Eric Hartzell Explained

Played For:WBS Penguins
Stockton Heat
Heilbronner Falken
HK Nitra
Position:Goaltender
Birth Date:28 May 1989
Birth Place:White Bear Lake, Minnesota, U.S.
Height Ft:6
Height In:4
Weight Lb:205
Catches:Left
Draft:Undrafted
Career Start:2013
Career End:2018

Eric Hartzell (born May 28, 1989) is an American former professional ice hockey goaltender. He last played abroad for HK Nitra in the Slovak Extraliga (Slovak).

Playing career

Prior to turning professional, Hartzell attended Quinnipiac University, where he played four seasons of NCAA Men's Division I Ice Hockey with the Quinnipiac Bobcats men's ice hockey team. In his final year with the Bobcats, Hartzell was selected to the 2012–2013 NCAA (East) First All-American Team, was named NCAA Top Collegiate Player Hobey Baker Award Hat Trick Finalist, and was selected as the USCHO.com Player of the Year.[1] On April 14, 2013, Hartzell was signed to a two-year entry-level contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

He made his professional debut in the 2013–14 season with Pittsburgh's American Hockey League affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.[2]

At the conclusion of his contract with the Penguins, Hartzell was not tendered a new deal and was released to free agency. Unable to garner interest in the NHL or AHL, Hartzell was signed by the Idaho Steelheads of the ECHL on October 11, 2015.[3] Hartzell appeared in 5 games with the Steelheads in the 2015–16 season, before he was loaned on a professional try-out contract to the Stockton Heat of the AHL on November 7, 2015.[4] After featured in relief in a single games with the Heat, Hartzell opted to venture to Germany for the remainder of the season, linking up with Heilbronner Falken of the DEL2.

As a free agent after his tenure with Heilbronner, Hartzell opted to return to the ECHL signing a one-year deal with the Fort Wayne Komets to share goaltending duties alongside Pat Nagle on August 8, 2016.[5] In the 2016–17 season, Hartzell appeared in 19 games with the Komets for 7 wins. Relegated to a backup role, Hartzell opted to conclude his contract with Fort Wayne and return to Europe, signing a deal for the remainder of the year with Slovakian club, HK Nitra of Slovak Extraliga on January 7, 2017.[6]

Career statistics

Regular seasonPlayoffs
SeasonTeamLeagueGPWLT/OTMINGASOGAASV%GPWLMINGASOGAASV%
2006–07Sioux Falls StampedeUSHL101060505.00.865
2007–08Sioux Falls StampedeUSHL32199218358452.75.913202140703.00.920
2008–09Sioux Falls StampedeUSHL4620222259914213.28.90020273907.39.736
2009–10Quinnipiac UniversityECAC64202991312.61.894
2010–11Quinnipiac UniversityECAC28127615705832.22.927
2011–12Quinnipiac UniversityECAC301211617486412.20.913
2012–13Quinnipiac UniversityECAC42307525226651.57.933
2013–14Wilkes-Barre/Scranton PenguinsAHL25108112335132.48.902
2013–14Wheeling NailersECHL148518434413.13.900
2014–15Wheeling NailersECHL321714118558512.75.9145222551002.36.924
2014–15Wilkes-Barre/Scranton PenguinsAHL2200123602.92.882
2015–16Idaho SteelheadsECHL52302741703.73.878
2015–16Stockton HeatAHL100038000.001.000
2015–16Heilbronner FalkenDEL222714012848013.74.911
2016–17Fort Wayne KometsECHL197709505413.41.888
2016–17HK NitraSlovak158683702.56.918137502702.16.932
2017–18HK NitraSlovak115605392913.23.881
2017–18Quad City MallardsECHL163807775904.56.874
AHL totals27128113575732.520.900

Awards and honors

AwardYear
College
All-ECAC Hockey First Team2012–13
AHCA East First-Team All-American2012–13[7]
USA Hockey College Player of the Year2012–13[8]
AHL
Goalie of the month (January)2014

Notes and References

  1. http://prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com/2013/04/14/penguins-ink-hobey-baker-finalist-eric-hartzell/ Penguins ink Hobey Baker finalist Eric Hartzell | ProHockeyTalk
  2. http://hamden.patch.com/groups/sports/p/eric-hartzell-suitsup-for-penguins-in-31-win-against-ottawa Eric Hartzell Suits-Up For Penguins In 3–1 Win Against Ottawa – Sports – Hamden, CT Patch
  3. Web site: Eric Hartzell signed with Idaho . . 2015-10-11 . 2015-10-11 .
  4. Web site: Heat bring in Hartzell on PTO . . 2015-11-07 . 2015-11-07.
  5. Web site: Komets sign Goaltender Hartzell . . 2016-08-08 . 2016-08-08 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160809175053/http://www.echl.com/komets-sign-goaltender-hartzell . August 9, 2016 . dead .
  6. Web site: American goalie Eric Hartzell coming to Nitra . . 2017-01-07 . 2017-01-07 . Slovak.
  7. Web site: Eric Hartzell Named AHCA/CCM Hockey First Team All-American – Quinnipiac . https://archive.today/20130630060544/http://www.quinnipiacbobcats.com/sports/mice/2012-13/releases/20130412elgops . dead . 2013-06-30 . Quinnipiac Bobcats .
  8. Web site: Penguins Goaltender Eric Hartzell Named USA Hockey College Player of the Year – Pittsburgh Penguins. Pittsburgh Penguins.