Spencer Machacek Explained

Team:Grizzlys Wolfsburg
League:DEL
Former Teams:Atlanta Thrashers
Winnipeg Jets
Augsburger Panther
Eisbären Berlin
Düsseldorfer EG
Position:Right wing
Shoots:Right
Height Ft:6
Height In:1
Weight Lb:182
Birth Date:14 October 1988
Birth Place:Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
Draft:67th overall
Draft Year:2007
Draft Team:Atlanta Thrashers
Career Start:2008

Spencer Machacek (born October 14, 1988) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player who is currently under contract to Grizzlys Wolfsburg of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL).

Playing career

Junior

Machacek began his major junior career in 2005–06 with the Vancouver Giants of the Western Hockey League (WHL). He recorded 45 points in each of his first two seasons, playing an integral part in the Giants' 2006 President's Cup and 2007 Memorial Cup championships.Ranked 54th among North American skaters by the Central Scouting Service at the mid-season mark of his draft year,[1] Machacek was selected by the Atlanta Thrashers in the 3rd round, 67th overall, in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft. Machacek returned to the WHL and was named team captain of the Giants (replacing the departed Brett Festerling) at the start of the 2007–08 season.[2] Former teammate Milan Lucic had originally been chosen as Fersterling's successor, but made the Boston Bruins roster out of training camp.[3] As team captain, he recorded career highs with 33 goals and 78 points in 70 games and was named Player of the Month for February after going on a 27-point tear in 14 games.[4]

Professional

At the end of the first round of the 2008 WHL playoffs, he signed his first NHL contract with the Thrashers on March 28, 2008.[5] Reporting to the Thrashers' training camp for the 2008–09 season, he was assigned to the Chicago Wolves of the American Hockey League (AHL) on September 27.[6] Late in the season, he was called up by the Thrashers and made his NHL debut on March 16, 2009, in a 5–1 win against the Washington Capitals recording 7 minutes and 21 seconds of playing time. Machacek played two games total for the Thrashers in his professional rookie season while recording 48 points in 77 games in the AHL.

During the inaugural 2011–12 season for the Winnipeg Jets, Machacek scored his first NHL goal on March 23, 2012, against Washington's Michal Neuvirth. He finished the season with the Jets posting a promising 9 points in 13 games.

In the lockout shortened 2012–13 season, whilst with affiliate the St. John's IceCaps, he was traded by the Jets to the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for Tomas Kubalik on March 10, 2013.[7]

In his first full season with Blue Jackets affiliate, the Springfield Falcons in the 2013–14 season, Machacek was again traded on February 6, 2014, to the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for Paul Thompson.[8]

On October 8, 2014, after an unsuccessful try-out with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Machacek opted to sign his first contract abroad with German club, Augsburger Panther of the DEL.[9]

After one season with Augsburg, Machacek opted to remain in the DEL for the 2015–16 season in signing with Eisbären Berlin on May 7. 2015.[10] After two seasons in Berlin, Machacek left as a free agent to sign a one-year deal with his third DEL club, Düsseldorfer EG, on May 7, 2017.[11] In the 2017–18 season, Machacek set new career DEL high of 13 goals for 28 points in 52 games with DEG.

On April 9, 2018, Machacek joined his fourth DEL club in five seasons by agreeing to terms on a one-year deal with Grizzlys Wolfsburg.[12]

Career statistics

Regular seasonPlayoffs
SeasonTeamLeagueGPGAPtsPIMGPGAPtsPIM
2004–05Brooks BanditsAJHL5916203641
2005–06Vancouver GiantsWHL70232245531868148
2006–07Vancouver GiantsWHL6321244532229112014
2007–08Vancouver GiantsWHL7033457869105276
2008–09Chicago WolvesAHL7723254823
2008–09Atlanta ThrashersNHL20000
2009–10Chicago WolvesAHL79202949681374118
2010–11Chicago WolvesAHL6721325345
2010–11Atlanta ThrashersNHL100000
2011–12St. John's IceCapsAHL61183250481107712
2011–12Winnipeg JetsNHL132797
2012–13St. John's IceCapsAHL5711142545
2012–13Springfield FalconsAHL1859141360110
2013–14Springfield FalconsAHL349101924
2013–14Wilkes-Barre/Scranton PenguinsAHL2210414151314518
2014–15Augsburger PantherDEL4382735100
2015–16Eisbären BerlinDEL52821293870114
2016–17Eisbären BerlinDEL51610164061236
2017–18Düsseldorfer EGDEL5213152842
2018–19Grizzlys WolfsburgDEL4918133126
2019–20Grizzlys WolfsburgDEL5215173226
2020–21Grizzlys WolfsburgDEL361411251094042
2021–22Grizzlys WolfsburgDEL541821396381129
2022–23Grizzlys WolfsburgDEL5527285521146288
2023–24Grizzlys WolfsburgDEL522316394040006
NHL totals252797
DEL totals496150178328406481261835

Awards and honours

AwardYear
WHL
Player of the Week (November 5–11) 2007[13]
Player of the Month (February) 2008
Chicago Wolves
Dan Snyder Man of the Year Award 2011

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Central Scouting Services Midterm Rankings - January 2007. https://web.archive.org/web/20080724014137/http://cdn.nhl.com/futures/cssrankings/na_skater0107.pdf. dead. 2008-07-24. 2008-11-15. National Hockey League.
  2. News: Giants give 'C' to Machacek. 2008-09-19. The Province. https://web.archive.org/web/20110521190545/http://communities.canada.com/theprovince/blogs/dubhub/archive/2007/10/03/giants-give-c-to-machacek.aspx. 2011-05-21. dead.
  3. News: Close friends Lucic, Machacek ready for life on opposite teams. 2009-09-23. 2009-09-23. The Province. https://archive.today/20120709033653/http://communities.canada.com/shareit/blogs/canadianvoices/archive/2009/09/23/close-friends-lucic-machacek-ready-for-life-on-opposite-teams.aspx. 2012-07-09. dead.
  4. News: Giants star is Mr. February in WHL. 2008-09-19. The Province. https://web.archive.org/web/20110521190746/http://communities.canada.com/theprovince/blogs/dubhub/archive/2008/03/01/machacek-is-mr-february-in-whl.aspx. 2011-05-21. dead.
  5. News: Custance. Craig. Thrashers sign forward Machacek. Atlanta Journal-Constitution. 2008. 2008-04-15.
  6. Web site: Thrashers cut 7. Atlanta Thrashers. 2008. 2008-09-27.
  7. Web site: Blue Jackets acquire Spencer Machacek from Jets in exchange for Tomas Kubalik . . 2013-03-10 . 2013-03-10.
  8. Web site: Penguins trade Thompson to Blue Jackets for Machacek . . 2014-02-06 . 2014-02-06.
  9. Web site: Panther pick Machacek . . 2014-10-08 . 2014-10-07 . German.
  10. Web site: Eisbaeren Berlin pilot Dupont and Machacek in the capital . EishockeyNews.de . 2015-05-07 . 2015-05-27 . German.
  11. Web site: . DEG strengthen offense with Spencer Machacek . 2017-05-07 . 2017-05-07 . German . https://web.archive.org/web/20170515160057/http://www.deg-eishockey.de/aktuelles/news.html?article=987 . 2017-05-15 . dead .
  12. Web site: Grizzlys sign Spencer Machacek . . 2018-04-09 . 2018-04-09.
  13. News: Giants captain gets WHL Player of the Week. 2008-09-19. The Province. https://web.archive.org/web/20110521190933/http://communities.canada.com/theprovince/blogs/dubhub/archive/2007/11/12/giants-captain-gets-whl-player-of-the-week.aspx. 2011-05-21. dead.