Colin Long (ice hockey) explained

Colin Long
Birth Date:19 June 1989
Birth Place:Santa Ana, California, U.S.
Height Ft:5
Height In:11
Weight Lb:190
League:ECHL
Team:Adirondack Thunder
Former Teams:San Antonio Rampage
Portland Pirates
Düsseldorfer EG
Krefeld Pinguine
Asplöven HC
Asiago Hockey 1935
HC Gherdëina
EHC Lustenau
Position:Center
Shoots:Right
Draft:99th overall
Draft Year:2008
Draft Team:Phoenix Coyotes
Career Start:2009

Colin Long (born June 19, 1989) is an American professional ice hockey center who is currently playing for the Adirondack Thunder in the ECHL. He was drafted by the Phoenix Coyotes in the fourth round of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft, 99th overall.

Playing career

Long began his major junior career with the Kelowna Rockets of the WHL in 2005–06. After a 31-goal, 100-point campaign in his third season with the Rockets in 2007–08,[1] he was named to the WHL East First All-Star Team. In the off-season, he was drafted by the Phoenix Coyotes in the fourth round, 99th overall, in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft. Late in his fourth season with the Rockets, he was named WHL Player of the Week on March 9, 2009, after recording 7 points in 3 games.[2] Long was named captain for the Kelowna Rockets for the 2008-2009 Season and led them to winning the WHL championship.[3] [4]

Prior to the 2009–10 season, Long turned professional by signing a three-year entry-level contract with the Phoenix Coyotes on October 1, 2009, worth $700,000 per year.[5] [6] He was then assigned to AHL affiliate, the San Antonio Rampage, recording only four points in 29 games before suffering a season-ending head injury in January.[7]

After three injury affected seasons within the Coyotes organization, Long was not tendered a new contract and signed a one-year deal with Düsseldorfer EG of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga on June 20, 2012.[8] Having not recovered from injury, he became a player-coach for DEG until medically cleared to play.[9] After being medically cleared to play, Long proceeded to suit up for Düsseldorfer EG until 2014.[10] On April 4, Long signed a 2-year Contract with the Krefeld Pinguine of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga.[11] [12] After one season with the Pinguine, Long left Krefeld and signed in Allsvenskan League in Sweden with Asplöven HC on July 14, 2015.[13] After recording 21 points in 40 games, Long signed for Asiago Hockey 1935 of the Alps Hockey League on August 1, 2016, recording 42 points in just 29 games.[14] Long then went on to play for HC Gherdëina of the Alps Hockey League for 2 seasons.[15] On May 22, 2019, Long signed with EHC Lustenau of the Alps Hockey League.[16]

After a lone season continuing in the AlpsHL with EHC Lustenau, Long returned to North American after 8 European seasons and sat out the pandemic shortened 2020–21 season. On July 16, 2021, Long returned to the professional circuit in signing a one-year contract with the ECHL with the Adirondack Thunder.[17]

Career statistics

Regular seasonPlayoffs
SeasonTeamLeagueGPGAPtsPIMGPGAPtsPIM
2005–06Kelowna RocketsWHL20134630000
2006–07Kelowna RocketsWHL6911172838
2007–08Kelowna RocketsWHL723169100417210126
2008–09Kelowna RocketsWHL6833589128224121616
2009–10San Antonio RampageAHL2922410
2010–11Las Vegas WranglersECHL501621371250224
2010–11San Antonio RampageAHL50000
2011–12Portland PiratesAHL193584
2012–13Düsseldorfer EGDEL1589178
2013–14Düsseldorfer EGDEL398233141
2014–15Krefeld PinguineDEL30761312
2015–16Asplöven HCAllsv407142144
2016–17Asiago Hockey 1935AlpsHL291032423811381113
2017–18HC GherdëinaAlpsHL11411158
2018–19HC GherdëinaAlpsHL391224363221010
2019–20EHC LustenauAlpsHL291222344
2021–22Adirondack ThunderECHL335162110
2022–23Adirondack ThunderECHL44920291840116
AHL totals53571214

Awards and honors

AwardYear
WHL
West First All-Star Team2008[18]
West Second All-Star Team2009[19]
Western Hockey League Champion2009[20]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: June 18, 2008. From Santa Ana to NHL, that's the Long route. July 27, 2020. Orange County Register. en-US.
  2. Web site: Kelowna Rockets' Colin Long Named WHL Player of the Week . March 10, 2009 . March 9, 2009 . . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090503134415/http://www.whl.ca/kelowna-rockets-colin-long-named-boston-pizza-whl-player-of-the-week-p127793 . May 3, 2009 .
  3. Web site: Oct 23. Wayne Moore-. Story: 42660. 2008 / 1:30 pm . Rockets name Long captain - WHL. July 27, 2020. www.castanet.net. en.
  4. Web site: Kelowna Rockets Win 2009 Kal Tire WHL Western Conference Championship – WHL Network. July 27, 2020. en-CA.
  5. Web site: Coyotes sign Long to entry level contract . . October 1, 2009 . September 13, 2010.
  6. Web site: Hair. Travis. February 14, 2010. Phoenix Coyotes Salary Cap Chart. August 10, 2020. Five For Howling. en.
  7. Web site: Gretzky-generation Californians get noticed at draft . . June 23, 2010 . September 13, 2010.
  8. Web site: Düsseldorfer add NHL draftee to team . . German . June 20, 2012 . June 20, 2012.
  9. Web site: Düsseldorfer EG staff . eliteprospects.com . December 3, 2012 . December 3, 2012.
  10. Web site: Zeitung. Westdeutsche. Colin Long: Techniker mit flinken Händen. July 27, 2020. Westdeutsche Zeitung. June 13, 2013 . de.
  11. Web site: April 4, 2014. Pinguine verpflichten Colin Long für 2 Jahre. July 27, 2020. Eishockey-Magazin. de-DE.
  12. Web site: Düsseldorfer EG: Colin Long bei Krefeld im Gespräch. July 27, 2020. RP ONLINE. February 14, 2014 . de.
  13. Web site: Krefeld Pinguine: Long verlässt Krefeld. July 27, 2020. RP ONLINE. June 3, 2015 . de.
  14. Web site: August 1, 2016. Nuovo centro per l'Asiago, Colin Long è giallorosso. July 27, 2020. SPORTvicentino. it-IT.
  15. Web site: HC Gröden: Colin Long bekommt eine zweite Chance. July 27, 2020. stol.it. de.
  16. Web site: EHC Lustenau will in vier Jahren wieder in der EBEL spielen. July 27, 2020. vol.at. May 22, 2019 .
  17. Web site: Long signs with Adirondack . . July 16, 2021 . July 16, 2021.
  18. Web site: WHL Eastern Conference All-Star Team . WHL . July 8, 2008 .
  19. Web site: WHL Announces 2008-09 WESTERN Conference All-Star Teams and Awards Finalists – WHL Network. July 27, 2020. en-CA.
  20. Web site: Kelowna Rockets Win 2009 Kal Tire WHL Western Conference Championship – WHL Network. July 27, 2020. en-CA.