Kyle Wood (ice hockey) explained

Kyle Wood
Birth Date:4 May 1996
Birth Place:Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
Height Ft:6
Height In:5
Weight Lb:235
Position:Defence
Shoots:Right
League:KHL
Team:Kunlun Red Star
Former Teams:Springfield Falcons
Tucson Roadrunners
San Jose Barracuda
Charlotte Checkers
Grand Rapids Griffins
Löwen Frankfurt
Rytíři Kladno
Draft:84th overall
Draft Year:2014
Draft Team:Colorado Avalanche
Career Start:2016

Kyle Wood (born May 4, 1996) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who is currently playing for Kunlun Red Star of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). Wood was drafted 84th overall by the Colorado Avalanche in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft.[1]

Playing career

Wood played youth hockey in his hometown of Waterloo, Ontario, and was selected in the third round, 57th overall, by the Brampton Battalion of the OHL Priority Selection in 2012.

Wood was selected after the 2013–14 season by the Colorado Avalanche in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft, 84th overall. In his final year of junior eligibility, the Avalanche traded Wood's NHL rights, along with those of Alex Tanguay and Conner Bleackley, to the Arizona Coyotes in exchange for Mikkel Boedker on February 29, 2016.[2]

At the conclusion of the 2015–16 OHL season with the North Bay Battalion, Wood signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Coyotes on March 27, 2016.[3] This was later revised to an amateur try-out deal, which he made with their AHL affiliate, the Springfield Falcons.

After attending his first training camp with the Coyotes, Wood was reassigned to new AHL affiliate, the Tucson Roadrunners, for the 2016–17 season. In his first pro season, he earned October Rookie of the Month honors by registering points in all games. He also represented the Roadrunners at the AHL All-Star Classic.[4] [5] Wood finished the season with 13 goals and 40 points in 63 games, earning selection to the AHL All-Rookie Team.[6]

On June 15, 2018, the Coyotes traded Wood to the San Jose Sharks for Adam Helewka.[7] The Sharks re-signed him to a one-year contract on July 12, 2019.[8]

On August 6, 2019, Wood was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes for Trevor Carrick.[9] After the 2019 training camp, the Canes sent him to the Charlotte Checkers of the AHL for the 2019–20 season where he contributed 3 goals and 5 points in 14 games before being traded, for the fourth time in his professional career, going to the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for Oliwer Kaski on December 12, 2019.[10]

Unable to impress within the Red Wings organization, Wood as an impending restricted free agent was not tendered a qualifying offer by the club and was released to free agency on October 8, 2020. Having played through 5 NHL organizations and unable to feature at top level, Wood left North America to sign his first European contract, agreeing to a one-year contract with second tier German club, Löwen Frankfurt of the DEL2, on November 2, 2020.[11] Regaining his scoring touch from the blueline, Wood contributed with 5 goals and 21 points through 32 regular season games for Frankfurt.

As a free agent, Wood left Germany and opted to continue his European career in the Czech Republic, signing a one-year contract with Rytíři Kladno of the ELH, on July 14, 2021.[12]

Career statistics

Regular seasonPlayoffs
SeasonTeamLeagueGPGAPtsPIMGPGAPtsPIM
2010–11Waterloo WolvesMidget AAA20000
2011–12Waterloo WolvesMidget AAA30911205414313166
2011–12Waterloo SiskinsGOJHL2000050224
2012–13Orangeville FlyersOJHL466111710
2012–13Brampton BattalionOHL16112850002
2013–14North Bay BattalionOHL3321012212228106
2014–15North Bay BattalionOHL671624401815110112
2015–16North Bay BattalionOHL49831391811211132
2015–16Springfield FalconsAHL20002
2016–17Tucson RoadrunnersAHL6814294316
2017–18Tucson RoadrunnersAHL49316191620000
2018–19San Jose BarracudaAHL686293547401114
2019–20Charlotte CheckersAHL1432524
2019–20Grand Rapids GriffinsAHL351568
2020–21Löwen FrankfurtDEL232516211410000
2021–22Rytíři KladnoELH548142218
2022–23Kunlun Red StarKHL624151936
2023–24Kunlun Red StarKHL47861432
AHL totals2362781108113601114

Awards and honours

AwardYear
AHL
All-Star Game2017
All-Rookie Team2017

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Avalanche Selects Seven Players At 2014 Draft. . June 27, 2014 . January 12, 2018.
  2. News: Coyotes' Kyle Wood: Traded by Colorado. . February 29, 2016 . January 12, 2018. en.
  3. Web site: Coyotes sign Wood to entry-level contract . . March 27, 2016 . March 27, 2016.
  4. Web site: Kyle Wood named CCM's Rookie of the Month . . November 2, 2016. November 2, 2016.
  5. News: AHL All-Star Kyle Wood shining in first Tucson Roadrunners season. Five For Howling. January 14, 2018.
  6. Web site: AHL All-Rookie Team named . . April 5, 2017 . April 5, 2017.
  7. Web site: Sharks Acquire Defenseman Kyle Wood From Coyotes. San Jose Sharks. June 15, 2018 . June 15, 2018.
  8. Web site: Sharks Re-Sign Defenseman Kyle Wood. nhl.com. 12 July 2019 . July 12, 2019.
  9. Web site: Hurricanes Acquire Defenseman Kyle Wood. Carolina Hurricanes. August 6, 2019. August 6, 2019.
  10. Web site: Red Wings acquire defenseman Kyle Wood from Carolina . NHL.com . Kyle . Kujawa . December 12, 2019 . December 12, 2019.
  11. Web site: Lowen sign Kyle Wood on the defense . . November 2, 2020 . November 2, 2020 . German.
  12. Web site: . Rytíři Kladno sign 6 overseas players . July 14, 2021 . July 14, 2021 . Czech.