Cody Kunyk Explained

Team:Löwen Frankfurt
League:DEL
Former Teams:Tampa Bay Lightning
Gentofte Stars
SaiPa
HPK
Oulun Kärpät
Barys Nur-Sultan
Position:Right Wing
Birth Date:20 May 1990
Birth Place:Sherwood Park, Alberta, Canada
Height Ft:5
Height In:11
Weight Lb:194
Shoots:Left
Draft:Undrafted
Career Start:2014

Cody Kunyk (born May 20, 1990) is a Canadian ice hockey forward currently under contract to Löwen Frankfurt of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL). He has formerly played with the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League. (NHL)

Playing career

Kunyk played collegiate hockey for the Alaska Nanooks in the NCAA Men's Division I Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA). In his senior year, Kunyk's outstanding play was rewarded when he was chosen as the WCHA Player of the Year and was named to the 2013–14 All-WCHA First Team.[1]

On April 13, 2014, Kunyk made his NHL debut with the Tampa Bay Lightning in a 1–0 shootout win against the Washington Capitals.[2]

As a free agent from the Lightning after the completion of his entry-level contract, Kunyk signed a one-year deal with German-based club, Grizzlys Wolfsburg of the DEL on August 18, 2015.[3] After training and competing in four pre-season games with Wolfsburg, Kunyk was released from his contract unable to reach the expectations of play on September 6, 2015.[4] Kunyk later signed with Danish club, Gentofte Stars of the Metal Ligaen for the 2015–16 season. Kunyk made an immediate impact with the Stars and in 27 games, placed second in team scoring with 13 goals and 29 points.

In the following off-season, Kunyk returned to North America as a free agent, securing a one-year AHL contract with the Utica Comets, an affiliate to the Vancouver Canucks on July 25, 2016.[5] Kunyk responded to his return to the AHL with a career year offensively in posting 15 goals and 37 points in 61 games.

As a free agent, Kunyk opted to return overseas in signing a one-year deal with top flight Finnish club, SaiPa of the Liiga on September 5, 2017.[6]

Following a lone season in the Kontinental Hockey League with Kazakh club, Barys Nur-Sultan, in 2021–22, Kunyk returned to former club, Oulun Kärpät of the Finnish Liiga on a one-year contract on July 20, 2022.[7]

In the 2023–24 season, Kunyk moved to Germany and signed a one-year contract with Löwen Frankfurt of the DEL on June 16, 2023.[8]

Career statistics

Team League GP GP G A Pts PIM
2003–04Sherwood Park FlyersAMBHL3116203619
2004–05Sherwood Park FlyersAMBHL3916153146
2005–06Sherwood Park MonarchsREMHL3221375826
2006–07Sherwood Park KingsAMHL3516163258806622
2006–07Sherwood Park CrusadersAJHL20002
2007–08Sherwood Park CrusadersAJHL511311243452352
2008–09Sherwood Park CrusadersAJHL6125335861103582
2009–10Sherwood Park CrusadersAJHL514443873330112
2010–11U. of Alaska-FairbanksCCHA3812183028
2011–12U. of Alaska-FairbanksCCHA3615173218
2012–13U. of Alaska-FairbanksCCHA3711172822
2013–14U. of Alaska-FairbanksWCHA3722214322
2013–14Tampa Bay LightningNHL10000
2014–15Syracuse CrunchAHL691016263820000
2015–16Gentofte StarsDEN2713162910
2016–17Alaska AcesECHL20220
2016–17Utica CometsAHL6115223716
2017–18SaiPaLiiga5112183051924639
2018–19SaiPaLiiga551423371830332
2019–20HPKLiiga5910394918
2020–21Oulun KärpätLiiga531527422653470
2021–22Barys Nur-SultanKHL3359141051342
2022–23Oulun KärpätLiiga601023331630000
2023–24Löwen FrankfurtDEL5217244122
NHL totals10000
Liiga totals27861130191129205111641
KHL totals3359141051342

Awards and honours

AwardYear
All-WCHA First Team2013–14[9]
WCHA Player of the Year2013–14[10]
AHCA West Second-Team All-American2013–14

Notes and References

  1. Web site: UAFS Beck WCHA player of the year . adn.com . 2014-03-13 . 2014-03-13 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140318081736/http://www.adn.com/2014/03/13/3372989/uafs-beck-wcha-player-of-year.html . March 18, 2014 . dead . mdy-all .
  2. Web site: Former UAF center Cody Kunyk makes NHL debut . adn.com . 2013-04-13 . 2014-04-13 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140415031249/http://www.adn.com/2014/04/13/3424208/former-uaf-center-cody-kunyk-makes.html . April 15, 2014 . dead . mdy-all .
  3. Web site: Grizzlys Wolfsburg undertake Cody Kunyk . . 2015-08-18 . 2015-08-18 . German.
  4. Web site: Cody Kunyk leaves the Grizzlys . . 2015-09-06 . 2015-09-06 . German.
  5. Web site: Comets sign Cody Kunyk . . 2016-07-25 . 2016-07-25.
  6. Web site: Cody Kunyk to SaiPa . . 2017-09-05 . 2017-09-05 . Finnish.
  7. Web site: Forward Cody Kunyk returns to Kärpät . . July 20, 2022 . July 20, 2022 . Finnish.
  8. Web site: Canadian center Cody Kunyk joins the Lions . . June 16, 2023 . June 16, 2023 . German .
  9. Web site: Kunyk, Daniels take top WCHA awards . collegehockeynews.com . 2014-03-13 . 2014-03-13.
  10. Web site: WCHA award winners announced . . 2014-03-13 . 2014-03-14.