Ben Harpur
Ben Harpur with the New York Rangers in 2023
Born (1995-01-12) January 12, 1995
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Height 6 ft 6 in (198 cm)
Weight 218 lb (99 kg; 15 st 8 lb)
Position Defence
Shoots Left
NHL team (P)
Cur. team
Former teams		 New York Rangers
Hartford Wolf Pack (AHL)
Ottawa Senators
Nashville Predators
NHL Draft 108th overall, 2013
Ottawa Senators
Playing career 2015–present

Ben Harpur (born January 12, 1995) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman for the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League (AHL) while under contract to the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected by the Ottawa Senators in the fourth round, 108th overall, in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft.

Playing career

Harpur was born and raised in Niagara Falls and attended A. N. Myer Secondary School.[1] He was originally a left-winger until a minor midget hockey team coach suggested he move to defence.[2] He was drafted by the Guelph Storm as a defenceman in the 3rd round, 43rd overall, in the 2011 Ontario Hockey League (OHL) Priority Selection.[3] Harpur recorded his first career OHL point, an assist, in a 10-2 win over the Erie Otters on October 1, 2011.[4] Harpur played three and a half seasons with the Storm from 2011 to 2014.

After the 2012–13 season, Harpur was selected by the Ottawa Senators in the fourth round of the 2013 NHL Entry Draft.[5] Harpur was traded in the middle of the 2014–15 season to the Barrie Colts.[6] He signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Senators on November 6, 2014.[7]

Professional

Harpur made his professional debut with the Senators' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate Binghamton Senators in 2015.

During the 2015–16 season, Harpur was called up to Ottawa and made his NHL debut against the Minnesota Wild on March 31, 2016.[8][9] In the 2016–17 season, Harpur again played most of the season with Binghamton. Harpur was called up to Ottawa for the NHL playoffs and he made his playoff debut on April 17, 2017, against the Boston Bruins.[10] On February 9, 2018, Harpur signed a two-year, $1.45 million contract extension with the Senators.[11]

On December 1, 2018, in the first game back for Erik Karlsson since his trade to the San Jose Sharks, Harpur scored his first ever National Hockey League goal on Sharks goaltender Martin Jones.[12] On July 1, 2019, Harpur was traded by the Senators, along with Cody Ceci, Aaron Luchuk and a 2020 third-round draft pick to the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for Nikita Zaitsev, Connor Brown and Michael Carcone.[13]

Unable to make the Maple Leafs roster heading into the 2019–20 season, Harpur was placed on waivers and re-assigned to AHL affiliate, the Toronto Marlies. Appearing in 33 games from the blueline for the Marlies, Harpur contributed with one goal and 11 points. With limited chance to return to the NHL with the Maple Leafs, Harpur was traded to the Nashville Predators in exchange for Miikka Salomäki on February 22, 2020.[14]

After two full seasons within the Predators organization, Harpur left as a free agent and went unsigned leading into the 2022–23 season. On October 13, 2022, Harpur agreed to a professional tryout contract with the Hartford Wolf Pack of the AHL.[15] Having played in four games with the Wolf Pack, Harpur was signed by NHL affiliate, the New York Rangers, in agreeing to a one-year, two-way contract on October 27.[16] He was later recalled by the Rangers, and remained on the roster adding depth to the blueline in posting four points through 17 contests before he was signed to a two-year, $1.575 million contract extension with the Rangers on January 26, 2023.[17]

Personal life

Harpur was the middle child born to parents Margery and George.[18] His father encouraged him to take skating lessons as a bonding experience.[19] However, his mother was of Australian descent and had never played hockey. She would often put Harpur's equipment on backwards until he learned to dress himself.[20]

Career statistics

    Regular season   Playoffs
SeasonTeamLeague GPGAPtsPIM GPGAPtsPIM
2011–12Guelph StormOHL 3413422 —————
2012–13Guelph StormOHL 673121559 50002
2013–14Guelph StormOHL 673131669 2014512
2014–15Guelph StormOHL 284162040 —————
2014–15Barrie ColtsOHL 291101122 92466
2015–16Binghamton SenatorsAHL 4724634 —————
2015–16Evansville IceMenECHL 40222 —————
2015–16Ottawa SenatorsNHL 50112 —————
2016–17Binghamton SenatorsAHL 632252781 —————
2016–17Ottawa SenatorsNHL 60000 90224
2017–18Belleville SenatorsAHL 19291131 —————
2017–18Ottawa SenatorsNHL 4101121 —————
2018–19Ottawa SenatorsNHL 5114556 —————
2019–20 Toronto Marlies AHL 341101122 —————
2019–20Milwaukee AdmiralsAHL 701120 —————
2020–21Nashville PredatorsNHL 3407717 50112
2021–22 Nashville Predators NHL 1901127 —————
2021–22 Milwaukee Admirals AHL 60005 —————
2022–23 Hartford Wolf Pack AHL 1732524 —————
2022–23 New York Rangers NHL 4215620 —————
NHL totals 19821921143 140336

References

  1. ↑ Spiteri, Ray (July 25, 2019). "Ottawa Senators Ben Harpur bringing charity ball-hockey tournament to Niagara Falls". St. Catharines Standard. Retrieved December 5, 2019.
  2. ↑ "From the Stands". guelphstorm.com. June 22, 2011. Retrieved December 5, 2019.
  3. ↑ "Harpur grabbed by Guelph in third round". guelphstorm.com. May 7, 2011. Retrieved December 5, 2019.
  4. ↑ "A night of firsts". guelphstorm.com. October 1, 2011. Retrieved December 5, 2019.
  5. ↑ "108th overall – Ben Harpur". ontariohockeyleague.com. July 3, 2013. Retrieved December 5, 2019.
  6. ↑ "Storm acquire Garcia and Smith from Colts". guelphstorm.com. January 9, 2015. Retrieved December 5, 2019.
  7. ↑ "Storm's Harpur signs with Senators". ontariohockeyleague.com. November 6, 2014. Retrieved December 5, 2019.
  8. ↑ "Ottawa Senators Re-Call Defenceman Ben Harpur". Silver Seven Sens. March 31, 2016.
  9. ↑ Garrioch, Bruce (March 31, 2016). "Ben Harpur makes NHL debut with Senators". Ottawa Sun. Retrieved February 12, 2018.
  10. ↑ "Senators overcome Bruins comeback to win Game 3 in OT". Sportsnet.ca. April 17, 2017. Retrieved February 12, 2018.
  11. ↑ "Senators sign defenceman Ben Harpur to a two-year contract extension". NHL.com. February 9, 2018. Retrieved February 10, 2018.
  12. ↑ "Ben Harpur's first career #NHL goal is a beauty. #GoSensGo". Ottawa Senators. December 2, 2018.
  13. ↑ "Senators acquire Zaitsev, Brown from Toronto in six-player deal". Ottawa Senators. July 1, 2019. Retrieved July 1, 2019.
  14. ↑ "Predators acquire defenseman Ben Harpur from Toronto Maple Leafs". Nashville Predators. February 22, 2020. Retrieved February 22, 2020.
  15. ↑ "Wolf Pack ink defenseman Ben Harpur to PTO". Hartford Wolf Pack. October 13, 2022. Retrieved October 13, 2022.
  16. ↑ "Rangers agree to terms with Ben Harpur". New York Rangers. October 27, 2022. Retrieved October 27, 2022.
  17. ↑ "Rangers agree to terms on two-year contract extension with Ben Harpur". New York Rangers. January 26, 2023. Retrieved January 26, 2023.
  18. ↑ Fitz-Gerald, Sean (July 31, 2019). "Ben Harpur's path to Maple Leafs fuelled by patience, persistence and family". theathletic.com. Retrieved December 5, 2019.
  19. ↑ "Youth gets chance of a lifetime". guelphstorm.com. July 13, 2011. Retrieved December 5, 2019.
  20. ↑ "Ben Harpur-'Big Ben' stepping up in his second season". guelphstorm.com. November 14, 2012. Retrieved December 5, 2019.
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