Andrew Philip Welinski (born April 27, 1993) is an American professional

ice hockey Ice hockey (or simply hockey) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an ice skating rink with lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. In ice hockey, two opposing teams use ice hock ...

defenseman Defence or defense (in American English) in ice hockey is a player position that is primarily responsible for preventing the opposing team from Goal (ice hockey), scoring. They are often referred to as defencemen, D, D-men or blueliners (the la ...

who is currently an

unrestricted free agent In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who is a ...

. He most recently played with the

Charlotte Checkers The Charlotte Checkers are a minor-league professional ice hockey team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the American Hockey League (AHL), and are the top minor league affi ...

of the

American Hockey League The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary Minor league#Ice hockey, developmental league for the National Hockey League (NHL). Since the 2010–11 AHL se ...

(AHL). He was selected by the

Anaheim Ducks The Anaheim Ducks are a professional ice hockey team based in Anaheim, California. The Ducks compete in the Western Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division, and play their home games at Honda Center. ...

in the third round, 83rd overall, of the

2011 NHL Entry Draft The 2011 NHL Entry Draft was the 49th NHL Entry Draft. It was held on June 24–25, 2011, at the Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul, Minnesota. It was the first time the Draft was held in the state of Minnesota since the Minnesota North Stars hoste ...

Playing career

Welinski attended

Duluth East High School East High School is a public secondary school in Duluth, Minnesota, United States. It educates students in grades nine through twelve. It first opened its doors in 1927 as a junior high school. In 1950, it became a senior high school to serve the ...

in his native Minnesota and then spent two years with the

Green Bay Gamblers The Green Bay Gamblers are a Junior ice hockey#Tier I, Tier I junior ice hockey team in the Eastern Conference of the United States Hockey League (USHL). They play in Ashwaubenon, Wisconsin, at the Resch Center. History Professional hockey in Gre ...

of the

USHL The United States Hockey League (USHL) is the top junior ice hockey league sanctioned by USA Hockey. The league consists of 16 active teams located in the midwestern United States, for players between the ages of 16 and 21. The USHL is strictly ...

starting 2010, capturing the

Anderson Cup The United States Hockey League (USHL) is the top junior ice hockey league sanctioned by USA Hockey. The league consists of 16 active teams located in the midwestern United States, for players between the ages of 16 and 21. The USHL is strictly ...

and the

Clark Cup The United States Hockey League began in 1961 as a semi-professional ice hockey league. Starting with the 1979–80 season, the league became a strictly Amateur league, and began awarding its champion the Clark Cup Trophy. All champions of the USHL ...

his second season, while receiving Defenseman of the Year and All-USHL First Team recognition. He was also presented with the

Dave Tyler Junior Player of the Year Award The Dave Tyler Junior Player of the Year Award, formerly known as USA Hockey Junior Player of the Year Award, is presented annually to the most outstanding American-born player in junior ice hockey. Chosen by panel of junior coaches and administrat ...

that season. He enrolled at the

University of Minnesota Duluth The University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD) is a public university in Duluth, Minnesota. It is part of the University of Minnesota system and offers 16 bachelor's degrees in 88 majors, graduate programs in 25 different fields, and a two-year progr ...

in 2012 and was named to the 2012–13

Western Collegiate Hockey Association The Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) is a college athletic conference which operates in the Midwestern United States. It participates in the NCAA's Division I as a women's ice hockey-only conference. From 1951 to 1999, it operated a ...

All-Rookie team. Prior to his senior season (2015–16), in which he served as team captain, Welinski made the College Hockey News Preseason All-America Team and the All-

National Collegiate Hockey Conference The National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) is an NCAA men's Division I hockey conference formed on July 9, 2011. The league began playing for the 2013–14 season, the same season that the Big Ten Conference began competition, as a combina ...

Preseason Team. Following the season, he was named to the All-NCHC Second Team (for the second straight year). He made 154 appearances for the Bulldogs throughout his college career, amassing 24 goals and 53 assists. On April 4, 2016, he signed a two-year entry-level contract with the Anaheim Ducks of the NHL and joined the Ducks' AHL affiliate

San Diego Gulls The San Diego Gulls are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League (AHL) that began play in the 2015–16 season. Based in San Diego, California, and affiliated with the National Hockey League's Anaheim Ducks, the Gulls play th ...

on an amateur tryout agreement. He made his debut in the American Hockey League on April 6, 2016. He made his NHL debut on December 11, 2017, against the

Carolina Hurricanes The Carolina Hurricanes (colloquially known as the Canes) are a professional ice hockey team based in Raleigh, North Carolina. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference, ...

. As a free agent from the Ducks following the 2018–19 season, Welinski left to sign a one-year $750,000 contract with the

Philadelphia Flyers The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia. The Flyers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home games in Wells ...

on July 1, 2019. After attending the Flyers training camp, Welinski was waived and assigned to AHL affiliate, the

Lehigh Valley Phantoms The Lehigh Valley Phantoms are a professional ice hockey team based in Allentown, Pennsylvania. The team competes in the American Hockey League (AHL) and serves as the primary development team for the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey Lea ...

for the 2019–20 season. He registered 8 goals and 21 points from the blueline for the Phantoms, however was unable to earn a recall to the Flyers. At the conclusion of his contract with the Flyers, Welinski returned to the Anaheim Ducks organization as a free agent, securing a one-year, $750,000 contract on October 10, 2020. In the pandemic delayed season, Welinski remained on the Ducks roster as a depth defenseman, returning NHL action in featuring in 13 regular season games. As a free agent, Welinski left the Ducks for a second time in securing a one-year, two-way contract with the

Calgary Flames The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary. The Flames compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference, and ...

on July 29, 2021. Following a lone season within the Flames organization, Welinski left as a free agent and was signed to a one-year, two-way contract with the

New York Rangers The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the New York City borough of Manhattan. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home ...

on July 14, 2022. After attending the Rangers 2022 training camp, Welinski upon clearing waivers was re-assigned to play in the 2022–23 season with AHL affiliate, the

Hartford Wolf Pack The Hartford Wolf Pack are a professional ice hockey team based in Hartford, Connecticut. A member of the American Hockey League (AHL), they play their home games at the XL Center. The team was established in 1926 as the Providence Reds. After a ...

. Providing a veteran presence, Welinski posted four goals and 16 points through 40 games with the Wolf Pack. On February 28, 2023, as part of a three-team deal, Welinski was traded by the New York Rangers (along with two Rangers' draft picks) to the

Chicago Blackhawks The Chicago Blackhawks (spelled Black Hawks until 1986, and known colloquially as the Hawks) are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago. The Blackhawks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division i ...

in exchange for

Patrick Kane Patrick Timothy Kane II (born November 19, 1988) is an American professional ice hockey right winger and alternate captain for the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League (NHL). The Blackhawks selected him with the first overall pick ...

and minor league defenseman Cooper Zech. During the preseason, Welinski was signed to the

St. Louis Blues The St. Louis Blues are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Louis. The Blues compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference. The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the s ...

to a PTO on September 18 but was released on September 29. Remaining as a free agent heading into the season, Welinski was belatedly signed to a PTO with the

Iowa Wild The Iowa Wild are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League, that began play for the 2013–14 season. The team plays at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, Iowa, as the AHL affiliate of the NHL's Minnesota Wild. The team was f ...

of the AHL on October 24. Adding a veteran presence on the Blueline for Iowa, Welinski made 27 appearancesposting 3 goals and 10 points, before he concluded his try-out with the club. On March 14, 2024, he was signed to a PTO to join the Charlotte Checkers, primary affiliate to the

Florida Panthers The Florida Panthers are a professional ice hockey team based in the Miami metropolitan area. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern ...

International play

He represented the US Select Team at the 2011

World Junior A Challenge The World Junior A Challenge (WJAC) is an annual under-20 international ice hockey tournament sponsored by Hockey Canada, the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL), and the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF). The tournament showcases Juni ...

Career statistics

Awards and honors

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Welinski, Andrew 1993 births Living people American men's ice hockey defensemen Anaheim Ducks draft picks Anaheim Ducks players Charlotte Checkers (2010–) players Green Bay Gamblers players Hartford Wolf Pack players Iowa Wild players Ice hockey people from Duluth, Minnesota Lehigh Valley Phantoms players Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs men's ice hockey players Rockford IceHogs (AHL) players San Diego Gulls (AHL) players Stockton Heat players University of Minnesota Duluth alumni