Mike Blunden Explained

Mike Blunden
Birth Date:15 December 1986
Birth Place:Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Height Ft:6
Height In:4
Weight Lb:217
Position:Right wing
Shoots:Right
Played For:Chicago Blackhawks
Columbus Blue Jackets
Montreal Canadiens
Tampa Bay Lightning
Ottawa Senators
HC Bolzano
Schwenninger Wild Wings
Draft:43rd overall
Draft Year:2005
Draft Team:Chicago Blackhawks
Career Start:2006
Career End:2020

Michael Charles Blunden (born December 15, 1986) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey winger. Over his professional career, Blunden has appeared in over 100 National Hockey League (NHL) games with the Ottawa Senators, Tampa Bay Lightning, Montreal Canadiens, Columbus Blue Jackets and Chicago Blackhawks.

Playing career

Blunden was drafted 43rd overall in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft by the Chicago Blackhawks from the Erie Otters of the Ontario Hockey League. After his final year with the Otters, Blunden signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Chicago Blackhawks on May 24, 2006.[1] Months prior to signing he made his professional debut with affiliate of the Blackhawks, the Norfolk Admirals of the AHL, for the 2005–06 playoff run.

Blunden made his NHL debut in the 2006–07 season with the Blackhawks playing in 9 games. His season was cut short when he suffered a shoulder injury on December 10, 2006, ruling him out for the rest of the season.[2]

On January 10, 2009, Blunden was traded by the Blackhawks to the Columbus Blue Jackets for Adam Pineault.[3]

On July 7, 2011 he was traded from the Columbus Blue Jackets to the Montreal Canadiens, in exchange for Ryan Russell.[4] On July 1, 2012, the Canadiens re-signed Blunden to a one-year, two-way contract extension.

On July 1, 2014, Blunden left the Canadiens organization to sign a one-year contract as a free agent with the Tampa Bay Lightning.[5]

On June 29, 2015, the Lightning announced the re-signing of Blunden to a one-year, two-way contract. Blunden appeared in two regular season games with the Lightning last season, recording two penalty minutes. He also played in 33 games with the Syracuse Crunch, recording 13 goals and 22 points.[6]

After two-years in the Lightning organization, Blunden left as a free agent to sign a two-year, two-way contract with the Ottawa Senators on July 1, 2016.[7] After starting the season with Binghamton, Blunden made his Ottawa Senators debut on November 9, 2016 against the Buffalo Sabres.

After completing his contract with the Senators, Blunden left North America as a free agent after 13 years and signed a one-year deal with Italian outfit, HCB South Tyrol of the EBEL on July 18, 2018.[8] Blunden contributed offensively with Bolzano, posting 33 points in 38 regular season games.

Following Bolzano's defeat in the playoffs, Blunden left as a free agent to sign in the neighbouring DEL, agreeing to a one-year contract with German club, Schwenninger Wild Wings on April 3, 2019.[9]

Personal

Blunden was born on December 15, 1986, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He has one sister, Jennifer Blunden, and two brothers, Stephen Blunden & Sean Blunden, both of whom are also hockey players with Stephen enjoying his time in Canberra, Australia with the CBR Brave in the AIHL and Sean playing in the CIS for the Concordia University team, Concordia Stingers.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular seasonPlayoffs
SeasonTeamLeagueGPGAPtsPIMGPGAPtsPIM
2001–02Gloucester RangersCJHL20002
2002–03Erie OttersOHL631071755
2003–04Erie OttersOHL522217395330000
2004–05Erie OttersOHL612219417520002
2005–06Erie OttersOHL6046388463
2005–06Norfolk AdmiralsAHL11156210000
2006–07Norfolk AdmiralsAHL1745915
2006–07Chicago BlackhawksNHL900010
2007–08Rockford IceHogsAHL74162137831213435
2007–08Chicago BlackhawksNHL10000
2008–09Rockford IceHogsAHL37371042
2008–09Syracuse CrunchAHL399122168
2009–10Columbus Blue JacketsNHL4022459
2009–10Syracuse CrunchAHL25791643
2010–11Springfield FalconsAHL371292141
2010–11Columbus Blue JacketsNHL10000
2011–12Hamilton BulldogsAHL1735812
2011–12Montreal CanadiensNHL3922427
2012–13Hamilton BulldogsAHL5410122276
2012–13Montreal CanadiensNHL50004100010
2013–14Hamilton BulldogsAHL6818193779
2013–14Montreal CanadiensNHL70005
2014–15Syracuse CrunchAHL331392228
2014–15Tampa Bay LightningNHL20002
2015–16Syracuse CrunchAHL4921173868
2015–16Tampa Bay LightningNHL203253470004
2016–17Binghamton SenatorsAHL6714152957
2016–17Ottawa SenatorsNHL20004
2017–18Belleville SenatorsAHL456101695
2017–18Ottawa SenatorsNHL10000
2018–19HC BolzanoAUT3816173332523533
2019–20Schwenninger Wild WingsDEL4913102336
AHL totals5731371552927091313435
NHL totals1277613145800014

International

YearTeamEventResultGPGAPtsPIM
2003CanadaU184th51128
2006CanadaWJC62358
Junior totals1134716

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Blackhawks sign Michael Blunden . hockeysfuture.com . May 24, 2006 . November 16, 2008.
  2. Web site: Icehogs news. icehogs.com. December 26, 2007. November 16, 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20120825155146/http://icehogs.com/news/icehogs/index.html?article_id=67. August 25, 2012. dead.
  3. Web site: Blue Jackets trade Pineault for Blackhawks' Blunden . https://archive.today/20130111092659/http://www.sportsline.com/nhl/story/11245024 . dead . January 11, 2013 . cbssportsline.com . January 10, 2009 . January 10, 2009 .
  4. Web site: Habs acquire Michael Blunden from Columbus in return for Ryan Russell. Montreal Canadiens. July 7, 2011 . July 7, 2011.
  5. Web site: Lightning sign forward Mike Blunden . . July 1, 2014 . July 1, 2014.
  6. Web site: Lightning Sign Mike Blunden to One-Year Contract. Lightning. Tampa Bay. Tampa Bay Lightning. June 29, 2015. June 30, 2015.
  7. Web site: Senators sign forward Michael Blunden to two-year contract . . July 1, 2016 . July 2, 2016.
  8. Web site: Ex-NHL player Mike Blunden joins the Foxes . . 2018-07-18 . 2018-07-18 . Italian.
  9. Web site: Wild Wings sign Mike Blunden . . 2019-04-03 . 2019-04-03 . German.