Mitch Callahan Explained

Mitch Callahan
Team:Free Agent
Former Teams:Detroit Red Wings
Augsburger Panther
Position:Right wing
Birth Date:17 August 1991
Birth Place:Whittier, California, U.S.
Height Ft:6
Height In:0
Weight Lb:195
Shoots:Right
Draft:180th overall
Draft Team:Detroit Red Wings
Draft Year:2009
Career Start:2011

Mitchell Callahan (born August 17, 1991) is an American former professional ice hockey forward. He last played for Augsburger Panther in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL). Callahan was drafted 180th overall by the Detroit Red Wings in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft.

Playing career

Junior

During the 2008–09 season, Callahan was a member of the Kelowna Rockets team that won the Ed Chynoweth Cup, in his debut season with the club. During the 2010–11 season, Callahan helped Kelowna to a B.C. Division title, by finishing second among team leaders with 23 goals, and third among team leaders with 31 assists. Callahan was named the Western Hockey League player of the week for the week ending November 6, 2010, after recording five goals and seven assists in four games. During Callahan's three seasons with the Kelowna Rockets, he registered 57 goals, 128 points, and 440 penalty minutes in 204 games played.[1]

Professional

On May 4, 2010, the Detroit Red Wings signed Callahan to a three-year entry-level contract.[2]

Callahan made his AHL debut with the Grand Rapids Griffins on October 8, 2011. During his first professional season, which was limited to 48 games due to injuries, Callahan finished second among AHL rookies with 14 fighting majors.

During the 2012–13 season, Callahan skated in 71 of 76 games in his second season in the AHL. On January 19, 2013, Callahan recorded his first professional hat-trick in a game against the Rockford IceHogs. Callahan tied for the team lead in the Calder Cup Finals with five points, helping lead the Griffins to the Calder Cup.[3]

On March 25, 2014, Callahan made his NHL debut for the Detroit Red Wings in a game against the Columbus Blue Jackets.[4]

During the 2013–14 season, Callahan skated in 70 games in his third season in the AHL, and finished among the Griffins' leading scorers with 26 goals (2nd) and 44 points (4th).

On July 17, 2014, the Detroit Red Wings signed Callahan to a one-year contract.[5]

During the 2014–15 season, Callahan recorded 16 goals and 22 assists in 48 games during his fourth season in the AHL, before a knee injury sidelined him for the remainder of the season.

On July 13, 2015, the Detroit Red Wings signed Callahan to a one-year contract extension.[6]

On July 21, 2016, the Detroit Red Wings signed Callahan to a one-year contract extension.[7] On March 1, 2017, Callahan was recalled by the Red Wings. Prior to being recalled, he recorded 14 goals and 22 assists in 53 games for the Griffins.[8] On March 20, Callahan was returned to the Griffins.[9] During the 2016–17 season, Callahan recorded 16 goals and 27 assists in 66 regular season games for the Griffins. During the 2017 Calder Cup playoffs he recorded six goals and 10 assists in 19 playoff games, to help lead the Griffins to the Calder Cup.

On July 1, 2017, Callahan left the Red Wings and signed a two-year, two-way contract with the Edmonton Oilers.[10] On February 13, 2018, Callahan was suspended 20 games for violating terms of the American Hockey League/Professional Hockey Players' Association Performance Enhancing Substances Program.[11]

At the conclusion of his contract with the Oilers, having played exclusively with the Bakersfield Condors of the AHL, Callahan opted to pursue a European career, agreeing to a one-year contract with German outfit, Augsburger Panther of the DEL, on July 19, 2019.[12]

International play

Callahan represented the United States at the 2011 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, where he won a bronze medal. Callahan's only goal in the tournament was a game-winning goal against Switzerland in the final preliminary-round game to give the team a bye into the medal round.[13]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

  Regular season Playoffs
SeasonTeamLeagueGPGAPtsPIMGPGAPtsPIM
2008–09Kelowna RocketsWHL70 14 13 27 18822 1 3 4 43
2009–10Kelowna RocketsWHL72 20 27 47 16512 2 4 6 10
2010–11Kelowna RocketsWHL62 23 31 54 8710 5 4 9 17
2011–12Grand Rapids GriffinsAHL48 6 3 9 103
2012–13Grand Rapids GriffinsAHL71 11 9 20 9324 6 5 11 33
2013–14Grand Rapids GriffinsAHL70 26 18 44 518 1 4 5 6
2013–14Detroit Red WingsNHL1 0 0 0 0
2014–15Grand Rapids GriffinsAHL48 16 22 38 24
2015–16Grand Rapids GriffinsAHL62 19 13 32 949 0 2 2 9
2016–17Grand Rapids GriffinsAHL66 16 27 43 5719 6 10 16 18
2016–17Detroit Red WingsNHL4 0 0 0 0
2017–18Bakersfield CondorsAHL45 2 7 9 23
2018–19Bakersfield CondorsAHL61 15 19 34 229 1 0 1 4
2019–20Augsburger PantherDEL25 1 4 5 48
NHL totals51010

International

Awards and honors

AwardYear
AHL
Calder Cup (Grand Rapids Griffins)2013, 2017[14] [15]

Notes and References

  1. http://www.hockeysfuture.com/prospects/mitch_callahan/ Mitch Callahan
  2. Web site: Red Wings sign Mitchell Callahan . . Todd . Beam . May 14, 2010 . May 14, 2010.
  3. http://theahl.com/stats/player.php?id=4253 Mitch Callahan
  4. Web site: California kid ready for his Wings debut . . Bill . Roose . March 25, 2014 . March 25, 2014.
  5. Web site: Red Wings re-sign Callahan, Nestrasil . . Kyle . Kujawa . July 17, 2014 . July 17, 2014.
  6. Web site: Red Wings bring back Callahan and Jensen . . Kyle . Kujawa . July 13, 2015 . July 13, 2015.
  7. Web site: Red Wings re-sign Mitch Callahan . . Kyle . Kujawa . July 21, 2016 . July 21, 2016.
  8. Web site: Detroit recalls forward Mitch Callahan . . Kyle . Kujawa . March 1, 2017 . March 1, 2017.
  9. Web site: Callahan returned to Griffins . . Kyle . Kujawa . March 20, 2017 . March 20, 2017.
  10. Web site: Oilers sign Mitch Callahan . . Chris . Wescott . July 1, 2017 . July 1, 2017.
  11. Web site: Condors Callahan suspended 20 games by AHL for violation of Performance Enhancing Substances Program . . February 13, 2018 . February 15, 2018.
  12. Web site: Mitch Callahan becomes a Panther . . German . July 19, 2019 . July 19, 2019.
  13. http://www.juniorhockey.com/news/news_detail.php?news_id=72395 U.S. National Junior Team Edges Switzerland, 2-1
  14. Web site: Ain't It Grand . . June 18, 2013 . June 29, 2017.
  15. Web site: Grand Rapids Griffins win Calder Cup at home . . Dana . Wakiji . June 13, 2017 . June 13, 2017.