Colgate and placing second in the ECAC in scoring. His 51 points in 38 games led all NCAA underclassmen and he was selected in the Second All-Star Team.[2] His two-way presence was noticed as he finished as a finalist for the ECAC's best defensive forward. On April 3, 2012, Wagner ended his collegiate career prematurely when he was signed to a three-year entry-level contract with the Anaheim Ducks.[3]

Professional

Wagner made his professional debut with the Ducks' AHL affiliate, the Norfolk Admirals to open the 2012–13 season, in a contest against the Worcester Sharks on October 12, 2012.[4] In remaining with the Admirals for the duration of the year, Wagner appeared in 70 games with 8 goals and 21 points. In his second season, Wagner continued his development in Norfolk, ending the 2013–14 season, as the only player to appear in every game.

Approaching the final year of his entry-level deal, Wagner was amongst the last cuts to make the Ducks opening night roster for the 2014–15 season. Wagner immediately responded in Norfolk to earn AHL player-of-week honors to open the season.[5] He was soon recalled by the Ducks from the Admirals and made his NHL debut in 2-1 victory over the Minnesota Wild on October 17, 2014.[6] [7] Wagner was recalled on several occasions during the season, used in a physical checking-line role finishing scoreless over 9 games. He increased his scoring presence in the AHL with the Admirals, earning a selection to the AHL All-Star Game. At the conclusion of the Admirals season he was recalled for the Ducks post-season and made his playoff debut in the opening round victory over the Winnipeg Jets.[8]

As a restricted free agent, Wagner was signed by the Ducks to a one-year extension on July 17, 2015.[9] Wagner was amongst the Ducks' most impressive during the pre-season, and made his first NHL opening night roster to begin the 2015–16 season.[10] As the Ducks extra forward, he featured in one game before he was exposed to his waiver eligibility, upon being assigned to new AHL affiliate, the San Diego Gulls on October 21, 2015. He was recalled to Anaheim after three games with the Gulls and played in a further 10 scoreless games with the Ducks as their fourth-line center before he was again placed on waivers. On November 15, 2015, Wagner was claimed off waivers by the Colorado Avalanche.[11] He made his Avalanche debut two days later on the November 17, in a 5-1 road loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs.[12] In his fifth game with the Avalanche, Wagner scored his first NHL goal in a 5-3 loss to the Ottawa Senators on November 25, 2015.[13] Wagner remained on the Avalanche in a rotating role on the fourth-line. After 26 games posting 4 goals, Wagner was placed back on waivers by the Avalanche on February 24, 2016. The following day he was re-claimed by the Anaheim Ducks and directly assigned to AHL affiliate in the Gulls.[14]

On February 26, 2018, the day of the trade deadline in the 2017–18 season, Wagner was traded to the New York Islanders in exchange for Jason Chimera.[15] Wagner played out the remainder of the season, posting just 1 goal in 15 games as the Islanders finished out of playoff contention.

On July 1, 2018, having left the Islanders as a free agent, Wagner signed a two-year deal worth $2.5 million with his hometown club the Boston Bruins.[16] In returning home, Wagner quickly found his role in the Bruins bottom six forwards for the 2018–19 season, establishing career highs with 12 goals and 19 points in 76 regular season games. Adding depth to the Bruins in the post-season, Wagner recorded 2 goals in 12 games before suffering a season ending injury which rendered him unavailable to participate in the 2019 Stanley Cup Finals where the Bruins fell to the St. Louis Blues in seven games.

On November 27, 2019, Wagner (in the final year of his contract) signed a three-year, $4.05 million contract extension with the Bruins.[17]

On October 9, 2021, Wagner was placed on waivers and cleared.[18]

Wagner was called up for the final game of the 2021–22 season in order to rest key Bruins players ahead of the playoffs. In his sole regular season game, Wagner registered 11 hits, winning him a spot on the roster for the upcoming playoffs.[19] Wagner made his playoff debut that year in Game 3 of the Bruins first round series against the Carolina Hurricanes.[20]

Wagner was once again assigned to Providence at the beginning of the 2022–23 season.[21] After an injury to Jake DeBrusk, Wagner was recalled to the NHL team on January 5, 2023.[22] He played one game before being sent back down to the AHL, where he spent the rest of the season.[23]

Following five seasons within the Bruins organization, Wagner left as a free agent and was signed to a one-year, two-way contract in a returning to former club, the Colorado Avalanche, on July 1, 2023.[24] During off-season training, Wagner ruptured his achilles tendon, ruling him out indefinitely into the season.[25] He missed the first half of the season rehabilitating his injury before he was placed on waivers and re-assigned to AHL affiliate, the Colorado Eagles, upon his return to health on January 11, 2024.[26]

Career statistics

Team League GP GP G A Pts PIM
2008–09South Shore KingsEJHL382014347222020
2009–10South Shore KingsEJHL443449837043698
2010–11Colgate UniversityECAC419101926
2011–12Colgate UniversityECAC3817345169
2012–13Norfolk AdmiralsAHL708132165
2013–14Norfolk AdmiralsAHL761414286810 2 3 5 10
2014–15Norfolk AdmiralsAHL4815132865
2014–15Anaheim DucksNHL900022 0 0 0 0
2015–16Anaheim DucksNHL17022192 0 0 0 0
2015–16San Diego GullsAHL156410227 2 2 4 4
2015–16Colorado AvalancheNHL264049
2016–17Anaheim DucksNHL43617617 3 0 3 6
2016–17San Diego GullsAHL301271918
2017–18Anaheim DucksNHL64691535
2017–18New York IslandersNHL151012
2018–19Boston BruinsNHL76127195112 2 0 2 2
2019–20Boston BruinsNHL67641047122134
2020–21Boston BruinsNHL4123524110002
2021–22Providence BruinsAHL6215122739
2021–22Boston BruinsNHL1000030000
2022–23Providence BruinsAHL62191231693 0 0 0 2
2022–23Boston BruinsNHL10000
2023–24Colorado EaglesAHL2186142031010
2023–24Colorado AvalancheNHL13112920000
NHL totals3733827652046171814

Awards and honors

AwardYear
EJHL
MVP2009–10
Offensive Player of the Year2009–10
College
All-ECAC Hockey Second Team2011–12
Boston Bruins
NESN Boston Bruins 7th Player Award2019[27]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Pee-Wee players who have reached NHL or WHA. 2018. Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament. 2019-02-16. March 6, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190306085544/https://www.publicationsports.com/ressources/files/439/Joueurs_Pro.pdf. dead.
  2. Web site: 2011-12 All-ECAC teams . ECACHockeybog.com . 2012-03-08 . 2012-03-08.
  3. Web site: Colgate's Wagner signs with Ducks after 51-point season . USCHO.com . 2012-04-03 . 2012-04-03.
  4. Web site: Admirals double up Sharks to open season . . 2012-10-12 . 2012-10-12.
  5. Web site: Wagner named AHL player of the Week . . 2014-10-12 . 2014-10-12 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141016001751/http://theahl.com/wagner-named-ccm-ahl-player-of-the-week-p194164 . October 16, 2014 . dead .
  6. Web site: Former Xavier star Wagner makes NHL debut . . 2014-10-17 . 2014-10-17.
  7. Web site: Chris Wagner to make NHL debut against Wild . . 2014-10-17 . 2014-10-17.
  8. Web site: Perry leads Ducks to comeback win over Jets . . 2014-04-16 . 2014-04-17.
  9. Web site: Ducks sign centers Wagner, Sgarbossa to one-year deals . . 2015-07-17 . 2015-07-17.
  10. Web site: Three things to keep an eye on tonight . pucksofafeather.com . 2015-10-01 . 2015-10-01.
  11. Web site: Avalanche claim Wagner . . 2015-11-15 . 2015-11-15.
  12. Web site: Avalanche special teams falter in loss at Toronto . . 2015-11-17 . 2015-11-17.
  13. Web site: Avs struggles continue in loss to Senators at home . . 2015-11-25 . 2015-11-25.
  14. Web site: Chris Wagner claimed from Avalanche by Anaheim Ducks . . 2016-02-25 . 2016-02-25.
  15. Web site: Islanders Acquire Wagner. NHL.com. February 26, 2018. February 26, 2018.
  16. Web site: Bruins announce 7 transactions on July 1 . . 2018-07-01 . 2018-07-01.
  17. Web site: Coyle, Wagner sign contracts with Bruins . . November 27, 2019 . November 27, 2019.
  18. Web site: Bruins place John Moore and Chris Wagner on waivers. October 9, 2021.
  19. Web site: Chris Wagner in Playoff Roster Mix for Boston Bruins . April 30, 2022 .
  20. Web site: Wagner in, Frederic out for Bruins in Game 3 against Hurricanes - TSN.ca . May 6, 2022 .
  21. Web site: Wagner sent to AHL as Bruins finalize roster . bostonhockeynow.com . October 11, 2022 . October 11, 2022.
  22. Web site: Bruins place Jake Debrusk on LTIR, recall Wagner . . January 5, 2023 . January 5, 2023.
  23. Web site: Koppanen called up by Boston Bruins, Wagner sent down . bostonhockeynow.com . January 11, 2023 . January 11, 2023.
  24. Web site: Avalanche signs five players to two-way contracts . . July 1, 2023 . July 1, 2023.
  25. Web site: Avalanches's Chris Wagner suffers ruptured achilles . . September 21, 2023 . September 21, 2023.
  26. Web site: Forwards Wagner, Foudy re-assigned to Eagles . . January 11, 2024 . January 11, 2024 .
  27. Web site: Chris Wagner Receives NESN's 7th Player Award. NHL.com. March 30, 2019 . en-US. 2019-06-15.