Jayson Megna
Megna with the Hartford Wolf Pack in 2016
Born (1990-02-01) February 1, 1990
Fort Lauderdale, Florida, U.S.
Height 6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight 195 lb (88 kg; 13 st 13 lb)
Position Center
Shoots Right
NHL team (P)
Cur. team
Former teams		 Boston Bruins
Providence Bruins (AHL)
Pittsburgh Penguins
New York Rangers
Vancouver Canucks
Colorado Avalanche
Anaheim Ducks
NHL Draft Undrafted
Playing career 2012–present

Jayson Megna (born February 1, 1990) is an American professional ice hockey forward playing for the Providence Bruins of the American Hockey League (AHL) while under contract to the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League (NHL). Megna was born in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, but grew up in Northbrook, Illinois where he started to play hockey at the age of 7.[1]

Playing career

As a youth, Megna played in the 2003 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with the Chicago Young Americans minor ice hockey team.[2]

He played high school hockey at Glenbrook North High School and Tabor Academy. He graduated in 2009 and then went to the USHL where he played two seasons with the Cedar Rapids Roughriders. After two seasons with Cedar Rapids, Jayson went to University of Nebraska at Omaha where he played on the same team as his brother Jaycob Megna. While there, Jayson was named to the WCHA All-Rookie Team.

Following his freshman year Jayson attended the Pittsburgh Penguins development camp and on August 1, 2012 he signed a two-way contract with an annual value of $925,000. In the 2013–14 season, on October 24, 2013, Jayson was recalled from the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (AHL).[3] He made his NHL debut versus the New York Islanders on October 25, 2013. He scored his first NHL point, an assist, and also his first NHL goal against the Carolina Hurricanes on October 28, 2013.[4]

On July 1, 2015, Megna left the Penguins organization as a free agent and signed a one-year, two-way contract with the New York Rangers.[5] He began the 2015–16 season with the Rangers' AHL affiliate the Hartford Wolfpack, and was promoted to the Rangers on November 30, 2015.[6] Megna returned to the Wolfpack on January 22, 2016 for a brief stint.[7] He was later recalled by the Rangers on April 20, 2016, from the team's AHL affiliate, the Hartford Wolf Pack.[8]

With his contract with the Rangers completed, Megna secured a one-year, one-way deal as a free agent with the Vancouver Canucks on July 1, 2016.[9] He was reassigned to the Canucks' AHL affiliate, the Utica Comets to start the season but was recalled to the Canucks on October 24, 2016.[10] On December 8, 2016 he scored two goals to help the Canucks defeat the Tampa Bay Lightning by a score of 5–1 for his first career multi-goal game.[11]

On April 2, 2017, Megna signed a one-year extension with the Canucks for the 2017–18 season.[12]

On July 1, 2018, Megna signed as a free agent to a one-year, two-way contract with the Washington Capitals for the 2018–19 season.[13] Playing with the Capitals AHL affiliate, the Hershey Bears, Megna was used in a top six forward role to produce 20 goals and 43 points in 71 games during the regular season and added 8 points in 9 postseason outings.

As a free agent from the Capitals, Megna agreed to one-year, two-way $700,000 contract with his fifth NHL club, the Colorado Avalanche on July 1, 2019.[14] After attending his first Avalanche training camp, Megna was amongst the last cuts re-assigned to begin the 2019–20 season with AHL affiliate, the Colorado Eagles. Collecting 4 points through his first 8 games, Megna was recalled to the NHL and made his Avalanche debut in a 4-3 overtime defeat against the Florida Panthers on October 30, 2019.[15] Megna made 8 appearances throughout the season going scoreless, returning to the AHL he notched 18 goals and 34 points in 43 regular season games before the season was halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

On October 11, 2020, Megna was re-signed to a one-year, two-way extension with the Avalanche.[16] In the pandemic delayed 2021–22 season, Megna appeared with both the Eagles and Avalanche, primarily assigned as a part of the Avalanche's taxi squad. He recorded his first points with the Avalanche, notching two assists in two consecutive games against the Los Angeles Kings on May 12, 13. He remained on the Avalanche's extended roster throughout the post-season, despite not featuring.

Megna continued his tenure with the Avalanche on June 16, 2021, agreeing to a two-year, two-way contract extension.[17]

In the final year of his contract, Megna was re-assigned to the AHL to resume his role as captain of the Eagles to open the 2022–23 season. After two games with the Eagles, he was recalled by the injury depleted Avalanche to assume fourth-line center duties. Megna went scoreless through 14 games with the Avalanche before he was placed on waivers and claimed the following day by the Anaheim Ducks on December 6, 2022.[18] Megna remained on the Ducks roster for the duration of the season and made his most NHL appearances since 2017, in finishing with 2 goals and 8 points in a combined 55 games.

As a free agent from the Ducks, Megna was signed to a one-year, two-way contract with the Boston Bruins on July 1, 2023.[19]

Personal life

His younger brother Jaycob (born December 10, 1992) is also a professional hockey player, contracted by the Chicago Blackhawks.[20] His father, Jay, was a defensive back for the Miami Dolphins and the New Orleans Saints in the 1980s.[21]

He is married to Taylor Craig, daughter of 1980 U.S. Olympic goaltender, Jim Craig; the couple welcomed their first daughter in 2021.[22]

Career statistics

Megna with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2013
Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2009–10 Cedar Rapids RoughRiders USHL 561115266250006
2010–11 Cedar Rapids RoughRiders USHL 603028584584374
2011–12 Nebraska–Omaha Mavericks WCHA 3813183127—————
2012–13 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins AHL 56571228122350
2013–14 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins AHL 2596154131234
2013–14 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 36549620000
2014–15 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins AHL 632613394081452
2014–15 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 1201114—————
2015–16 Hartford Wolf Pack AHL 6515294422—————
2015–16 New York Rangers NHL 61122—————
2016–17 Utica Comets AHL 41230—————
2016–17 Vancouver Canucks NHL 584486—————
2017–18 Utica Comets AHL 2549136—————
2017–18 Vancouver Canucks NHL 10000—————
2018–19 Hershey Bears AHL 712023433494486
2019–20 Colorado Eagles AHL 4318163422—————
2019–20 Colorado Avalanche NHL 80002—————
2020–21 Colorado Avalanche NHL 70220—————
2020–21 Colorado Eagles AHL 137292—————
2021–22 Colorado Avalanche NHL 200334—————
2021–22 Colorado Eagles AHL 381320331896398
2022–23 Colorado Eagles AHL 933612—————
2022–23 Colorado Avalanche NHL 140002—————
2022–23 Anaheim Ducks NHL 412684—————
NHL totals 2031221334020000

Awards and honors

Award Year
College
All-WCHA Rookie Team 2011–12 [23]

References

  1. ↑ "Skater from Illinois picks hockey over dad's sport of football".
  2. ↑ "Pee-Wee players who have reached NHL or WHA" (PDF). Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament. 2018. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 6, 2019. Retrieved February 16, 2019.
  3. ↑ "Penguins Recall Forward Jayson Megna". Pittsburgh Penguins. October 24, 2013. Retrieved November 3, 2013.
  4. ↑ "Rookie Jayson Megna has 1st career goal, assist in Penguins' 3–1 win over Hurricanes". National Hockey League. October 28, 2013. Retrieved November 3, 2013.
  5. ↑ "Rangers agree to terms with free agent forward Jayson Megna". New York Rangers. July 1, 2015. Retrieved July 1, 2015.
  6. ↑ Gorman, D. (November 30, 2015). "Rangers center Derek Stepan out 4 to 6 weeks". AP Sports.
  7. ↑ Brett Cyrgalis (January 22, 2016). "Megna returned to Wolf Pack". Retrieved January 22, 2016 – via Twitter.
  8. ↑ "New York Rangers Recall Seven Players from Hartford Wolf Pack". Archived from the original on May 5, 2016. Retrieved April 21, 2016.
  9. ↑ "Canucks sign Jayson Megna to one-year deal". Vancouver Canucks. July 1, 2016. Retrieved July 2, 2016.
  10. ↑ "Canucks Recall Megna and Stecher from the Comets". National Hockey League. October 24, 2016. Retrieved October 25, 2016.
  11. ↑ "Jack Skille, Jayson Megna power Canucks to win". National Hockey League. December 8, 2016. Retrieved December 8, 2016.
  12. ↑ "Jayson Megna signed to one-year extension". canucks.com. April 2, 2017. Retrieved April 12, 2017.
  13. ↑ "Washington Capitals sign Michael Sgarbossa, Jayson Megna". Washington Capitals. July 1, 2018. Retrieved July 1, 2018.
  14. ↑ "Avalanche signs Megna, Renouf and Tynan". Colorado Avalanche. July 1, 2019. Retrieved July 1, 2019.
  15. ↑ "Huberdeau scores early in OT, Panthers rally to beat Avalanche". ESPN. October 30, 2019. Retrieved October 30, 2019.
  16. ↑ "Avalanche re-signs Jayson Megna". Colorado Avalanche. October 11, 2020. Retrieved October 11, 2020.
  17. ↑ "Avalanche, Megna agree to two-year contract extension". Colorado Avalanche. June 16, 2021. Retrieved June 16, 2021.
  18. ↑ "Ducks claim Jayson Megna off waivers from Avs". The Sports Network. December 6, 2022. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
  19. ↑ "Bruins announce July 1 transactions". Boston Bruins. July 1, 2023. Retrieved July 1, 2023.
  20. ↑ "Jaycob Megna player profile". Anaheim Ducks. November 3, 2013. Retrieved November 3, 2013.
  21. ↑ "Megna's career path followed hockey passion, not family football lineage". The Vancouver Sun. December 29, 2016. Retrieved March 3, 2017.
  22. ↑ "Avs player Jayson Megna has a pretty famous father-in-law: USA hockey icon Jim Craig". coloradohockeynow.com. February 16, 2021. Retrieved July 5, 2021.
  23. ↑ "WCHA All-Rookie Teams". College Hockey Historical Archives. Retrieved May 19, 2013.
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