Kellan Lain Explained

Position:Centre
Shoots:Left
Height Ft:6
Height In:6
Weight Lb:220
Played For:Vancouver Canucks
Birth Date:August 11, 1989
Birth Place:Oakville, Ontario, Canada
Draft:Undrafted
Career Start:2012
Career End:2017

Kellan Lain (born August 11, 1989) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey forward who most recently played for the Idaho Steelheads of the ECHL.

Playing career

Following the completion of his junior playing career, Lain played college hockey for the Lake Superior State Lakers. He played three seasons for the Lakers registering 21 goals, 39 points, and 210 penalty minutes in 108 games. After graduating, Lain signed with the Vancouver Canucks on a one-year contract.[1]

Upon signing with Vancouver, Lain joined their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Chicago Wolves.[2] He played in 13 games for Chicago and did not register a point. Though he failed to score, Lain was re-signed by Vancouver in the off-season to a two-way, two-year, $1.2 million contract.[3] Lain was seen as a possible candidate for the fourth line centre positions heading into Canucks training camp for the 2013–14 season.[3] [4] He failed to make the team and was assigned to the Canucks' new AHL affiliate, the Utica Comets. Upon joining the Comets, Lain was re-united with former Blades teammate Jeremy Welsh and Oakville native Brandon DeFazio.[5] Lain played 19 games for Utica before scoring his first professional goal. It was part of a two-goal performance against goaltender Joey MacDonald, helping the Comets to a 4–3 overtime win over the Abbotsford Heat.[6]

Lain made his NHL debut on January 18, 2014, in a home game against the Calgary Flames. Lain set an NHL record for the fastest fight and fastest game misconduct to start a career at 2 seconds, during a brawl off the opening faceoff, surpassing the previous record of 12 seconds set by John Ferguson of the Montreal Canadiens in a fight with Ted Green of the Boston Bruins on October 8, 1963.[7] [8] Three days later, Lain scored his first and only NHL goal in his second shift of the game. It was his first shot on goal, and it was scored on Ben Scrivens of the Edmonton Oilers in a 2–1 Vancouver victory.[9] [10] Lain played eight games for Vancouver before being reassigned to Utica for the Olympic break.[11] While playing in the Olympics, Canucks' centre Ryan Kesler suffered a hand injury and Lain was recalled from Utica when the Canucks returned from the break.[12] Five days later, Lain was again reassigned to the Comets after playing in one game.[13]

On November 20, 2014, Lain was traded by the Canucks to the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for centre Will Acton.[14] He was assigned to the Oiler's AHL affiliate, the Oklahoma City Barons for the remainder of his contract.

To begin the 2015–16 season, Lain signed a try-out contract with the Manitoba Moose. He failed to feature in any games with the Moose before he was released from his try-out on October 19, 2015.[15] Lain agreed to a one-year contract with the Quad City Mallards of the ECHL and was immediately signed to a try-out with AHL affiliate, the Iowa Wild on October 25, 2015.[16] On March 17, 2016, he was signed to a PTO contract for his second stint with the Utica Comets.[17]

As a free agent over the summer, Lain was unable to attain an NHL or AHL contract, opting to sign a one-year deal with ECHL outfit, the Idaho Steelheads, on September 20, 2016.[18]

He retired from professional hockey after the conclusion of the 2017 season, though he played for the Stoney Creek Generals in 2018–2019, capturing the Allan Cup.[19]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular seasonPlayoffs
SeasonTeamLeagueGP PIMGP G A Pts PIM
2007–08Oakville BladesOPJHL31 9 13 22 51
2008–09Oakville BladesOJHL47 19 23 42 74
2009–10Oakville BladesOJHL16 8 9 17 16
2010–11Lake Superior State LakersCCHA38 4 4 8 40
2011–12Lake Superior State LakersCCHA38 9 6 15 59
2012–13Lake Superior State LakersCCHA32 8 8 16 111
2012–13Chicago WolvesAHL13 0 0 0 6
2013–14Utica CometsAHL63 7 12 19 129
2013–14Vancouver CanucksNHL9 1 0 1 21
2014–15Utica CometsAHL10 0 1 1 20
2014–15Oklahoma City BaronsAHL2 0 0 0 4
2015–16Iowa WildAHL14 2 1 3 17
2015–16Utica CometsAHL2 0 0 0 0
2016–17Idaho SteelheadsECHL52 12 16 28 355 1 3 4 10
2016–17Bakersfield CondorsAHL2 0 0 0 2
2018–19Stoney Creek GeneralsACH5 3 5 8 29 2 5 7 2
NHL totals91 0 1 21

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Canucks sign Kellan Lain, and may not be done. The Province. March 16, 2013. December 22, 2013. Jason. Botchford.
  2. Web site: Three Skaters Join Wolves Roster . . March 20, 2013 . December 26, 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20131228001158/http://www.chicagowolves.com/news/releases/item/3583-three-skaters-join-wolves-roster . December 28, 2013 .
  3. Web site: Canucks re-sign four restricted free agents to completely fair and therefore unexciting new contracts. The Vancouver Sun. July 27, 2013. December 26, 2013. Daniel. Wagner. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20140209234733/http://vansunsportsblogs.com/2013/07/27/canucks-re-sign-four-restricted-free-agents-to-completely-fair-and-therefore-unexciting-new-contracts/. February 9, 2014. mdy-all.
  4. Web site: Kellan Lain hopes to become a centre of attention for Canucks. The Vancouver Sun. September 12, 2013. December 26, 2013. Elliott. Pap.
  5. Web site: Former Oakville Blades reunited with AHL's Utica Comets. Oakville Beaver. December 2, 2013. December 26, 2013. Jon. Kuiperij.
  6. Web site: Lain's offensive breakthrough, Pelletier's OT heroics lead Comets past Heat. Abbotsford News. November 30, 2013. December 26, 2013. Dan. Kinvig.
  7. Web site: This Day in Hockey History – October 8. Hooked On Hockey Magazine. January 22, 2014. October 8, 2013.
  8. Web site: Vancouver's Kellan Lain ejected after two seconds in NHL debut. USA Today. January 18, 2014. January 19, 2014. Nick. Schwartz.
  9. Web site: Canucks news and notes: Kellan Lain fights, scores during memorable first week in NHL. Metro Vancouver. January 22, 2014. January 28, 2014. Cam. Tucker.
  10. Web site: Vancouver Canucks rookie Kellan Lain having a memorable start to NHL career. National Hockey League. January 22, 2014. January 28, 2014. The Canadian Press.
  11. Web site: Roundup: Hey everyone, let's go to the AHL!. NBC Sports. February 9, 2014. March 18, 2014. Joe. Yerdon.
  12. Web site: Canucks' Kesler to meet with doctors. National Hockey League. February 24, 2014. March 18, 2014. Kevin. Woodley.
  13. Web site: Canucks reassign Lain to Comets. Vancouver Canucks. March 1, 2014. March 18, 2014.
  14. News: Edmonton Oilers trade Will Acton to Vancouver Canucks for Kellan Lain . . 2014-11-20 . 2014-11-20 . November 22, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141122223333/http://blogs.edmontonjournal.com/2014/11/20/edmonton-oilers-trade-will-acton-to-the-vancouver-canucks-for-kellan-lain/ . dead .
  15. Web site: Moose release forward Kellan Lain . . 2015-10-19 . 2015-10-19.
  16. Web site: Wild adds big forward to the lineup . . 2015-10-25 . 2015-10-25 . https://web.archive.org/web/20151028000756/http://www.iowawild.com/fan-central/multimedia/news-releases/?article_id=862 . October 28, 2015 . dead .
  17. Web site: Comets sign Kellan Lain to PTO . . 2016-03-17 . 2016-03-17.
  18. Web site: Steelheads add NHL experience with Lain . . 2016-09-20 . 2016-09-20.
  19. Web site: Murphy's Mailbag: What's the latest on Micheal Ferland? . . 2020-01-29 . 2020-10-15.