Dustin Jeffrey Explained

Position:Centre
Shoots:Left
Height Ft:6
Height In:1
Weight Lb:205
Played For:Pittsburgh Penguins
Dallas Stars
Arizona Coyotes
Lausanne HC
SC Bern
Grizzlys Wolfsburg
Birth Date:27 February 1988
Birth Place:Sarnia, Ontario, Canada
Draft:171st overall
Draft Year:2007
Draft Team:Pittsburgh Penguins
Career Start:2008
Career End:2023

Dustin Jeffrey (born February 27, 1988) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey center who played in the National Hockey League (NHL). Jeffrey was drafted as the 171st overall selection in the sixth round of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft by the Penguins.

Playing career

Jeffrey grew up in Courtright, Ontario, playing minor hockey for the Mooretown Flags and the Lambton Jr. Sting AAA teams of the Pavilion League.

On October 9, 2007, Jeffrey signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins.[1] He attended training camp with the Penguins in September 2008, and was assigned to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.[2] Jeffrey tallied his first professional point in his second professional game in the AHL with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on October 11, 2008 against the Philadelphia Phantoms. He scored this goal a minute into the first period on goaltender Jean-Sébastien Aubin.

Jeffrey made his NHL debut with the Penguins on December 26, 2008. He recorded his first point on December 30 and his first goal on January 1, 2009, both against goaltender Manny Fernandez of the Boston Bruins.[3] He was called as spare for 2009 playoffs. Pittsburgh gave him a Stanley Cup ring, and included him on the team picture. Jeffrey however did not qualify to be included on the Stanley Cup.

Jeffrey played with both the Pittsburgh and their AHL affiliate Wilkes-Barre multiple times during the 2010-11 NHL season.[4] He played 25 games with the Penguins during the 2010–11 season, scoring seven goals and 12 points in 25 games. His season came to an end on March 24, 2011, when he was placed on the injured reserve due to a "lower body injury" after Philadelphia Flyers forward Jeff Carter fell on Jeffrey's right knee.[5] It was revealed on April 5, 2011 that he had a torn ACL and had undergone surgery; he required six months' worth of rehabilitation and did not return until the start of the 2011–12 season.[6]

On July 12, 2011 Jeffrey signed a two-year, two-way contract with the Penguins worth $575,000 annually at the NHL level.[7] On October 10, 2012, with the NHL lock-out in effect, Jeffrey signed a temporary contract with Croatian club KHL Medveščak Zagreb of the Austrian Hockey League.

On November 17, 2013, Jeffrey was put on waivers by the Penguins and claimed by the Dallas Stars.[8] On June 17, 2014, the Texas Stars won the Calder Cup for the first time in franchise history. Jeffrey wasn't given a qualifying offer before the Restricted Free Agent deadline, from the Stars, making him an unrestricted free agent.

On July 2, 2014, Jeffrey signed a one-year free agent contract with the Vancouver Canucks.[9] He was traded to the New York Islanders in exchange for Cory Conacher on March 2, 2015.[10]

On July 1, 2015, Jeffrey continued his journeyman career in signing a one-year, two-way contract as a free agent with the Arizona Coyotes.[11] In the 2015–16 season, Jeffrey maintained his offensive prowess in the AHL with affiliate, the Springfield Falcons. He was recalled by the Coyotes on two occasions appearing in 7 games for a goal and assist. After scoring 46 points in just 45 games, Jeffrey was dealt by the Coyotes alongside Dan O'Donoghue and James Melindy in a return to the Pittsburgh Penguins organization in exchange for Matia Marcantuoni on February 29, 2016. He was directly assigned to continue the season with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.[12]

On June 3, 2016, Jeffrey left North America and agreed to a two-year contract with Lausanne HC of the National League (NL).[13] On December 20, 2017, Jeffrey agreed to an early two-year contract extension with Lausanne through the 2019–20 season. On November 21, 2019, it was announced that this would be Jeffrey's final season with Lausanne as the team didn't wish to extend his contract. A few days later, on December 4, 2019, Jeffrey agreed to a two-year deal with SC Bern for the 2020/21 and 2021/22 season.

Following the conclusion of his contract with Bern, Jeffrey moved to Germany as a free agent by agreeing to a one-year contract with Grizzlys Wolfsburg of the DEL on July 18, 2022.[14]

Coaching career

On November 17, 2023, Jeffrey was announced as Assistant Coach of the Sarnia Sting.[15]

Career statistics

  Regular season Playoffs
SeasonTeamLeagueGPGAPtsPIMGPGAPtsPIM
2004–05Mississauga IceDogsOHL5310152520
2005–06Mississauga IceDogsOHL30691526
2005–06Sault Ste. Marie GreyhoundsOHL391211231041232
2006–07Sault Ste. Marie GreyhoundsOHL6834589240136121811
2007–08Sault Ste. Marie GreyhoundsOHL563859973014381112
2007–08Wilkes-Barre/Scranton PenguinsAHL152134
2008–09Wilkes-Barre/Scranton PenguinsAHL63112637311255108
Pittsburgh PenguinsNHL141230
2009–10Wilkes-Barre/Scranton PenguinsAHL772447711640116
Pittsburgh PenguinsNHL10000
2010–11Wilkes-Barre/Scranton PenguinsAHL401728458
Pittsburgh PenguinsNHL2575124
Pittsburgh PenguinsNHL264262
2011–12Wilkes-Barre/Scranton PenguinsAHL20110
2012–13KHL Medvescak ZagrebEBEL2011122320
Pittsburgh PenguinsNHL243362
Pittsburgh PenguinsNHL100112
2013–14Dallas StarsNHL242130
2013–14Texas StarsAHL21461021975122
2014–15Utica CometsAHL4917244118
2014–15Bridgeport Sound TigersAHL20815234
2015–16Springfield FalconsAHL4513334618
2015–16Arizona CoyotesNHL71122
2015–16Wilkes-Barre/Scranton PenguinsAHL19711182101780
2016–17Lausanne HCNLA49182846840110
2017–18Lausanne HCNL501344574
2018–19Lausanne HCNL441531461085382
2019–20Lausanne HCNL501223352
2020–21SC BernNL481627431290554
2021–22SC BernNL23481212
2022–23Grizzlys WolfsburgDEL5412415322141232
NHL totals13118153312
NL totals26478161239482159146

Awards and honours

AwardYear
AHL
All-Star Game
Calder Cup winner (Texas Stars)2014
Second All-Star Team2016[16]
Spengler Cup
Spengler Cup winner (Team Canada)2017, 2019
National League
League leader, assists2018
League leader, points2018
Swiss Cup winner (SC Bern) 2021

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Penguins sign center to entry-level contract. Dave. Molinari. October 9, 2007. March 2, 2015.
  2. Web site: Pens reduce roster to 42 players. National Hockey League. September 28, 2008. February 3, 2011.
  3. News: Associated Press. Bruins extend winning streak to 10. Yahoo! Sports. January 1, 2009. January 2, 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20090105074720/http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/recap?gid=2009010101&prov=ap. January 5, 2009 . live.
  4. Web site: Jeffrey's road well traveled. January 24, 2011. Yoshe. Josh. March 2, 2015. Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. https://web.archive.org/web/20110129001259/http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/penguins/s_719554.html. January 29, 2011. dead.
  5. News: Penguins Notebook: Orpik expected to return next week. Shelly Anderson. March 26, 2011. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
  6. Web site: Penguins beat Devils, 4–2, move a step closer to home ice in playoffs. Dave Molinari. April 6, 2011. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette`.
  7. Web site: Pens re-sign Dustin Jeffrey. National Hockey League. July 12, 2011. July 12, 2011.
  8. Web site: Stars add depth with waiver claim Jeffrey. National Hockey League. November 17, 2013. November 17, 2013.
  9. Web site: Canucks sign centers Cal O'Reilly, Dustin Jeffrey and Defenesman Bobby Saguinetti . . July 2, 2014 . July 1, 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140714181533/http://www.princegeorgecitizen.com/news/local/canucks-sign-centres-dustin-jeffrey-cal-o-reilly-and-bobby-sanguinetti-1.1190538 . July 14, 2014 .
  10. Web site: Islanders Acquire Jeffrey. National Hockey League. March 2, 2015. March 2, 2015.
  11. Web site: Coyotes sign Dustin Jeffrey to one-year, two-way contract . . 2015-07-01 . 2015-07-01.
  12. Web site: Penguins re-acquire forward Dustin Jeffrey . . 2016-02-29 . 2016-02-29.
  13. Web site: Lausanne HC has found their fourth import player in Dustin Jeffrey . swisshockeynews.ch . 2016-06-03 . 2016-06-03.
  14. Web site: Top center Dustin Jeffrey to Wolfsburg . . July 18, 2022 . July 18, 2022 . German.
  15. Web site: Sting Announce Dustin Jeffrey as New Assistant Coach . . November 17, 2023 . November 17, 2023 . English.
  16. Web site: First, Second Team All-Stars announced . . 2016-04-07 . 2016-04-07 . 2016-06-11 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160611041240/http://theahl.com/first-second-team-all-stars-announced-p202045 . dead .