Jack Hillen
Hillen playing for the Nashville Predators
Born (1986-01-24) January 24, 1986
Minnetonka, Minnesota, U.S.
Height 5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
Weight 190 lb (86 kg; 13 st 8 lb)
Position Defense
Shot Left
Played for New York Islanders
Nashville Predators
Washington Capitals
Carolina Hurricanes
National team  United States
NHL Draft Undrafted
Playing career 2008–2015

Jack Robert Hillen (born January 24, 1986) is an American former professional ice hockey defenseman. Undrafted, Hillen played in the NHL for the New York Islanders, Nashville Predators, Washington Capitals and Carolina Hurricanes.

Playing career

Minor/collegiate

Hillen grew up in Minnetonka, Minnesota, and played youth hockey in the Hopkins Youth Hockey Association. Before entering Colorado College, Hillen played high school hockey for the Academy of Holy Angels in Minnesota.

During his senior year at Colorado College, he won the Defenseman of the Year and first team all Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA). After playing four seasons with the Tigers ice hockey team, graduating with a Bachelor's degree in economics, he was signed as an undrafted free agent by the New York Islanders on a two-year contract.

Professional

Hillen made his NHL debut on April 3, 2008, with the Islanders in the second-last game of the 2007–08 season against the New York Rangers. He then scored his first career point in his second NHL game, on April 4 and also against the Rangers, recording an assist on a Miroslav Šatan goal.

On January 26, 2010, whilst playing in a home game at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum against the Washington Capitals, Hillen took a direct hit to the face from an Alexander Ovechkin slapshot. Hillen was able to leave the ice under his own power with a trainer attempting to stop the bleeding. He was later transported to a hospital, where he had surgery for a broken jaw and tooth damage; he missed six weeks of action as a result of the injury.

On August 8, 2011, Hillen signed as a free agent on a one-year, two-way contract with the Nashville Predators. During the 2011–12 season, Hillen contributed with six points in 55 games for the Predators.

On July 2, 2012, as a free agent for the second consecutive year, he signed a one-year, one-way contract with the Washington Capitals. After suffering an injury on the opening night of the lockout-shortened 2012–13 season, Hillen later returned to help in the Capitals resurgence, posting nine points in 23 games. On April 2, 2013, he signed a two-year, $1.4 million contract extension with Washington.[1]

On October 3, 2013, a hit from Calgary Flames forward Lance Bouma rammed Hillen into the boards, where he fell awkwardly and had to be helped off the ice after being attended by trainers for several minutes. He successfully underwent surgery to his right leg [2] on October 5 to repair his tibial plateau, the top part of the tibia that lies underneath the knee.[3] He was expected to miss four-to-six months.[4] Continuing his string of bad luck, on March 25, 2014, Hillen collided with Alexander Ovechkin and was knocked unconscious.

In the midst of his third season with the Capitals in 2014–15, Hillen produced five points in 35 games as a depth defender before he was traded, along with a fourth-round pick in 2015, to the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for Tim Gleason on February 28, 2015.[5]

As a free agent Hillen was unable to attain an NHL contract, and having sustained several injuries opted to retire from professional hockey midway into the following season on December 30, 2015.[6]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2003–04 Tri-City Storm USHL 2122416 60112
2004–05 Colorado College WCHA 30291120 —————
2005–06 Colorado College WCHA 42491348 —————
2006–07Colorado College WCHA 38781538 —————
2007–08 Colorado College WCHA 416313760 —————
2007–08 New York Islanders NHL 20114 —————
2008–09 New York IslandersNHL 4015616 —————
2008–09 Bridgeport Sound Tigers AHL 334131731 50222
2009–10 New York Islanders NHL 693182144 —————
2010–11 New York Islanders NHL 644182245 —————
2011–12 Nashville Predators NHL 5524620 20002
2012–13 Washington Capitals NHL 2336914 70116
2013–14 Washington Capitals NHL 130114 —————
2013–14 Hershey Bears AHL 20220 —————
2014–15 Washington Capitals NHL 3505510 —————
2014–15 Carolina Hurricanes NHL 30000 —————
NHL totals 304135871157 90118

International

Year Team Event Result GP G A Pts PIM
2010 United States WC 13th 6 0 1 1 2
Senior totals 6 0 1 1 2

Awards and honors

Award Year
All-WCHA First Team 2008
AHCA West First-Team All-American 2008
WCHA All-Academic Team 2008
WCHA Scholar Athlete Award 2008
ESPN Academic All-America University Team 2008

References

  1. ↑ "Capitals re-sign Jack Hillen". Washington Capitals. 2013-04-02. Retrieved 2013-04-02.
  2. ↑ "Capital's lose Jack Hillen to right leg injury". nbc washington. 2013-10-04. Retrieved 2013-10-04.
  3. ↑ "Jack Hillen underwent successful surgery". washington post. 2013-10-05. Retrieved 2013-10-05.
  4. ↑ "Jack Hillen will undergo surgery Friday, expected to miss months". Washington Post. 2013-10-04. Retrieved 2013-10-04.
  5. ↑ "Capitals acquire Gleason from Hurricanes for Hillen". National Hockey League. 2015-02-28. Retrieved 2015-02-28.
  6. ↑ "Minnetonka's Jack Hillen calls it a career". letsplayhockey.com. 2015-12-30. Archived from the original on 2016-01-02. Retrieved 2015-12-30.
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